PLATE-IDENTIFICATION 3548706 - Caterpillar

Temperature Guidelines
The maximum temperature a Track-Type Tractor track seal can withstand before permanent damage will occur is 71° C (160° F). Permanent damage to the seal lip can allow oil to leak and cause the track joint to fail.
Illustration 1 g03078251
Track seal lip flattened and distorted from excessive heat.
Illustration 2 g03078316
New track seal. Lip is not flattened or distorted Permanent damage to the seal can be avoided by controlling the following variables:
Tractor operation in extreme high heat environments such as steel mill slag, coal pile fires, or brush fires.
Track shoe maintenance operations such as:
Cutting center holes in track shoes
Replacing grouser bars on track shoes
Illustration 3 g03078478
Track shoes with ice lugs installed
Ice lug installation or removal on track shoe grouserBest practice for track shoe maintenance operations described above is to remove track shoes from links to avoid seal damage.Under controlled circumstances, shoes can be left on link assemblies during ice lug installation and removal if:
Heat input to track seal area is carefully controlled and monitored
Seal area is shielded from pre-heat torch, cut-off torch slag blowby and/or other sources of excess heatWhen welding on track shoes, the ground wire must be attached to the track shoe being welded. Do not attach the ground wire to the track links.