[BJR]

Rubber tracked loaders have recently arrived in Australia from the US. Does anyone have one, and what do they think of them? Has there been any problems? Am I allowed to mention particular makes, as I have one and have had nothing but problems with it.

Bernard.

[Stonehenge]

Bernard, feel free to gush about any brand you like, or bash any brand you don't. Your opinion is all yours, and we don't want to squash that. The only thing that's 'frowned' on is if you were an employee of a track loader company talking about all the wonderful traits of your track loader company (to do that you'd have to ante up a small fee ).

There are a few skid steer mfgs that have introduced track loaders in the past few years - I haven't tried one yet, but have been window shopping a little. I've heard they can run on any terrain and are very gentle on existing lawns when doing residential work. Other than that I know little.

[BJR]

I bought an ASV RC30 over 20 months ago.

The principal is excellent. They do go almost everywhere and are quick and smooth to ride in.

When mine is working it is great except for some track misfeed which the importer doesn't seem to care about.

The main gripe I have is that it has had almost $8,000 forth of warranty work done to it and has cost me app $4,000 in downtime. And I am still having ongoing problems.

I was interested to hear from other owners of ASV machines what they thought of them.

There are only a few in my area and no one else seems to be having the amount of trouble I am having with mine.

I originally had a 453 Bobcat, (I concentrate mainly in tight fit areas for retaining walls, excavation, and general landscaping) and gave it a thrashing with no problems. I woud expect a machine that is $20,000 dearer to be able to do better.

A lot of people have RC50's and find them fantastic.

Just one thing I have found is that constant turning on lawns can chew them up. Also, if you are trying to turn in an area with a slight dish the middle of the tracks are in the air making it impossible to turn.

I have completed a lot of jobs with this machine that I would not have been able to do with an ordinary skid steer. Especially boggy and sandy sites.

So if anyone from ASV is reading this please get someone to have a serious look at my track system.

That's it.

Thanks
Bernard Robinson
Rock Solid Landscapes

[Paul]

I don't own a tracked loader, I have steel tracks that I can put on my machines. Some of the con's with track loaders I have knowledge about is cost of track replacement. A excavator I work with owns a T200 with wide tracks, he figures about $5 per hr for replacement cost, with tracks running just under $3000 to replace a set.

[BJR]

I have calculated that the running costs for my track system, IE - tracks, sprocket rollers, and track rollers is app $7/hr. The RC50 which is a bigger machine, about the same size as a 853 Bobcat would have to be $10/hr.

The tracks for my machine are app $4500 per set.


but the advantages far outway this cost.

I had just excavated for some walls and laid the first course of a wall, and now it is raining and the site is a bog hole. A normal skid steer wouldn't get near the site for at least a week, but my RC30 is carrying blocks to the work face and backfilling the wall.

That's 2 days work I would not have done if I didn't have this machine. That's almost $2000.

[Paul]

I agree that they are great for wet places, but a set of steel tracks run about $3000 and do the same thing, but you can't run over concrete or nice areas with out making a mess.

[BJR]

I am loathed to sing the praises of a machine that has given me nothing but grief mechanically, However:

There is a huge difference between the steel tracks on a tyred skid steer and the track system on an ASV. The ASV only puts app 2.5Psi on flat ground. I am able to backfil walls and run along behind the wall with little pressure exerted on the wall. I have also done jobs where the machine has tracked over grass for 3 days straight non stop and left only a little depression where the tracks went. The grass was brown for a week then greened up nicely.

I have used tyred skidsteers with tracks and the ASV and the ASV by far is the better. It can go on steeper grades both up and down, and across and I have had it up to 300mm in slop with no signs of getting bogged. It also glides across the top of sand. A builder called me to move some sand for him inside some foundations. The site was pure sand. He had organised a 3.5 tonne excavator to do the job. The excavator driver said it would have taken 2 days to do the job. It only took me 4 hours with the ASV RC30 only 1200mm wide.

[Stonehenge]

I was driving past a solo op today, who had a Bobcat tracked loader. I stopped and chatted with him a bit about his loader.

He liked it quite a bit - raved about how it didn't tear up the turf, was the biggest model Bobcat makes (not sure what exact model that was). It had the vetical lift path like a NH, and with just a bucket with tooth bar he was able to do some very nice grading.

