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Steel vs Rubber tracks

mudnducs

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
63
Location
Jonesborough, Tennessee
Occupation
retired mech eng
I just bought a used Kubota (KX 080-4) excavator. Rubber tracks in good condition.

Can you work an excavator with rubber tracks the same as you would with steel tracks?
 

heymccall

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
5,352
Location
Western Pennsylvania
We do. Sharp edges on riprap or steel cutoff posts are hell on them, but other than that, the only other issue is tramming cross slope, where a track can walk off.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,465
Location
washington
I tend to spin the crap out of rubber tracks more often, and smaller stuff will jam them up.
 

uffex

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
Messages
4,464
Location
Lincoln UK
Occupation
Admin
Good day
Soft surface rubber tracks hard surface steel tracks
Kind regards
Uffex
 

John C.

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,865
Location
Northwest
Occupation
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Biggest issue I see is service life for the rubber stuff. They usually don't wear out. Most get cut on curbs, tramp iron and sharp shot rock. To me it means the operator has the biggest influence on cost per hour to run rubber.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,465
Location
washington
He does, but some jobs have no give. That first big job I did with our new mini was so discouraging. I bet I did 500 hours of wear/damage in less than 100.
it was nasty clay housing rocks big enough to bind tracks. Footings with nothing but goo around them to cross at all angles. I knew what was happening but those tracks just had to take the hit.
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
If I was buying again for my mini i'd go with steel chain and rubber bolt on pads. A bit more money and lots more weight, but the idea that if you tear up a few pads it's as simple as a few bolts and few hundred bucks is a lot better then replacing a track. I got like 1600 hours on mine that were already fairly worn when I bought my mini, and it was a few pieces of the chain that broke so it was just from wear that ultimately finished them so I can't really complain. But the new ones I think i've got maybe 500 hours on them and they seem fairly beat up, got a few pretty good tears in them, I went aftermarket and I can't see them getting the same life the other set got.
 

Don.S

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
397
Location
Montreal Canada
Where i use to work my boss got a 35d at just under 3k hours with used tracks on it. He sold it with just over 6k hours with the same tracks on it. I was the main guy who ran that machine and always take care of tracks. Where i work bow they cant even get 1k hours out of a set. Operator has about 95% control of the life of the tracks.
 

673moto

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
319
Location
NorCal
Occupation
Slacker
Have steel tracks on my 35d size machine.... love them!
I’m in an area that’s lousy with sharp, jagged rocks that shred rubber tracks.
It came with rubber pads bolted on o the steel tracks but they were garbage... the rubber was old maybe and the pads would just fall off all the time.
Steel tracks are louder for sure but not having to worry about damaging them is nice.
I just try not to take jobs in residential neighborhoods (I have plywood and stall mats to use to keep asphalt nice when I do)
Of course when you throw a track on a side-hill it’s a bit more of a pain to fix. B9733008-E934-4920-9212-F91A1C5B0138.jpeg
 

Chrisso

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2021
Messages
431
Location
Australia
Occupation
Diesel Mechanic
Biggest complaint I hear from operators is that rubber tracks cause way more vibration when tracking around.
 

mudnducs

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
63
Location
Jonesborough, Tennessee
Occupation
retired mech eng
......geez. Threw my first track yesterday morning. Spent all day trying to get it back on. Seems like it should be pretty simple but so far its getting the better of me. Even got my wife down there to "drive" while I tried levering it back on. When it rains it pours right? <G>
 

KSSS

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2005
Messages
4,319
Location
Idaho
Occupation
excavation
Getting those tracks back on, especially by yourself is a chore and even more so I bet on a 80 size machine. One thing that can help is to make sure the front roller is collapsed completely. If you push down on the blade and elevate the front of the machine and use the back of the bucket to completely collapse the front roller can help. I place the back on the sprocket first and then use the back of the bucket to slide the track across the front of the track. Easier said than done I know, big pry bars help.
 

suladas

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
1,731
Location
Canada
I got good at putting them back on when I choose not to replace a bent carrier roller for a long time so 1 track always ran a bit loose and came off constantly. As long as it's just off the idler, if the track is out I generally leave the whole machine on the ground gently track forward while pushing the track in with the bucket, virtually every time can get it back on without ever touching tensioner. If it's off the sprocket hook a chain and pull it whichever direction while tracking slowly.
 
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