I'd love to have an excavator even if it didn't have any tracks...lol. But the real reason for my comment is that I'm really glad you got a hold of the audio engineer/musician to fix the Messicks intro music. 🥰
Neil, another great video but I'm very surprised you didn't talk about steel tracks with bolt on rubber pads. They seem to be very popular, and the trade off's with a bare steel track largely go away then. Also one rubber pad can be replaced vs a whole rubber track. Thoughts? It's very popular with CAT and other brands to equip machines that way and gaining traction here too with Kubota product.
“The trade offs go away…” Only one goes away, the rest all stay the same and the cost doubles so it’s really only considered for municipal and special use units.
As always neil, another great video comparing different equipment options. I can definitely see each having their own benefits depending on your application
Another consideration you might have discussed is if you can fit steel tracks on a machine that originally came with rubber or rubber tracks on a machine that came with steel. Or are the rest of the drive components different with each track type?
A couple of notes for those with inexperienced operators/drivers/yardies: When loading/unloading rubber tracks in the wet/muddy/clay, the rubber can get very twitchy under control. That being said, steel tracks can also slip in wet on metal ramps.
Another great video, Thank You! For the first time, I was about to ask a question already asked and answered. Great minds think alike, or not; but the important point is they THINK!
100% OE quality Rubber tracks way longer, the problem is people don't realise actually how many miles they travel....typically 4000 to 5000 hours is possible on owner operator but hire in only 2000 to 3000 hours due to abuse...it would be handy if the manufacture did two improvements to make them last longer, one fix and extra bottom roller wheel to spread the load when curbing and 2nd fix an over pressure valve on the idler cylinder to make sure the track is not over stretched and the pressure is released, this over pressure causes devulcanization within the wire and cleats internally which drastically shortens the track life..
I have one with steel tracks with rubber pads, one with rubber tracks, and one with steel on steel. We do a fair amount of road work, so rubber is preferred. If I only was operating on dirt, never asphalt, I would go steel on steel.
Tore the he'll out of a fairly new rubber track on my mini last year in rocky shale on a lake front house job. Other than that application I love the rubber.
Here's a good question. "How to determine what size mini/compact excavator is right for me?" For me would be maintenance in cleaning up the woods of customers and moving logs onto the live deck for a small firewood processor. Max lifting needed at 1200 pounds up to a height of 5ft or so.
I am no expert by any means, but I do know a lot about excavators. And usually excavators are chosen and categorized by their digging depth/length of their boom at full extension. But in your circumstance, you are more going for weight and power of the machine as your are in the business of logging. I'm generalizing when I say that. But a few things to keep in mind when looking for a mini excavator is that even if the digging depth is 10' the more stretched out your boom is, the less power you have. So with a 10' dig depth, most of your strength is within 5ft of your machine for the most power to your bucket. And as far as weight goes, it's hard to judge lifting capacity through breakout force, but if you are able to figure out the lifting capacity of a machine, I would recommend going for minimum 50% greater safe working load limit. I hope this helps.
you can replace track pads on steel tracks but i'm not sure you'll be unbolting them lol. most of the time you have to torch the bolts out because theyve been beat so much
Any rumors of an updated svl series 3? Really feel they hit it out of the park with the -5 series cabs. Svl needs complete cab update. Probably the noisiest and worst hvac on a track loader. The radio in my svl75 is worthless.
I have a rubber tracked machine that consistently throws a track. I also have a steel tracked larger excavator and it has never thrown a track. Rocks seem to be the biggest enemy for any track.
Neil, do you ship to other states? I am in Maine, and sometimes I can not even get through to my dealer parts department. No one wants to work anymore.
Doesn't account for all cons but why not have steel plates with rubber pads on them? steel on the rollers for more rigidity, steel plates distribute the weight allowing for more distributed ground pressure, stops damage from metal tracks, doesn't matter if the rubber gets big gouges or cuts as it poses no structural difference to the track, etc. Plus depending on how the rubber pads get attached it could allow for modularity between rubber pads and steel cleats.
@@mikeymike9926 I don’t see how it would be a whole lot more expensive than normal steel tracks, I was thinking the big problem would be whether or not smaller rubber pads independent of one another would be strong enough when bolted to steel tracks, I think maybe they would tear off too easily so perhaps they would only really be good for as you said taking steel tracks on the road?
With a mini (12k- less) the drive motors feel significantly stronger with rubber tracks vs steel. I heard this from several operators that have gone from rubber to steel, and also steel to rubber. Traction between either was not noted, just travel/pushing power, has anyone else heard this?
I have used both, personally, if in rocky terrain or doing demolishions I rather have steel tracks, I have had rebar go right through some of my rubber tracks and unfortunately complely tore them apart even though I tried being careful
@@MessicksEquip I live in NW Arkansas where EVERYTHING is on a steep grade. Even with everything well maintained and careful operation there are scenarios where de-tracking becomes more probable. I’m looking for all the help I can get. Thanks for your help Neil. I appreciate your videos.
From my experience having and excavation business, the rubber tracks come off far more frequently. But rubber are also easier to get back on. It happens to me every few months with rubber tracks. You turn against a hidden stump or rock and the rubber can come off every now and then.
@@2098723 That is exactly what I'm experiencing. I'm now hypervigilant. Where I get in the most trouble is when a cluster of trees forces me to try to track parallel on an almost too steep slope. I've been considering steel tracks because I've never slipped a track off of my dozer and it has been on some rough rocky and sloping stuff. My rubber tracks on the mini are also getting pretty cut up from the rocks.
@@MessicksEquip I've had several throw-offs with rubber tracks properly tensioned on my 9 ton midi, last one took me days, literally days to get back on. They just don't stay put on slopes. It's a horror show throwing a rubber track if you are working in a deep mud hole. Work stops for days while you figure out some way to get a 900 lb track on by hand since no other machine is able to help. Any track that reduces this would be worth it. Thanks for the quality videos.
I've a LOT of trouble throwing rubber tracks. Try throwing a 900lb track when you are in a muddy creek bed. Not throwing tracks is a huge consideration. Yes I had my rubber tracks tensioned up.
