ermineerwhatbuc
Well-Known Member
What ever you decide, look on ebay and find a used set for cheap and try them if you dont like them , buy another that you think highlights the advantanges and disadvantages of the set you bought.
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Tracks for a wheeled skid steer, anybody done this?
- Thread starter tmc_31
- Start date
landtekk
Well-Known Member
"I did some reasearch about those bearings that your friend has a problem with. I think they are Grouser tracks since these are the only ones I found to use bearings. The Loegering and McLaren use a metal link with no bearing inside it... I assume the link is hammer forged, so that it lasts longer. Actually, the only thing I don't like about the Grouser tracks is the bearings they use - I think they'll be a hell to change once worn out. I also heard that they had few of the bearings breaking in the past. "
I use grouser ott and I think they are great. The bearing is actually a bushing that keeps the pad from wearing. I've had these tracks for ten years and what I've found is that the bolts wear but the bushing and track don't. Replace the bolts every couple of years and your good. Cheap and easy with a small impact.I work in a lot of glacier till that eats steel.( contains a fine sand)
The first set I got was not forged but you can get forged tracks set up for rubber pads and the lugs are beveled on the side to run on pavement.
I think the is a lot of return for the investment thanks scott
I use grouser ott and I think they are great. The bearing is actually a bushing that keeps the pad from wearing. I've had these tracks for ten years and what I've found is that the bolts wear but the bushing and track don't. Replace the bolts every couple of years and your good. Cheap and easy with a small impact.I work in a lot of glacier till that eats steel.( contains a fine sand)
The first set I got was not forged but you can get forged tracks set up for rubber pads and the lugs are beveled on the side to run on pavement.
I think the is a lot of return for the investment thanks scott
sparky
Member
I'm sorry that I took so long in replying HillBoy, I am very happy with my Bullman tracks. As I stated in an earlier post they are a sister company to Mclaren that are located at the the same address so they can't be half bad. I have Mclaren Nu-air tires with the Bullman bar type tracks and they are a good combo for me.
I believe that you can order the Mclarens direct and Bullmans you have to go though a dealer. When I was looking to buy tracks I found out that a tire dealer 1 mile from my house was also a Bullman dealer. When I talked to a salesman there about them he had no idea what I was talking about but promised he'd find out in week or so. I called the girl back that I had talked to at Bullman and she sold them to me over the phone and had them drop shipped to the tire dealer before the salesman even know what skidsteer tracks were.
Thanks Saprky. Sounds like you have the ultimate package -- the McLaren flat proof tires combined with over the tire tracks. I don't think it can get any better for a skid steer loader. The next best will be a track loader or a VTS, but they costs a good $15k more, plus the rubber tracks will break a lot sooner than the over the tire tracks, which are all steel.
I have the Nu-Air tires, the AT lug, and I think they are a great upgrade. The flat proof Bullman tires I had were also very good, but the Nu-Air AT wears much better. With the winter knocking on my porch, it's time to get some over the tire tracks, too. I'll be looking at the Bullmans you recommend...
old skool iron
Active Member
steel tracks
I have a L 785 NH i love my steel tracks mud snow what a life saver. your in luck i have an extra set i was just geting ready to put on craigs list. i`ll hold off for ya just in case your intrested.
I have a L 785 NH i love my steel tracks mud snow what a life saver. your in luck i have an extra set i was just geting ready to put on craigs list. i`ll hold off for ya just in case your intrested.
old skool iron
Active Member
steel tracks
good to hear from ya Razvy. l'am in colorado. 12-16.5 is the tire size of the steel tracks. thanks for your interest. old skool iron.
good to hear from ya Razvy. l'am in colorado. 12-16.5 is the tire size of the steel tracks. thanks for your interest. old skool iron.
Perfect for my Skid steer , to bad you are in Colorado , shipping wheel be out of question I assume.
fryboy
New Member
I have loegering tracks on my 773g. I think they run about $2300 not sure they were with mine when I bought it. They make 100 times more traction in the slop, but they eat the grass. You should keep them adjusted, but check air pressure first. I tightend mine and later realized I had a low tire. When I aired it up I had to loosen the tracks. Now when they look a little loose, I check the tires and that usually fixes my problem. I run slime in the tires, but if it sits a few days in the right spot it will loose a little air. Not enough to actually notice, but enough to make the tracks look loose. The tracks are super heavy but one person can manhandle them on and off. Don't try loading on metal ramps in the rain.
k45
Well-Known Member
You bring up a good point about tire pressure.
