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ASV Posi track RC30

Hendrik ยท 2010-10-20 18:52

I am half thinking about buying one of these track loaders, they can be gotten for between AU$20-30K depending on condition and hours. I seem to be missing out on a few jobs where the dingo is just too small for the amount of dirt that has to be shifted and from what I gather the RC30 can do about twice the work of a dingo (bigger bucket and faster travel speed) and is only 20cm wider and 500kg heavier than a dingo (actually with the tracks it has way lower ground pressure than the dingo). Speaking of tracks I do realize that the ASV undercarriage has a reputation for being high maintenance as compared to wheel skid steers and the traditional steel and rubber undercarriage that most tracked skid steers use. The other drawback of the RC30 is that it's quick hitch system is unique to it but that is not a drama as I will only be using it to shift dirt, I may buy a standard bucket and convert it to a mulch bucket. My question is a. has anyone used one of these machines and b. is there anything (apart from the undercarriage and quick hitch) that is bad about the RC30.

Replies26
  1. #1Hendrik2010-10-21 18:33

    74 inch shovel send me a pm because for some reason he is having trouble posting, but I'll post what he said as it may interest other members 74 inch shovel wrote: Srry, not letting me post-I have about 1450 hrs on one, that I bought new about 3 1/2 years ago. It is a money maker, hands down. I wont go into all the details, but spend some time on one, you will be hard pressed to figure out why you did not buy it sooner. Do buy it new- they are not a particulary long lived machine. The bad- failed seat switch, failed seat bar switch, replaced a controller, lift cylinder, fuel shut off solenoid, to sum it up, mostly electrical problems. Higher than normal repair costs, to be sure. None of the wear points are bushed, makes for some expensive machine work. With the notable exception of the rear wheels/rollers/boggies the undercarraige has been fine. The back wheels are a definite problem, they have lasted 275-750 hrs. Bair wheels did not help. I might have a solution to this, time will tell. Did try the Bair " Larry Lugs", was quite impressed. Machine shed its 1st lug the other day. All the wear on my back wheels is on the inside seal, where it is very hard to see. If you buy used, the outside of wheels may look fine, inside they could be shot. Good luck

  2. #2stuvecorp2010-10-21 18:51

    I bought the Polaris version of the ASV back in 03 and have just over 1200 hours now. It has been awesome and do not know how I would live without it. That said it does drive me crazy sometimes but has been mainly reliable. The Perkins motor is crap, have had some electrical glitches and have had problems with the sprocket/birdcage thing. It still has the original tracks and are doing very well, I wouldn't be scared of that. I would prefer to have a 'regular' quick tach as we have had to buy a set of forks and an adaptor plate so we can use our Eliminator on it. I love the little thing but think they are way over priced and am dreading the day I have to update as it will cost me. I also do not like Terex as parts have gotten worse it seems?

  3. #3Hendrik2010-10-21 18:54

    Oooh yeah I had to google 'larry lugs' http://www.redroosolutions.com.au/

  4. #4Hendrik2010-10-22 19:35

    Looking at the design I can see why the rear rollers are a problem, they are essentially in a continuous loop of dirt from the tracks falling onto them and then that same dirt gets spun around again and again. I guess that is why it is important to clean the tracks, other wise as the dirt/mud on the other rollers dries out it falls onto the track and ends up in the loop at the end.

  5. #5Digdeep2010-10-25 18:21

    I can't speak for the maintenance or reliability on the machine, but I have rented them and spoken to quite a few owners (one who switched to a Bobcat T110 and quickly back to a PT30 due to performance). You will be really impressed at what the machine is capable of doing for its size- [ushing, digging, finish grading, etc. I would also add that ASV (Terex) has made some big improvements in the newer version of the machine. I do know that they have beefed up the undercarriage (PT50/60 wheels and bearings), bushed all of the pivot joints in the undercarriage and loader arms and gave it more lift height and ROC (I think about 20" and another 150lbs).

  6. #6Hendrik2010-10-27 01:03

    Can't afford new paint, specially now it's black and white but yeah they did some improvements to the RC30 in lift height and such. Anyway I think I got onto a RC30 with just over a 1000 hours and the owner assures me that money has been put into the undercarriage, we'll have to see if that pans out. I was looking at the T110 because it is the only other machine in that size but is a lot heavier and not any used ones in my budget around the place.

  7. #7Hendrik2010-11-06 23:05

    Well I got one, 2001 model but has low hours, needs some work on the drive sprocket and loader arms but is in pretty good nick.

