Tracks vs Tires on Asphalt pavers

[Jeffksf]

When? Why? How?
Just a curious bystander.

[JimBruce42]

I read something, somewhere about how one can be better in certain situations than others. I don't remember when I read it, or if I'm gonna get this right, so take it for what it's worth, but...

Wheeled pavers are better in "patch paving" sections of roads, or paving mutliple streets in a town or city, where travel from one spot to the next is needed.

Tracked pavers are better in "first lift appicaltions, softer underfoot (though you'd think if it's being paved it shouldn't be soft?). I think they are also prefered in situations where you are paving long stretchs of Highway or Interstate.

Again, I could be wrong :beatsme

[powerjoke]

I think you are right but to add to your reasoning, from what i understand tracks kinda tear up the existing asphalt.

I just bought a Wheeled machine and it works fine

Pj

[Turbo21835]

Jim, soft underfoot conditions may depend on the gravel you are working with. Around here our stone names are different from a lot of other areas. Our 21A crushed limestone would be equivalent to a 304 type material. 57s are called 6A here. Now we get into what we call natural aggregates here. 6AA is a stone that is more like a river rock, usually comes out of screened and washed sand. We use a product called 21AA which screens similar to a crushed 304 material, but the fines are sand instead of crushed limestone. If the moisture content is not right, it will tend to be "soft." A wheeled paver having 6 wheels would tear the base up pretty badly, even compared to the truck that is running in front of it.

Theoretically, a tracked paver is going to also provide a smoother surface. The rubber tired machine will have some bounce to it. Plus tracks have more surface area on the ground distributing the weight, and movement over a larger area. Around here most paving companies run a tracked paver for a mainline machine. A lot of smaller outfits run a tired machine. Other parts of the country, there seems to be more wheeled pavers. Maybe its just the way things are done around here.

[he2009]

Most tracked pavers have options for installing "street pads" for added traction and prevent damage to existing pavement & foundations. - Recently heard that contractors in PA were getting cited for running equipment with bare steel-tracks over pavement. - Don't know what the fines were, but more than a few contractors have complained about it as a "sudden / urgent concern" to fine anything that moves.

[surfer-joe]

Turbo has it right. I don't remember how many times I've had to unstick a rubber-tired machine from a soft spot. But for moving quickly from one smaller job to another, like intersections or city streets, the tire machine will move much more quickly.

If the underfooting is hard packed gravel, and the paver has to push end-dumps, the crawler machine is definitely better for the application. Most later year crawlers all came with rubber overlay track shoes that I know of.

[andoman]

you also have to remember a wheeled machine has the tendency to roll up and down with the load in the hopper where tracked machines don't. Not good for ride quality jobs. With the new rubber tracks the tracked machines really don't damage the leveling layers of asphalt anymore.

[hardhatman]

wheeled pavers can actually be used for paving binder and wearing courses.