Skidsteer tracks

[wade]

I am thinking I might buy a set of tracks for my skidsteer to get through the mud this spring in my cow lot. I will be on some concrete so I am thinking I will buy some with rubber pads on them. Over the tire is what I am looking at. Does anyone have any experience with any? What brand do you have and how do you like them? Any advice?

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

I have logerin (sic) solid steel heavy duty tracks. Seems like you'll need solid or foam filled tires . Rocks or sticks get under them flatten your ties.

I'd sell mine in a heartbeat.

 

[SmokinM]

I love my Loegering tracks on mine but if you are going to be on concrete you will have to have the rubber pads. The steel does not work on concrete or asphalt. You might also look into a rubber track conversion kit for it. Don't know what brand it is but know the ones they make for Cat machines work pretty good. Big drawback to those are cost and in mud you have to clean them good when it is freezing out. It would come down to for me do you spend the most time in mud or on concrete? There is a tree company up here that has the rubber pads on theirs to do tree cleanup on the roadway and they seem to do a good job on asphalt.

 

[shadyhollownj]

Foam filled is a must with over the tire tire tracks. They are great as far as demo or solid ground. As far as mud with foam filled and tracks you may move better without any tires on you will be so heavy.

 

[transistor]

I bought used steel over the wheel tracks for my bobcat 763.

Steel tracks completely change the machine. You will lose maneuverability, but the traction and flotation gain are amazing.

I was using my machine to enlarge an existing pond. With tires I would sometimes hit wet pockets and either bottom and or/spin wheels in the "hidden" mud. After I bought tracks, there was just about no where I could get stuck. In some spots, the ground pressure was reduced so much I literally floated across some wet pockets.

I'm a huge believer in tracks when conditions warrant. But you cannot drive the machine like your accustomed to on wheels.

Comments about solid tires are valid, especially if driving in areas where you can get sticks jambed between tires and tracks. Also make sure tracks are relatively tight over wheels-too loose and you can end up cutting into the sidewall of a brand new tire(expensive lesson)...

I'd say I use my tracks about 10% of the time, but that 10% is like having an entirely different piece of equipment for the price of the tracks.

The tracks come up for sale fairly often as most people don't like hanging on to them for that 10% of the time. A good set of steel tracks is very heavy, 400lbs each or so. I keep my rolled up on a pallet.