# Tracked loaders



## snow (Jan 5, 2001)

I'm just wondering why people use tracked loaders over wheel loaders or skidsteers. A few contractors around have them, but what advantages over other equipment do they have? I saw an older Cat 933(i think) traxcavator at this town DPW yard where they keep materials. Local contractors sometimes have equipment there to load materials for the town. My friend also has an older 933 (i think) traxcavator. Anyone know why people use them or what advantages they have over other machines?


thanks,

Bryan


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## WALT (Feb 7, 2001)

Track loaders offer a hell of a lot more traction than wheeled versions and have low ground pressure thus raising the floatability. Although the versitility is not as great as wheeled versions, sometimes jobs require those certain capabilities. That's why also track models are a minority. There is also the fact of operator preferance.
I would say that the DPW keeps theirs at the stockpile yard because they don't use it as ofen on certain jobs. By doing this they can ensure there is a loader there most of the time for loading trucks. Another reason could be that it is much better to stockpile materials with a tracked loader vs. wheeled.
Hope this helps...


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## digger242j (Nov 22, 2001)

It's been a long time since the question was asked, but I've only been here since November, and I'm slowly working my way backwards into the posts...

Besides the "floatability" factor, a track machine tends to be more stable from front to back. If you've ever tried grading anything with a rubber tired machine you'll find that if you get a little dip, or hump, as soon as the tires reach it and roll over or through it, you create another one, worse than the first. A track machine bridges those dips and humps and stays fairly true to the grade you're running on. Also, the weight of the tracks keeps the center of gravity low, so you can work slopes that you'd never get near with a rubber tired machine. They don't get flat tires from running over pointy stuff either.


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## diggerman (May 19, 2001)

I have two track loaders and a rubber tired loader of comparable H.P. and there is no comparision in reguards to traction and mud capability.We also do quite a bit of demolition and the tracks offer the ability to function with out the worry of flats. Also for grading as was stated earlier there is not quite the tendence for the whoopdeedos,level grading is much easier. A track machine on bad soil does not pump the water to the surface and create ruts nearly as bad,as a rubber tired machine and here in Iowa that can be a big problem.We have roughly 3 to six feet of black loamey soil that be comes muck with very little moisture and much of it that is buried is in a purpetual state of muck.In fact there are very few rubber tired scrapers here, most of the big contractors use D8 to D10 with pans. If you would like to see the benefits for yourself I have a crawler loader for sale for just $19,000,in no time you could be digging wholes in your neighbors yard(big ones)


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