OVER TIRES TRACKS questions hands on experience ???

[bullbreaker]

Howdy again ! One of my sons who is not a TBN member (yet) asked me to post and ask for him . He has a SSV75 Kubota wheel loader .

Questions has anybody here ever ordered and mounted those over the wheel tracked systems for there wheel loaders for better traction in theory when they have to go in mud / snow / wetter areas ?

If the system works decent did you go with rubber instead of steel tracks ? Weve been viewing some YouTube vids on these over the tire tracks and wanted to hear from any TBN folks opinions please .

From what research we have done the better brands appear to be Grouser Tracks , Camso and McLaren . My son was leaning towards heavy hard rubber over steel tracks to in theory tear up the land less ? Also we are aware some might require spacers and even out set wider rims and tires . He is just a land owner and does not use the skid steer to make a living .

Once again anyone out here with any hands on experience regarding these "over track tire" skid steer questions ? Big thanks in advance !!!

 

[Rebeldad1]

have you checked with kubota for a set? should be bolt and go.

 

[bullbreaker]

have you checked with kubota for a set? should be bolt and go.

No our dealer down here trys to really stick it to ya , but good thought before if he orders a set I will call them to compare prices / shipping etc .

 

[4570Man]

They’re not even close to as good as a real tracked machine. You still only have the same ground contact pressure of the wheels. Some people claim the traction is better and sometimes it might be but they’re also prone to getting slicked with mud and letting the wheels slip inside them.

 

[Tomtint]

A number of years ago I went through the same dilemma you have now. I have a Cat 246 that was a tire machine and was horrible in snow. I asked plenty of questions about over tire tracks. Not many good reviews. One that really sealed the deal was a guy who had rocks bounce onto the middle of his track and get sucked around between the track and tire, puncturing the tire ..at that point it was clear I didn’t want them. I ended up getting a full bolt on set of tracks from Logering..they were about 10k and have been excellent

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I put a set of steel on a skid steer one time...

Traction was improved drastically!!

They tore up the ground worse than my dozer does!!

I HATED the skid steer and got rid of it!!

SR

 

[Sonny580]

Get a REAL track machine IF you think you gotta have tracks!----I wouldnt give a dime for a dozen tracked machines!!! Too expensive to maintain and buy. Tires for me.

 

[4570Man]

Get a REAL track machine IF you think you gotta have tracks!----I wouldnt give a dime for a dozen tracked machines!!! Too expensive to maintain and buy. Tires for me.

How expensive is a tracked skid compared to a wheeled one that’s about useless?

 

[700R]

OP, check out YouTube. There are a lot of videos on the subject from contractors that have ran them for years/decades.

How expensive is a tracked skid compared to a wheeled one that’s about useless?

If a wheeled machine is "useless", then you bought the wrong machine for the job. Tracks have their place, but they come with many downsides. I'm with Sonny580...I would never consider a tracked machine. Purchase price is higher, tracks are expensive, bogeys & sprockets to wear out, and what do you do if you pop a track off in the middle of the woods by yourself? I prefer a tire machine for where I live, in the woods. Tree stumps, rocks, branches, off-camber hills....all will throw a track if you give it the chance.
CAT offers a skid steer model with real steel tracks, like a dozer. That would be the only compromise I'd live with...however I believe the price is astronomical.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Case has a new multi purpose skid steer/dozer. It's made dozer tough with tracks, but it can be used for a skid steer too...

I believe it's going to create a new class of machine because it's NOT just a skid steer with tracks and a blade.

SR