Canuck Digger
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2012
- Messages
- 264
- Location
- Mission, BC, Canada
- Occupation
- Business Owner, Equipment Operator, Fishing Guide
The rubber shoes on my 6 ton hitachi are pretty much done. Got about 1500 hours out of the oem's so can't complain.
Got a quote for steel track group with rubber bolt on pads installed for about $5500 CAN. I'm about 3K for replacement rubber tracks plus install, so less than half.
Seems to make sense to only do the tracks once and forever (steel). Couple of the benefits I'm thinking/hoping switching to steel will bring: bit more weight on the bottom of the machine, less bounce/stability over the side (no rubber to flex), no chance of damage/chewing/tearing up a track.
My questions are....
what are the drawbacks of going to steel/pads vs. rubber? (other than maybe more lawn damage and noise)
Why are not more operators switching to steel tracks or dealers selling more of of this size machine with steel tracks.?
Around here, I bet 99% of 5-6.5 ton excavators are rubber tracks from dealer and are kept that way forever. There must be a reason! Thx.
Got a quote for steel track group with rubber bolt on pads installed for about $5500 CAN. I'm about 3K for replacement rubber tracks plus install, so less than half.
Seems to make sense to only do the tracks once and forever (steel). Couple of the benefits I'm thinking/hoping switching to steel will bring: bit more weight on the bottom of the machine, less bounce/stability over the side (no rubber to flex), no chance of damage/chewing/tearing up a track.
My questions are....
what are the drawbacks of going to steel/pads vs. rubber? (other than maybe more lawn damage and noise)
Why are not more operators switching to steel tracks or dealers selling more of of this size machine with steel tracks.?
Around here, I bet 99% of 5-6.5 ton excavators are rubber tracks from dealer and are kept that way forever. There must be a reason! Thx.