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can rubber track machine push snow

Shifty

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
Occupation
owner operator
Well I am a owner operator and I got to fix what I break. Damage control is aways in the back of my mind. While running any machine, It helps my bottom line.
Possibly your operators learned their operating skill on steel track dozers and track loaders and are running the MTLs the same way. I know I had to break some bad habits and learn a few tricks to get the job done without tearing the machine up. Its all common scene.
 

bonanno23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
union drainage foreman, also own a full time lands
Being an owner operators certainly makes a huge difference, but I feel ( as an operator) that those numbers are really impressive. We are a high profile GO GO GO company, flying from one job to another and at times we are using the rubber track machines on surfaces that aren't rubber friendly. What kind of work to you do?
 

Shifty

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
Occupation
owner operator
Mostly a sub contractor I preform a variety of operations no other contractor wants to do or has the equipment to do. concrete demolition, driveways, parking lots, utility lines,small cut and fill work,and heavy landscape. Between those jobs I work road construction in the summer and plow snow in the winter.

If your a hi profile co. that is GO GO GO. Sounds like your sacrificing the machines for hi production output.
 

bonanno23

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Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
union drainage foreman, also own a full time lands
Yeah thats pretty much the case. I guess when we're flying around trying to get as much as possible done in a day, wear and tear becomes our enemy.
 

curbside

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Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
79
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
I'm an owner operator and I have to say that is very impressive. I had about 1800 hours in my one Bobcat T320 before the one track ripped apart. I too am very careful with all the things you mentioned and I thought I was doing good with the hours I got. Come to think of it I think when the track ripped there was still lots of tread left and I thought I was going to push well into the 2000 hours. I don't think I was anywhere near 85 percent though. Make sure you watch your tension real close as that track ages a little to much slack and it will rip.
 

Shifty

Active Member
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Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
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owner operator
Curbside Doesn't your Bobcat have cables in the tracks?

Cat /ASV tracks don't, theres no metal at all in them. I have only adjusted them once in 1500 Hrs
 

curbside

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Joined
Mar 7, 2008
Messages
79
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Yes Bobcat tracks have metal wires running the length of the track and then it has metal treads that run perpendicular to the cables where the sprockets drive the track. This metal is then encased in rubber. That is wear my track eventually failed when some of the wires snapped and the treads pulled out of the track. So your track is nothing but rubber? I thought all of the tracks had re-enforcing metal embedded inside the track.
 

Shawn Brown

New Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
1
Location
Chilliwack B.C.
You better believe a track machine can push snow , if you lift the front of the tracks slightly off the ground ... there goes the low ground pressure . A track machine is heavier by far ( about 1300 lbs more over a tire machine ) . I have owned/operated both ... in the dirt in the snow the track machine hands down will push more !
 

Shifty

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
Occupation
owner operator
Yes Bobcat tracks have metal wires running the length of the track and then it has metal treads that run perpendicular to the cables where the sprockets drive the track. This metal is then encased in rubber. That is wear my track eventually failed when some of the wires snapped and the treads pulled out of the track. So your track is nothing but rubber? I thought all of the tracks had re-enforcing metal embedded inside the track.


Rubber and i think Kevlar Belts. Built like a conveyor belt I guess. I am sure someone that knows for sure will chime in.

This is why the Cat/ASV machines get a lot more grip. About the same difference as between old bias ply tires and radial tires.
 

bonanno23

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Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
union drainage foreman, also own a full time lands
I could write a novel on what we do and why we have to fly around. We are a union company. If the machines aren't moving, the trucks don't move, and the laborers are standing. Drivers cost around $60 an hour, laborers $48, operators around $90/ ( those numbers are including the full benifits for each scale) anyway, in the long run going slow in order to save a little track life here and there doesn't pay for us. Theres more to it, but I'm not going to go on and on.
 

Shifty

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
Occupation
owner operator
In other words you get paid by the foot. I know where your at,been there done that.

