Tracks or no tracks?

[Mr_C]

I recently purchased an 825 bobcat with about 6k hours and a fresh rebuilt perkins motor. It shows some use, but works very good. I live on a hobby farm and use it for cleaning barns, moving hay, and plan on using it on a fairly large dike building project around my property. The one thing it needs is tires. The tires on it are very worn. I really like the worn tires for driving around my yard because it is easy on the lawn, but It won't work well this winter (in MN) or in the mud working on the dike. My plan was to find a used set of rims and then put new tires on it, that way I could switch back to the bald tires for the times when I need to work on my yard and don't want to tear it up. I figured with a little shopping I could pull that off for about $800. I recently discovered someone fairly close to me selling a set of Loegering steel pad tracks that have little use on them that are for the size tires I have. I think I could get the tracks for about the same cost as a second set of rims and tires. Does this seem like a good idea? Are tracks a lot of headache that isn't worth it? Do I need to worry about extra strain on the 825? Or, will they be able to tread lightly AND give me the traction I want? I would really appreciate the opinions of those who have more experience. This is the first bobcat I have owned, and I do not work in an industry that uses such equipment, so I am a newbie in this area. I am not looking to contract out, just want the best bang for the buck on my hobby farm. thanks, Matt in MN

 

[bobbie-g]

I had a set of older tires on my 751, lousy in the snow. Got a new set and couldn't wait to try them out. Nearly the same result. I find I must use chains to get any reasonable traction in the snow. No experience with tracks. ---RC

 

[Venom]

I had a set of older tires on my 751, lousy in the snow. Got a new set and couldn't wait to try them out. Nearly the same result. I find I must use chains to get any reasonable traction in the snow. No experience with tracks. ---RC

I had an M-700 a few years back when I lived in MN (~Big Lake area). I found the tires were horrible in the snow and they had ~1/2 life left on them. I never had tracks back then. I now own an 843 with tracks. So far I love them. Yes, they do chew up the yard a little more, especially when you perform tight turns. I am looking forward to trying them out in the snow. I know for a fact that I can level my gravel driveway going uphill with the bucket down, scraping the surface without losing traction. I could not do this with the M-700 and regular tires.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Matt
You will find little difference with new tires in snow or mud. If you want snow tires get some 16" ag rims in a 8 lug pattern and use 3/4 pickup snow tires on them. Or run tire chains in the winter on the back 2 tires.
If you want tracks for winter use the logeuring tracks are still are quite slippery sideways unless you add some side bitters to them. They are a definite assess if your going in the bush or off road but I'm not sure they are worth it to just run up and down your lane. You get a bumpy ride and they offer little benefit. Now in the mud or on gravel that is where tracks really help. They carry up better and greatly increase the machines traction and ability to push and not spin. We run them all summer long.
I like the Tracks Plus brand because they are light to put on and off and don't rob much power from the machine pulling extra weight around. Light is good in mud too. However they are no good in wet snow as it packs inside the shoe and the tracks become tight and bind up. Dry snow no problem but I can't go 200 ft if the snow is wet. Not really a problem for me because they come off in the winter anyway and tire chins go on. They can also be had new for @ $1300-$1400
However the Logeuring are also a vary good and more expensive track and 800 is cheap if they are not wore out. Just be sure to look at the pins to see how much wear is left in them and of course the pads to see if they are getting thin.
I'm not real sure if the older 825 is any concern with running tracks. Just be sure you have 3" of inside sidewall clearance and adequate boom and attachment clearance.
If the pickup snow tire idea interests you I can get rims with 8 lugs and 16" diameter from my trailer supplier.
Ken

 

[Mr_C]

Matt
You will find little difference with new tires in snow or mud. If you want snow tires get some 16" ag rims in a 8 lug pattern and use 3/4 pickup snow tires on them. Or run tire chains in the winter on the back 2 tires.
If you want tracks for winter use the logeuring tracks are still are quite slippery sideways unless you add some side bitters to them. They are a definite assess if your going in the bush or off road but I'm not sure they are worth it to just run up and down your lane. You get a bumpy ride and they offer little benefit. Now in the mud or on gravel that is where tracks really help. They carry up better and greatly increase the machines traction and ability to push and not spin. We run them all summer long.
I like the Tracks Plus brand because they are light to put on and off and don't rob much power from the machine pulling extra weight around. Light is good in mud too. However they are no good in wet snow as it packs inside the shoe and the tracks become tight and bind up. Dry snow no problem but I can't go 200 ft if the snow is wet. Not really a problem for me because they come off in the winter anyway and tire chins go on. They can also be had new for @ $1300-$1400
However the Logeuring are also a vary good and more expensive track and 800 is cheap if they are not wore out. Just be sure to look at the pins to see how much wear is left in them and of course the pads to see if they are getting thin.
I'm not real sure if the older 825 is any concern with running tracks. Just be sure you have 3" of inside sidewall clearance and adequate boom and attachment clearance.
If the pickup snow tire idea interests you I can get rims with 8 lugs and 16" diameter from my trailer supplier.
Ken