  8. #8Hendrik2010-11-06 23:25

    And a few more, I was a bit worried about whether the RC30 and KX41 would fit on the truck together, according to my measurements they would but.......anyway the fit nicely on there but the ramps presented a problem, while standing there pondering the problem I noticed the large amount of ground clearance the RC has, bingo I thought, grabbed a ramp and slid it under there, grabbed the other and.......bugger........1/2 inch too short, off for a beer and more thinking, bingo a couple of bits of wood under the front bogies should do the trick, find a couple of nice, thick and solid bits of timber, use bucket to lift machine and slide them under the tracks, tah dah job is done Anyway I am thinking of modifying the bucket to get rid of those holes and extend the top of it by a few inches to give more capacity and stop stuff falling over the top and into my lap. The other thing is, are these machines supposed to hold on the side of a hill, mine tends to roll unless I switch it off and engage the track brake?

  9. #9stuvecorp2010-11-07 18:35

    Looks good. I like that 4N1 bucket. How heavy is that weight bar on the back?

  10. #10Hendrik2010-11-07 21:07

    Dunno, haven't taken it off and weighed it.

  11. #11greyim2011-02-09 23:46

    Drive train is a wear item(s) - signifigant time and cost involved

  12. #12Hendrik2011-08-19 22:35

    Had a breakdown with the RC30 the other day, stopped dead, no hydraulics. Did some checks and it turned out the hydraulic pump drive coupling has gone. Also the rear oil seal on the engine was leaking, a lot of dollars later it's back in action. However after using it for an hour, found a bolt lying on the road next to my truck, turns out it is one of the two bolts that holds the hyd pumps to the engine. I think I'll write to the general manager where I got the work done, not too happy!!

  13. #13cartzblown94z2011-08-24 12:53

    i have had good luck with the 2 i have owned, the current onw ( polaris asl ) has 1400 hours and is hard starting, takes about 2-=3- seconds of cranking before it fires and blows white smoke while cranking. glows plugs are new and working. once its warm it will fire right up. i havent figured this issue out yet, and when i got it it wasnt greased and i had to strip the undercarriage and weld on new brackets to mount it on the axle since they were frozen. basically due to lack of prev owner maintainence otherwise a great machine i loved my previous one and had no issues with it and plan to keep the one i have now forever, its a great money maker and for its size cant be beat

  14. #14gem562011-10-09 19:34

    I have RC 30 Bought from ASV Qld was to be serviced and in good condition ???? It has cost me over $8000 in reapirs in 10 Months and now the final drive roller system has failed I,m looking at a further $2000 in repairs but now the drive unit will not come off Any surgestions I need help

  15. #15Hendrik2011-10-09 20:00

    Do you have the service manual? www.asvparts.com/Manufacturer/ASV/ASV-RC30/ASV-RC30-Service-Manual.pdf

  16. #16gem562011-10-09 21:23

    Yes I have a manual the special tool required will not work the thread on the outside plate has been stripped out I don,t know what to do , Ive contacted Brisvegas machinery last Wednesday and still waiting for a fitter to turn up , I have been in contact with ASV Head office still waiting for a reply This is the first and posibly the last Posi track come terex I,ll buy I,m lost for answers

  17. #17Dirtgirl2011-10-12 22:03

    I'm new to this site, but have you tried Red Roo Solutions? They distribute aftermarket upgrade parts for the RC30

  18. #18gem562011-10-12 23:05

    Rc 30 Yes mate parts are not the problem its getting service fitters to repair I have found the final drive sprocket was Plug Welded on

  19. #19gem562011-10-13 21:12

    Problems asv RC 30 DO NOT BUY ONE In Queensland Australia there is no back up for servive I have just been told by ASV Australia that if you buy a used machine once it leaves the sales yard they don,t what to know if there are any problems and ASV are not willing to offer any help, NO Warranty , No Promises , No Support So in reality if you buy a machine from ASV once you drive it on to the footpath outside the dealer and it breaks a Hydraulic Motor a repair which could cost Thousands of Dollars to repair they will not help the repair cost is yours For me I am now looking a Bob Cat T110 or a case machine Definently NO ASV Moral of the Story DO NOT BUY A POSI TRACK

  20. #20Digdeep2011-10-13 21:51

    You mentioned earlier that you have had the machine 10 months. It sounds like you bought the machine used? What year machine is it? Did the selling dealer offer any warranty with the sale...90 days, six months? Used equipment rarely was sold with any warranty at all when I was a Bobcat salesman. Sometimes we would offer a 30 day or slightly longer parts warranty depending on how old the machine was (That's why I asked the year of the machine). I don't know all the particulars of the deal, how many hours on it, was it bought from an authorized Terex/ASV dealer, etc.? If it was a new machine you should be under warranty because they come with a one year warranty.

