How to Replace Takeuchi TL230 Tracks in Canada?

A Takeuchi TL230 runs a 400x86x52 rubber track - 400 mm wide, 86 mm pitch, 52 links - the same belt listed for the TL8. Get that code right and the replacement itself is a straightforward job: release the track tension, take the belt off, fit the new one, re-tension it and re-check after a few hours. The part that catches people out is not the fitting; it is releasing the tension safely and confirming the size before the belt is ordered.

Last updated: October 5, 2026

This guide covers how to confirm the size, how to tell the belt is finished, what to have ready, the replacement sequence itself, the safety point that matters most on a grease-tensioned machine, and what to do once the new belt is on.

Confirm the size before anything else

Three numbers, taken from the marking on the belt you are removing and confirmed against the machine's manual or parts book. On the TL230 that reads 400x86x52. Width sets ground pressure, pitch has to engage the drive sprocket exactly and cannot be adjusted, and link count is the belt's length - a belt one link out will not tension correctly.

It is worth stating plainly because wrong figures for this machine circulate in the market, including a 300 mm belt that belongs to a much smaller machine class. If a listing quotes your TL230 a belt that is not 400x86x52, ask for the fitment in writing before ordering. The same care applies to the rest of the undercarriage: the TL230's rollers, idlers and sprocket have their own part numbers, and the rubber track range is the quickest way to see which sizes are stocked before you telephone anyone.

When the belt is finished

The failure order is predictable. First the lugs round off and the loader starts spinning where it used to bite. Then cracks appear at the base of the lugs or across the belt's face, and the belt starts losing tension between adjustments. A cord strand visible at a cut, or a bulge in the belt, is the end - that belt can part under load and take the undercarriage with it.

Replace on condition rather than on an hours figure. Ground, load and how well the steel has been kept in condition decide how long a set lasts, and a machine working rock or frozen ground will finish a belt far sooner than one on turf. Recording the hours and terrain each time a set goes on is what makes the next decision measurable.

What to have ready

Support the machine properly rather than on the bucket, on level, firm ground, with the attachment down and the controls isolated. Chock the machine, and work on the side that is being changed with the other belt still tensioned so the loader cannot move.

For tooling, plan on a high-pressure grease gun for the tensioner, a suitable bar for walking the belt off, a torque wrench for the mounting hardware you disturb, a brush or scraper for the undercarriage, and gloves and eye protection - the grease in a tensioner cylinder is under pressure and will be hot after work. Before starting, look at the sprocket teeth, the idler face and the rollers: if any of them is hooked, grooved or seized, they wear a new belt from the inside out, so it is cheaper to deal with them in this job than to revisit it.

The replacement sequence

Release the tension. With the machine supported, open the grease cylinder's relief valve and let the tensioner return. This is the step to slow down for: the grease leaves the valve under pressure, so keep your body - and in particular your face and hands - out of the line of the valve outlet, and catch the grease rather than letting it spray across the site.

Walk the belt off. Once the track is slack, work it off the sprocket and the front idler, using the bar to lift the edge over the flange rather than levering against the belt's face. Take the old belt clear and set it aside, because the code on it is what confirms the replacement if anything goes wrong later.

Check before fitting. With the belt off, clean packed material out of the track frame and inspect the components the belt runs on. A roller that rocks on its shaft or an idler with a grooved face is a part to replace now.

Fit the new belt. Lay the belt over the sprocket and idler with the tread facing out and the lugs engaged, then work it onto the frame in the reverse of the way the old one came off. Confirm the belt is seated on every roller before tensioning anything.

Re-tension. Pump the grease cylinder slowly until the belt reaches the manual's figure, checking as you go rather than pumping to a feel. Over-tensioning loads the rollers and idler continuously; under-tensioning lets the chain slap and climb the sprocket.

After the fit

Run the loader for a short period, then re-check the tension - a new belt takes its initial stretch in the first hours of work, and the re-check is what stops a belt that felt right from running loose. Look for even seating on every roller, and listen for a rhythmic slap that would indicate a link not engaged.

Two records pay for themselves afterwards. The tension figure your machine was set to, and the size code and hours at which each set went on. On a loader that works across different ground, those two lines turn the next track purchase from a guess into a comparison, and they are the first thing a supplier will ask for if a belt fails early.

It is also worth keeping the old belt until the new one has run a full day. If the replacement sits proud of the rollers, does not hold tension, or runs off centre, the old belt's dimensions are the reference that shows whether the problem is the belt or the undercarriage - and having it on site is what lets a supplier answer that question in one conversation rather than two.

This article is part of the rubber tracks guide, which covers how the size code works, tread patterns, compounds and buying a set in Canada.

FAQs

What size tracks does a Takeuchi TL230 take?

400x86x52 - 400 mm wide, 86 mm pitch and 52 links. It is the same belt listed for the TL8. Confirm against the marking on the belt you are removing and the machine's parts book.

Can I replace TL230 tracks myself?

Yes, if the machine is supported properly and the tensioner is released safely. The job is mechanical: release tension, walk the belt off, inspect the steel, fit the new belt and re-tension it to the manual's figure.

What should I check before fitting a new track?

The drive sprocket teeth, the idler face and every roller. A hooked sprocket or a grooved idler wears a new belt from the inside out, so those parts are cheaper to replace while the belt is already off.

How tight should a TL230 track be?

Set the tension to the figure in the machine's manual, measured at the point the manual specifies, and re-check it after the first few hours when the belt has taken its initial stretch. Tension is not a feel judgement.

How often do TL230 tracks need replacing?

Condition decides it rather than an hours figure. Tread depth, cracks at the lug base, loss of tension between adjustments and any exposed cord are the indicators, and abrasive ground or frozen work will shorten the interval considerably.