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View Full Version : Trencher Chain Tension problem

bobw
06-06-2009, 08:16 AM
Last year I bought a used Ditch Witch trencher attachment for my SK350.

Looking at it this season, the chain is getting looser than I would like, so I need to up the tension.

I did the lube in the nipple thing. No luck. It just won't take any lube. I even pulled off the nipple and put a new on one in case it was plugged. Still no luck.

Any ideas on what to do next?
DanaMac
06-06-2009, 08:19 AM
I did the lube in the nipple thing.

Whoa! Hey this is a family show for crying out loud. Clean it up :)
Wet_Boots
06-06-2009, 08:33 AM
Buy it dinner first. Soft music, candlelight, a glass of merlot.....
bobw
06-06-2009, 08:33 AM
Whoa! Hey this is a family show for crying out loud. Clean it up :)

Hey..its the weekend...we're all entitled to a little fun here and there ;)

It is actually snowing at this moment and I have a full day of service work scheduled.... grrrr
DanaMac
06-06-2009, 09:03 AM
Hey..its the weekend...we're all entitled to a little fun here and there ;)

It is actually snowing at this moment and I have a full day of service work scheduled.... grrrr

Yes!!! I need to move to a year round snow climate. Our famous local peak, Pikes Peak, has been getting hammered recently.
Pikes Peak (http://www.gazette.com/articles/snow-55881-peak-springs.html)
I judge our snow pack on July 4th. If there is a decent amount that I can see on Pikes peak, it was a good season. I think there will be plenty up there this time.
Sprinkus
06-06-2009, 09:45 AM
Last year I bought a used Ditch Witch trencher attachment for my SK350.

Looking at it this season, the chain is getting looser than I would like, so I need to up the tension.

I did the lube in the nipple thing. No luck. It just won't take any lube. I even pulled off the nipple and put a new on one in case it was plugged. Still no luck.

Any ideas on what to do next?

I might try removing the grease zerk fitting and then backing the machine, boom first, into a solid object like a telephone pole to loosen up the boom, unless the boom is already fully extended, in which case the chain is stretched too much and will need to be replaced.
You might check the ditch witch forums (http://ditchwitchforums.com/) to see if anyone else has had a similar problem.

Well, after looking at the SK350 online I see that it is a skid steer machine. Does the attachment use grease to extend the boom or the giant bolt and nut?
bobw
06-06-2009, 09:48 AM
I might try removing the grease zerk fitting and then backing the machine, boom first, into a solid object like a telephone pole to loosen up the boom, unless the boom is already fully extended, in which case the chain is stretched too much and will need to be replaced.
You might check the ditch witch forums (http://ditchwitchforums.com/) to see if anyone else has had a similar problem.

Interesting idea...

Should I be playing with any of the other bolts first? There are 4 that look like they hold the blade itself onto the bar attached to the machine and one inset into the blade....
Sprinkus
06-06-2009, 09:58 AM
I think you need to loosen the 4 bolts first, if I remember right.
A picture would be helpful.

After finally waking up I realized that a quick call to a Ditch Witch service department could get you the answer you need.
hoskm01
06-06-2009, 07:27 PM
I think you need to loosen the 4 bolts first, if I remember right.
A picture would be helpful.

After finally waking up I realized that a quick call to a Ditch Witch service department could get you the answer you need.
I believe that is correct. Loosen the bolts, thence with the lube shot forcefully through the teet.
bobw
06-06-2009, 07:55 PM
I'll loosen the bolts and give the blade a good bump on a solid surface on Monday (or the next day the weather is OK....) and see what happens.
ksJoe
06-06-2009, 08:36 PM
Dad used to have an equipment rental yard. We once had a trencher that we couldn't tighten because mud worked its way into the boom and rusted it. We took the chain off, used a to tow chain to fasten the boom to something solid, then bumped against the chain until it worked loose. We cleaned everything up, put it back together, and all was well again.

Just a thought in case the simple ideas don't work for you....
Sprinkus
06-07-2009, 12:27 AM
I'll loosen the bolts and give the blade a good bump on a solid surface on Monday (or the next day the weather is OK....) and see what happens.

If this attachment looks anything like the one at the bottom of this page (http://www.ditchwitch.com/compact-utility/mini-skid-steers/SK350) then you need to loosen the 4 bolts and then tighten the large bolt in the rectangular space in the boom.
bobw
06-07-2009, 08:13 AM
If this attachment looks anything like the one at the bottom of this page (http://www.ditchwitch.com/compact-utility/mini-skid-steers/SK350) then you need to loosen the 4 bolts and then tighten the large bolt in the rectangular space in the boom.

It looks exactly like that one. I did look at the large bolt in the middle. It is pretty much tightened in all the way. I hit it with some penetrating oil and started to undo it. It is very stiff and I couldn't tell what loosening it was doing (if anything) I was hoping that it would expand the grease chamber, but it didn't seem to make much difference. I guess I need to undo it some more as well.