Between this thread and a other thread on tire chains, I have learned a lot this week. I definately think that a set of chains is the cheap and easy solution to traction for the winter (although, I am not sure how much used the skidsteer will get, I have a boss V plow on my truck and didn't need to use a bucket at all the last 2 years. I will probably be buying a set of them soon regardless of what I do with tires/tracks It looks like tracks would be useful when building my clay dike next fall, although maybe tire chains would be useful there also. What about driving on lawns. much of my farm yard is fairly nice grass. I would like to minimize the damage I do to the yard when using the bobcat for chores like moving bales and cleaning the barn. Would I expect a metal track to do more or less damage to sod than a fresh set of tires? I also will have to see if I have 3" of inner sidewall clearance, that might make my decision for me. I think the boom and attachment clearance is fine, but not so sure about between the tire and the chassis. thanks guys -Mr_C

 

[Centurion]

Between this thread and a other thread on tire chains, I have learned a lot this week. I definately think that a set of chains is the cheap and easy solution to traction for the winter (although, I am not sure how much used the skidsteer will get, I have a boss V plow on my truck and didn't need to use a bucket at all the last 2 years. I will probably be buying a set of them soon regardless of what I do with tires/tracks It looks like tracks would be useful when building my clay dike next fall, although maybe tire chains would be useful there also. What about driving on lawns. much of my farm yard is fairly nice grass. I would like to minimize the damage I do to the yard when using the bobcat for chores like moving bales and cleaning the barn. Would I expect a metal track to do more or less damage to sod than a fresh set of tires? I also will have to see if I have 3" of inner sidewall clearance, that might make my decision for me. I think the boom and attachment clearance is fine, but not so sure about between the tire and the chassis. thanks guys -Mr_C

I have used tracks on my 743, seems like nothing can stop it when I have them on. Last winter we had a blizzard, and I cleared our road and all the neighbors driveways, never missed a lick. Mud doesn't bother me either

 

[jklingel]

I have used tracks on my 743, seems like nothing can stop it when I have them on. Last winter we had a blizzard, and I cleared our road and all the neighbors driveways, never missed a lick. Mud doesn't bother me either

I just learned about sliding w/ steel tracks; these guys aren't kidding about that. I rented a 28,000 lb cat, and when I went to cut across a slight slope that was hard packed, frozen dirt, that cat slid 20' in seconds. I tried different angles of approach, too, and it was futile. As soon as I got any resistance, like when the corner of the blade finally dug in a little, the cat swung sideways and down she slid. Horrible machine for frozen dirt on a slope. I'd been pushing dirt around that corner and along that slope for days w/ my loader (w/ chains) and it was no sweat. After 5 or 6 attempts, I wised up and took the cat up on the flat and got some work done. In sloppy mud, even chains are not terrific. I would love to try tracks in that kind of stuff.

 

[Wolfshadow]

I have pushed snow with my bobcat in California, Idaho and Colorado. Colorado snow was a joy to push, with or without tracks. Ca. and Idaho snow.....what a pain! Too much moisture and not enough cold air.....in other words..ICE I tried my "L" tracks in the snow and discovered two things very quickly....on asphalt, you will skate with no means of control. On gravel, the tracks pack up with ice and you will feel like a bobble head as you try to keep your bucket or blade edge in a float. Skid steer tires and tracks are just not ideally suited for snow. The best snow tire is tall, skinny and heavily siped. Wide and heavily lugged tires, like ours, become frozen rubber stones in the snow. A tire has to remain flexible to provide grip, in cold and hot conditions. I found that having my tire shop sipe my vehicle tires helps a lot in the snow. I haven't tried it with the bobcat tires, but I suspect that the siping machine is not able to cut deep enough on skidsteer tires to help. It seems like the only way to go is with chains. I have experimented with chaining just the front or just the rear. Chaining just the rear seems to work best. If you plow blacktop or concrete, you're going to "nick" it up. Try to avoid 360's and ease your turns. And if you are plowing commercially, make sure you warn your clients about the "nicking" and have them sign a release of damage agreement. CYA!!!

