I currently run a Cat 299D with a Fecon mulching head and a brush cutter. I'm done with the Cat due to the tracks coming off all the time. I work alone in allot of swampy areas and I'm tired of bringing in a excavator to pickup machine to put a track back on! Now I'm looking at a new machine. Anyone have any favorites out there? I work in allot of low land areas, have my share of rocks also.
Cat just came out with a special d3 with a mulching head. Looked pretty cool! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Are you running rubber or steel tracks on the 299 ? What rollers are on the front and back idlers - single, double, or triple flange ?
If you are full time mulching then it would be a good time to look at a dedicated machine. Using a CTL/MTL in this game is like using a pick as a sledge hammer IMHO
You should be running triple flange idlers. I wont stop a track from trying to detrack but it helps. Look at the ASV/Terrex machines.They are MTL's not CTL's. They do not like gravel work at all. I own both a Cat 299D2 XHP set up for mulching with the guards and aux roof mounted cooler and two ASV RC series set up for mulching.
I have rubber tracks. Cat has updated carriage so it's just like the newer machines. It's still popping tracks off. No fun in a swamp. I basically have to bring in an excavator to pickup machine. Way to expensive and time consuming. I don't do full time mulching. I use this machine on my land for all purposes. I do mulch and use brush cutter about 40% to 50% of the time. I'm looking at ASV but the dealer is almost 3 hours from me. Anyone hear anything about Kubota, Takeuchi, or Deere G series?
do you have rock guards on it ? i have seen some forestry packages with rock guards on them , just like a regular dozers have . if you like the machine this might be a cheaper option .
Am I the only one having issues with my machine detracking? Maybe my tracks are bad? I keep them at cat specs for tension.
Running triple idlers front and back? That will help a lot
I am running triples front and rear
Update: Going with ASV 120. Tried out some other new machines this week and this machine is the best for my situation. I was very impressed. It ran circles around the caterpillar.
The ASv is more nimble. Just remember to keep your tracks out of loose rock and gravel. What are you going to do with your 299D?
Post it a few sites and get rid of it.
I think you will really like the ASV. Track Loader Parts has parts and servise literature for free. They are also a great parts source. I sent you a PM.
maybe some pictures and price and location ,somebody here would buy it
I thought ASV was bought out by Terex but I just Googled the ASV 120 and saw it. Is it the same as Terex PT110?.
They've updated it and Terex sold it awhile back.
Terex sold the management team of ASV controlling intrest.
Cat 299D or Bobcat T870 Considering buying a Cat 299D or a Bobcat T870. Interested in hearing from anyone who has used both machines and they they compare
I have a CAT 299D2 XHP with the mulch package and roof mounted cooler. If you get sideways on a hill with a 2000 lb mulch head and turn tight it WILL try to de track. I do run triple flange reont and rear idlers.
Cat 299D or Bobcat T870 Do you know much about how the T870 compares to the 299D as far as strength and reliability are concerned ?
No idea about the Bobcat. Due to their issue of using electrical powered attachments not of their manufacture we tend to shy away from them. It is bad enough with 8 pin vs 14 pin hook ups. Look at Skid Steer Genuis for an idea of the hook up variations. A Cat 299D and 299D2 and 299D2 XHP are three different machines.
What's the main difference between a 299D and a 299D2 ?
Terex still holds 49% of ASV and Manitex (a bucket truck company) owns 51% so ASV is not independent, but owned by two companies.
View attachment CAT 299D specs.pdf View attachment CAT 299D2 specs.pdf See attached. A quick glance shows 71 HP vs 95 HP.
Tracks I'm on my 2nd bobcat and wouldn't run those mulching without someone else there to help put tracks back on. We have 1400 hrs on a TL12 (all forestry) and the operator can usually slip the track back on without getting out of the machine. Very rare that a track pops though.
Sold the 299d with fecon. New ASV with fecon is coming next week.
Asv Interested in knowing how the undercarriage holds up. I can't figure out why they dont rediesign. That's really the only weekness they have that I know of, and it has prevented me from buying one. Too rocky where we are. I'm hearing of guys having to rebuild every year or two. $10k-$15k.
I don't have that much rock, gravel, or pavement. I also am not putting thousands of hours on per year so I believe I'll be just fine. Can't wait to get the machine.
Ive had a 297C (same running gear as the asv) for the last year to run my davco and gyro track head on which is an upgrade from my JCB 190. Its the only way to go. I swapped two of the stock front rollers to the aftermarket steel and it is a chore to get the track off! But, one less worry in the bush so a guy can concentrate on watching for rocks etc. I spent alot of time putting tracks back on that JCB. Just the wrong kind of running gear. Even feeding horses in the winter the frozen piles of manure can be enough to drop a track. Ive brushed, mulched fenced and plowed snow with the 297....great traction and the only worries was working on gravel. Try to avoid turning, but, thats good practice for brushing anyhow
yeah i just bought a 299d2 xhp and we only have put 33.7 hrs on it and the tracks are constantly trying to pop off over my tripple flange fronts and rears, i keep it greaesed to cat specks what is going on? Im so disappointed with cat also bought an afe eco,sent IT back and it will never be on another job that i do its just tooooo!!! dangerous. Throws debris over 500ft. though second story window of a house....) looking at the asv 120 or maybe making cat get me a new machine.....please any help would be greatly appreciated.
