# Track Machine - Yes or No for Snow?



## troymill (Sep 30, 2008)

We are looking at buying a T250 from Bobcat mostly for landscaping in the messy season (ie playing in the mud), our only concern is putting it to work in the winter. Any Feedback from anyone that has plowed with a track machine before would be much appreciated, we currently have 2-205's, and a A300, along with a bunch of Kubota tractors that all do the job fine. From reading the forms just trying to find out more direct answers.

1. Have you done it? if so how did it compare to wheel machine or is it a waste of time?
2. How was the wear on the tracks?
3. Did you get "snow tracks" a track with deeper groves?
4. Any other pointers.

Thanks for you time.


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## hydro_37 (Sep 10, 2006)

Try the "equipment" forum. More answers there probabily.


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## bluerage94 (Dec 24, 2004)

Nice Machine but i'd go with a Cat..... But in response I would try and stay away from the track machines in the snow....I'd be cautious about getting snow and salt in the undercarriage and if the snow freezes up you could have problems.


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## iceyman (Mar 1, 2007)

from everything i remember ,,, which isnt much,,, most guys say to never use a track mahcine for snow


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

They used to say that, until snow tracks came out.


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## Bird21 (Sep 4, 2008)

We have a Case 450ct for the past two years it has plowed every storm with no real issues. We use a 9' Snow Wolf plow with wings. The only issue is when the lots get icy it can slide a little and lose traction. As far as track wear we use it on large lots and had the operator leave a some snow where he would turn around to lube the tracks and the tracks are still in very good condition. It has two speed and plows great in either speed. Everyone has their own opinion though. Just my 2 cents.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

Bird21;594246 said:


> We have a Case 450ct for the past two years it has plowed every storm with no real issues. We use a 9' Snow Wolf plow with wings. The only issue is when the lots get icy it can slide a little and lose traction. As far as track wear we use it on large lots and had the operator leave a some snow where he would turn around to lube the tracks and the tracks are still in very good condition. It has two speed and plows great in either speed. Everyone has their own opinion though. Just my 2 cents.


good thoughts, leaving some snow , can cost salt...... and i dont own a tracked machine, but i have used them , i know the cost on those tracks is way high....

can you store your machine indoors after use? or does it sit outside? the reason i ask, if you give the tracks a chance to dethaw, you might not have many problems beside wear... i know if frozen stuff gets in there it doesnt take much to destroy a set , or thorow it off


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## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

bluerage94;594183 said:


> Nice Machine but i'd go with a Cat..... But in response I would try and stay away from the track machines in the snow....I'd be cautious about getting snow and salt in the undercarriage and if the snow freezes up you could have problems.


Id go with a cat too, a 287/297c  Their cabs are damned perfect , for a skid steer at least.

I have NO experience with them in snow, so take this far what it is that i can offer.

You may have problems with ice underneath if left out in very very cold temps and it never falls off or warms up

Im sure "tracks" in the snow surface would be no worse than 4 wide tires squishing it like ruts. Ive heard most guys say tracks cant get as good "grip" as 4 tires in packed snow... mainly because Deere and cat have "standard" tracks.

ASV i think offers tracks for their models and CAT that are aggressive mud/snow tread for this reason.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

the reason for the pour grip as i understand is mainly due to the high floatation that they were designed for. same thing with truck tire... for what ever reason ppl seem to think that big tires get better traction.... this is wrong, the float so great for mud... snow you want high psi , you want "pizza cutters" to dig down and find the pavement


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## got-h2o (Sep 26, 2008)

elite1msmith;594435 said:


> the reason for the pour grip as i understand is mainly due to the high floatation that they were designed for. same thing with truck tire... for what ever reason ppl seem to think that big tires get better traction.... this is wrong, the float so great for mud... snow you want high psi , you want "pizza cutters" to dig down and find the pavement


Amen to that.


