Rubber or Steel Tracks ?

[BIGDAN315]

I am looking to upgrade from a Komatsu PC 40 9000 lbs excavator with steel tracks to a 16000 lb or so machine. My question is I have never owned any thing with rubber tracks and would like any input on rubber tracks. Ie how long should they last,what to look out for on a used machine with rubber, how to care for and maintain them. Which do you guys prefer?

 

[gggraham]

You can buy some excavators which have a track on them with the ability to install and remove rubber track shoes. They are also available after market as well. http://www.mclarenusa.com
We have one customer who uses them on certain jobs. He had one job working along a marina and bolted them on, saved trying to move planks all day. He feels they have been worthwhile for him.

 

[willie59]

The main advantage of rubber tracks are 1) very smooth ride walking the machine compared to steel tracks, and 2) good for working on dirt or pavement. Disadvantages; 1) you can damage them working in rough materials, like rocky terrain, and 2) they generally are expensive to replace. If all you do is plunder around in dirt, they'll give good service life. The ride is hard to beat. But if you work in rough stuff, I'd go with steel tracks and bolt on rubber pads like gggraham suggested.

 

[Iron Horse]

Rubber tracks are great on Tonka toys , come to think of it , they fall off them as well . I will NEVER have another machine with rubber tracks . Steel tracks and rubber/Urethane pads are the only way to go for "ME" .

 

[Kgmz]

The only experience I have with rubber pads is with a couple of month rental last year.

We rented a Cat 308C CR long stick with rubber track. I didn't know it was going to have the rubber track until I picked it up, and just requested a 308 with digging and cleanup buckets and didn't think of asking about the tracks when I ordered it. I was a little worried about the tracks when I first saw it.

The reason I rented it was because our excavator was going to be at another job clearing brush and trees on 17 acres and then taking care of the burn piles. And I needed to finish another job doing some small stuff finishing a retention pond, etc.

Well we ended up taking the rental to the burn job because there was a deadline in a month or so where burning would no longer be allowed county wide. The fire district said we could not have more than one burn pile with only one excavator, so we brought the Cat in to help rush the job.

And like I said I was worried about those tracks, but that damn thing went everywhere without a problem, up and down hills, through ravines, etc. And I loved it and am looking for a good used one. That excavator handled things I didn't think it could, pushing over large trees, picking up big trees/logs and moving them. And the zero clearance was great in the trees when we had to selectively clear out only some trees, and remove the brush.

So if anyone knows where there is a good used one, let me know. It's has to have the long stick, quick connect, rubber tracks or the bolt on rubber pads or if a steel track 18" so I can buy the bolt on pads. I don't think they make the bolt on pads for the 24" track.


And I did keep a eye on those tracks as I was worried about them. At the end of the rental I did not see any damage to them. Luckily the burn site wasn't very rocky, but I did run over a lot of sticks, small logs, etc.

 

[Big Country]

Looking at 308c cr Excavators

Any body else have any info good or bad on the Cat 308c. We are looking for a midsized Excavator and Cat is fairly close to home for us. Was given a pretty good price on one would like to here from some owners. Thanks

 

[greenerdreams]

I have both and honestly I think I think I prefer the rubber. Less to worry about, when they are shot replace them. Much lighter and simpler to install. I have never thrown a rubber track but have with steel. I think anyone would agree no tracks are cheap, but seeing that rubber is one peice you don't have to mess with grousers, pin wear or removing master pins. Much quieter and smoother as well. I would say the main disadvantage is the reduced traction

 

[Cheney]

Rubber track is so popular for mini excavator.It depends on the work condition,as the ATCOEQUIP said.
If the work condition is not bad,the time lasts more than 1000 hours
As I know,the rubber track sizes for PC40 is 400x142x36 and 400x72.5x70N.
If you need more information,please feel free to ask me.

 

[BIGDAN315]

Thanks for your inputs, guys. Well I went and bought a Kamatsu PC 75 UU and it has rubber tracks. The tread is excelent with a few cuts here and there. I have yet to put it to work out on the job but have been using around the shop to load soil on the truck. I like how smooth the ride is compared to the bone jarring steel tracks. I guess time will tell.

 

[atgreene]

I had rubber on two Tak excavators. My 135 came new with rubber. At 1000 hours one rubber track went so I bought a set of used steel. I have 1200 hours on the used steel thus far and they are well worn.

Steel worked better in snow/ice than the rubber did (go figure) steel pushes rock down when final grading. Steel seems to tear-up lawns less (those deep rubber grousers really indent bad) and steel seems to push better.

Rubber was much smoother and quieter, and less $$$. Still not sure which way I'm going to go in a couple months when I need new ones. We'll see.

 

[Country]

(those deep rubber grousers really indent bad)

+1 on that....

 

[special tool]

Thanks for your inputs, guys. Well I went and bought a Kamatsu PC 75 UU and it has rubber tracks. The tread is excelent with a few cuts here and there. I have yet to put it to work out on the job but have been using around the shop to load soil on the truck. I like how smooth the ride is compared to the bone jarring steel tracks. I guess time will tell.

You're not even going to BELIEVE how much work you can do with that thing.
They are fantastik.
Make sure you watch branches that get too close to your boom potentiometer wires, but they are pretty tuff.

 

[HillBoy]

Thanks for your inputs, guys. Well I went and bought a Kamatsu PC 75 UU and it has rubber tracks. The tread is excelent with a few cuts here and there. I have yet to put it to work out on the job but have been using around the shop to load soil on the truck. I like how smooth the ride is compared to the bone jarring steel tracks. I guess time will tell.

Nice piece of equipment. Congratulations!!! :drinkup

 

[Case 580e]

I prefer steel tracks because they down wear down and you het more traction out of the metal ones.

 

[larry pederson]

anybody have a cheap set of rubber tracks for a pc75uu2 komatsu new our used or steel ones if they interchange email me at pedersonlarry@hotmail.com thank you.

 

[Iron Horse]

I remember them well.........GRRRRR.

 

[HillBoy]

anybody have a cheap set of rubber tracks for a pc75uu2 komatsu new our used or steel ones if they interchange email me at pedersonlarry@hotmail.com thank you.

I found a used track for your Komatsu PC75 UU2 for $1,320 on a place I often check for cheaper staff. Here is the link:

http://www.radmeister.com/m-13950-pc-75-uu-2.aspx

Hope this helps. :drinkup

 

[Cheney]

I remember them well.........GRRRRR.

YC35-7?
Haha,it is from China

 

[Iron Horse]

YC35-7?
Haha,it is from China

Yes , but genuine Bridgestone tracks .

Later that day i had both of them laying on the ground .

The machine had 120 hours on the clock so it was not caused by wear and i always kept them tight , it did it from day one . The thing that would happen is that the sprocket rail on the track would get sand in it which is incompressible . Depending on which way it was traveling , the idler or the sprocket would just climb out of the track . Sometimes i could hear or feel it happening , i could then lift that side and spin the track in the opposite direction to clear the sand .

 

[tootalltimmy]

That doesn't look like a lot of fun. Hope you weren't wearing running shoes to go with your shorts!!