Combining the Capabilities of Tires and Tracks
You just might see the Swamp Thing. You’re convinced of it. Behind the joysticks of your skid steer loader, plowing through mud and slop, you wouldn’t
be surprised to find that humanoid swamp creature
lumbering around your boggy jobsite.
Alas, the big green guy would have a hard time keeping up with your pace — especially since your skid steer loader is equipped with a set of sturdy over-the-tire tracks. With extra flotation and added traction, over-the-tire tracks give your skid steer more speed and stability in wet, muddy, hilly and snowy situations. They’re a must-have accessory for skid steer owner and operators who work in adverse jobsites out in the wilds. Coming in steel and rubber configurations, over-the-tire tracks can be installed right over your skid steer tires and removed quickly by almost any operator — even if you decide to put old Swamp Thing on the payroll.
Over-the-tire tracks for skid steers also offer a relatively cheap investment ($2,000 to $5,000) compared to the alternative, which would be a compact track loader that utilizes a dedicated rubber track undercarriage, pricing anywhere from $23,000 to $60,000. That’s why over-the-tire tracks have grown so popular. They’re a cheap and hard-working accessory that can make your skid steer even more flexible than it already is.
“Over-the-tire tracks provide the opportunity to go places you typically would not be able to go with a wheeled [skid steer] loader,” says Hannah Tanata, product marketing manager with Loegering — the original manufacturer of over-the-tire steel tracks. “They not only give you the traction and flotation necessary to maneuver in different soil and
working conditions, but they also add some ground points of contact, increasing stability and operator comfort.”
Professionals who need such advantages out in the field often turn to a growing market of manufacturers peddling a diverse set of innovativeproducts. Companies such as Loegering, McLaren, Grouser, Solideal, Polytraxx, Goodyear and BLS Enterprises are offering interesting
product lines in the over-the-tire track industry. Equip your business with at least one style of over-the-tire tracks and your production levels can go up instantly. Just make sure you use them in the right applications.
“Landscaping, pool building, new lot construction, pond building — anything that needs more flotation,” says Mike Giordano, general sales manager for tracks at Solideal — a rubber track manufacturer. “Just use this product as an attachment, which it is. You can put it on and take it off as needed. This allows the tracks to get the best possible life as they should only be used where they are needed and not in heavily destructive applications.”
Tracks of Steel
When eyeing the variety of choices in the over-the-tire track marketplace, buyers will notice two main types of products — steel tracks and rubber tracks. Each technology has its own set of pros and cons, and each brand
and product line is geared toward certain markets
and applications. The original, most popular and still the most inexpensive style of tracks are called steel tracks.
Steel over-the-tire tracks come in two main configurations — steel open bar (sometimes called crossbar) and closed padded designs (sometimes called closed bar).
“Open bar designs are by far the most popular in the industry,” explains Gary Luther, sales manager with Grouser Products — a track and attachment manufacturer based in Fargo, N.D. “A steel open bar track is made for abuse and is basically self-cleaning. A steel open bar track costs less,
normally costing $2 to $3 an hour to operate.”
Open bar style tracks utilize a series of crossbars and
traction bars, for long days of hard work and extended durability. Between those bars are open spaces that give
the track its grip, as well as its self cleaning capabilities.
The holes allow the track to grab the dirt and mud and allows it to fall off afterward. They are great for aggressive traction applications, conducive to jobs such as land
clearing, side hill work, forest applications and anywhere with not much visible concrete or asphalt. Loegering, McLaren, Grouser and Skid Traxx all make unique styles of steel over-the-tire tracks with open bar designs, costing anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000. After contractors buy them, they typically run them into the ground and come back and buy a new pair.
“Most people will run those tracks until the bars are worn so thin that they begin to break, and then they just throw them away,” says Luther. “It’s not worth the effort to try to fix them.”
But if your operations call for a repairable, longer
lasting steel over-the-tire track system with a little more flexibility than an open bar design, then closed padded tracks are probably your system of choice. The closed padded design (also called closed bar) uses steel, rubber or urethane pads on the track. Most designs allow these pads to be interchanged or replaced for different surface
conditions. Rubber pads are for contractors who need a lighter footprint on delicate surfaces, added flotation and the ability to occasionally roll over hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete. Urethane or polyurethane pads are used when you need to transfer from concrete to grass without leaving tread marks or marring concrete. And steel pads are used for the most aggressive traction situations — much like steel open bar tracks — but with the added benefit of being able to be repaired.
“[Closed padded designs] are lightweight in construction, offer superior traction, increased stability, increased productivity, excellent flotation characteristics, increased profitability and protection against punctures, damage
and excessive tire wear,” says Noel Martin, president of Polytraxx Inc. — makers of a unique over-the-tire urethane elastomer track system with orange pads. “There is also
versatility in converting the pads, and they are very simple to fitand remove.”
