McLaren tracks failing 300 hours

[rockman]

I have a set of McLaren tracks that are starting to fail at 300 hours .
I have them on a Takeuchi TL250 , mostly doing profiling / sweeping work .
My geniune tracks last around 800 hours .
Just wondering if anyone else have had issues with them ?.

Cheers Jim

 

[The Learner]

maybe your operation style sweeping and profiling would be on concrete and bitumen would it not?
hard turns and the like would be harsh on tracks at the best of times

but then it could also be the track pattern being suited to a different surface to concrete and bitumen
i.e. u need a track for high abrasion

 

[rockman]

maybe your operation style sweeping and profiling would be on concrete and bitumen would it not?
hard turns and the like would be harsh on tracks at the best of times

but then it could also be the track pattern being suited to a different surface to concrete and bitumen
i.e. u need a track for high abrasion

True , but I have doing the same thing for around 2500 hours now , the tracks just didnt seem to hold up , much nicer ride though .... lol

 

[heymccall]

Define failing?
Broken cords?
Cleat bars coming out?
What?

 

[willie59]

I can't address the issue you have with McClaren tracks in specific. But with any brand rubber track, even the cheapest Chinese track, to have it fail at 300 hrs? Something is terribly wrong with either the track or the application/use process. JMHO.

 

[rockman]

Attached is a couple of pics showing the failure .

I cant see it being the application / use process as my original traqcks both lasted around 800 hours .
My main line of work is profiling / milling / sweeping , so my tracks normally wear our before they fail .
I am waiting for McLaren to get back to me .

Cheers

 

[The Learner]

seems like a failed compound maybe the tracks have gone hard/brittle and broken/cracked like that
im sorry if my previous post came across like u were doing something wrong your definition of failure was unclear to me but the pictures are worth thousands of words

 

[dirtmonkey]

Attached is a couple of pics showing the failure .
View attachment 105444View attachment 105445
I cant see it being the application / use process as my original traqcks both lasted around 800 hours .
My main line of work is profiling / milling / sweeping , so my tracks normally wear our before they fail .
I am waiting for McLaren to get back to me .

Cheers

My McLarens have looked like that for YEARS. Still haven't actually " failed ". I keep waiting for them to fall off but it hasn't happened yet. We kinda have a bet going as to how long they will actually last. I don't have the actual hours for this set of tracks but I have had them for several years now.

 

[Construct'O]

In 800 to 1000 hour starting to look like that might the norm,but not 300!!!!! There is another person anothe form that is ahving the same issues,not sure it is you or not.He had contact McLarens with no satfaction.I'm guess they have a bad batch or something is going on with there process in the build of the track.

I think he was having the bars coming loose and ripping out of his tracks.Seem like around 300 hours and he was doing light grading.Something must be going on.I beleieve i would just go back to the OEM tracks next time.That's what i did, a little higher ,but in the long runs cheaper.Good luck!

 

[JGS]

It may have been my post from another site. Here is a cut and paste of my experience with McLaren. The tracks now have approx. 550hrs. on them. I am now replacing them with Camoplast.

"I know people on here have their own opinions and experiences with McLaren tracks. My experience I would now steer clear of McLaren tracks for excavators. I have a Kubota KX121-3 excavator. I replaced the original OEM tracks after 2800 hrs. One track the steel cord began to let go. It eventually failed. I like to replace tracks in pairs.
After 400 hrs. the two new McLaren tracks are developing cracks in the rubber approx. 2" in from both the outer as well as the inner edge on the track side of both tracks. The metal cord can be seen inside of the cracks. I'm finding the cord is only to be about an 1/8" from the surface. When I purchased the tracks I was offered a heavier duty version tracks at an additional cost. I chose the HD version. When they arrived, I found the tracks didn't even come close to being as heavy or beefy as the worn out OEM tracks I was replacing., I am 2 month over the 1 year warranty. I have spoken with McClaren's customer service. They had me send them pictures of the tracks. After them reviewing the pics, I was told they are not defective. It seems they outsource their customer service. The girl I spoke to said she has been doing this job for 2 years now. Has never had any field experience. But can determine by just looking at pictures whether or not tracks are defective."

 

[KSSS]

I had issues with McLaren on their solid SS tires. I had one that clearly was wearing at about 3 times the rate of the other three. I sent them pictures and after much persistence I got my tire. It was not easy nor quick but they did come through for me.

 

[rockman]

I spoke to McLarens rep over here today .

As far as they are concerned , there is a problem but they will guarentee they will last the hours .
They are saying that if they fail , they will look after me . They are 6 days freight away from me , so at the moment 6 days at $2.5k a day , makes there tracks extremely expensive tracks .

