Is this the end of the crawler loaders / track loaders?

Hello friends, it's okay with you?

First, forgive me if there are any mistakes in my text, because English is not my native language and not speak so well.

Let the chase ...

My name is Humberto and work with eartworks and earthmoving since 1979 throughout the metropolitan region of S�o Paulo city and neighboring towns cities like Osasco, Cotia, Embu and cities in the interior of state, such as Campinas, for example.

In 1980 I founded my company under the name of Umarizal Terraplenagem (Umarizal Earthworks, in English) and from then realize several works in the area of earthmoving using equipment like wheel loaders, track type loaders, backhoes, skid steers and of course, dump trucks.

Between 1980 and 2000, here in Brazil, the crawler loaders / track loaders Traxcavator Caterpillar 933, 941A / 941B (the two most popular), 951 and 955, manufactured in the USA, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, if I'm not mistaken, the most used being reigned in all worksites.

However, from 2000 onwards, at least in Brazil, hydraulic excavators as PC 150 and PC 200 by Komatsu and 315 and 320 by Caterpillar become popular in such a way that today we only see these models in all works. How to wear the undercarriage excavators, the more expensive the maintenance of these machines is much lower compared to crawler loaders, there is no longer priced like having to work with a Caterpillar 941, for example.

Today, where we used a Caterpillar 933 or 941, currently use as a skid steer loader Case 95XT or Case 465 with a mini excavator Yanmar VIO80 or one backhoe loader as Case 580N or Caterpillar 416E, always more affordable price than a track loader.

I wonder if other countries the loaders mats are also every day losing more market or are still widely used.

At least here in Brazil, all are fading. Even my company, is one of the few that still has track loader mats in the country.

Thank you for your attention and a hug!

In the Northwestern part of the United States crawler loaders have for the most part disappeared. They used to be the premier machine for demolition, land clearing, scrap metal yards and rough site development. The emergence of the small to medium tracked excavator, particularly when equipped with a thumb became so much more efficient that track loaders just sat all the time. I think there is a steel mill application in my area where a crawler loader would work but they have not wanted to try it.

I have been seeing more and more use for the compact track loaders now days. Rubber tracks let you work almost anywhere with little damage to the ground. They are hydrostatic drive making them easy to operate and the machines can be optioned out to nearly luxury car comfort. The quick couplers on the booms allow so much more utility and these machine cost a fraction of what a new crawler loader will require.

Yeah terraplanagem , as John C. stated compact track loaders with the rubber tracks are very popular .

With that being said the track loader is far from gone in my area . Still see a lot in use . Mostly cat 953 , 63 & 73's . Don't see them disappearing any time soon .

I'll second what John C. said, not surprising as we're from the same area. But the track loader seems like a jack of all trades....master of none. It can do a lot of things, but cant do any efficiently, at least compared to the other options available. I cant see any purpose for one in any of our operations.

One of the salesmen told me in our area, we have the highest concentration in the US. We are constantly trying to get more to send to the customers. They are far from dead here.

oregon96pd said:

I But the track loader seems like a jack of all trades....master of none. It can do a lot of things, but cant do any efficiently, at least compared to the other options available.

Click to expand...

Well being a track loader guy I'm going to disagree with that.

It can grade better than an excavator, carry more dirt across a site than a small dozer, load trucks, clear and grubb and fine grade. I finished many a pad and parking lot with a '53. I'm not being sarcastic rather curious, have you operated one?

caterpillarmech said:

One of the salesmen told me in our area, we have the highest concentration in the US. We are constantly trying to get more to send to the customers. They are far from dead here.

Click to expand...

Same here. Back in 2007 or so my PSR said he knew of 200 + loaders working in just one county, that's the one's he knew the owners and not the farm and hobby machines.

There not going anywhere in my neck of the woods either.

some one said, don't bring a knife to a gun fight, may your tool fit the job.

When I decided to buy a bigger machine to put in my little fleet to handle pond construction, clearing, grading, basement digging, and whatever other odd jobs come along I chose a 953. An excavator will out dig me til he has to move that dirt more than the machines reach. They don't compact a dam very well. An excavator is a great clearing machine but they need something to support them when it comes to pushing trees to a pile or grading when done. A CTL is great in place of a skid steer but they won't keep up with a 953 moving dirt. They lack the lead in their tail to clear big timber or push a lot of dirt. I love my 953! Here in the Midwest US I think you would be hard put to run an operation of any size without a true track loader.

Just my thoughts
John

In the regional US Midwest the trackhoe or excavator is becoming the norm for foundation work, for fields clearing of heavy or dense brush, creek bank remediation and pond construction all of which at one time or another were almost strictly track loader jobs or combined loader/dozer work here. The excavator does not fare as well as to final grade or finish but all too many contractors opt for a rubber track skid steer CTL today over the heavier more awkward iron track loaders we find more convenient.

As to the demise or death of the track loader, doubtful. May find they shrink back in manufactured numbers and purchase but they do have unique features and functions that other machines do not do as well or as fast or as a steady diet. The market is seeing a swing away from steel tracks and heavy machines to lighter more nimble machines while cost and versatility play a role in how many are bought and used as with most tools.