Operators can easily rebuild and replace the track pads. When an insert wears down, remove the two bolts holding it on with a tensioning tool or wrench, take the pad off and replace it. Alas, these tracks cost more to run and purchase than open bar.
“The closed pad design cost about $6 to $7 an hour to run,” says Luther.
Actual cost will depend on the tire size, wheelbase
of your machine and the track design. Closed padded
over-the-tire track systems typically range from $2,000 to $5,000 and big manufacturers include Loegering, Grouser, McLaren and Polytraxx.
Both styles of steel over-the-tire tracks come in various widths based on the machine carrying them. In the skid steer market, the most popular widths are for 10.00 x 16.5 tires, 12.00 x 16.5 tires, 12.00 x 16.5HD tires, 14.00 x 17.5 tires and 15.5 x 16.5 tires. When considering track tension on steel tracks, operators will typically want 1 to 3 in. of sag. This is determined by placing a flat object (such as a
2 by 4) parallel to the track on the top of both tires. The sag is measured in the middle of the track (between the tires) by measuring the distance from your placed flat object to the top of the track.
Installation for steel tracks takes around 20 to 45 minutes, depending on the manufacturer. Tools typically needed
are a 3/4-in. wrench and mostly likely a specialty track mounting tool from the manufacturer. For a more detailed installation description, check out the sidebar on page 22.
It is also important to note that there are a few unique designs of steel over-the-tire tracks in the industry — products that fit somewhere between the categories mentioned above. A good example of this would be Loegering’s F Series tracks, which mix a pad design’s flotation with an open bar’s
cost-effectiveness. There are always a few exceptions.
Riding on Rubber
In today’s market, when it comes to over-the-tire track technology, steel tracks are the most common. Yet professionals are beginning to see continuous segmented rubber tracks starting to roll onto more jobsites these days too.
“The most popular style is metal or steel tracks, but rubber tracks have just made a big splash over the last couple of years,” says Giordano. “The biggest benefit of over-the-tire rubber tracks is their versatility. They can be easily taken off the machine, which can then be used as a wheeled machine, or the tracks can be left on and it becomes a tracked machine. I feel like in all applications, other than
demolition, that rubber tracks will perform better due to the flotation and lack of damage caused by rubber tracks on the running surface.”
Solideal, McLaren and Goodyear are the three biggest manufacturers of rubber over-the-tire tracks in the skid steer business. Constructed of steel cables, metal pieces and natural rubber, rubber tracks offer extra traction, more flotation, a long-lasting work life, a comfortable ride and the versatility to go onto both hard surfaces, like asphalt, and intimidating terrain, like mud or slick hills. Rubber tracks are also less abrasive and intrusive when traveling on sensitive work areas, like lawns.
The catch has always been price. Rubber tracks typically cost between $4,000 and $5,000 per set, depending on the link configuration. Of course, it’s best to weigh that price with the production offered from the individual product, manufacturers say.
“Rubber tracks are typically the least expensive tracks to run, when you look at cost per hour of operation and lack of damage to surfaces,” says Giordano.
Wear for rubber tracks is based on tread life. When the tracks become too slick to be used, they should be replaced. The installation process can be quite simple or quite
complicated, depending on the brand. For Solideal’s
over-the-tire rubber tracks, the operator drives the machine over the tracks, they are then ratcheted together and the pins are attached. Wrenches, a hammer, grease and
specialty tools provided by Solideal are used. It takes about 15 minutes, according to the manufacturer.
Goodyear manufactures a continuous rubber track
system called the Trackman, in which the tires are built within the track. Specific size tires must be used with the system, so Goodyear recommends using its Trackman tires. Since you use new tires, installation can be a bit arduous. The skid steer must be jacked up, tires must be removed, the specialty rubber track and tire system must be refitted to your skid steer and then the tracks must be adjusted for proper tension. The installation process takes a couple of hours, but Goodyear recommends keeping the track
system on most of the time.
“Unlike steel tracks, Trackman rubber tracks can be run either on or off improved surfaces with no fear of damage,’’ explains the company’s Web site — www.goodyear.com. “Further, rubber tracks can be run on sensitive surfaces — like finished lawns, nursery lanes or even landfill liners — because they won’t tear up the ground. Thus, not only can you leave rubber tracks on your machine from job to job, you can leave them on from year to year.”
Each manufacturer’s system (both steel and rubber) offers different advantages, so it’s best to sit down with a variety of product information and weigh your options with your precise applications and budget.
“When using over-the-tire tracks it is imperative that you select the right over-the-tire tracks to fit your application and working material,” explains Tanata. “Getting the
proper track for the job will give you the best return on your investment. In addition, be sure to heighten your knowledge of repair and maintenance costs that may affect your bottom line. Tire size, wheel base, proper clearance and applications are four specifications to know before purchasing your track system.”
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