 

[Mr_C]

I have pushed snow with my bobcat in California, Idaho and Colorado. Colorado snow was a joy to push, with or without tracks. Ca. and Idaho snow.....what a pain! Too much moisture and not enough cold air.....in other words..ICE I tried my "L" tracks in the snow and discovered two things very quickly....on asphalt, you will skate with no means of control. On gravel, the tracks pack up with ice and you will feel like a bobble head as you try to keep your bucket or blade edge in a float. Skid steer tires and tracks are just not ideally suited for snow. The best snow tire is tall, skinny and heavily siped. Wide and heavily lugged tires, like ours, become frozen rubber stones in the snow. A tire has to remain flexible to provide grip, in cold and hot conditions. I found that having my tire shop sipe my vehicle tires helps a lot in the snow. I haven't tried it with the bobcat tires, but I suspect that the siping machine is not able to cut deep enough on skidsteer tires to help. It seems like the only way to go is with chains. I have experimented with chaining just the front or just the rear. Chaining just the rear seems to work best. If you plow blacktop or concrete, you're going to "nick" it up. Try to avoid 360's and ease your turns. And if you are plowing commercially, make sure you warn your clients about the "nicking" and have them sign a release of damage agreement. CYA!!!

Looks like the track option might be out anyway. I measured for clearance and everything looked fine except the clearance between the sidewall and the chassis. There is only about an inch there. I saw I can get wheel spacers, but they seem to be about $300 Each. That means it would cost 1200 in spacers to put on an $800 set of tracks onto a $5000 skidsteer... those numbers just don't add up, so I guess I am going to have to stick with tires.... Time to pick me up a set of tire chains now. -Mr_C

 

[jklingel]

Looks like the track option might be out anyway. I measured for clearance and everything looked fine except the clearance between the sidewall and the chassis. There is only about an inch there. I saw I can get wheel spacers, but they seem to be about $300 Each. That means it would cost 1200 in spacers to put on an $800 set of tracks onto a $5000 skidsteer... those numbers just don't add up, so I guess I am going to have to stick with tires.... Time to pick me up a set of tire chains now. -Mr_C

If you aren't familiar w/ chains, don't make the mistake (IMO) that I made w/ my first pair. I just asked for chains when I got my first loader, and they were 4-link, which seemed to be a waste of time once I got using them. Maybe it was just me and/or my conditions, but I added cross-links to make them 2-link and will never run 4-link again. What do you more experienced forks think of 4-link for most conditions? Mine are on 14 x 17.5 tires.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Looks like the track option might be out anyway. I measured for clearance and everything looked fine except the clearance between the sidewall and the chassis. There is only about an inch there. I saw I can get wheel spacers, but they seem to be about $300 Each. That means it would cost 1200 in spacers to put on an $800 set of tracks onto a $5000 skidsteer... those numbers just don't add up, so I guess I am going to have to stick with tires.... Time to pick me up a set of tire chains now. -Mr_C

Spacers should not be that much. We sell them for 500 cdn for the 8 lug 2" for the set of four.
75.00 should get them most places in the US
Ken

 

[Mr_C]

Spacers should not be that much. We sell them for 500 cdn for the 8 lug 2" for the set of four.
75.00 should get them most places in the US
Ken

Ken, you appear to be right on. Upon looking closer, when the site said it was $300/each, they apparently meant $300/each set of 4 ($75 per spacer). Now the question is, will the ~ 3 inches of clearance I will have with my 1" gap and 2" of spacer be enough... -Mr_C

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Ken, you appear to be right on. Upon looking closer, when the site said it was $300/each, they apparently meant $300/each set of 4 ($75 per spacer). Now the question is, will the ~ 3 inches of clearance I will have with my 1" gap and 2" of spacer be enough... -Mr_C

If you can buy them for 300 a set I'd like to know where.....

 

[Mr_C]

If you can buy them for 300 a set I'd like to know where.....

http://www.skidsteerpro.com/product_p/whs8-2-9-19.htm Mr_C

 

[skidsteer.ca]

http://www.skidsteerpro.com/product_p/whs8-2-9-19.htm Mr_C

3" is enough clearance. 2" will usually work if you don't mind the track touching and scraping paint.
Their spacers are 300 but freight is 91 for one or two and still $265 for 3
Oh well worth a look
Ken