He also told me that the balance for the machine was much better - less tipsy. That might serve us well for the backyard projects where there's a steep slope.

I'm beginning to realize that not having 2 skid steers is holding us back a bit, so I'm thinking about purchasing another one either in the off season or next spring.

However, with cab, A/C and heater, this guy said his 1 year-old machine cost him $50K. Pretty sure I don't want to spend that....And replacement tracks were $4K, according to him, and typically were needed after 1200-1500 hours.

[BJR]

Look at the ASV RC50. Much better machine. Even though I have had far too many problems with my RC30, I seem to be in the minority.

I don't know how much they are in the States. But I have to allow app $8 per hour for the maintenance of the track system. I believe that this outways the advantages of the extra work that can be done with these machines. IE, Muddy ground, sand, steeper sites, snow etc.

The web ddress is www.asvi.com

[Stonehenge]

Wow!! That's a lot to spend just on the track maintenance. Is that $8 just for replacement, or other tweaking as well?

[BJR]

Replacement of tracks, track rollers, sprocket drive rollers. The parts would be far less expensive for you as ASV is in the States. You would allow app $3/hr for tyres on a skid steer.

Over here the charge out rate is app $70/hr for a track machine and $65 for a skid steer.

[Stonehenge]

But didn't you have all kinds of bad things to say about your ASV? Nothing but trouble, if I recall correctly.

[BJR]

My machine had app $8000 worth of repairs in the first 12 months. I am still having problems with track misfeed. The RC50 was developed after the RC30 which I have. ASV seem to have ironed out a lot of the problems, I have had in the 30, in the 50. From talking to operators of the 50 they seem to have a few minor problems. I had major problems with my 30 but I seem to be in the minority. I must have been given a Friday afternoon machine.

Even though I have had these troubles I am still going to buy another in maybe 12 months. But only if they have modified the sprocket drive to eliminate the misfeed problem.

[PSUscaper]

Hello,

I bought a used bobcat 864 earlier this year. What a great machine.

The machine spoils you rotten with what it can do...........I mean, muddy sites, steep hills, etc. are generally no match.......It does what no wheeled skidsteer can, and probably what most rubber tire backhoes can do.

I would of been shut down completed on one job without it.

As for problems.....well. Its had a few....but most are associated with it being a bobcat...not being tracked. Supposely, the machine was the first tracked bobcat in the state of NJ, and one of the first off the production line. So, overall, I'm pretty happy.

Before I had the machine, the tracks were replaced twice (machine has about 1200 hours now) One set of tracks the excavator destroyed on a job that was all rock.........so make a note........DO NOT OPERATE rubber track machine on shot rock as it = new tracks = big $.

The other set lasted about 900 hours.........now I have the 3rd set which were brand new when I purchased.......so I hopefully won't have a report on track wear for a LONG TIME.......

The only major problem that went wrong with the track system was the replacement of both grease cylinders. These are like hydraulic pistons filled with grease that tension the track......over time, mud works its way into the pistons and eats away at them.
They were replaced right before I bought it about 1100 hours.

One of the big keys is to clean the machine routinely......many times this machine is working in a foot of mud, and it builds up inside the udercarriage.......frequent power washing is a key to keeping the whole thing working.

My major problem with the machine is this............if you don't have it, you don't want to operate anything else......and I mean it.
It just spoils you rotten. The last time I jumped in a regular skidsteer, I got stuck in a few minutes and couldn't figure out why. There's no comparison.

Oh ya, and one more note........if freezing temperatures are upon you......BE SURE to clean undercarriage completely.........believe me, two hours with a torpedo heater and hammer out in the cold on a brisk december morning is not a good time.......

By the way, have you guys seen the new 'turf' tracks by ASV. There like 'slicks' for a skidsteer....no traction....just a smooth belt all the way around...........Probably 100% useless for most construction, but for a golf course application I would think they'd be a real asset.

[Stonehenge]

I know it was used, but how much did you pay for your 864?

Also, how are the controls set up? I don't want to create a situation where one set of guys can only run one loader, because the controls are different on another.

But I am really liking the idea of being able to get into areas without tearing them up, and working in muddy conditions. Right now with our Gehl 6635, if we are grading for seed, if the soil is moist at all, after 5-10 passes the soil is unworkable.