Experience with steel tracks on skidloader?

My son is looking at buying a used skid loader. I posted below about factory track machines and it was mentioned about putting steel tracks on a rubber tired machine. Anyone here have experience with them. The machine will be used to run a post driver on a fence crew. It will be ran on everything from hillsides to swamps. The fence crew used a regular tired skidloader and in any mud it was not satisfactory. How do the add on tracks work in mud? It looks like around $1800-2500 will buy a new set. He would be able to get a lower houred machine if he stays with tires and add on tracks. Thanks Tom

I added tracks to my Bobcat 873G, with the tracks installed it will do just about anything. Does chew up the tires some. I have them removed now but would not hesitate to install if I needed traction. I was told before I bought them that it would out push a rubber tracked machine, I believe that to be true.

Tom I have been selling equipment for 40+ years. When those things came out they were better than nothing but that is about the best I can say. Most folks that try them have them for sale and end up with a rubber tracked machine. Lots of reason but they wear fast and just are nothing close to the newer built to be track machines. He should be able to get an a decent used track machine for 17/18 thousand and will be better satisfied. Just my experience.

Do you have any experience with the Kubota skid steers ? Or were you not an industrial dealer ?

Been selling KUBOTA for 28 years and have sold a lot of the KUBOTA skid steers . 89% of which are track machines.

Had them on my skid steer for probably 10 years. they work very well in muddy conditions and the previous comment is probably true In MOST conditions. Watch out when you are on frozen ground sideways! The track bars can turn into sled runners and you are just along for a possibly exciting ride! We were building fence professionally and there was an Amish crew around that had steel tracks on their New Holland and he had 10.00 x 20 truck tires on it (spaced out) that thing would go anywhere! He was also quick to note he turned it on its side a few times. It would move pretty fast also. We now have a rubber track machine which suits us for the varied conditions we encounter.

Wonder if any decent used ones would fit this guys budget ? If they are as good as the tractors he might really like one.

I have run the Kubota track machines and know its about as good as it gets. would be leary of steel track.

Mike not going to be a KUBOTA in his price range, they just have not bee out long enough, he can find a bobcat or off brand gehl or something like that for his figures. Worst thing out there is a wore out cat brand, earlier ones had asv undercarriage and they are costly to repair.

There are several different makers of Steel tracks out there the single grouser Logrean are good for flotation and don't chew up as bad as the double bar grousers do the grouser brand has bushings and carriage bolts which are replaceable the Logrean just has bolts that go in and the pads start to get beat out after a while most important is you need to keep them tight

We have a Bobcat 773, diesel, hand/foot controls. Owned it for 3 years, March 2018 we bought a set of Prowler brand, Predator model steel OTT with rubber pads.
Very good investment, we bought a used set, he upgraded to a Track machine.
That's not in our budget, these have worked very well for us, especially the rubber pads.
I've had to drive Township roads to get to other fields when working alone, drove around to avoid the "I've been stuck there " spots.
Yes I've been asked if I could break an anvil with a rubber mallet, my answer is "how many pieces, sir"
Good Luck and have a grrreat day

Hi I was an agent for Biotech Industries. I sold many Gehl skidsteer loaders and a lot of attachments. The best was the Gehl. You could drive it with one hand, eat a sandwich or direct a truck or swat a bee without interupting your driving. The loader is a T handle. Access to motor and pumps and all wide open. The rubber tracks are great. Good traction and don't screw up the ground too much. Ed Will Oliver BC wine capital.

What ever you buy do not get rubber over the tire tracks, they will get material in side the track and there is no way for it to get itself out.

Pete

Great in mud, terrible on snow and ice.

My steel tracks are on a Bobcat 773. It is not only good in mud it's also got more ground clearance to get over rocks and stumps. I can crawl over 12" logs. Maker says they should last 2,000 hours. I can stand $1 per hour.

Downside they are heck on asphalt roads and they slip a bit getting on my trailer. Mine don't have replaceable bushings and you get a lot of wear from the bolts. I couldn't find any used ones for sale.

I run steel over tire tracks and have for several years. For what I do they serve me well. Yes they are expensive to run, with rebuilds about every 250 hours. But when digging season is over I take them off and have a nice riding rubber tired machine.

A track machine would probably fit your needs, but be prepared for costly rebuilds. Be prepared and know what to do when you throw a track.


Somebody turn this picture upright for me please.
My past experience is the time to buy a skid steer is during a recession. They get cheap because so many guys are making payments and need to get out from under them.

I had a 4625 Gehl with 10 inch tires, Loegering tracks. Excellent in wet ground, carries very well in peat ground. I traded for a 5640e with 12 inch tires, bought another used set of Loegering tracks for it. My 10 inch are for sale. Paid a grand for each of the Loegerings, used. Recommend that you get the mounting tool- much easier than putting them on by hand. Loegerings have two bolt holes per link, so you can customize the length for proper fit. They do slip a lot on ice.

I have them on a Bobcat 763H. Took them off once to rebushing them. Didn?t take long to put them back on and leave them on. They are not quit as good as rubber tracks but waaaaaaaaay better than tires only.

Tom in mud, tree roots, rocks and just about any rough terrain the steel tracks over rubber tires will bite/dig where a rubber tires machine will not go. Also run up and over a stump with a rubber track and cut it. Then drive steel tracked machine over the same stump and not hurt it.

Will the steel tracks wear? Yes. Are they noisy? yes. Watch out on ice as they will slide. The thing is you can buy new sets for not that much money.

Also I think in tough terrain the steel tracks will out pull/push the rubber ones.

I have a Bobcat 873 That I have a set of Grouser brand tracks for. My oldest son has a JD 323 rubber tracked machine. A few years ago he was clear cutting a 2 acre field that had been let go 40 years ago. A lot of pretty good sized trees. He was using his track hoe to dig the stumps out and then wanted to move the stumps to a burn pile with the JD 323. The ground was muddy. He was having issues climbing up out of a ditch. I took my Bobcat with the steel tracks over and had zero trouble. When we where done we put the buckets off and lined up the face plates. We then tried to push each other. HE could not move me in mud. I could shove him around in the mud. On drier dirt he could push me.

In my opinion as he is just starting out with this business. I would rather have a lower houred name brand machine with rubber tires/steel tracks over a no name import or high houred rubber tired machine. He has more flex ability too.

P.S. Stay away from the 5-10 year old ASV rubber tracked machines. They are a maintenance nightmare. The real old machines are good and the real new ones are too.

Make sure the machine has clearance between the tires and the machine itself. I cannot run them on my machine.

Bobcat has the option of switching between hand control patterns.

Just watched a used set of steel tracks bring $300 at an auction here in Western NY.