curtisfarmer
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2005
- Messages
- 460
- Location
- Southern NH
- Tractor
- M7040, L48, KX121-3, RTV 1100 and a couple of older Fords
I have read numerous threads on damage to tracked machines and how expensive they are to repair. I have heard of $15k repairs after 1,000 hours!!!! Rollers, sprockets, tracks, idlers, drive motors.....Yikes!!! Seems unreasonable. I would never buy one for those reasons unless I had a specific application that would justify it. Wheeled machines sure have less over head. My L48 has 1200 hours and the tires are fine. If I had to pay the horror story prices you see around, I would be pissed, disappointed, and looking for a different machine. Seems like you would have to charge a premium for a tracked machine just to recoup your wear and tear that will eventually add up to a huge repair bill. On my KX 121-3 I am super carefull and clean the tracks often, keeping in mind that mini exs don't have the wear and tear tracked loaders encounter. Just looking at most designs, looks like gravel, stone and aggregate would cause damage during normal operation. I am suprised they don't have almost fully enclosed sides to prevent material from getting in and causing havoc.