Track Life???

[500K_773]

I have been looking at used T200 online and have seen one with only 700 hours and one with 1500 hours that have new tracks on them. What is the expected life of the tracks? I imagine these tracks did not "wear out", but were torn or somehow otherwise abused by the operator.
About how much is it to replace the tracks? I looked at a 337C excavator last year with 1700 hours that was going to need new tracks and think the tracks alone were about $4000.

 

[Team Fountain]

Well, track life depends on how the loader was used. If you spend a lot of time on hard surfaces (concrete, asphalt, etc), you should expect to get 900 - 1000 hours. With normal use, you should get 1200 - 1600 hours out of a set. Tracks are aobut $3k. You should plan this expense at 1000 hours when billing customers, and any extra hours you get out of them is money in the bank.

 

[owensge]

Well, track life depends on how the loader was used. If you spend a lot of time on hard surfaces (concrete, asphalt, etc), you should expect to get 900 - 1000 hours. With normal use, you should get 1200 - 1600 hours out of a set. Tracks are aobut $3k. You should plan this expense at 1000 hours when billing customers, and any extra hours you get out of them is money in the bank.

I actually saw a T-300 in the local Bobcat yard that was used as a rental and man it looked like the tracks had been chewed up by a giant! There was no tread at all, just teeth marks from that giant -- chewing gum! But it still ran fine. I wonder what kind of funny looking footprints that thing would leave in the ground.
My tracks were brand new when I purchased my unit a year ago (it was a rental with 500 hours on it). Personally, I baby the tracks and am careful when turning on rocky surfaces. I've only put 100 hours on my tracks while working out at the ranch and have noticed some small scrapes, cuts and so forth.
Similar to Team Fountain, I was quoted 3k when I asked about a new set of tracks.

 

[864wood]

I actually saw a T-300 in the local Bobcat yard that was used as a rental and man it looked like the tracks had been chewed up by a giant! There was no tread at all, just teeth marks from that giant -- chewing gum! But it still ran fine. I wonder what kind of funny looking footprints that thing would leave in the ground.
My tracks were brand new when I purchased my unit a year ago (it was a rental with 500 hours on it). Personally, I baby the tracks and am careful when turning on rocky surfaces. I've only put 100 hours on my tracks while working out at the ranch and have noticed some small scrapes, cuts and so forth.
Similar to Team Fountain, I was quoted 3k when I asked about a new set of tracks.

I bought an 864G(relic) out of the rental fleet of Bobcat of Baltimore. This machine had the original straight bar Bridgestone tracks. As with all rental units, people use them hard and put them away wet. I got the machine with 990 hrs and presently have 1300 hrs and I am getting new tracks this week. I was quoted @1500 plus tax per side not including labor. The tracks are an after market design called "Charlie Browns"?? It is a zigzag pattern track with as square edge bar that continually exposes an agressive cutting edge as the tracks wear down. After I have them installed I will post to let everyone know how they are. These tracks along with the new alternating waffle sent out on new machines are supposed to ride alot smother then the straigt bar and wear longer. Wish me luck as Team Fountain knows I really need the new tracks because I achieved the impossible 2 weeks ago. I buried my machine right front track low and at a nose down 38% list when he finally showed up to drag my sorry but out of the quickmud I had mired in. I was actually quite proud of this dubious achievment because it really takes alot to bury a track loader. We belive it was due in part to the racing skicks I had on my machine.

 

[500K_773]

I bought an 864G(relic) out of the rental fleet of Bobcat of Baltimore. This machine had the original straight bar Bridgestone tracks. As with all rental units, people use them hard and put them away wet. I got the machine with 990 hrs and presently have 1300 hrs and I am getting new tracks this week. I was quoted @1500 plus tax per side not including labor. The tracks are an after market design called "Charlie Browns"?? It is a zigzag pattern track with as square edge bar that continually exposes an agressive cutting edge as the tracks wear down. After I have them installed I will post to let everyone know how they are. These tracks along with the new alternating waffle sent out on new machines are supposed to ride alot smother then the straigt bar and wear longer. Wish me luck as Team Fountain knows I really need the new tracks because I achieved the impossible 2 weeks ago. I buried my machine right front track low and at a nose down 38% list when he finally showed up to drag my sorry but out of the quickmud I had mired in. I was actually quite proud of this dubious achievment because it really takes alot to bury a track loader. We belive it was due in part to the racing skicks I had on my machine.

Do the Bobcat track loader machines require any special tools to install them? How much would the dealship charge to install them?
The Goodyear over the tire tracks for my 773 I looked at last week required a port-a-power and special brackets and arms to install. About $500 worth of tools that the Goodyear dealer was going to require ME to buy. He didn't even ask if I wanted him to install them, I guess he didn't want to buy the tools for his shop.

