Grouser OTT Tracks

lccmo · Dec 4, 2007

I think I am about sold on OTT steel tracks for my skid steer but what are the down falls? are they a PITA to take off when needed?

bobcat ron · Dec 4, 2007

The first few times you have to put/take them on/off is a real PITA, but after a few rounds you get faster, my Dad always swore very heavily at them on his 943, that's where I learned some of my favourite cuss words.

The only downsides are; increased side wall wear on the tires and added stress on the drive train and they still don't help with stability and overall floatation that you can achieve with a CTL.

lccmo · Dec 5, 2007

how badly do grousers squeak?

bobcat ron · Dec 5, 2007

Only as loud as your ungreased loader pins I'd say.

But seriously though, you won't notice it if any, the pins are not as tight as traditional pins and bushings like on steel crawler tracks, they are pretty loose.

lccmo · Dec 6, 2007

Thanks for the information.. I am going to talk to my dealer tommorow about a set.

CascadeScaper · Dec 6, 2007

The OTT tracks will add a little flotation advantage, but as Ron noted, it won't be as significant as a CTL/MTL. I've seen guys take tracks off in 30 minutes, some take about an hour, depends on how quick you are and the brand of tracks as I know some are easier to remove than others. They squeak, but not very much. As a given, driving across asphalt is pretty much asking for trouble, I'd say more damage than a triple grouser excavator but I could be mistaken.

redkat · Feb 14, 2008

Im thinking about putting a set of grouser bar tracks on my S150 bobcat.

Im looking at the bar tracks.

Most of my work is on slopey ground, which when wet i just loose traction........the ground is mainly clay type.

So can i assume that the grouser bar tracks are going to be a big improvement?

Other thing i was wondering about was what sort of clearance is there between the boom and tracks.............on a standard bobcat there does not seem to be much space, so with tracks it must nearly touch the boom if you put it down to far??

bobcat ron · Feb 14, 2008

I think you might need spacers on the chassis to keep the loader arms from hitting, on the older 763's it was easy, but the newer S150 and 160's it's tough to say where the spacers need to go, I've never seen one up close.

BIGBEN2004 · Feb 14, 2008

They will help allot on climbing things like curbs and such, but I have seen allot of shredded tires from them. You will want to foam fill your tires. If a rock falls down on the tracks between the tires and you run over the rock you will blow out the tire and crush the rim like a pretzel. I have seen that done many times and also a simple nail in the tire can be a pain to fix with the tracks on.

redkat · Feb 14, 2008

starting to seriously wonder if to bother with getting the tracks..............seems like lotsa pros and cons, and i dont know any locals who have tracks on there skid steers............maybe they know something i dont..........

I have to say the local grouser agent has been next to useless in getting any infomation on tracks................between two branches of the same agent i was given a totally different number of track sections needed! certainly that gives me no confidance.........got most of my infomation off there website.....

Had a look at the Mclaren tracks which look just as good, but theres no agents anywhere at all near where i am.

About the only thing i can go on for performance of the tracks are the Mclaren steel track video on youtube which are quite impressive.

Is there anybody who can say anything positve about the bar steel track?

Maybe i should just get a proper tracked skid steer but they look like even bigger problems maintenance wise.

redkat · Feb 14, 2008

"They will help allot on climbing things like curbs and such, but I have seen allot of shredded tires from them. You will want to foam fill your tires. If a rock falls down on the tracks between the tires and you run over the rock you will blow out the tire and crush the rim like a pretzel. I have seen that done many times and also a simple nail in the tire can be a pain to fix with the tracks on."

I have to say the simple nail in the tire while you have tracks on, in a difficult location sounds like a absolute nightmare, as much as the rock or whateva between the tracks....................ok now im scared.

bobcat ron · Feb 14, 2008

You can always look into getting a new or used Loegering VTS system, they are extremely popular right now for those that want a wheeled and a tracked machine, but not 2 separate machines.

redkat · Feb 15, 2008

The Loegering VTS system looks good, just emailed for a quote, i would expect them to be pretty expensive...............

But somehow i would expect the grouser bar tracks to have more traction going up slippery clayish soil......................be interesting to see what price loering come back with.

BIGBEN2004 · Feb 15, 2008

redkat said:
The Loegering VTS system looks good, just emailed for a quote, i would expect them to be pretty expensive...............

But somehow i would expect the grouser bar tracks to have more traction going up slippery clayish soil......................be interesting to see what price loering come back with.

The VTS system will have much more traction on slippery surfaces then any tracks over tires will. The VTS system applies more even weight distribution. With the Track over tires the tracks between the tires have no weight pushing them down on the ground so that part of the track is not as useful as the parts that are under the tires. Also when in heavy mud and hilly work the tires get wet and like to spin out inside the tracks. Then you are just stuck.:Banghead

Countryboy · Feb 15, 2008

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums redkat! :drinkup

stumpjumper83 · Feb 20, 2008

Warning, solid or foam filled tires and tracks can be a bad combo. If a rock get between the track and the tire, the tire has no give and the stress goes onto the axle occasionally busting that. My suggestion is to use a slime lined tire like galaxy's lined tires. Nails will not cause leaks, and you get the cushion benefit of air. Of course if you really want a track machine, a ctl is the way to go.

BIGBEN2004 · Feb 20, 2008

stumpjumper83 said:
Warning, solid or foam filled tires and tracks can be a bad combo. If a rock get between the track and the tire, the tire has no give and the stress goes onto the axle occasionally busting that. My suggestion is to use a slime lined tire like galaxy's lined tires. Nails will not cause leaks, and you get the cushion benefit of air. Of course if you really want a track machine, a ctl is the way to go.

I agree totally with you on that one and have done it myself to a Cat 262 where I actually broke the bolts on the drive unit that holds on the tire. Also though with air filled tires I have blown them off the rim and turned the rim into a pretzel by getting a rock on the tracks between the tires and running over it. I just don't like tracks over tires.

redkat · Feb 21, 2008

pity we cant get some more coments about people who have had tracks.

Finally found a set of grosuer bar tracks secondhand for a good price, so going to give them a go.............

philsbs · Feb 21, 2008

I bought a set of used Grouser tracks 4 or 5 years ago and really like them. We have alot of red clay around here and they make it push like a dozer. I only put them on when I have to over stock air filled tires, never had a problem. It only takes me about 30 min. to put on and 10 min. to take off after you get the hang of it.

TFPace · Feb 21, 2008

I have a set of Grouser tracks and swear by them. They are a pain to load a steel deck trailer

Tom

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