# skidsteer tracks or tires??



## northernsweeper (Aug 26, 2004)

Just wondering what you guys prefer for a skid. I am looking to pick one up, mostly for a couple commercial walks(large) and some handicap parking areas and loading docks. I would also use it for some lot cleaning and snow stacking. It seems the two speed is the way to go if the pocketbook permits, but are the tracks or tires better for snow work? How about for summer work? Hope you all have a good season. Thanks for any imput


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## Brad3403 (Sep 8, 2008)

Two speed is good but most manufactures do not recommend WORKING the machine in high speed. Tires are definately better for snow work. The weight of the machine is not spread out as much with tires.


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## cold_and_tired (Dec 18, 2008)

Tires with studs is my preference. I had to use a tracked machine for one particularly heavy storm last year and that thing was just about worthless.


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## Mr.Freezzz (Sep 17, 2010)

cold_and_tired;1076977 said:


> Tires with studs is my preference. I had to use a tracked machine for one particularly heavy storm last year and that thing was just about worthless.


I have a very large inventory of heavy equipment and the tracks will not do better than a good tire. Slip to much and tracks are pricy to replace over a tire. I run a softer rubber tire with z bar tight tread and studs or chains. Only for snow in the dirt, mud tracks own.


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

If it were a dedicated snow machine(or if "most" of the money it makes is in snow), I would go tires....and put dedicated snow tires like Snow Wolf Wolf Paws on it.


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## northernsweeper (Aug 26, 2004)

Thanks guys. Thats what I have always liked about this site. I can talk to people who know. Tires it is!!. Thanks again.


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## plowatnight (Mar 10, 2010)

snocrete;1077145 said:


> If it were a dedicated snow machine(or if "most" of the money it makes is in snow), I would go tires....and put dedicated snow tires like Snow Wolf Wolf Paws on it.


Yep, Wolf Paws.


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## rich414 (Jan 4, 2010)

I plow our subdivision and run bald tires with double spaced "D" ring chains. this allows 100% of the available chain on the ground, the double space is to reduce the bouncing and vibrating. Last year I rented a T300 to spin my blower so that I could get caughtup. I towed the t300 to the top of our subdivions road as all it did was spin and slide trying to climb the road. We blew the snow heading down hill. I had to pull it out a few times as you could not back up or the machine started to slide in the ditch...the road is asphalt and climbs 2000 vertical feet in 3.6 miles


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## 04chevy2500 (Oct 7, 2009)

go with the Wolf Paws. greatest tire ever for a skid in snow. just done use it at all on dry pavement


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## BowTieDmax (Nov 25, 2003)

I guess I am going to differ because I say the tracks are WAY better. Now I think this is because the Cat C series / ASV tracks have a much better tread then the blocked tread most all the rest have. I was concerned about the tracks in winter when I bought my skid so I checked into buying a set of the firestone Polar tracks. Well I called firestone costumer service and they said that they have no plans to make them for them machines because they don't do much better, so they probably wouldn't sell them.
But now that we used it its just hands down better then any wheel machine that we used before for plowing. It rides better, pushes the snow back off the ashalt/concrete with no damage to the yard. Even during the first snow events before the ground freezes we can push back way into the grass with no issues. Last year we had a 10ft box that was just wasting its time (to small), so this year its getting a 8611ss. In the past I leased a Cat 262 wheeled machine. I'm sorry but that thing was just about useless. Absolutely no comparison between that with wheels and the 287C tracks.
And of course the off winter season advantages of the tracks over wheels is night and day. I couldn't be more pleased and hope to by another 287c or 297c for another 8611ss.
Yes there is a bigger replacement cost from tracks to tires but the usefulness of the tracks is to great and easily justifies the extra cost.


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## sobriant74 (Oct 4, 2010)

*Tracks are better in the deep stuff*

We've found that tracks are better on any kind of incline. We use heavy lugged tires, like Solideal Lifemasters, on our wheeled skid steers for flat parking lots, etc, but anything with a grade we use Bridgestone Polartread tracks. They just work; they dont slip, they brake quickly and they give you full control. Our crews fight over who gets to use the tracks, since no one wants to be stuck in the tires.

I don't know about prices for getting them installed, since we always install our tracks ourselves, but I have seen the *polartread T190 tracks on ebay recently for around $2050 including shipping.* These tracks rock and we only bought one set last year to try them out, but this year we have sets for all of our CTL's. Once the snow falls we'll switch to them for the rest of the winter. They do fine on asphalt and mud, and dont tear up lawns/grass either. On ice and snow they just cant be beat. One loading dock we use to tear up by banging our track loader into the walls, etc is now cleaned easily and quickly without any trouble.

We found the Lifemaster tires on ebay too, cant remember the cost though, have to check my records, but they are great on ice and pretty good on hard snow. My two cents.


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