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Old 01-09-2018, 11:28 AM
dragoon500ly dragoon500ly is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: East Tennessee, USA
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From US prospective, a track block is a single metal and rubber section, weighing between 80-90 pounds, depending on type. It has three connective pieces, the centerfield, which keeps the track aligned with the road wheels and two end connectors, which each end of the block. These three connectors are used to link each block to the next.

Wear wise, the block itself is worn by decay of the rubber due to age, wear on hard surfaces or battle damage. Centerfield take quit a bit of wear before needing replacement, typically battle damage or "throwing a track" will result in 3-4 centerfield needing replacement. End connectors slip over the ends of two blocks and are locked in place with a wedge and bolt. While "Der book" doesn't mention this an old tanker trick is to tighten the bolt and then use a ball peen hammer to mushroom the bolt so that it doesn't vibrate loose.

Of all the track components, the end connectors cause more problems due to the bolt/wedge vibrating loose. It is common for 2-3 of these to be lost on long road marches.

It is unit SOP to carry 1-2 sections of track (usually four blocks already connected together) and a half dozen centerguides and a dozen or so end connectors, just in case.
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