  21. #21gem562011-10-13 22:29

    The Machine was used , I decided to buy from the ASV dealer for a serviced machine as i had never bought a trcked machine before and I thought it would give some peace of mind I was assured that the machine was serviced and in good working order (Not the case ) I compalianed only weeks after I bought the machine of the faults but No one had the guts to return phone calls or emails , so the story has benn a on going concern After all this time I finally recieved a call from ASV Sydney and I did get a little heated with him and I appoligised it is not good after all this time some one called and took all my aggression this should have been attended to long time ago My machine has not worked now for 2 weeks and the operator has not had a income NOT GOOD for ASV Australia

  22. #22Hendrik2011-10-28 00:46

    And again, doing a job,machine stopped, luckily had a 4.5 tonne ex there to drag it back to the road with. Diagnoses: both bolts holding the hyd pump to engine gone and pumps loose, stripped out drive coupling.......again. Hopefully will have machine back on Monday to complete job. Question is why would those two bolts keep coming loose, I saw the mechanic under the bloody thing putting the bolt I found on the road back in and he assured me, that the bolts where tight. Abnormal vibration in the pumps or engine? Wrong bolts? Wrong torque on em?

  23. #23gem562011-10-28 02:53

    Hi mate If your dealing with ASV best of luck , I,ve had no joy from my posi track since I bought it and ASV will do nothing My complaint has now gone to TEREX in the U.S. about the Australian agent ASV Australia

  24. #24FarmerAlex2011-10-28 06:16

    What sort of bolts are they Hendrik? Do they have nyloc nuts on them? If they are nylocs they should only be used once and once only. If they are a standard nut with a spring washer they might need to have a chemical locking compound on the thread, like Loctite. Nylocs might not be suitable in that area due to the high temperatures, but maybe a metal type nyloc equivalent. Hope this helps Alex

  25. #25Hendrik2011-10-28 20:11

    Well it's at the local dealer for Terex/ASV, so I would have thought that they are a very professional outfit that can do the job right the first time but........ Anyway the first thing is to get the machine back to work and then I'll have to argue with them on who pays for what, to a certain extend the worst thing about a breakdown is letting people down, even though this is not my fault I still have that feeling. The problem with the RC/PT 30 is that there is no machine like it, sure you can get that size wheeled skid steers or bigger track loaders but I bought the machine specifically for it's size and ability to work where skid steers can't. Which is the problem on the job I am on at the moment, whilst there is a hardish crust on top, there is a lot of soft spots that a wheeled skid would just sink through and get bogged. A bigger track loader could do the job but the job is picking up rocks and then running them down a creek bed to a 4.5 tonne ex and putting them straight into the bucket of the ex so it can place them into the creek bed to stop erosion. A bigger loader has a too wide bucket and half the rocks would spill onto the ground and then need to be picked up again, slowing down the operation. I managed to shift 33-36 tonne of rocks in about six hours.

  26. #26Hendrik2011-10-28 20:37

    They are 12 point bolts with washer and spring washer you can see them here http://www.trackloaderparts.net/ASV-RC30-09B.aspx (this diagram is for the later model RC30) numbers 9,10 and 11. They have assured me that NOW they are going to use loctite (I hope they clean the threads properly, with the proper stuff). Further they are going to install the upgrade kit which are parts numbered 2 to 7, those items where on back order at the time they 'fixed' it last time and where supposed to have arrived mid September. I am planning on finishing the job I need to finish and then put the RC30 into the shed and double check every nut and bolt. Put paint on the bolts, so I can see if they move. Depending on room, I have thought about putting a spot weld on them, which means that an angle grinder will be needed to remove them in the future but I'll know more when I get under there and see how much space there is. Another possibility is to weld a small nut to the top of the bolt, at a right angle and then screw a long bolt into this nut, so that if the big bolt decides to turn it can only move so far. This way the bolt can still be removed with a deep socket. However the problem with these ideas is that I'll be applying heat to the bolt, which may make it weaker.