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A300 going to need tires soon

barnbuilder

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2014
Messages
134
Location
Waxhaw, NC
The tires on my A300 are getting pretty worn. What are you guys using for replacements? I talked to Bobcat and as I remember they were on the high side? I don't want to purchase some cheap crap thats not going to last. What do you guys suggest?

Greg
 

CRAFT

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
929
Location
100 M H,BC,Canada
Occupation
30 yrs Owner/Operator
How many Hrs did you manage to get on your A-300 with the original set ??? ……… I managed to get ~2650hrs out of mine and there was actually still a good amount of rubber left on the face …. BUT !!! the amount of cuts and abrasions that I had were causing way too many flats ……. I jell'd the tires and that gave me another couple of years use …. LOL ….

I got Really lucky when I went to buy another set …. I found a Bcat dealer that had brand new sets of Take-Offs complete with rims !!! …. came out cheaper than buying just a set of tires …. Now I have 2-sets where I keep the old originals Chained-up for winter and the other set for summer (it's way easier to change a tire than to chain-up …. especially with the "H-Pattern" 8mm studded chains I have on all 4 wheels) ….

I would really consider looking into Retreading the ones you still have … have heard Really Good Reviews of the lasting power of the retreads + you have Options of different Tread patterns …

I don't think I'm going to get Lucky a second time, so before my second set gets down to a despair state I'll probably re-tread the first set and rotate the system i'm using now …. JMHO !!!

Cheers …. GK
 

ironjunkie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
133
Location
Maine
2650 hrs. I don't want to hear it!:bash
Has the fact that is has steering "parts" given you any troubles? I like the idea, but know what a beating SS axles can get. Geez it's been out for what 10 years or so? (the "A"series) I've never had a chance to ask anyone with some real hours under their belt.
 

CRAFT

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
929
Location
100 M H,BC,Canada
Occupation
30 yrs Owner/Operator
2650 hrs. I don't want to hear it!:bash
Has the fact that is has steering "parts" given you any troubles? I like the idea, but know what a beating SS axles can get. Geez it's been out for what 10 years or so? (the "A"series) I've never had a chance to ask anyone with some real hours under their belt.

I'm just shy of 4000 hrs now….. And NO issues with the steering parts …… 95% at least of those hrs have been used in the all-wheel steer mode ….. guessing at the other 5% is from when I use the OTT grouser tracks, in the skid-steer mode.

I am NOT gentle with this machine either … I have heavy attachments and lots of extra rear counter weight, including a rear winch bumper set-up c/w a 14,000 lb Warn winch and 150' of 1/2" cable, that I modified to fit off of a 1-ton pick-up ….. I have since it was new had 8-50 lb suit-case weights attached to 2 rear side 1/4 panel brackets …. this has come in real handy to have when using the 6' 2200 lb rotary hi-flow mulcher hanging out front going down steep slopes ….. we also use the machine alot moving 4,000 lb conc lock blocks, we've also had a grapple armed tree shear out front , it has up to a 16" trunk/tree capacity …. too many times shearing off full tree height green Fir trees and carrying them away out of tight yards, so ya it gets used pretty hard at times and stability is very important when doing these tasks ….. So Again, NO Issues with the axles or steering components …… these jobs I do is where the All-wheel Steer machine REALLY SHINE … virtually NO ground disturbance with the Huge bonus of very Low tire wear.

This time of the year and until mid-late March the machine is Fully chained up with 8mm H-Pattern studded sets and again my commercial customers love that such a heavy machine does NOT tear up pavement when I'm plowing lots ….. having said that the plow i'm using is the Blizzard fully hydraulic 8611, it's a blade that begins at 8'-6 and hyd widens out to just over 11' wide or it can become a scoop blade too …. it also is a very heavy attachment (it's brother truck blade can Not be used on anything smaller than a 550 sized pick-up because of it's weight) ….. I picked up a 4-n-1 bucket off of a JD 510 back-hoe, it's 8' wide with over a 1-1/2 yd struck cap … modified it to be a Skid-steer bucket, I was beating the crap outta any skid bucket I found basically tearing them apart … this bucket really can peal ice off of pavement, again because of its heavy weight and not having to waste down pressure lifting the front wheels off of the ground to make it dig in (I think I posted pics a couple of yrs ago on a previous post of it, back in the days when I could post pics on HEF easily …. LOL)

