Track hardware kits save time and prevent mistakes by bundling the correct grade, size, and quantity for the part. Kits beat piecemeal buying when the part count and grades matter, because the second order and the wrong grade cost more than the kit. Order the kit with the part, confirm the contents, and the job starts complete.
Related reading: for loosening causes, see our loosening guide, and for bolt grades, see our bolt grade guide.
Hardware-Kit Contents Checklist
- Supplier: AFT Parts — aftermarket undercarriage components.
- Scope: Hardware kit buying, sizing, and quality
- Compatibility: CAT, Komatsu, Kubota, Bobcat, Hitachi, and more
- Application coverage: Manitoba.
- Fitment: hardware grade, size, and serial confirmed before dispatch.
Why Hardware Is Often the Missing Piece of a Parts Order
New track parts arrive with worn or missing hardware, and operators discover the gap when the machine is already apart. A hardware kit closes the loop before the job starts, and it removes the second order from the maintenance stop.
In Manitoba shops, a parts order without hardware often turns into a second order and a second wait. Kits prevent that, and the prevention is worth the small cost of planning it into the original order.
The gap is most common on shoe and segment jobs, where the part count is high and the hardware is not included with the casting. Asking for the hardware line at quote time is the fix, and the quote that lists it is the quote that can be compared.
What a Complete Hardware Kit Includes
A complete kit includes the bolts, nuts, and washers for the part, at the correct grade, size, and quantity. Confirm the kit covers the full part count, because a kit that is short by one bolt is a kit that still needs a second order.
The contents should match the machine's specification for the position. Grade and coating are as important as size, and the kit list is the check sheet.
The kit list also shows what is not included, such as lock washers for one position or studs for another. Reading the full list at order time prevents the surprise of the missing line at the stop.
Piecemeal Buying Risks and Costs
Buying hardware piecemeal risks wrong grades, mixed sizes, and missing quantities, and the reorder costs time and freight. The risks multiply across a full shoe set or roller set, where the count is high and the grades differ by position.
Piecemeal buying also loses the audit trail: a bolt of unknown grade ends up in the wrong position. The kit's list keeps the grade and position matched.
Counting Hardware: Why the Count Is the Check
The count is the acceptance test at delivery: shoes and rollers take bolts by the dozen, and a kit short by one bolt is a kit that still needs a second order. Count the hardware against the kit list before the box leaves the counter.
The count also protects the job: a complete set means the machine is not left half-bolted at the stop. Five minutes of counting at delivery saves the day that a missing bolt costs later.
Sizing Kits to Shoes, Rollers, and Segments by Part Number
Match the kit to the part: shoe kits, roller kits, and segment kits each use different grades and counts. Order by part number and machine serial, and confirm the kit number covers the exact part.
The same machine can use different kits for different positions. The serial number and part number settle the kit, and the kit list settles the contents.
The kit size is part of the fitment conversation, because a shoe kit for one machine can look identical to a shoe kit for another until the count and grade are compared. Confirm both with the part number, and the similarity stops being a risk.
Quality Markers for Hardware
Quality hardware carries grade markings, correct plating, and consistent dimensions. Confirm the grade matches the machine specification, and read the head marking before installation.
Plating and coating matter on Canadian machines that see salt and moisture. The correct finish is part of the specification, not a cosmetic extra.
Check a sample bolt from the kit against the specification at delivery, because the box label is not the hardware. The sample check catches the mislabeled batch before it reaches the machine.
Dimension consistency matters across the kit: mixed batches of the same grade can carry small length differences that change the clamp. Measure a sample length against the specification, and the kit's consistency is confirmed in one check.
Ordering Kits With Your Parts
Order the hardware kit with the part so both arrive together, and confirm the kit part number against the machine. One delivery, one job, and no waiting for the second shipment.
The delivery window should match the maintenance stop, not the other way around. A kit that arrives with the part is a kit that was planned.
Keep the kit list with the part's fitment confirmation in the order file. When the next service asks what hardware went into that position, the answer is in the file, and the file is what makes the fleet's hardware history readable.
What a Kit Should Cover: A Contents Checklist
The kit list is the acceptance check at the counter. The table below shows the fields to confirm before the kit leaves the supplier.
| Kit check | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Bolt grade | Matches the position specification |
| Bolt size and thread pitch | Matches the part and the machine |
| Nut and washer count | Covers the full part count |
| Coating | Suits the site conditions |
| Kit part number | Confirmed against the machine serial number |
Delivery Windows: Timing the Kit With the Maintenance Stop
The kit is part of the job plan, not an afterthought. Add the hardware line to the parts order, confirm the delivery window, and the maintenance stop has everything on the same trailer.
For a Manitoba shop, the kit routine is simple: part number, kit number, serial number, and a contents check at delivery. That routine is what turns a hardware line into a complete job.
The routine also feeds the next order: a kit that ran short or arrived with the wrong coating is recorded and corrected on the next one. The record turns hardware buying from a repeated surprise into a managed line item.
Before Ordering
- Confirm the part number and the hardware kit number together.
- Check the grade, size, and quantity in the kit.
- Order the kit with the part for one delivery.
Questions to Ask Before You Order
- What hardware kit covers my part and serial number?
- What grade, size, and quantity does the kit include?
- Does the kit ship with the part?
See the Bolt & Nut collection and the V79035816 hardware item for your machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a track hardware kit?
A bundle of bolts, nuts, and washers at the correct grade, size, and quantity for a specific part, such as a shoe, roller, or segment.
Are hardware kits worth it?
Yes, when the part count and grades matter. Kits prevent wrong grades, missing quantities, and reorders.
Can I reuse old hardware?
Replace worn or stretched hardware. New kits give the part the correct clamping force.