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## Bird21 (Sep 4, 2008)

We clean up the turn around spots after the main lot is clean prior to salting. We bring it back to the shop after a big event to power wash the junk out, which is not much. The tracks and undercarriage are pretty clean. If we had more tracked machines I wouldn't hesitate putting them out to work.


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

You guys that think you know something about tracks, don't know anything. I have 2 ASVs. I push with both. They are by far the best snow pushing skid loaders I have ever used. 

Its all in the tracks. It you have a tight type track pattern like an ASV or a Cat. You will get more traction Vs. an open track (Bobcat, Takeuchi, etc) 

The only time I have ever had a problem is going up a real icey incline with a load in the box. (It has to be a steep incline) 

I have also witnessed my RC50 in a lot next to a Bobcat S300. Mine has an 8ft box the 300 an 8 ft snow bucket. RC50 weighs roughly 6000 Lbs. S300 something like 8000 Lbs. Mine is a track unit, S300 isn't. Both in roughly the same size lots same grade as well. Both have good operators. (Operators are key) My machine flat out moves more snow. Is it the tracks? Hell yes! 

J.


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## T-MAN (Jan 9, 2001)

Peterbilt;594487 said:


> You guys that think you know something about tracks, don't know anything. I have 2 ASVs. I push with both. They are by far the best snow pushing skid loaders I have ever used.
> 
> Its all in the tracks. It you have a tight type track pattern like an ASV or a Cat. You will get more traction Vs. an open track (Bobcat, Takeuchi, etc)
> 
> ...


I have a friend in upstate New York who leased a Cat, and New Holland Track machines last year. He stated the same. The Cat track machine out pushed his rubber tire New Holland skids, and the New Holland track machine. He was looking for a decent used Cat track machine to purchase for this season. All he does is snow.


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

I tried a 277C last season. It worked real nice. it could move a lot of snow as well. I was only in it for a few minutes, but my operators were in it for hours. It came down to price and what I wanted to own, so I bought a new PT80 and have been extremly happy. 

ASV stock tracks work best in the snow. I am undecided on the new Extreme tracks. I think they might work well in the mud, but snow and mud are two completely different things. I do know that they are going to make a rougher ride and they will wear faster. 

J.


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

Heres a pic from an account that we did last year. I am not going to keep it this year so I can focus more on commercial.

J.


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

I'll have to get my ASV dealer to read this post.

He wouldn't sell me one if I were to use it for snow.


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

What??

Thats just stupid. I am guessing he sells some other brand and didn't want to make that brand look bad.

Like I said I push with 2. The 05 RC50 and an 08 PT80. There is no other machine that can do the year round work these can do. I will never own another brand. Unless its a junker for loading salt. Lol

J.


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

Heres my new one.

Second pic is right after the flood waters went down and we started doing recovery work and its the day it was delivered.

J.


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## LwnmwrMan22 (Jan 20, 2005)

Peterbilt;594566 said:


> What??
> 
> Thats just stupid. I am guessing he sells some other brand and didn't want to make that brand look bad.
> 
> ...


No, I think it was the track issue, tearing the tracks off.

He's said that he's had other operations go through 1-2-3 sets of tracks / winter.

I'm of the belief that alot of that is operator error. IMO, anyways.


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## Peterbilt (Apr 28, 2007)

I have over 800 hrs on my 50s tracks. No problems at all. But I don't drive it like I stole it though. And I fire guys who do.

the 80 has just over 100 and no wear at all to speak of.

J.


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## JohnnyRoyale (Jun 18, 2006)

We have pushed snow with our CAT 257B with an 8 Ft Avalanche for 4 winters now without any issues.


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## DugHD (Nov 1, 2005)

Plowed with track machines since there start. No more problems than I have had with wheeled machines. Actually think they plow better.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

dont use a track machine during the winter. the problem is the tracks spread the weight of the machine out and without weight you wont push anything.


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## TL697 (Jan 19, 2008)

Just like everyone above states: It's about he tracks... CAT and ASV have a superior track set-up... I've operated everything under the sun for the past 10-15 years, and my last (2) machines have been a CAT 257B and my current machine, an ASV SR-80...