HEY HOW IS THE ASV 120 DOING IM LOOKING AT ONE MY SELF BOUGHT CAT 299D XHP FULLY LOADED TRACKS POP ALL THE TIME AND I HATE IT really wanting an asv how is it doing...
mdr, is the track tension adjusted properly? A loose track will cause problems.
A word of caution. The teir 4 engines are a fireball waiting to happen. I had my very first fire in a rented ASV PT110 and belive it started when the regen went off. There's no way I'd own any of these engines in any mulching machine. Farmers over here are also very connserend with the very same issue on harvesting equipment including any problems with insurance companys
Try and find a good used Cat 297 or or ASV without the regen emissions crap. When i bought my 297 i was really hoping to find an ASV as they have a much higher ground clearance and seemed better balanced but i am happy with the 297. That regen stuff should be illegal. Logging truck burnt up here a year or two back...driver smelled fuel and got out to look at what was going on....didnt even have time to get back in to get his wallet etc....truck burned up instantly.
A cat tech came out and realigned the tracks and tighten to spec I bet it wasn't four or 5hrs. The we're loose again. I told my salesman that we were going to be mulching full time and he specifically said we didn't want the the 297 because the undercarriage was nothing but the a problem...wonder why he sold me the 299d2 xhp for mulching ***.....
Ive only put maybe 800 hours on my 297 but i know in the 800 hours on my jcb with the same style uc as your 299 i spent a fair bit of time putting tracks on. My one employee dropped one just turning in a field and caught a rock. There are a ton of boggies on the 297 but mulch isnt abrasive like sand or gravel. More footprint on the ground, more stable, tracks are impossible to drop,....id be curious what your sales guys logic was?
if you guys are only mulching why not try steel tracks
I fence lots too so steel is out. Rubber rides better too, especially the 7 series i found. And the steel tracks would be easier to drop than the 7 series as well. When your dealing with logs and stumps etc you just need rollers to keep the outside of the tracks from flexing/twisting off. At least thats my opinion/experience with it. I know im extremly careful where my hoe tracks are when im mulching with it cause i dont wanna drop one of them.
My dedicated mulcher on steel tracks ,3500hrs,and half the price of rubber.Most of the work is in steep hill country where rubber tracks are usless. It's never thrown a track because of the terrain in 5500 hrs total time
Being able to cork the steel tracks would certainly be one advantage. Half the price of rubber you say? Is this on a skid steer or an actual mulcher unit. That surprises ne though i suppose there not alot of pads or rail compared to a cat or hoe
It's a 140 hp mulcher unit with single grouser shoes( original), running on the original top and bottom rollers, In 5500 hrs it's wore out 2 sets of chains, 2 spockets. The grousers will be swapped onto the next (3rd)set of chains
Just got of the phone with my cat salesman he won't sale me a 297 xhp he's I take the machine is bought or I get nothing.....*** is wrong with him I can't believe he said that
Talk to your service manager or the person who runs the dealership face to face. Your machine has to be FIT FOR PURPOSE and that is their obligation no matter what. A mate of mine had a problem with abnormal track wear on his new 297 and was about to do the clenched fist two step around the office desk with the service manager when a service bulletin arrived from Cat stating exactly what my mate had found. If you are 100% right what you claim stand on your digs and don't get frobbed off buy some half ass sales rep
Thanks for those who made responses, well im not sure what is going to happen at this point? Come to find out maybe some type of upgrade to do with a shim kit and track re-adjustment may be my issue but this was information from other people who have had experiences like mine....dont really understand why i should have any trouble with a brand new machine.... GO FIGURE ...just some good ol' bad luck.
Sorry to resurrect this thread, but since this info can be hard to come by, I wanted to add my experience. I have a 2015 Bobcat T770 that I use with a Fecon mulching head. It's used mostly on my ranch for fire mitigation of gambel oak on terrain typical of the Colorado front range, i.e., steep, loose, and rocky. It detracked completely on me once and I caught it in time a handful of times thereafter. I would religiously check track tension at every fueling and I found the factory c-block tracks would stretch or move around significantly. As you folks know, wrestling a 600-pound track on a steep slope is no party. I found that the OEM tracks really limited my combination's performance on the ground I was working on and it seemed like the tracks kept changing tension. I don't know if it's something about the design of them or temperature variations or what. I ended up switching to the Prowler EXP tracks. I have not detracked in the 600-odd hours since and I also never needed to reset my track tension after the initial install. I haven't gotten the machine stuck since changing them over but that could be because I'm smarter or more careful. I do know they have better ground engagement. It's a pretty small data set, but wanted to share what I had. My tracks are pretty beat now and will probably be replaced again this summer. Short life of the tracks is just part of the cost of working this kind of ground. My biggest complaint with the T770 is that its oil cooling system is borderline for heavy mulching and that it will beat the hell out of you on rough ground. I bought the 770 over the 870 because working on the slopes, especially mulching, it's all about power to weight and the 870 is bigger and heavier without the corresponding increase in power. Anyway, I've been looking at reviews/info for the ASV RT-120 Forestry which is how I arrived here. Back to lurking.