I hope my brief resume of tasks I do with the A-300 give you a better thought of the durability of this type of machine, ironjunkie …. Cheers …. GK
 
Last edited:

barnbuilder

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2014
Messages
134
Location
Waxhaw, NC
I have about 1190hrs on mine. I purchased in at the end of 2004. Only real issue has been the lift actuators going out. I think 3 times and they are $600 or $800 a pop. Wish I had gotten the hydraulic quick attach when I purchased it. Had it services this past spring, the guy said it would ne about $1500 and was $3000 due to having to scrape all the graese out of the bearings and repack them. I about crapped in my pants. Only took them a month to get it done.

Would like to have some of those weights on the back at times. Working on a $100K fence job and it has been great for running on asphalt and pastures. Have also been using the JCB 212 for moving materials. Its a good bit heavier and not as forgiving since the pastures are getting wet.
 

ironjunkie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
133
Location
Maine
I'm just shy of 4000 hrs now….. And NO issues with the steering parts …… 95% at least of those hrs have been used in the all-wheel steer mode ….. guessing at the other 5% is from when I use the OTT grouser tracks, in the skid-steer mode.
I hope my brief resume of tasks I do with the A-300 give you a better thought of the durability of this type of machine, ironjunkie …. Cheers …. GK

Impressive! Thanks for the reply. My big Gehl with the long 55" w.b. can eat tires, the expensive 14x17.5 ones!
 

CRAFT

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
929
Location
100 M H,BC,Canada
Occupation
30 yrs Owner/Operator
Impressive! Thanks for the reply. My big Gehl with the long 55" w.b. can eat tires, the expensive 14x17.5 ones!

My last machine was the JD 8875 … (it was the machine that I stole the suit-case weights off of …LOL …. when I traded it in) …. That skid would tear thru a set of tires in 600 hrs of use !!! … That's when I started to look at the All-Wheel steer concept …… Have Truly NOT Been disappointed ! …...
 

gwhammy

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
602
Location
missouri
I've ran bandage motorgrader recaps on my for years. Hard rubber and good depth with wide treads and openings. The last set I replaced had 1100 hrs on them and better than half was on pavement handling material. I do try to be careful on turning, just happens when you have to pay your own bills. I've ran these recaps for probably 20 years now. Only a couple things to watch for if you look at these. Make sure to have good carcasses and don't let the retreader cut the sides down, leave them full width.

Probably had 20 or so sets and only had two tires loose the tread. One was old and the other the retreader made good.
 

DGODGR

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1,062
Location
S/W CO
My A300 has about 3,600 hours on the OE tires so far. The machine came with the heavy duty tires. These are the ones with the chevron tread pattern. One can also get severe duty from Bobcat (they look very much like industrial loader tires) and they have an even deeper tread. We usually run the machine in "steer" mode instead of "skid" mode. When I buy new tires it will probably be from Bobcat or from here: http://www.tracksandtires.com/machines/skid-steer-tires/ I bet I will get more than 4,000 hours of tire life from the OE tires.
 

DGODGR

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1,062
Location
S/W CO
I thought I read that someone was worried about possible problems from having steering components. I almost forgot about this issue but I thought I would provide a link to something that happened to my A300. It should be noted that the failure shown in this link would NOT be exclusive to an A series machine. This particular failure could happen to any skid. The A series, and all other large frame skid steers have identical axles, drive motors, and chain cases. Here's the link:
https://www.heavyequipmentforums.co...obcat-A300-Chaincase&highlight=a300+chaincase
 

durallymax

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
666
Location
Wi
Michelin Bibsteel radials are very nice depending on the price you can get on them. Higher price being radials, but longer life, less punctures, 100x better ride and good traction.
 