I do have another observation on this that might bring a little bit more understanding. The decline of the crawler loader in the Northwest to me seemed to coincide with the installation of hydraulic thumbs on excavators. Now I know that in other regions of the US the hydraulic thumb is not all that common and there are plenty of stiff leg thumbs or none at all. Up here an excavator without a thumb is not a common sale unless you have a pipe line machine. Most of those are medium to large. You very seldom see a small machine without a thumb.

So my question to you all would be, are there more crawler loaders where there are fewer hydraulic excavator with thumbs?

Nobody uses them around here. Strictly excavators. I think they will hold their own with larger contractors. Any time you need to pack materials across a site they would be preferable over a hoe, especially when comparing hourly rates. If you need to pack bedding sand from stockpile to its final location and you use a 3-4 cu/yd track loader what would a 3-4cu/yd excavator cost per hour. Same thing if you need to load out a pile of material into trucks, loader should be cheaper then a comparable size hoe. What are the rates in your area for lets say a 953 vs. 300 size hoe?

I do not see the track loader going the way of the dodo bird. Still have their place.

John C. said:

So my question to you all would be, are there more crawler loaders where there are fewer hydraulic excavator with thumbs?

Click to expand...

That's an interesting question ? With some jobs I could see the excavator thumb be it manual or hydro taking a job the track loader with 4 in 1 bucket used to do .

In my area we have had excavator thumbs for over 20 years now . What we do is pair up an excavator & track loader or dozer on most jobs . They are two different pieces of equipment that compliment each other when put on a task .

The only debate we might have is between a dozer or track loader being paired up with the excavator . I use a dozer with the excavator and my buddy uses his track loader . Both work fine

terraplanagem said:

Hello friends, it's okay with you?

First, forgive me if there are any mistakes in my text, because English is not my native language and not speak so well.

Let the chase ...

My name is Humberto and work with eartworks and earthmoving since 1979 throughout the metropolitan region of S�o Paulo city and neighboring towns cities like Osasco, Cotia, Embu and cities in the interior of state, such as Campinas, for example.

Click to expand...

Olá terraplanagem! Seja bem vindo nas fóruns dos equipamentos pesados!

In South Africa their use was always limited, bulldozers and wheel loaders (two firms in particular, established in South Africa, Desmond Equipment and Bell Equipment) used together were always preferred, and TLBs have a long history in South Africa.

The main place I recall seeing track loaders working was in the bush complete with a set of log forks and a winch both loading and less commonly skidding timber. Mainly 955's, but a few 977's in bigger timber, there were a few 175 and 250 internationals about too. Now days the excavator and grapple skidder is king in that application. The odd one was found in refuse disposal and demolition work.
This thread got me thinking that I cannot actually remember the last time I saw one working, even sitting for that matter.

I debated hard and long on whether to buy a track loader. I ended up buying a JD 655 C II. I have no regrets and will always have one. I will say the track loader has been the hardest machine for me to get the hang of. So a track loader is a very effective machine with an operator that can run one. Not being able to see the edge of the bucket is what I think makes it so hard on new operators. My partner is very good on a track loader and if someone wants a pad leveled he will take just the loader (it has 4n1) and do the job with just the loader and do it fast. So my point is in the right hands a track loader is a valuable machine. We have CTLs but I don't think of them as clearing machines. They seem to take a beating when used in clearing.

I have a couple of track loaders, love them dearly and wouldn't part with them for what I use them for, that being said, there are very few left in my area, a few farmers have them and a couple of contractors use them to load dump trucks with and just leave them sit in a quarry for when their needed.

It was told to me decades ago, if you learn to operate on a crawler loader, you can run any dozer out there pretty darn well, but those who learned on a dozer can't run a crawler loader worth a darn, I've found this true over the years with the help I've had.

It depends on the type of work you do and the needs you have for each machine, but for the most part, track loaders are a thing of the past in my area for the majority of the users, skid steers and mini excavators are taking over the market share these machines once had.

I'm not even sure most manufacturers make a new steel tracked loader anymore, haven't really paid much attention to it, since I'm not in the market to buy a new one.

John C. said:

So my question to you all would be, are there more crawler loaders where there are fewer hydraulic excavator with thumbs?

Click to expand...

There are a lot of loaders in use in my area and most excavators have thumbs. Most minis have hydraulic thumbs and the larger hoes stiff link.

Deere, Liebherr and Cat still make a track loader, I believe I saw info for Chinese and Russian equipment but these are the only ones remaining. Most of the others as Case are building Compact Track Loaders with all the capabilities of a steel track unit but without the dead weight and iron rails.

Track loaders have never been popular in my area, once in a while you'll see an old Case or Deere, usually 350 or 450 that someone bought to do some clearing work.

Going by the looks of them, they should've been scrapped years ago.

Largest one I've seen (and ran) was a 550 Deere a friend (equipment salesman) brought home to demo an old barn.

Ed

Track loaders are very popular in my area as well as excavators, I will always have a trackloader in my fleet. Both items make a great team for about any task at hand.