I have an '06 Bobcat 435 ZHS mini (+/-12,000#) with about 3,500 hours on it. I've had it since new and I don't especially work with tread wear concerns as a priority. I use good operating technique (as best as possible) but I do not baby the machine, or tracks. I have employees so I do not operate it, nor directly see how it's operated, for every hour that's put on it. It still has the original tracks on it. They do not appear to be worn out. They have plenty of tread left and only show a few deep cracks and scars. I do not know how much they cost to replace (as I said, I'm still running the OEMs) but I bet they have already out lasted most brands by more than double. They are made by Bridgestone. I'm starting to think that these will probably last as long as I own the machine. I wonder what sort of life span HEF members are getting out of a set of tracks. Please post your experiences with track life. I request that you include the make, model, and weight of the machine, the track MFR (if known), track hours and age, and operating conditions.
I am at 2000 hours on my tracks. I doubt I will see much more than 2500. We do a lot of demo with it. If I can hit 2500 hours I have no problems with that. My OEM tracks are Bridgestone as well.
I have a tak 053 fr that set on a dealers lot alot. right now it has almost 700 hrs, ive had it from 70, and the tracks are fine except for some minor checking from setting. Should be able to get at least 1500 hrs. I also have a gehl ctl 70 ( tak tl140 ) w/ 1100 hrs that I purchased last month. Its already on its second set and they have a busted outside cord and in general are not in the best of shape. Hopefully I can get some more outa them, but they were roughed up when I bought it. I think it comes down to operator and ground conditions.
One of our 435 ZHS with 4300Hours still has the original Bridgestone OEM tracks and will last what i would imagine another 2000-3000hours. Comparing them to our later 435's...the tracks are only half worn. Impressive. Operated with no regard for the tracks what so ever.
I don't recall...what model is your mini (I know it's a Tak.)? How much does it weigh? You've stated that you do a lot of demo (suggesting that it is a factor in tread life) and I wonder if it's the turning on such abbrasive material, or the damage from the chunks, rebar, or whatever else, that might cut/tear the tracks, that is the biggest factor. What's your opinion? I know this is a CTL (which is not what I was asking about-maybe better to discuss in a different thread), so it will have much higher wear than a mini will, but I have a hard time with only 500 hours on a set. It's not that I don't believe what you are saying. I'm just wondering how anyone could justify the expense, or make a profit, without being cost prohibitive to the customer. Yes, some applications would require such a machine so it could easily bare such costs but this would seriously limit the practicle application of the machine...especialy if biding against others who would use a conventional rubber tired machine. The higher productivity would help with this but I wonder if it's enough to offest that fast of tread wear (not so, in my experience, unless in certain conditions). I would think that 1,000 hours would be a much more acceptable life, and probably what you would expect now that you are operating it. We would certainly all agree with this statment but I also think there is a big difference in brand quality. This is why I started this thread. I would like to hear from others so we may be able to acertain if one factor is bigger than the other. I know it's not very scientific, but it's the best we can do on a forum. That's pretty good wear, and sounds about the same as what I'm experiencing with mine. What are your operating conditions/what type of work do you do with them? I forgot to mention the same in my post. I do mostly custom residential and light commercial. This has me in a lot of different underfoot conditions. I' do my work in the Rocky Mountains so I am doing a lot of hillside work and some shot rock. I do some demo, but not a lot. My mini will also see some work in the street (inevitably jumping curbs) too. Most jobs will have some sort of rocks laying on the ground. Thanks for your replys thus far. It would be good to hear more.
I have a BC 323 mini x (+/-3500lbs). Bridgestone OEM tracks with +/- 900hrs on them. I do similar work as you, but probably a little more demo. My area is not nearly as rocky as yours though...most ground conditions here are black dirt, sand, or occasional clay. I would guess I'll get another 500-1000hrs out of them???(depending on what work it encounters over that course of time).
My mini ex is a TK 153 FR. The tread itself is fine and could go another thousand hours. Its the cuts and chunks that are killing my tracks. The Bridgestones are about as good as it gets I think in tracks. Its just a question of whether or not you want to pay the price for them. I am hoping to be trading this machine off within the next 1000 hours so I wont replace with Bridgestone.
We use them for all kinds of work..But majority of it is Civil work. But they will track over bitumen,Rubble, Concrete, Steel....you name it they've seen it. I think the footprint for the amount of weight for these machines is largely responsible for the durability. The Tracks are actually quite large for a 4.8t machine. Less pressure on more surface area etc.
I have an '01 BC 334, 8K +/- lbs. I replaced the OEM Bridgestones at 1600 hours or so. The only reason why I replaced them was one track broke while doing an interior slab demo- no surprise that did them in. Now running a set of Solideal tracks with 400 hours or so on them and no noticeable signs of wear just your normal cuts and minor gouge's. I would expect to get 1000-1500 more hours out of it or basically the life of the machine at this point, since it does not get a lot of hours and is worth more to me as a machine than the cash it would bring.
My oldest machine is a 1987 kubota kx71, got almost 4000 hours out of the Oem tracks, would of gone another 1000 or 2000 but operator tracked over a sharp piece of concrete the wrong way and then the cords rusted out.