Are there any alternatives to triple grousers or triple semi-grousers for excavator track that will give a better bite and traction on packed snow and ice? Is there any merit to trying to get double or single grouser track on an excavator that will be used primarily in woods and fields and will need traction in winter? Thanks,
You bet, I have seen forestry machine with single bar grousers. The oil filed pipeline excavators in nasty terrain perform much better with the single bar grousers. Had a few overburden drills where single bar grousers were not an option, we welded ice cleats on which helped the operator keep the machine from sliding around so much.
I believe you asking a question that's been an issue ever since the excavator (or steel track machine in general) was invented. Unless you have a 50 ton machine with ice picks, there is not much you can do on frozen ground. It takes weight concentrated on small areas to have any impact on frost or ice. Maybe Alaskaforby4 has any ideas that might be useful.
Kind of puzzled as to why they don't offer tracks with studs for winter & forest applications. Seems like some sort of studded arrangement on tracks, or perhaps steps cut into grouser bars would offer better traction that a straight bar. Studded chains can stabilize a 10,000# tractor. Some sort of stud arrangement or staggered bearing surface on a track grouser should help stabilize excavators in the mini & mid size classes.
What I usually do is once I get going with the ripper, I sit on the ripped ground. Also what can work is throw down some loose dirt. Doesn't take much to get the hoe to hold on.
I am also concerned about slipping on dirt roads, dirt driveways & logging trails into worksite. But thanks for the suggestions.
Out here we weld knobs on every other bar. Its usually quarter by half or three quarter inch bar stock cut two inches long. You find them all the time on machines working high in elevation where the ground is steel and there is plenty of snow.
:iagree That is the equivalent of chains on tires. Order up some grouser bar in the appropriate size for your tracks and cut into short strips then weld on. Stagger them, one shoe with one in the center, skip a shoe, then two on the next, one at each end. Skip again and back to the center. You can come up with other patterns that work based on conditions and the size machine you have. Weld them good or they will just come off.
It is normal every fall for loggers and road builders that work on steep slopes on ice, to weld on new cleats cut to a point, on to the grousers of dozers and forestry harvesters, they use them all winter into summer. By then they are worn down and time to do it again in the fall. Without them you could not function on ice! But don't try using them on asphalt or concrete!
OK, perhaps a stupid question on my part... What kind of bar stock? Rebar or something else? Also do you weld the bar stock parallel to the grouser bar or perpendicular/at a 90 degree angle? Does the heat from the welder affect the temper of the grouser track or not so much?
The cleats I have seen were done on dozers with single bar grousers, usually done with grouser size metal cut in a triangle, then welded to grouser. It don't seem to weaken the grouser, but it might. They stay fairly sharp until the ice is gone in the spring, after that the rocks wear them down. When the snow comes in the fall, it is time to rebuild them. It seems like it might even extend the life of the original grousers. Year after year they use the original grousers, until the rest of the undercarriage is worn out. I'm sure there would be a way to weld some onto excavator street pads to make the machine usable on ice.
Check out montanatrackclaws.com. I've never seen them used but saw the ad in the Loggers World magazine.
Google up trackgrip. They are a bolt on grouser, simple to fit and take off.
I'll try to get a picture next time I see them, but basically they are just welded pieces of steel on the grousers in this pattern -......- ....-.... -......- ....-.... -......- works well :thumbsup
We have three hoes right now with single grousers, wouldn't change them for anything. We have two 480 kobelcos same years, same machine, one triple one single. Its amazing the difference in grip. I switched them out one day loading trucks. I had the triple grouser had a little rock to it not much but it was annoying . They brought in my single grouser switched them out, amazing what the difference in stability was, same exact spot. Every hoe we order now has them now. I would consider swapping to single grousers, but as stated they wont solve all your issues in frozen ground either, but will help.
A lot of guy's call it corking. They are as common as air in Alberta. Go to a place that sells bucket teeth and cutting edges and they should have a selection of hardened grouser bar used for ice lugs. They come cut to the size you want and get welded on with 7018. If the pads are cold, warm them up some before welding and make sure to clean each pad really good for the ground clamp.
A winter ritual here is to re cork machines. On the http://www.dura-tuff.com/ page they have some pictures of the ice lugs, like Welder Dave said 7018 and preheat goes a long way. We usually cork every pad in a snake pattern or 2 then 1 . Make sure to cork the leading edge of the pad and corking every pad rides smoother you can skip pads but they ride terribly rough then.