I think I will go back to the OME tracks .

I accept the wear factor as I am turning on asphalt and cut bituem , that is factored into my cost , but for them to fail at this early stage I cant accept .

 

[rockman]

Does anyone know anything about ' tufftrac ' rubber tracks at all ?.

Cheers Jim

 

[phil_w]

Hi Jim I've been chasing up some tracks this past week or so for my TL150. I believe they are the same as your TL250 .Would like to go OEM but not at $7400.00 a pair.
Tuff Stuff (tufftrac) quoted me $3475 inc. GST plus freight. Tracks were in stock and are the 'C' pattern. Don't know there origins or quality.
Bearcat Tyres are the agent for soliddeal camoplast and they want $4250 a pair for 'SD' pattern. Not in stock though. 10-12 weeks wait.
Since I read this thread I've stayed away from McLaren. I'll be interested to see what you buy.

regards............Phil

p.s. Do you know anybody that has rollers and sprockets at a good price?

 

[rockman]

Hi Jim I've been chasing up some tracks this past week or so for my TL150. I believe they are the same as your TL250 .Would like to go OEM but not at $7400.00 a pair.
Tuff Stuff (tufftrac) quoted me $3475 inc. GST plus freight. Tracks were in stock and are the 'C' pattern. Don't know there origins or quality.
Bearcat Tyres are the agent for soliddeal camoplast and they want $4250 a pair for 'SD' pattern. Not in stock though. 10-12 weeks wait.
Since I read this thread I've stayed away from McLaren. I'll be interested to see what you buy.
p.s. Do you know anybody that has rollers and sprockets at a good price?

regards............Phil

Hey Phil
I was quoted $3400 + gst + freight for the ' tuff tracs ' , in a ' c ' pattern as well . Apprently the company in the states is ' Summit ' , I'm not sure wether they make them or they are just the company .The lady there , Sally , seems to think they will hold up better for the work I do . Most of my work now is sweeping / profiling / line removal , so I can accept the extra wear working on cut asphalt all the time .
The McLarens rode a lot nicer then the originals .
McLarens have offered another set of tracks at $1700 a track ++ to cover for the failure of their tracks .
My originals lasted close on 800 hours , doing 50% dirt and the rest asphalt work .
Tuff Trac's also do the full undercarriage for the Tak's as well , they are getting back to me with a price on them .

Have to have a it of a think over the weekend

 

[90plow]

I have the mc laren over the tire tracks for my skid and the rubber pads fell off after about 500 hours which i thought was a little premature.

 

[mclarenusa.com]

We have been using McLaren rubber tracks for the last 5-6 years and we have been more than impressed. I think we only bought their premium tracks. They do offer a better ride than the OEMs or other tracks we've tried, and from our experience they have held very well - we try not to abuse the machines much, but we had some really tough jobs recently. We just purchased a new set of McLaren TDF tracks. Here is how the old tracks looked at about 1,900 hrs on our Bobcat CTL. We wore the tracks all the way down until they got completely flat before we took them off. The tracks never broke. With this kind of wear and usage, I really can't complain.

 

[mclarenusa.com]

Guys, the above is an email I received from a satisfied customer about 2 weeks ago and thought the pictures were speaking for themselves. Every manufacturer will have some bad experiences especially when we have tens of thousands of customers, the tracks will wear out differently under different conditions, but if there is a problem we will fix it. We stand behind every customer and behind every warranty and take a personal approach to everyone.

 

[rockman]

I am giving McLaterns the time to respond , apprently that will be next week .
I dont have an issue with the wear factor as what i said , at the moment most of my work is on asphalt , but i do have a problem with them falling apart at 300 hours .
My other 2 x sets of tracks previous did not fall apart ,doing the same sort of work , even at around 800 hours , they just wore out .

 

[Reel hip]

I spoke to McLarens rep over here today .

As far as they are concerned , there is a problem but they will guarentee they will last the hours .
They are saying that if they fail , they will look after me . They are 6 days freight away from me , so at the moment 6 days at $2.5k a day , makes there tracks extremely expensive tracks .

I think I will go back to the OME tracks .

I accept the wear factor as I am turning on asphalt and cut bituem , that is factored into my cost , but for them to fail at this early stage I cant accept .

I would be cautious. I also had solid tire failure, They were (slipping within the rim) making it impossible to go back or forth. Their rep said send them pictures. I sent a video and there reply was it was out of warranty. This was a very little used machine with very limited hours for it to fail.