 

[864wood]

Do the Bobcat track loader machines require any special tools to install them? How much would the dealship charge to install them?
The Goodyear over the tire tracks for my 773 I looked at last week required a port-a-power and special brackets and arms to install. About $500 worth of tools that the Goodyear dealer was going to require ME to buy. He didn't even ask if I wanted him to install them, I guess he didn't want to buy the tools for his shop.

I will find out first hand what is involved in track replacement. My dealer just dropped off the new set and they have significantly more rubber and look like they will wear better. To save on labor (because I am cheap) I jacked the machine up and pressure washed the tracks and undercarriage. I hope it will go smoothly.

 

[864wood]

I will find out first hand what is involved in track replacement. My dealer just dropped off the new set and they have significantly more rubber and look like they will wear better. To save on labor (because I am cheap) I jacked the machine up and pressure washed the tracks and undercarriage. I hope it will go smoothly.

Smooth wasn't the word for it. It took 1 1/2hrs to remove old tracks and replace with new. Very simple, however it does require two people. I even got to try them out in mucking out yet another foundation and I found better traction and less effort with these new agrresive tracks. These tracks are made by "Solid track" an after market supplier. Looks like I will be happy based on the performance today

 

[500K_773]

Smooth wasn't the word for it. It took 1 1/2hrs to remove old tracks and replace with new. Very simple, however it does require two people. I even got to try them out in mucking out yet another foundation and I found better traction and less effort with these new agrresive tracks. These tracks are made by "Solid track" an after market supplier. Looks like I will be happy based on the performance today

1 1/2 hours? I don't think a tire shop could change the tires on my skid steer that fast. Not bad at all. I tried to search for charlie browns or solid track to find out information about these tracks, but didn't find anything. Do you have a web site address? How about pictures of the new tracks? Spring time here, and my skid steer is sitting, waiting for things to dry up. Sure would be nice to have a track machine.

 

[864wood]

1 1/2 hours? I don't think a tire shop could change the tires on my skid steer that fast. Not bad at all. I tried to search for charlie browns or solid track to find out information about these tracks, but didn't find anything. Do you have a web site address? How about pictures of the new tracks? Spring time here, and my skid steer is sitting, waiting for things to dry up. Sure would be nice to have a track machine.

A correction to the name of the company that provided the tracks. It is called "Solideal" which appears to be an international company based on the info I got off their website. Happy so far and I will keep you all up to date with performance.

 

[500K_773]

A correction to the name of the company that provided the tracks. It is called "Solideal" which appears to be an international company based on the info I got off their website. Happy so far and I will keep you all up to date with performance.

I spent 2 days operating my loader in soft conditions and really was considering the T300 again. The larger machine and tracks would have been great in these conditions. Sometimes the ground was so saturated underneath, that it rolled like jello when I was driving over it. Ever so often I had to put fresh material on top because it was getting so soft and rutted up.________________________________________When I was in the dealer today looking to rent the MT50 and the salesman told me that they had just replaced the tracks on it with less than 200 hours because it was ran in rocky conditions. Tonight while back filling for a parking pad with tailings (large angular rock with mixed fines), I realized that I operate quit often in rocky conditions that may be abusive to rubber tracks. Up until now I was considering selling my 773 and buying the T300, but I will have to think about keeping the 773 for rocky conditions. I'll probably wait until early spring before buying a new machine anyway. Any experience operating your machines in rocky conditions? Did it present any problems or damage?

 

[864wood]

I spent 2 days operating my loader in soft conditions and really was considering the T300 again. The larger machine and tracks would have been great in these conditions. Sometimes the ground was so saturated underneath, that it rolled like jello when I was driving over it. Ever so often I had to put fresh material on top because it was getting so soft and rutted up.________________________________________When I was in the dealer today looking to rent the MT50 and the salesman told me that they had just replaced the tracks on it with less than 200 hours because it was ran in rocky conditions. Tonight while back filling for a parking pad with tailings (large angular rock with mixed fines), I realized that I operate quit often in rocky conditions that may be abusive to rubber tracks. Up until now I was considering selling my 773 and buying the T300, but I will have to think about keeping the 773 for rocky conditions. I'll probably wait until early spring before buying a new machine anyway. Any experience operating your machines in rocky conditions? Did it present any problems or damage?

It can be done in severe conditions without damage but work time slows way down. I did a concret basement demo that was the slab from hell. It was pure mud underneath and the slab varied from 8" thick to 24" thick. By the time I broke up the slab and removed the debris I had chewed up the tracks pretty good. In 30 hrs I feel I put 3x's the wear and tear on the tracks. This would qualify as large angular pieces of rock and I had no choice but to continually run the machine over the pieces to ferret out the debris. The job would have been impossible without the track machine. The next demo job I do is 2x's the equip time of $60/hr and just plan on bankrolling the money for new tracks. But look at it this way, I never had a flat and no lost time! I love tracks and will never be without them. The figures I hear is that you can expect 900-1200 hrs on good tracks with moderate abuse. I recently changed my original Bridgestones with Solideals and have been satified so far. Look for my previous postings.