Scallop-resistant track link and method of making same

A method of making a track link comprising:

• heat treating an elongate link body having a lower shoe-mounting surface and an upper rail surface such that a material extending throughout the elongate link body is hardened;
• tempering the elongate link body such that a portion of the material that is hardened and forms a first and a second track pin bore in the elongate link body is softened;
• forming, by way of the heat treating and the tempering of the elongate link body, a scallop-retarding pattern of varying hardness where the elongate link body has a first lower hardness zone extending circumferentially around the first track pin bore, a second lower hardness zone extending circumferentially around the second track pin bore, and a higher hardness zone that includes the upper rail surface;
• and
• the upper rail surface extending longitudinally in the elongate link body, and the higher hardness zone extending in a first longitudinal direction to a first higher hardness zone end and in a second longitudinal direction to a second higher hardness zone end, and the first higher hardness zone end and the second higher hardness zone end being located longitudinally outward of a first center axis defined by the first track pin bore and a second center axis defined by the second track pin bore, respectively.