central - east central Minnesota - | Pofarmer - 3/23/2011 08:58 Pros, cons? Seems to me the rubber tracked undercarriage is going to be more expensive to own. Cousin says the steel over the tire tracks will go better in mud than the factory rubber tracks. Just looking for experience.
I think it makes a difference on the job the machine will be used for . . . .
Over the wheel tracks can be a pain and cause issues with the wheels - flats. (seems most are used for additional traction, pushing dirt - so it really hard on the drive system).
If occasional use in soft mud, flats are not as prevalent, but it's not the floatation of a tracked machine either.
Tracked machines are balanced differently then wheeled machines, so adding tracks to wheels doesn't give you that balance to the advantage of the machine / work completed.
I would not agree with the comment about tire tracked machine going through mud better then dedicated tracked machine. Seems the dedicated track machines seem to float more and not sink as much (balanced).
Dedicated tracked machines are more expensive to own - but in just about 1000 hrs I have not had any repairs on mine and no flat tires (Ziegler Cat thinks I should make 2000hrs on my track system). Only been stuck once, in a swamp (fell off the grass humps and got hung up) other wise they float over ground like you wouldn't believe. And don't rip it up as tire track machines do.
Most of my expenence is with ASV track system on a Cat. I have and do use my brothers T190 bobcat. Bobcat tracks are a bit more aggressive then ASV's. But not like my other brothers NH180 with steel tracks over wheels . . .. both ours dedicated track machines could out work his NH almost 2 to 1 in mostly dry dirt gradeing.
Had a job fixing a cross country sky trail through some bog ground a couple years ago. Our two dedicated tracked machines got the job done with little disturbance to the boggy swamp. . . the club manager pulled the 2 track over tires machines off the job - due to them ripping up the track.
It really depends on the intended job for the machine . . . .
I'm sure Tommy will chime in with better expence between the two . . . ..
Edited by iseedit 3/23/2011 10:26
|
Skid steer, over the tire tracks vs rubber tracked machine
