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Mini X vs CTL rubber track lifespan

T320FL

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Sep 16, 2015
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54
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FLA
IF you can squeeze 2000 hours of track life out of a CTL. Should you be able to get 3000 or more hours of track life from a similar size mini x? Since a CTL is constantly moving back and forth and a mini x is usually stationary while working it seems possible to get almost double the track life.

Talking Bridgestone oem new tracks or similar quality.

What do y'all think?
 

CM1995

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Rubber track life depends on a multitude of factors the two biggest being operational and ground conditions. That being said a mini could be able to get at least 3-4K hours out of a quality set of tracks like Bridgestone depending on operation, ground conditions and maintenance.

We have been able to get 2K + hours out of Cat/Bridgestone tracks on a 279D. Personally I would expect to get double the hours out the same OEM track on our 305E for our conditions.
 

skyking1

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washington
I have beat the heck out of our new 35 tracks in 600 hours. They are not "failed", but my best guesstimate is around 2000 hours. I cross concrete footings at all sorts of nasty angles and grades, and do what I can to mitigate the wear and tear, but the job needs to get done.
 

Txhayseed

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Dec 23, 2019
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Texas
Thats a lot of hours on tracks. Here in central Texas we are replacing tracks with normal wear and tear within the 5 to 600 hrs. Ripped, torn tracks sooner. I don't know if its me but it seems like the compounds or construction of tracks is getting worse. Couple that with customers who think anything with tracks equates a machine to a m1 Abrams tank its not good. Private owner who cared for and had to pay for tracks might see more time.. Dirty little secret.. Brand x brand y brand z. One Chinese assembly line goes right one goes left one goes straight. Global economy global products only unwise uninformed people think cat/bobcat/Shanghai rubber are not made by one of the hand full of companies that make tracks. Ask those same people how many battery manufacturers there are globally.
 

CM1995

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Global economy global products only unwise uninformed people think cat/bobcat/Shanghai rubber are not made by one of the hand full of companies that make tracks.

Well I guess I'm one of those "unwise uninformed" people who think Cat Bridgestone tracks last a lot longer than all the aftermarket tracks we've been through over the years.

500-600 hours is all we ever got on the many brand X tracks purchased over the last 18 years and over 2,000 on our first set of Cat/Bridgestone tracks on a 2016 279D in the same working conditions. I guess I'll just stay dumb and blind and keep on buying OEM...:rolleyes:
 

T320FL

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Sep 16, 2015
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54
Location
FLA
Ran a new bobcat (owner/operator) ctl 2000 hrs with a mulcher attachment most of the time. Tracks were rough but still had life left in them. Rotated the sprockets at 1000 hrs. I really thought the tracks would wear out sooner but was only working in sandy / muddy areas in FL. No rocks or demo work.
It's looking like my 057-5 will easily get way over 2000 hrs on the factory tracks where I'm working with it.
 

skyking1

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washington
This was yesterday, it's bony nasty ground, and I launched over that one a dozen times at least. It is not flat running, and I also have to crawl around and run one track in the air and the other on a footing, things like that. Rough concrete is not forgiving.
PXL_20220801_220515368.jpg PXL_20220801_220524065.jpg
 

T320FL

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Sep 16, 2015
Messages
54
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FLA
Now, that would cause some excessive wear compared to my daily application! But when you are making good money in the process it is what you have to do.

Mini x's are amazing machines for sure.
 

skyking1

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Nov 3, 2020
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Those tracks only have to last another ~600 hours for me, then they are somebody else's problem :D That is about 18 months of how we use it. I bounce between that and a 120 and the dump truck and a whole lot of time on shank's pony to get my hours in.
 

T320FL

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Sep 16, 2015
Messages
54
Location
FLA
That's cool. Are you selling the 35G and then buying another mini x ?
 

Canuck Digger

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Dec 24, 2012
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263
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Mission, BC, Canada
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Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
I've got a a 2012 yanmar 3.5 ton and a 2012 hitachi 6 ton. Machines do everything from mowing, septic, foundation digging/backfill, drain tile. Mix of clay, rock, sand, some demo etc. Both machines have approx. 2,700hrs on them. Both are still on the original OEM tracks. The yanmar has about 40% left and the 6 ton tracks will be done this fall. Couldn't be happier. The operator makes the most difference. How you set up, where you set up. etc.
 
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