The tracks on my new ss were way too tight. I was concerned about damaging the axle bearings (only about 1/4" sag at best).
The service guy came out to add another link, took one look at it and said "they put too much air in the tires". He reduced the air pressure to 55 psi and I finally got a bit of sag (about 3/4"). Not enough according to the track manufacturer's web site, but he said as they wear in more (it only has 28 hours on it), they will be fine.
His comment was that, with tracks on, the tires should not be rounded out in the center. Initially they had 65 psi in the tires.
Ken
The tracks on my new ss were way too tight. I was concerned about damaging the axle bearings (only about 1/4" sag at best).
The service guy came out to add another link, took one look at it and said "they put too much air in the tires". He reduced the air pressure to 55 psi and I finally got a bit of sag (about 3/4"). Not enough according to the track manufacturer's web site, but he said as they wear in more (it only has 28 hours on it), they will be fine.
His comment was that, with tracks on, the tires should not be rounded out in the center. Initially they had 65 psi in the tires.
Ken
True. I believe your tires needs to have some cushioning to absorb any debris that may be caught between the tire and the track. I hear only the regular pneumatic or the cushioned flat proof tires can be used with OTTs...
FWIW Almost everyone I know runs foam filled tires in there OTT.
A friend broke his drive axil doing this...
ointhead But maybe if you run the OTT very loose, it may help somewhat. Still, I wouldn't risk! Plus, I would assume that the extra weight of the foam filled tires plus the weight of the OTTs is already getting quite heavy on the machine. I'm all for some extra weight to stabilize the machine, but having too much of it may not be wise.
A friend broke his drive axil doing this...
But maybe if you run the OTT very loose, it may help somewhat. Still, I wouldn't risk! Plus, I would assume that the extra weight of the foam filled tires plus the weight of the OTTs is already getting quite heavy on the machine. I'm all for some extra weight to stabilize the machine, but having too much of it may not be wise.
Wasn't trying to say it was right or wrong. Just stating what I have found to be common practice.
mxridernrth
Well-Known Member
I'll add my $.02. I had the McLaren Diamond tracks with my 753 and in general found them a great solution.
Pros: They were a great help in mud and sand. In fact, even though they are a bar style setup, the flotation they gave was very, very, noticeable. Stability of the machine was greatly increased. The 753 is a very short wheelbase and the lowered center of gravity was a blessing on steep terrain.
There were three drawbacks that I found with the OTT in my application:
1) the 753 required a boom spacer, and in effect raised the heel of the bucket. Another member commented on a previous post that there are bucket adapters that can rectify this, but at that time I was not aware of this. Grading is pretty difficult when the bucket must be angled downward.
2) The steel bar tracks are hard on asphalt. As previously stated in this thread, they will temporarily mark the asphalt. Just don't turn.
3) taking them on and off is a pain in a$$. Expect 30-45 mins when you're good at it. I too used a ratchet strap to tension the tracks.
If I were to get another pair, I would get the McLaren rubber pad tracks and make sure that I could get the bucket offset adapter that I mentioned. I say this because I run in a mixed urban environment, so running across pavement is often necessary.
Pros: They were a great help in mud and sand. In fact, even though they are a bar style setup, the flotation they gave was very, very, noticeable. Stability of the machine was greatly increased. The 753 is a very short wheelbase and the lowered center of gravity was a blessing on steep terrain.
There were three drawbacks that I found with the OTT in my application:
1) the 753 required a boom spacer, and in effect raised the heel of the bucket. Another member commented on a previous post that there are bucket adapters that can rectify this, but at that time I was not aware of this. Grading is pretty difficult when the bucket must be angled downward.
2) The steel bar tracks are hard on asphalt. As previously stated in this thread, they will temporarily mark the asphalt. Just don't turn.
3) taking them on and off is a pain in a$$. Expect 30-45 mins when you're good at it. I too used a ratchet strap to tension the tracks.
If I were to get another pair, I would get the McLaren rubber pad tracks and make sure that I could get the bucket offset adapter that I mentioned. I say this because I run in a mixed urban environment, so running across pavement is often necessary.