ground clearance ?

[mhtrental2014]

Have 3 each 239 skid steer track loaders We are spending too much $$ $ on bottom pan repairs What has been your experiences? 2021 spent over $15K on one unit with less than 600 hours on loader Now have a unit in shop and is $2000 to get repaired with less than 500 hours use. Ideas welcome

 

[mrbb]

other than adding some extra protection s in some steel plate, which in return will only LOWER your ground clearance
I would maybe suggest having your operators start using better judgment on what there doing and running over!, as a lot of damage to the undercarriage can be prevented by just not running things over that rub the bottom!
I know not what you maybe want to hear, but that is a solution, Not all operators have the same views on how abusive or not they run things, all l the more so when there not paying to have them fixed!

also maybe if you tell us more about what there being used for, materials there driven on< you can get better idea's on a different suggestion!
big difference in wear and tear from dragging a belly pan over sand, as to dirt as to broken concrete, if you follow~!

 

[Wayne440]

...suggest having your operators start using better judgment on what there doing and running over...

My advice- (your user name implies rental so I'm assuming that these are rental machines) Inspect and document (with photos) the underside before they leave the lot- make sure the customer sees this done. Tell them "You must be aware of the low ground clearance of the 239s, we see some coming back with damage to the belly pan" Let them know that a hefty bill will be forthcoming if the machine comes back with a damaged pan.

...Not all operators have the same views on how abusive or not they run things...

That view will change after they have been billed for repairs one time.

 

[mrbb]

My advice- (your user name implies rental so I'm assuming that these are rental machines) Inspect and document (with photos) the underside before they leave the lot- make sure the customer sees this done. Tell them "You must be aware of the low ground clearance of the 239s, we see some coming back with damage to the belly pan" Let them know that a hefty bill will be forthcoming if the machine comes back with a damaged pan.

That view will change after they have been billed for repairs one time.

if the operator wasn;'t the one that rented(IF rented) odds are it will not change the way they use / operate things,
this is why, you get the NOT ALL EMPLOYEE"S are as good as some are !~L

and this also goes for the one's that work at rental shops that actually look things over both before and after they come back
most owners don;t be the one's doing the inspections , so your still at the mercy of the one's running things, be it the business at rental shop, or running the equipment!
I agree hitting folks in the wallet tends to learn them lessons faster than other ways, but sadly, most times the money ends up coming out of owners pockets and not those that did the damage or failed to report it!
as they say, GOOD workers are hard to find and when you GET some, treat them good, as a little extra pay, saves on a lot of down times and repairs and well, FINES and fee's from damaged rental items!

 

[koko]

Have 3 each 239 skid steer track loaders We are spending too much $$ $ on bottom pan repairs What has been your experiences? 2021 spent over $15K on one unit with less than 600 hours on loader Now have a unit in shop and is $2000 to get repaired with less than 500 hours use. Ideas welcome

My only suggestion would be to get in touch with the supplier & let them know what a "fine" product they have & switch suppliers! I cannot fathom how the pans can be damaged so badly other than being manufactured from crap!

 

[AlDirtGuy]

Sadly, these units are not indestructible. You might find it cheaper to hire better operators if you can't change their poor habits. Abuse causes raises to slow, they need to understand this.

 

[ddbackhoe]

My advice- (your user name implies rental so I'm assuming that these are rental machines) Inspect and document (with photos) the underside before they leave the lot- make sure the customer sees this done. Tell them "You must be aware of the low ground clearance of the 239s, we see some coming back with damage to the belly pan" Let them know that a hefty bill will be forthcoming if the machine comes back with a damaged pan.

That view will change after they have been billed for repairs one time.

WTH? Charge the rental customer for what? A bellypan doesnt magically disintegrate. Prorating for repairs should already be a part of the rental price. Your plan sounds like a good way to get a really bad name in the local community.

 

[Wayne440]

WTH? Charge the rental customer for what? A bellypan doesnt magically disintegrate. Prorating for repairs...

I agree that a belly pan certainly does not magically disintegrate. Nor does one "magically" develop thousands of dollars in damage from abuse.
Every rental yard I have dealt with will bill for damages indicative of abuse and tire damage, but I guess some do not.

Maybe the OP will clarify if these are in fact rental machines.

 

[ddbackhoe]

I agree that a belly pan certainly does not magically disintegrate. Nor does one "magically" develop thousands of dollars in damage from abuse.
Every rental yard I have dealt with will bill for damages indicative of abuse and tire damage, but I guess some do not.

Maybe the OP will clarify if these are in fact rental machines.

I have a feeling that he is paying for more than skid pans. Bottoming out a skid steer is not what I would consider abuse. The ads often show them in the dirt, but reality is they are heavy and an inexperienced operator (like rental customers) can quickly bury wheels or tracks in soft ground.
FWIW, I have never been charged for tire or track wear by either my local guy, Sunbelt or United Rentals. I did have a tree limb fall on a JD 160 excavator damaging the fuel fill and engine cover, no charge either.

 

[Wayne440]

Note that I wrote "tire damage", not tire wear. As you probably know, Sunbelt offers a Rental Protection Plan - (the following from their site) "...includes protection for your tires. For every tire puncture occurrence, the first $50 of the puncture is covered under the RPP at Sunbelt Rentals..." This implies that they may expect a customer to pay for some kinds of tire damage.

I agree that bottoming out a typical skid steer on dirt or gravel shouldn't hurt it beyond paint scuffs. But high centering on a big (maybe hidden) rock sure could. Some people might think those are the same thing. There was a 279 at our job today, it looked to have 8 or 9 inches of ground clearance, not sure how that compares with a 239.

 

[mrbb]

I can agree a skid pan/plate can handle dirt OK , but if your doing a lot of demo, and running over broken chunks of broken concrete, blocks, and or things with steel rebar or heavy metals sticking up a, or just lots of big hard rocks, these things don't be as forgiving as just dirt! ansd do most of the damage IMO!

that under carriage and skid plate/belly will see excessive wear and tear from them, so like I said, a lot has to do with what your doing with the machines,
if heavy demo is the game, added costs will be there
ad in a operator that doesn't maybe care, and things only get worse! and why again a GOOD operator is worth more $$ and hard to find and replace! treat em well folks HAHA!


skid plate and under carriage metal will war down, all you can do is either add/replace with thicker mental to slow it down, or replace as damaged! or again stop dragging the bottom of machine on hard things!
ts just the nature of the beast

 

[mhtrental2014]

Sadly, these units are not indestructible. You might find it cheaper to hire better operators if you can't change their poor habits. Abuse causes raises to slow, they need to understand this.

thank you. as these CAT units were bought with perception of very dependable and durable Put in a Rental Fleet and was a great error Agree operators (customers) are the issue Bobcat has been bullet proof and 0 cost to repair hydraulic systems

 

[mrbb]

maybe look into what steel the belly pans that keep getting damaged are made out of, and and have some new one's made out of some stronger steel
might help ??