Fellows, I own and operate Martins Track Works. It consist of one single axle dump truck, two small track loaders ( JD 455E and Cat 939C) and a 10 ton trailer. With this one type of machine I handle almost any job that comes my way. I do heavy tree clearing to building pads for houses, shops, large green houses etc. Also I can dig out dirt from one location and haul to another location and fine grade it all with this one machine. Another thing some people may not realize is that a track loader of equal size to a dozer can remove much larger trees, and push heavier loads. 1) due to height leverage on a tree, 2) due to being able to lift the load you're moving. This puts down pressure on the machine improving traction and also cuts down on friction between the load and the ground. I guess what I'm saying is, I love my track loaders and would hate to have to do my jobs without them!
same here. i only wanted one type machine for our property. at work we have loaders , dozers and excavators but i figured an all around good machine to have at home would be the track loader. i have a 65 international t340 and a 67 international 500
What part of SC you in?
Anderson sc, in the upstate
Jmt, your not very far from me. There are a boat load of 455g/555g's as well as older ones around here. Not many 939's. I like running them but not my perfered machine. There was a few ppl not happy when the 605 came out . First comment was "well there goes the backhoe"!!
Yea, still some track loaders around here. Both of my track loaders have a 4N1 bucket. My 939c is hydrostatic and joystick controlled. It is super fast and simple to operate compared to my 455e. I would love to upgrade my 455e to a 555g. I hear they are strong machines for there size. I just purchased a cat 416C 4WD with a 4N1 bucket and an extend-a-hoe. I believe it will be a great asset for my kind of "do anything" type of business. Looks to me like the 605 is a good machine, the price is still a little high on used 605's for me to consider purchasing right now. What part of the state is Andrews in? What type of work are you in?
Andrews is just west of Georgetown, which is on the coast,halfway between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. I do a little of everything. I have a few tractor-trailers, a trackhoe, a couple of backhoes, a dozer, a couple of graders, a fertilizer spreader truck, a couple of dumptrucks, and a utility tractor. I do just about everything that can be done with that lineup. Demolition, for-hire trucking, clearing, forestry road construction and maintenance, custom fertilizer and lime application, and almost anything else I can figure out how to get paid for. I don't know of anyone in my area that is making a living with a trackloader. It is interesting how different machinery is used in different areas.
I bought two 977s about a year ago, and have used one of them quite a bit. It's a great machine, and it does a great job at what I use it for. If I could only have one machine that would be it, it can dig holes, push stuff, remove stumps, level ground, carry things, pull trees, plow snow, stack brush, really almost anything you can think of. The big hydraulic winch it has on the back makes it a very adept log skidder, albeit a bit slower than a rubber tired one, but I've yet to find a tree it can't pull! I did buy an excavator recently but the cat would be the machine I'd hang on to if I had to get rid of one of them simply because of all the things it can do.
Nice to hear some positive thoughts on the Track-Loaders.A Track-Loader running with rippers & a 4in1 is an extremely versatile weapon,& I think it still has a place in earthmoving,demolition,property maintenence,landfill,etc... I also think that the Wheel Loader is another under-rated machine.You can get a lotta work done in a day with a WL.We have a couple in the local area,equipped with rippers & 4 in 1,& they dig ponds,form roads,clear scrub,etc. Where would we be without our loaders....