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Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?
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fastline1
Posted 10/20/2022 20:12 (#9894869)
Subject: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


So...I really need to get a pull tractor. currently have Case 1170 and there really isn't anything it does all that great. What I primarily want the pull tractor for is running a large pull pan/scraper and I need to move dirt (clay mostly) about 1000ft. A local guy had a really decent looking Challenger tracked machine for sale recently and it got me thinking if that would be a great setup for a pan. Really great traction, but not sure if there is other drama with them? I already own a big dozer but not willing to wear it out doing this little adventure.

Locally, I see a LOT of pros running large 8 wheel tractor setups with pans. I could go that way too but this whole thing is on a serious budget. I have a large excavator but I would have to hire in at least two dump trucks to keep jamming and for many reasons I feel the pull pan is just a better plan for right now.

For a tractor, I probably should hug the 300HP and up range, and 4wd. I have seen several Versatile tractors for sale but man it is hard to find good equipment. You know when a farmer sells it, there is a good reason.
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jd4930
Posted 10/20/2022 20:27 (#9894893 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Central ND		Define challenger? You looking at $40k 55 flat tracks or a high track 875?
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fastline1
Posted 10/20/2022 20:52 (#9894945 - in reply to #9894893)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


I think there were many different models of the CAT Challenger, models from 35-95. All appear to have parallel tracks until you get into the MT series. I would not be doing a ton of work with one and I really should have went to look at the one only 15mi from me. Probably won't find another at that price anyway.

I think his was a mid 90s machine. I am mostly asking if those track machines are a nightmare to own? I don't really find any piece of replacement rubber to be cheap so not sure how those tracks do.
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swampdoc
Posted 10/20/2022 21:29 (#9895004 - in reply to #9894945)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Not nearly enough imfo. Did the farmer sell it? What model and price? Was it a farmer only machine?
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sand85
Posted 10/20/2022 21:52 (#9895053 - in reply to #9894945)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


C IL

Flat tracks were designed to run for 25K hours.  They have a road grader powershift in them that will take any abuse you can put to it - it will throw you out of the seat or kill the motor before you can do something bad to the power train.  They are fairly light - low 30K-ish lbs so they will spin out or power out before you can put enough pull on them to tear anything up.  As with anything tracked, keeping the undercarriage in shape is the key to longevity.  Make sure all the midroller bearings spin smooth and keep them full of oil, and keep the tracks aligned, and they run for thousands of hours.  They ride like a dozer and go over hills and bumps over-center, the ride is not as good as 2 axles.

A series had external brakes that could have issues if the brake reservoir had issues.  C’s and D’s are a bit loud in the cab.  E series have a lot nicer cab.  

You can always get parts from CAT.  Hope it stays that way if Germany runs out of natural gas for the next year or three. 

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M82
Posted 10/20/2022 21:35 (#9895017 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


FWIW, there is a company near me with 3 MT875Bs with around 18k hours on them and they have spent most of their life pulling pans. They have required work but still keep loving the dirt.
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ks_cover_crop
Posted 10/20/2022 21:54 (#9895054 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Have two 65E machines. Transmission and rear end seem bulletproof. They are rough going down the road but ride really nice in the field. Only thing we've had go wrong is one of the cylinders that tension the track wouldn't hold pressure so had to rebuild it. Radiator has really fine fins so can plug easy.
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Lone Wolf Picker
Posted 10/20/2022 22:02 (#9895065 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Black Hawk County, IA		Have had a couple MT’s, been absolutely the lowest cost per hp hr tractor I’ve ever owned. Very fuel efficient and durable. Some have problems with the SCV couplers, some complain about the A/C, but we haven’t encountered anything we couldn’t fix or deal with with dealer help. Mine are old school A and B 765 models. My cousin moves dirt professionally in Cali, has 4 or 5 875’s, his favorite has over 24,000 hours and they are thinking about pulling her apart and see if she needs major work. She will get whatever it needs. He calls them million dollar tractors. They make him millions.
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fastline1
Posted 10/20/2022 22:54 (#9895120 - in reply to #9895065)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Sounds like not much bad news on these. Unfortunately I let that one slip by because I really wasn't shopping. Saw it online, then happened to drive by it on a farm and I am certain it was the same machine. It was older but I didn't really see anything in the listing that alarmed me. I think he was asking 15K. tracks looked fine but I never got to go check it out. For all I know she had 20K hrs, blowby city, and the writing was on the wall. But the farm looked like a stand up pro operation.

It just got me thinking that a track machine like that might be something good to watch for if I intend to pull a pan. Anymore, finding really any tractor of any salt under 20k is dreamy. I've only been trying to get this project going for a decade now, and missed a couple motor scrapers.

Funny story, I went to look at a massive 633 scraper. She needed work. was sitting there dripping oil, brakes didn''t work, and who knows what else. I offered 10K, he declined. Few weeks later guy is having an auction and puts it in there. I go look and this guy put a bunch of new hoses on it, got it running better, etc. High bidding only went to 9K and did not hit his reserve. I was like, "yeah, he wouldn't even take 10k weeks ago".... Well, he decided to just let it go. I was so pissed I made sure they all heard me...."he won't take 10K for it, but he will take 9K, alrighty". He took less, fixed several things, AND got to pay the auction house.

I am obviously still made about it.....lol That was like 10yrs ago.
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jd4930
Posted 10/20/2022 23:04 (#9895130 - in reply to #9895120)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Central ND		Sounds to me like you should have been bidding then?
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1972RedNeck
Posted 10/20/2022 22:46 (#9895112 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Townsend, Montana		If you've never driven one, demo it first. The only downsides are a little more cost per hour in undercarriage compared to tires and they are rough riding. The ride is terrible in certain situations - not sure how it would be for a tournapull.
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duals
Posted 10/20/2022 22:50 (#9895115 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


southwestern illinois		we bought a 75c years ago and it has been a beast. it just simply goes! negatives after the tracks start wearing badly it roads terribly and starts shaking everything apart... the air box, then then the muffler and then the radiator. it is made for long life just look at tractor house and the california machines. the local challenger mechanic suggested i stay with the old school machines for dependability. old school would include 65 ,75,85,95 c , d, and e models. we recently replaced the tracks with our ppp check. however with my experiance with the track machines you probably should get some tired machine. good luck
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DrAllis
Posted 10/21/2022 06:15 (#9895258 - in reply to #9895115)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Only go for C-series or newer. The original A and B models (not designated A or B) had soooo many updates they needed and unless you KNOW what you're looking at you may get burned. C-series and newer only on 65-75-85-95.
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Thud
Posted 10/21/2022 14:39 (#9895772 - in reply to #9894869)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


Near-north Ontario, French River		How much dirt you moving? If you have the excavator already... hire 3 off road haul trucks.. use your excavator and dozer to keep them hopping. id have a hard time believing a single tractor pulling a pan, is going to out 3 trucks, but who knows
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fastline1
Posted 10/22/2022 11:53 (#9896828 - in reply to #9895772)
Subject: RE: Anyone have experience with Challenger or other tracked tractors?


With decompaction figured in, the dig alone will be about 10,000yds. Basically digging a pond for the dirt on a large property. Need to build some berms.
My excavator with me in the seat can do about 6yds/min in something like a pond dig and spoil. It would be reduced a bit having to load trucks. The issue with trucks is they cost a lot and after I am done paying 20k for trucking, I have nothing. I'd rather buy equipment.

the nice thing with the scraper is they place material nicer which will reduce my work in shaping, and if things get tough, I can also use my excavator to load it directly and just put a warm body in the tractor seat.
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