My thoughts as well...
RDrancher's Photo Thread
- Thread starter RDrancher
- Start date
Xfaxman
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2013
- Messages
- 12,921
- Location
- Guthrie, OK
- Tractor
- Toolcat 5610 G - Bobcat V417 - TORO+Loader
OP
RDrancher
Veteran Member
No callback from the lady with the landplane, so we'll see what happens.
In the meantime, here's a few more pics from another job. I originally placed a culvert pipes and precast ends for this customer quite awhile ago. Their builder included the grading and gravel driveway into the price of the build. During the heavy rains this Spring the homeowner found out quickly that the builder's guys didn't do a very good job at getting the runoff away from the home, let alone getting it to the barditch at the front of the property. They had set it up with 12" of fall in less than 30' toward the garage and then directed the flow across the peagravel driveway. That, and they didn't provide any direction for the runoff from above the property or down the sides of the home. They came back to "fix" it on three separate occasions and it still ended up like this.
I stripped the peagravel off and started hogging out dirt to use for building up the driveway. There was so much loose peagravel that I ended up mixing it in with the soil to get rid of it.
In the middle of grading out the slope behind the garage, the tracks on my Case started popping pretty bad. I didn't want to break a track, and since I had new sprockets scheduled to arrive in the next few days, I took the Case home and picked up the blue wonder machine to finish up the job.
In the meantime, here's a few more pics from another job. I originally placed a culvert pipes and precast ends for this customer quite awhile ago. Their builder included the grading and gravel driveway into the price of the build. During the heavy rains this Spring the homeowner found out quickly that the builder's guys didn't do a very good job at getting the runoff away from the home, let alone getting it to the barditch at the front of the property. They had set it up with 12" of fall in less than 30' toward the garage and then directed the flow across the peagravel driveway. That, and they didn't provide any direction for the runoff from above the property or down the sides of the home. They came back to "fix" it on three separate occasions and it still ended up like this.
I stripped the peagravel off and started hogging out dirt to use for building up the driveway. There was so much loose peagravel that I ended up mixing it in with the soil to get rid of it.
In the middle of grading out the slope behind the garage, the tracks on my Case started popping pretty bad. I didn't want to break a track, and since I had new sprockets scheduled to arrive in the next few days, I took the Case home and picked up the blue wonder machine to finish up the job.
OP
RDrancher
Veteran Member
A few more...
After getting everything fixed up, I spread five semi-loads of roadbase on the driveway. The larger stone and fines will hold up a lot better than peagravel. I only snapped a couple quick "finished" photos. Hard to see in the pics, but (yet another) storm was blowing in fast and it was starting to hail.
After getting everything fixed up, I spread five semi-loads of roadbase on the driveway. The larger stone and fines will hold up a lot better than peagravel. I only snapped a couple quick "finished" photos. Hard to see in the pics, but (yet another) storm was blowing in fast and it was starting to hail.
Last edited:
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
How many hours on your tracks? Seems kind of soon to be having to replace your sprockets
OP
RDrancher
Veteran Member
As of today the OEM Bridgestone tracks are at 1230 hours. The tread is doing ok, even with a few deep cuts, but the insides are getting pretty bad, including the sprocket contact points. There's no rubber left there at all. I'll most likely run them until they die, which could be tomorrow or later this summer. The sprockets went past the point of functioning properly at 1205. I think the sprockets got a bunch of excess wear running in mud and wet sand this Spring. I'd post some photos of the old and new sprockets, but Verizon isn't cooperating. Basically, they were worn to points. Since I actually use reverse instead of spinning around at every opportunity, there was no "hooking" of the sprockets at all.
When I change out the tracks my plan is to get new sprockets and keep the semi-worn ones for later on.
When I change out the tracks my plan is to get new sprockets and keep the semi-worn ones for later on.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
You've been busy, that's a fair amount of hours in tough conditions. I'm not aware of how many hours you are supposed to get on rubber tracks, but that seems pretty fair. I have no experience with rubber tracks, so it's interesting to hear of your experience with them
OP
RDrancher
Veteran Member
I've heard anywhere from 800-1900 hours on OEM tracks depending on conditions. It's a tough decision whether to replace mine with Bridgestone, Camoplast or one of the aftermarket tracks like Prowler or Midwest Equipment. I've heard of all of them failing at less than 500 hours, but most of that is internet talk. I have a friend in Australia that I communicate with frequently that replaced his OEM tracks with Camoplast XHD's which are a c-lug tread design. His tracks are going strong at 1000 hours and he demos a lot of concrete. The rubber is pretty hard, which adds to the longevity. I've seen photos of Prowler multi-bars (from a reliable source) still going but worn completely out at 1000 hours. Prowler says that their c-lug tread is more durable than their multi-bar but still uses two natural rubbers of different durometers. The XHD's are $500 more than Prowler or MWE, so I just don't know at this point. Any way you look at it, it's $2400-$3500 for a pair.
I'll probably go with Prowler c-lugs unless MWE can give me a reason why there's is better. From what I can find, most of the aftermarket tracks are manufactured in China and of similar design with different logos. I believe Camoplast tracks are made in South Korea.
Confusing, eh?
I'll probably go with Prowler c-lugs unless MWE can give me a reason why there's is better. From what I can find, most of the aftermarket tracks are manufactured in China and of similar design with different logos. I believe Camoplast tracks are made in South Korea.
Confusing, eh?
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
It sure is. Makes you realize why it costs so much to hire equipment, the upkeep is as much as the cost of buying it!!!!
OP
RDrancher
Veteran Member
Yep, not cheap to run equipment, that's for sure.
I've been busy and haven't posted any updates lately. Here's a few from the current job I'm on, filing in a pond and doing a bit of land sculpting. The pond was built to collect runoff from the subdivision, but the soil is too sandy and it became more of an eyesore and debris collector than a pond. The excavated dirt has been there for over twenty years and was covered with trees. The homeowners tree guys came in and cut off most of the trees at ground level, making them a pain to remove.
The hole behind the Case is over ten feet deep. I sure don't want to accidentally back into that one!
I've been busy and haven't posted any updates lately. Here's a few from the current job I'm on, filing in a pond and doing a bit of land sculpting. The pond was built to collect runoff from the subdivision, but the soil is too sandy and it became more of an eyesore and debris collector than a pond. The excavated dirt has been there for over twenty years and was covered with trees. The homeowners tree guys came in and cut off most of the trees at ground level, making them a pain to remove.
The hole behind the Case is over ten feet deep. I sure don't want to accidentally back into that one!