Master track chain connection for crawler tractors

In a master connection for an endless track chain, the combination comprising:

• a split master link having a mounting surface along one edge thereof, a rail surface along the opposite edge thereof, and a pair of half-links separable along mating interlocking surfaces, said interlocking surfaces being oriented in a generally diagonal direction between the mounting surface and the rail surface of the link;
• a track shoe positioned along said mounting surface of said link;
• and
• means for independently securing the track shoe to the master link and for retaining said half-links together, said means including a first bolt and a second bolt, each bolt having a head and a threaded shank, first and second apertures in said link, and first and second apertures through said shoe, said first shoe aperture being sized to receive the shank of the first bolt with the head of said first bolt engaged against said track shoe and the threaded shank thereof threaded into said first threaded aperture in the link for solely fastening the track shoe to the link and the second of said shoe apertures being sized to provide clearance around the head of said second bolt, said second bolt being threadably engaged in said second threaded aperture of the link with its head in abutting engagement against the mounting surface of the link and not against the track shoe for solely retaining the half-links of the master link together.