I'm Thinking of selling my 252b skid steer and getting a tracked machine. I really like the cat machine, I know the early B model tracked machines had poor undercarriage. Did any of the B models have upgraded undercharging or would I have to get a C model? Thanks
I think Cat still makes 2 tracked skids, a MTL (old design - ASV) and a compact track loader like all the other manufacturers. I would stay away from the MTL/ASV undercarriage as it has it's flaws but that's my opinion. At a local Cat dealer luncheon a month ago I saw a 299 that had a metal undercarriage. Salesman said that now they have to order the undercarriage separate from the factory and install it in house but after the first of the year it will be a factory option. I didn't get any pics, should have.
The series of machine doesn't have much to do with it now. For the current machines the 2x7 machines had the MTL undercarraige and the 2x9 machines had the CTL undercarraige. There are options in both the B and C series. Right now the series no longer overlap and the B3 series are the smaller machines, the C2 series are the intermediates and the D series are the big ones. They are switching everything but the 226B to the D series very soon though.
Own a 257B and think it's great, easy on the back and has great traction. If something breaks on the under carriage it's a fairly straight forward and easy fix. The draw back comes with the price of the parts, I use "trackloaderparts" and felt they were decent. IMHO if the operator is good the machine will last just fine.