[fakie99]

i just picked up a used bobcat t-300 track loader. it doesn't need new tracks yet, but will next season. the price ($1300 EACH!) got me to thinking that there has got to be ways to maximize the life of skid loader tires/tracks. my guys (like everyone's employees) spin the machines on asphalt, etc, wearing out tires quickly and i am looking for ways to maximize the life of our rubbber (other than the obvious: go in straight lines on concrete, asphalt, etc....) i heard of one guy who put down some sand on the street in the area where the machine loaded and turned around - sounded like a good idea. any others out there?

thx,.

[Stonehenge]

Tell your guys not to spin the machines on asphalt, and minimize the time spent on hard surfaces.

[Greensmith]

A guy I used to work for had these huge orange stickers that said "If this machine can't work neither can you" Pasted all over the trucks and machines.

[zullo-design]

If I have to use the track machine in the street like to bring materials into the back, I'll set it up so I don't have to turn on the asphalt (just back into the street and drive into the pile and then back up with minimal turning) or if I have to turn Ill just back blade some of the material from the pile to create a turning area.

Most of the time I try to avoid it but if I have to turn the machine I do large turns or 5 or 6 point turns to avoid turning 360 in one spot. Or have one of the other machines with tires. also We've got tires more geared towards working on asphalt rather than dirt since if we do anything that needs traction we'll use the track machine. So the bobcat can have tires that dont grip so well on the dirt but hold up better against the asphalt. And if need be we have metal tracks for the bobcat.