Method for manufacturing track for auger boring machine

A method for manufacturing a track for an auger boring machine having a drive mechanism for moving the machine along a desired direction of travel, which drive mechanism includes a first drive motor located on one side of the machine and a second drive motor located on the opposite side of the machine, each of which drive motors has a shaft and a pinion mounted on the shaft, said method including the following steps:

• (a) providing a first track base rail and a second track base rail which are adapted to support the auger boring machine;
• (b) arranging said first and second base rails parallel to each other along the desired direction of travel of the boring machine;
• (c) cutting a first gear rack and a second gear rack, each of which includes:
• (1) a plurality of gear teeth along one side that are adapted to mesh with the pinion of the drive mechanism;
• (2) a plurality of spaced flexibility notches along the side opposite the gear teeth;
• (d) placing the first gear rack on the first base rail with the gear teeth oriented so as to engage with the pinion of the first drive motor;
• (e) placing the second gear rack on the second base rail with the gear teeth oriented so as to engage with the pinion of the second drive motor;
• (f) providing a spacing fixture comprising:
• (1) a first fixture section having a plurality of gear teeth along one side that are adapted to mesh with the gear teeth of the first gear rack;
• (2) a second fixture section having a plurality of gear teeth along one side that are adapted to mesh with the gear teeth of the second gear rack;
• (3) a joining member that is attached to the first fixture section and the second fixture section, said joining member being adapted to space the fixture sections so as to simulate the distance between the pinion of the first drive motor and the pinion of the second drive motor with the gear teeth of the first fixture section in mesh with the gear teeth of the first gear rack and the gear teeth of the second fixture section in mesh with the gear teeth of the second gear rack;
• (g) placing the spacing fixture between the first gear rack and the second gear rack so that the gear teeth of the first fixture section are in mesh with the gear teeth of the first gear rack and the gear teeth of the second fixture section are in mesh with the gear teeth of the second gear rack;
• (h) attaching the first gear rack to the first track base rail;
• (i) attaching the second gear rack to the second track base rail.