apetad
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2012
- Messages
- 385
- Location
- Leander, Texas
- Occupation
- Compact Construction Equipment Sales
what problem does this cause in your opinion?Why do manufacturers insist on structure (track frame) so close to the sprocket? Do they not use these in all 4 seasons?
YES, This model DOES HAVE SELF TENSIONING TRACK / Uses pilot pressure and a cylinder inside the track frame to set the tension, ALSO you can flip a switch and it sucks the front idler in for changing the track!Didn't Gehl and Mustang have a CTL with some sort of self-tensioning undercarriage that was just released a couple years ago? I know I've seen more than a few on auction websites and related used equipment dealers with quite low hours, makes me wonder if they held up as well as was promised? The area I live in has some of the most challenging ground conditions for any CTL wet, freeze and thaw, thaw and freeze, cold cold cold, heavy clay gumbo, silt, mud, mud, mud. Lol Hence why the ASV style undercarriage has always been a bit of a failure here if used for earthmoving and grading work.
Moving the rear bottom roller further rearward would reduce the "Wrap" around the drive sprocket, IE less contact with sprocket teeth fewer mandrels contacting fewer of the sprocket teethThey could have put in an extra roller and extended the rear idler back some to give clearance on the sprocket. I can see no end of tree limbs and roots winding up in that notch between the track frame and sprocket. Also in the photo there is little clearance between the front of the track frame and the track as it goes into the front idler. Might need to install a top roller there for clearance.
I don't know if its me or what but all this little stuff strikes me as a commodity. All brands are pretty much the same except for the electronics package. It's like buying a pickup. None are really any better or worse. They all will do the job. They all have their shortcomings. Reminds me of the cartoon movie "Cars" and the stampede.
how wide is it?
The detensioning switch is inside the engine compartmentI was kind of wondering that too. Its only 34 hp so I wouldn't think it was very big. I think some manufacturers have really downsized the hp on some machines trying to get under tier regulations?
Are you going to be changing tracks on it that often- that it needs to be powered track tensioner? Be real handy to accidentally hit that button in a mudhole and flop a track. Because you know it would only happen in a mudhole.
I don't think detensioning the track would help with the freezing. I've had to load up a bobcat track machine and haul it into a heated shop. Wet mud in a track machine and a hard freeze overnight is a big pain. They can also pack up with snow and become a frozen block of ice.
Thanks for the info! I think the main reason is so that you do not have to use a grease gun to tension up the track, AND keeps it at the proper tension regardless of whether it has mud packed between the sprocket, rollers and the track.I have never been that convinced that the auto tensioning was that big of deal, the ability to retract in order to change out tracks is a cool feature but I think I like most people get 1000 hours or so out of a set of tracks. I never keep them long enough to have to replace two sets of tracks on the same machine. I don't have detracking issues so it is a feature that for me has limited appeal as well. I have never had a machine freeze due to ice and snow to the point it cant move, they do of course freeze but the machine is never locked up due to the ice. The frozen mud like I mentioned already completely different story, locked up like a drum. I don't think the auto tensioning is going to save you from that situation either.