My $.02


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## Mad Mulcher (Sep 19, 2006)

Can a wheel machine go this fast?


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

We have a Cat 277 with a 10' pusher and a 12' plow, I ran it for a season and thought it was great, it always stayed on the same site, always outside and we never really ran into any problems with the tracks freezing up, just have to make sure that its parked somewhere not flat where the water will pool up around the tracks, thats the biggest headache. The only complaint i had about plowing with that machine was there were times that i was like "come on, lets go" feeling like i really wanted to be going faster.


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## Ramairfreak98ss (Aug 17, 2005)

Peterbilt;594487 said:


> You guys that think you know something about tracks, don't know anything. I have 2 ASVs. I push with both. They are by far the best snow pushing skid loaders I have ever used.
> 
> Its all in the tracks. It you have a tight type track pattern like an ASV or a Cat. You will get more traction Vs. an open track (Bobcat, Takeuchi, etc)
> .


Yeah thats what i was trying to get my point to... I think the fancier ASV / Cat machines out there are just starting to prove their points. and like peterbilt says, the tracks play as much part as tires do on a truck.

How much snow could a skid push with balder/non new tires? How much snow can your 8000lb 4x4 truck push with bald tires or fancy summer only street tires? not much.


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## ben540g (Oct 11, 2008)

Bobcat, NewHolland ect. have a rubber over steel track, ASV/Cat is a solid rubber track originally designed by Polaris, it depends alot on temperature also, the colder it is outside the harder and less flexible the rubber becomes which leads to traction problems. I have operated 2 ASV RC 100 with blowers and they performed well, track vs wheel machine cost is about $10 per machine hour. tymusic


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## LBZ PLOW (Dec 11, 2005)

We used a cat 287b last year and it worked great. We would even put studs in the track and it worked that much better they would only last one night but we would just add more the next time we went out.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

you guys didnt have problems with traction with the tracks? i've always been steared away from tracks because the people i have talked to said the machine has no weight behind it...


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## Mad Mulcher (Sep 19, 2006)

Look at the video i posted and see if you think our Cat is having any trouble getting traction.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

haha point well taken. like it. i have a bobcat 300 series but its wheeled. the reason i started inquiring about tracks is i was thinking about putting tracks over the wheels for winter but then i was steered away until now.


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## Milo (Feb 11, 2008)

We run New Holland, and I would take the tracked machine last. As the thread is agreeing on, it depends on the machine, the conditions and the track style/pattern. I know our 10,000 lbs LT190 on tracks won't push any more than our 5,000 lbs LS170 with wheels due to traction.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

good point. i guess ill have to try it out and see how it does.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

redman6565;604252 said:


> haha point well taken. like it. i have a bobcat 300 series but its wheeled. the reason i started inquiring about tracks is i was thinking about putting tracks over the wheels for winter but then i was steered away until now.


can i ask why you would put over the tire tracks on for winter


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## Team_Arctic (Feb 24, 2008)

i have put a set of the rubber over the tire tracks on my skid loader and it seemed to do the trick i was able to get grip where i was not getting it before. I have really thought about upgrading to a tracked loader just unsure of brand, i have been a bobcat man for quite some time, and quite a few machines but i like the power and controls of the cats just unsure of what one will handle better but the ones i have rented never seemed to have a problem in the snow for days at a time around the farm.


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## redman6565 (Jul 14, 2008)

cause tracks acutally make the machine seem to weigh less, which in turns causes less stress on crappy built sidewalks and what not. i dont want to replace sidewalks if i dont have to. tracks spread the weight fo the machine out over five feet each side versus having four pressure points carry the weight of the machine.


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## mlambie (Oct 15, 2008)

*Asv 30*

I have an ASV 30 and am looking for a snowblade, new or used. Does anyway have some companies that offer these besides ASV?

Thanks.


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