I have a 2011 Cat 259b3 with 16inch tracks my dealer is trying to convince me to go to the 12 inch tracks opinions appreciated pros and cons of each please. Thanks in advance
I cant believe 104 views and no one has advise!??
I don't have any bright ideas one way or the other. I guess it comes down to ground pressure and price. Can you live with more ground pressure? Do you need more ground pressure? What's the price difference ? What do you do with the machine?
If you rarely work on surfaces soft enough that the narrower tracks will either make too much disturbance or actually get stuck then try the narrow tracks, they're easier on the drive train when turning and cheaper to boot. If you work on soft ground often or areas that need a light footprint to minimize damage then the wider tracks will work better for you and may last a bit longer since they carry more rubber to wear out. I have heard of guys that have both and swap them regularly depending on the ground conditions, YMMV My comments are generic in nature about rubber tracks, I am not a CTL guy nor have I ever played one on TV, but I have been messing with rubber tracks for over a decade now.
Sounds like they have a set of 12's that nobody wants, LOL. Don is spot on, though. If you play in the mud a lot, stay with 16's.
What he said X2 ?
What are your operating conditions? What do you regularly use the machine for? We can't give advice without knowing what you do with the machine.
x4 ..... what are you doing with the machine?
general farm use and brush clearing and alittle grading and driveway prep work I heard the dealer bought a whole truckload of 12inch they are buy one getone 50% off
Like has already been said a 16" track will allow you to go through soft underfoot conditions and muddy areas better, a narrow track tears up less, has less stress on drivetrain but will not give you the lesser ground pressure for wet areas. Looks like it's more a financial decision - Buy two 12" tracks for 75% of the cost of two or pay regular price for 2 16" tracks. Assuming the tracks are running $1200 a piece, the decision is - are the wider tracks worth the extra $600 for what you'll be doing with the machine?
will I lose any lifting capacity with narrow tracks since the will more than likely be liter weight??
I doubt you'll loose much, half the track is front of the tipping point all the time anyway. Do you have single front and rear idlers?
Oddly enough I just quoted a set of 380mm (15") for a 259B3, they were less than a grand apiece plus freight outta Dallas. The 320mm are a couple hundred less per each. Block tread. Just FYI not trolling, don't know what the dealers are selling them for?
I have double flange front and single rear