Let me guess.

Oversize buckets on the Cats.

Running full bore at all times.

Tramming on mostly asphalt or gravel.

Clean up with the bucket down and the tracks up.

Yep been there done that.
 

bonanno23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
union drainage foreman, also own a full time lands
I guess, something like that.

Normal bucket, 4-in-1 that comes with the cats

definitely don't run with the bucket down and tracks up. We know what we're doing, but slow and steady doesn't fly with multi-millions dollar projects. The investors we deal with want everything done yesterday.

To each there own style.

I have a Tak 150 that I baby more than my boss' machine, but I'm footing the bill like you and I'm my boss when I do side work.

I was just super impressed with your 80% thread/under carriage life after 1500 hours
 

bonanno23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
union drainage foreman, also own a full time lands
You better believe a track machine can push snow , if you lift the front of the tracks slightly off the ground ... there goes the low ground pressure . A track machine is heavier by far ( about 1300 lbs more over a tire machine ) . I have owned/operated both ... in the dirt in the snow the track machine hands down will push more !



Track machines certainly are heavier, but that doesn't mean the wieght is hitting the ground. People buy track machines because they are capable of crawling of soft areas without sinking in, where a tire machine has to much wieght over each individual tire. So on snow/ice, a tire machine has more wieght hitting the ground compared to a track machine. The only time a track machine is going to puch more snow is if its off road. We move snow with 8 cat track machines and 2 cat tire machines. Every operator begs for the tires vs. the tracks.
 

Shifty

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
Occupation
owner operator
bonanno23 Do you like those 4 in 1 buckets?? Are they that much more useful than a standard bucket? I run a toothed bucket and use a 6 way blade for grading.
 

bonanno23

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
131
Location
Long Island NY
Occupation
union drainage foreman, also own a full time lands
I couldn't imagine life without one. We don't even take the regular bucket from the dealer when we get a new machine. We have some with teeth but mostly just straight cutting edges. I have a 4-in-1 with teach on my Tak. Absolutely love it. Never tried a 6 way blade. we have a D4 and D5 for our smaller grading jobs. How do you like the blade on your skid-steer?
 

Shifty

Active Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
36
Location
Western, Pa USA
Occupation
owner operator
It took a some getting used to when I first got it. Now i can't be without it. Winter time like now I use it for plowing snow. I made a few mods to the valving to make it a fully floating blade for snow. Then in the spring I'll switch it back to full hydraulic control for dirt. I also had to extend the top of the blade about 10 inches because of overspill
 

pemolitor

Active Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
29
Location
Iowa
"Berco actually manufactures the whole undercarriage for Komatsu and Deere. Contrary to what Deere will try to tell you it was introduced on Komatsu’s machine in Europe for well over a year before Deere launched their CTLs. The other OEMs with the exception of CAT and Takeuchi use primarily Berco components, but have their frames built by different suppliers. CAT’s CTL rails and components are actually South Korean and in November CAT purchased the company that was manufacturing for them- "


Takeuchi's frames are part of the machine. They are designed and built as a tracked machine. The tub and track frames are welded not bolted on like the other manufacturers.
 
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Digdeep

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
704
Location
Wisconsin
"Berco actually manufactures the whole undercarriage for Komatsu and Deere. Contrary to what Deere will try to tell you it was introduced on Komatsu’s machine in Europe for well over a year before Deere launched their CTLs. The other OEMs with the exception of CAT and Takeuchi use primarily Berco components, but have their frames built by different suppliers. CAT’s CTL rails and components are actually South Korean and in November CAT purchased the company that was manufacturing for them- "


Takeuchi's frames are part of the machine. They are designed and built as a tracked machine. The tub and track frames are welded not bolted on like the other manufacturers.

Very true. Takeuchi and Terex/ASV are the only ones to build a purpose-built track machine from the ground up.
 
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