When to replace rubber tracks?

Boondox · Sep 16, 2012

My mini-ex is five years old now, has never been on pavement and only occasionally clawed its way over sharp stone ledges. As excavators go, this one has had a pretty easy life. But I have one deep gash in the righthand tread maybe 4 inches long, and the inside of the treads are showing a bit of cracking. Having one fail while I'm up in the woods would be an utter PITA.

At what point do others swap out their treads?

art · Sep 17, 2012

You didn't say how many hours you have on the tracks, a four inch cut is nothing if in the right place and if in the right place it would be something to watch.

Bigfoot62 · Sep 17, 2012

Most probably only get replaced when they break, or when they won't stay on the track frame.

I would suggest, if it's that important to you and you plan on keeping the machine for the foreseeable future, just buying an extra set but waiting until you really need them.

Boondox · Sep 18, 2012

Good advice. It's not the gash I'm worried about so much as the cracking on the non-tread surface. It looks like an old tire that has been out in the sun too long. My fear is having one fail when I'm up in the woods. Thanks.

20 20 · Sep 18, 2012

I quess it depends on the bank book and your opinion. Tracks breaking in the woods or in a deep mud holes are not much fun. Excavators are easier to work on then dozers, but on the job fixes are still a PITA. Fixng a track on your terms would be much easier then fixing it on it's terms, carrying all the tools out not to mention lugging the track then fighting the elements, simple answer is that it is your call.

Robert_in_NY · Sep 18, 2012

I have not heard of any tracks actually breaking. Usually the tracks get worn out so that they pop off when you turn. So it isn't like you will be stranded and need to haul a new track in. I had a track come off on my grandfathers machine twice before he fixed it. The first time I just lifted the side up and used a couple long bars to get the track back on enough that it would track back on and the second time I was able to just reverse direction and the track walked back on itself as it was just starting to come off. If your track has no traction or starts wanting to pop off for no real reason and your out of adjustment then look at replacing. Well, at least that is how I feel about it.

Bob Rooks · Sep 18, 2012

I have rubber tracks on my little dozer. There are wire cables and steel links embedded in rubber tracks, and these components stretch over time. The time to replace depends on three qualifiers, except for personal preference of course. 1) No further adjustment can be made to remove excess slack. 2) Gashes and slits that expose cables, or broken cables. 3) Loss of tractive effort, grousers are badly worn.
UV is one of rubbers worst enemies. Keeping direct sunlight off the tracks will help, like parking under cover when not used for extended periods.

Dirthog · Oct 1, 2012

They will break have broken a two different one myself on a 35 Kobelco.

amazincaucasian · Oct 2, 2012

Yes I seen me break on a T300 and my mini ex too. Run over a gnarly piece of steel and those cables break, those tracks drop right to the ground. Also when the steel cleats that the sprocket grabs start falling off its time to go shopping and them tracks ain't cheap

brain55 · Oct 2, 2012

Robert_in_NY said:
I have not heard of any tracks actually breaking. Usually the tracks get worn out so that they pop off when you turn. So it isn't like you will be stranded and need to haul a new track in. I had a track come off on my grandfathers machine twice before he fixed it. The first time I just lifted the side up and used a couple long bars to get the track back on enough that it would track back on and the second time I was able to just reverse direction and the track walked back on itself as it was just starting to come off. If your track has no traction or starts wanting to pop off for no real reason and your out of adjustment then look at replacing. Well, at least that is how I feel about it.

Don't ever buy Solideal tracks, I never had one that didn't break. I'd get about 600 hrs out of them before they'd break, long before they had worn out the tread. I used them on a fleet of Bobcats (16 machines) I worked on, Solideal did not think it was an issue at all, their warranty was 6 months from the day you buy them (regardless of when you installed them) or 600 hours pro-rated of course. I was buying them 3 sets at a time to save freight too. Oh, and a track would never break where you have easy access to the machine. It always seemed like it would break next to a house, in the mud, or someplace difficult.

Brian