DGODGR

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
1,062
Location
S/W CO
Michelin Bibsteel radials are very nice depending on the price you can get on them. Higher price being radials, but longer life, less punctures, 100x better ride and good traction.

I thought you were running those new "flat proof" Michelins. I know it's a bit off topic, but have you gone away from those, or are they working well for you?
 

durallymax

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
666
Location
Wi
I thought you were running those new "flat proof" Michelins. I know it's a bit off topic, but have you gone away from those, or are they working well for you?

Still running the Tweel's. Put around 2,000hrs on the original set and now have 400hrs on a set of Tweel All Terrains. The originals still had about 1/3 tread left when we switched to the AT's(Tweel's are retreadable, I plan to retread ours when the time comes). Michelin no longer makes the original design Tweel. They now offer the AT and Hard Surface Tweels for SSL's in 12" size as well as a Tweel Turf for zero turn mowers that they signed a deal with John Deere on. The new SSL Tweels do have quite a few improvements over the originals. The spoke shape and layout is different, the "shear band"(piece between spokes and tread) appears larger and the tread pattern is much much nicer. Traction is much better and the ride is smoother than it was with the originals. The original Tweel had a blocky tread pattern that would chatter the machine sometimes.

Still real happy with the Tweel and if somebody has a machine they feel they need solid tires on, I strongly suggest going the Tweel route instead of the solids. The Tweel is expensive, but you have to compare the price to a solid/solidflex tire. Then weigh out the advantages of the smoother ride and better traction. Easier on the machine, easier on your body and less material spilled. They are not the answer to everything, but do have their place in the market. I also wouldn't be worried about Michelin going anywhere. They want this product to succeed, they have dumped a pile of money into it since the 90s and just spent 50 million to build a plant to produce the Tweel. Previously all Tweels were made on prototyping machines and the capacity was maxxed out. If you ever have an issue with one, they are quick to stand behind it. Its a new product, it's expensive and nearly everyone is skeptical of it. They don't want a black eye.

Original Tweel's when new.

Tweel 640x480.jpg

Original Tweels after 2k hrs.

20140709_203918_zpsp5qri90c.jpg

New Tweel AT's

20140714_110622.jpg

20140802_195405_zpsvsqit0xb.jpg


Michelin's current Tweel lineup that is on the market. SSL Hard Surface, SSL All Terrain and Turf

MICHELIN-Tweel-2014.jpg


The reason I run Bibsteel AT's on the other two machines is due to the fact neither one needs Tweels. For the tasks they do, the Bibsteel's have been working excellent. The steel belting really must help prevent punctures because i've only fixed one puncture in the 3,000+hrs between the two sets of tires (one set is 10" the other is 12"). I will say that while the 12" wear life is continuing to impress me (over 2,000hrs and still decent tread), the 10" did not fare as well. They have around 1,200hrs on them and are about done. I have a set of 12" Bibsteel AT's mounted up on 12" rims ready to go on that machine (226B3). I had the rims leftover from the 262 and the 12" tires were not much extra over the 10" so it was an easy decision to go to the larger tire. The Bibsteel really excels above the Tweel when it comes to ride quality and traction. The Tweels are on a 262D with every creature comfort (air ride cloth, ride control, etc) so the harsher ride is barely noticeable. The Bibsteels are both on older B3 machines that don't offer these features (242B3, 226B3) and thus the nicer ride is very nice and noticeable with the bibsteels. Granted I have never put the Tweels on one of the B3's to compare, just comparing the ride to the factory Titan's. It really feels like you installed an air ride seat once you put the Bibsteels on. Bibsteels are also less than half the money of Tweels with the same wear life, so it really comes down to flat tires. Remember the Bibsteel will resist a lot more punctures than standard Bias SSL tires, but its not invincible as it still has air. Bent rims can be an issue with the Bibsteels, not much more than many other tires, but they still have air in them so its still a potential issue.
 
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