Track Question

[corvette]

I have a Bobcat 773 Turbo that I get stuck ALL the time. I have decided to put tracks on to get thru all the soft soil & mud. Dealers around the Minneapolis area display the Solideal Tracks. Anyone have experience with them ? I'm going to install rubber tracks. In addition to the tracks, I will need new tires & wheels due to the offset on my current wheels. All suggestions are welcome.

 

[mllud]

Ken can give you some direction.
http://www.skidsteer.ca/
I have steel tracks [loegering]. I would prefer rubber. Mike

 

[Earthwerks Unlimited]

Ken can give you some direction.
http://www.skidsteer.ca/
I have steel tracks [loegering]. I would prefer rubber. Mike

You'll lose 30% engine power right off the bat with rubber--ask the sales person or an engineer who works at the supplier/seller. I have TracksPlus.com light-weight steel alloy OTT tracks and pleased with them. I worked for 18 months in Mississippi and New Orleans cleaning up Hurricane Katrina---mud everywhere. I was a "hero" in the eyes of the Army Corp of Engineers and FEMA when it came to floatation and getting where even guys who had Loegering or Grouser bar-type tracks couldn't go. You'll find that the steel tracks actually use less power to turn or even go forward/backward since the tires aren't constantly pushing dirt---rather they are floating on it like a boat does once in gets going. And the tracks are really good on sand--wet or dry. I did a lot of beach and off-beach work with them--I could fly over sand so fast I was making roostertails! Of course, having a two-speed machine will do that

 

[corvette]

You'll lose 30% engine power right off the bat with rubber--ask the sales person or an engineer who works at the supplier/seller. I have TracksPlus.com light-weight steel alloy OTT tracks and pleased with them. I worked for 18 months in Mississippi and New Orleans cleaning up Hurricane Katrina---mud everywhere. I was a "hero" in the eyes of the Army Corp of Engineers and FEMA when it came to floatation and getting where even guys who had Loegering or Grouser bar-type tracks couldn't go. You'll find that the steel tracks actually use less power to turn or even go forward/backward since the tires aren't constantly pushing dirt---rather they are floating on it like a boat does once in gets going. And the tracks are really good on sand--wet or dry. I did a lot of beach and off-beach work with them--I could fly over sand so fast I was making roostertails! Of course, having a two-speed machine will do that

Thanks for the feedback. We have fairly low land that is wet and very soft. Last time out with the 773, I buried it in a rut, almost tipped it over in to our pond. Took a 3/4 ton truck and 2 4 inch wide straps to pull it out. Broke the 1st strap, got it out with the second one. Also concerned about driving over grass in the yard. I am a home owner. No commercial or daily use in my application.

 

[mllud]

Thanks for the feedback. We have fairly low land that is wet and very soft. Last time out with the 773, I buried it in a rut, almost tipped it over in to our pond. Took a 3/4 ton truck and 2 4 inch wide straps to pull it out. Broke the 1st strap, got it out with the second one. Also concerned about driving over grass in the yard. I am a home owner. No commercial or daily use in my application.

If your driving in the yard the tracks will tear grass up. the damage done is just the grass and not the roots. In two weeks you cant see the damage.I take my tracks off when things dry up.
As earthwerks Unlimited said the rubber tracks suck power. I have the loegering tracks with the wide pads. With your soft ground thats what you need.Ken sells a track that is less expensive than loegering and are well known for quality. Rubber tracks are more for use where you dont want to do damage on concrete or asfault. Ive also read that they pack with snow.
Again as Eathwerks Unlimited says in soft ground you want the wide pads. Mine will take me thru slop that I couldnt think about with tires.You wont believe what tracks do for digging and situations where you need good traction.
I learned not to get to close to my pond without my tracks. I got sucked in driving around the edge once.My tracks would have got me right out. Good luck with your search. Mike

 

[skidsteer.ca]

If your driving in the yard the tracks will tear grass up. the damage done is just the grass and not the roots. In two weeks you cant see the damage.I take my tracks off when things dry up.
As earthwerks Unlimited said the rubber tracks suck power. I have the loegering tracks with the wide pads. With your soft ground thats what you need.Ken sells a track that is less expensive than loegering and are well known for quality. Rubber tracks are more for use where you dont want to do damage on concrete or asfault. Ive also read that they pack with snow.
Again as Eathwerks Unlimited says in soft ground you want the wide pads. Mine will take me thru slop that I couldnt think about with tires.You wont believe what tracks do for digging and situations where you need good traction.
I learned not to get to close to my pond without my tracks. I got sucked in driving around the edge once.My tracks would have got me right out. Good luck with your search. Mike

Rubber or rubber clad steel tracks are more for protecting asphalt for those users that must travel on both. They are more expensive to purchase and more expensive per hour to run. Tracks like the soilid deal are good for mud and turf situations, however any debris that gets inside must almost always be removed by hand. Think sticks and stones , epecially if you must make tight turns. The Tracks Plus are a good track for home users as they are resonable and offer good floatation, and are about as easy on lawns as your going to get in a steel track do to the large shoe area and light weight. They will not work in wet snow however. (packs inside)
We also sell the Mclaren line and they are a heavier track that will counter weight your machine more which adds stability. The diamond line has a double cross bar on each shoe and shed debris well and offer great traction, they are hard on turf do to the agressive profile.
McLaren also has tracks with bolt on shoes that have more pad surface to them. Again they are heavier, but you can choose either rubber or steel bolt on pads
There are some good pictures of the McLaren diamond tracks here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150272217884&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT
and some hi res photos of the tracks plus here
http://www.skidsteer.ca/tracks.html
Hope that helps
Ken

 

[corvette]

Rubber or rubber clad steel tracks are more for protecting asphalt for those users that must travel on both. They are more expensive to purchase and more expensive per hour to run. Tracks like the soilid deal are good for mud and turf situations, however any debris that gets inside must almost always be removed by hand. Think sticks and stones , epecially if you must make tight turns. The Tracks Plus are a good track for home users as they are resonable and offer good floatation, and are about as easy on lawns as your going to get in a steel track do to the large shoe area and light weight. They will not work in wet snow however. (packs inside)
We also sell the Mclaren line and they are a heavier track that will counter weight your machine more which adds stability. The diamond line has a double cross bar on each shoe and shed debris well and offer great traction, they are hard on turf do to the agressive profile.
McLaren also has tracks with bolt on shoes that have more pad surface to them. Again they are heavier, but you can choose either rubber or steel bolt on pads
There are some good pictures of the McLaren diamond tracks here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150272217884&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT
and some hi res photos of the tracks plus here
http://www.skidsteer.ca/tracks.html
Hope that helps
Ken

Thank you all !! I'll check out all the sites mentioned here. I knew I'd better ask those who know..

 

[Earthwerks Unlimited]

Thank you all !! I'll check out all the sites mentioned here. I knew I'd better ask those who know..

They pack with wet snow? Errr? I keep mine on all year round, and live in the snow belt (Michigan) and maintain a 1/2 mile private road. Like ANY track--dozer or otherwise--DON'T use them and allow the snow to stay in them if it will freeze---chunks of frozen ice and snow will stick to the shoes and make for a bumpy ride. And, like what happened to me, the ice will pull out the tire stems---DOH! Also, never park the machine (or any tracked machine) in thawed mud or water that could freeze---the tracks become embedded in the ice and you could either damage the drive train or a track tying to get yourself out.