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New compact track loaders for mulching

THContracting

Member
Joined
May 29, 2016
Messages
13
Location
Smithers, BC, Canada
Being able to cork the steel tracks would certainly be one advantage. Half the price of rubber you say? Is this on a skid steer or an actual mulcher unit. That surprises ne though i suppose there not alot of pads or rail compared to a cat or hoe
 

Tones

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
3,061
Location
Ubique
Occupation
Ex land clearing contractor, part-time retired
Being able to cork the steel tracks would certainly be one advantage. Half the price of rubber you say? Is this on a skid steer or an actual mulcher unit. That surprises ne though i suppose there not alot of pads or rail compared to a cat or hoe
It's a 140 hp mulcher unit with single grouser shoes( original), running on the original top and bottom rollers, In 5500 hrs it's wore out 2 sets of chains, 2 spockets. The grousers will be swapped onto the next (3rd)set of chains
 

mdr

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
7
Location
nc
Just got of the phone with my cat salesman he won't sale me a 297 xhp he's I take the machine is bought or I get nothing.....wtf is wrong with him I can't believe he said that
 

Tones

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
3,061
Location
Ubique
Occupation
Ex land clearing contractor, part-time retired
Talk to your service manager or the person who runs the dealership face to face. Your machine has to be FIT FOR PURPOSE and that is their obligation no matter what. A mate of mine had a problem with abnormal track wear on his new 297 and was about to do the clenched fist two step around the office desk with the service manager when a service bulletin arrived from Cat stating exactly what my mate had found. If you are 100% right what you claim stand on your digs and don't get frobbed off buy some half ass sales rep
 

mdr

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
7
Location
nc
Thanks for those who made responses, well im not sure what is going to happen at this point? Come to find out maybe some type of upgrade to do with a shim kit and track re-adjustment may be my issue but this was information from other people who have had experiences like mine....dont really understand why i should have any trouble with a brand new machine.... GO FIGURE ...just some good ol' bad luck.
 

AnvilRW

New Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2017
Messages
1
Location
Sedalia, Colorado
Sorry to resurrect this thread, but since this info can be hard to come by, I wanted to add my experience. I have a 2015 Bobcat T770 that I use with a Fecon mulching head. It's used mostly on my ranch for fire mitigation of gambel oak on terrain typical of the Colorado front range, i.e., steep, loose, and rocky. It detracked completely on me once and I caught it in time a handful of times thereafter. I would religiously check track tension at every fueling and I found the factory c-block tracks would stretch or move around significantly. As you folks know, wrestling a 600-pound track on a steep slope is no party.

I found that the OEM tracks really limited my combination's performance on the ground I was working on and it seemed like the tracks kept changing tension. I don't know if it's something about the design of them or temperature variations or what. I ended up switching to the Prowler EXP tracks. I have not detracked in the 600-odd hours since and I also never needed to reset my track tension after the initial install. I haven't gotten the machine stuck since changing them over but that could be because I'm smarter or more careful. I do know they have better ground engagement. It's a pretty small data set, but wanted to share what I had. My tracks are pretty beat now and will probably be replaced again this summer. Short life of the tracks is just part of the cost of working this kind of ground. My biggest complaint with the T770 is that its oil cooling system is borderline for heavy mulching and that it will beat the hell out of you on rough ground. I bought the 770 over the 870 because working on the slopes, especially mulching, it's all about power to weight and the 870 is bigger and heavier without the corresponding increase in power. Anyway, I've been looking at reviews/info for the ASV RT-120 Forestry which is how I arrived here. Back to lurking.
 
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