# Pros and cons of tracked skidsteer for snow removal



## Ever Green (Feb 2, 2005)

I'm in the process of purchasing a new tracked loader and was wondering how they worked in snow removal.


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## oldmankent (Mar 2, 2001)

I can't really help you out much, but I'd have to think that a tracked uniloader would be much better than a wheeled one for movinig snow. Especially when it gets in deep snow. Those things don't have much clearance and I always see them spinning the tires and not moving. Of course it isn't very hard to get unstuck with a bucket.


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## wstwind (Jan 19, 2005)

we run e-load all terrain truck tires on ours, they work great. no sliding, perfect weight dist. and cheap, except for the rims.


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## lawn king (Nov 21, 2004)

I have been in the landscape trade for 27 years, i hav'e had the opportunity to operate lots of hydraulic equipment starting in the mid seventys at the agricultural school i attended. I have operated dozers,tractors,excavators,backhoes and many models of skid steer loaders. The cat 277 all terrain rubber track loader with pilot controls is , I'm at a loss for words to describe this machine, demo this machine and you will buy it over any bobcat,john deere,new holland or anything else,it's awesome!


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## Ever Green (Feb 2, 2005)

I'm definetly leaning towards the 267...The Bobcat dealer is giving me the full court press though...They offered me a 05 T-250 with hand controls, cab/heat and 5 free rentals of equipment. I'm crazy to not look at that deal but can see myself still going with 267. I like the fact that its pretty much all Hyd. The 267 is same as 277 but just a few less horse...so you like the 277...tell me more...good for plowing snow?


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## rob1325 (Jan 6, 2000)

wstwind said:


> we run e-load all terrain truck tires on ours, they work great. no sliding, perfect weight dist. and cheap, except for the rims.


If you don't mind me asking. How did you mount the snow tires to your machine? Which rims did you use and what machine do you have? Have any pics of them? I looking to improve the traction of my Cat 262 without useing chains.

Thanks,
Rob


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## lawn king (Nov 21, 2004)

*277*

We got slammed with snow her'e last week. I ran the 277 all day friday and saturday loading dumps. The pilot controls are so responsive and i love the throtle peddle on the floor. the hydraulics are smooth and fast it spins on a dime.I love this loader almost as much as my kubota(im a tractor guy in my heart) Ther'e is a bond you feel to nature when running a tractor that you can't get from any other machine, but we are her'e to talk about the cat,right! Don't buy that bobcat i repeat for those of you who who are hard of hearing DON'T BUY THE BOBCAT. The cat blows it away,you ran both you know! As my wife will tell you i'm very fond of saying, the lawn king knows!


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## Ever Green (Feb 2, 2005)

Thanks lawn king...I'll let you know how I make out


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## salt shaker (Sep 10, 2004)

*May not of seen these yet?*

I was at the Ohio CENTS show for landscaping and came upon a company called LOEHRING. They have designed a track setup that bolts right up to any machine. This allows you to buy a rubber tired machine for winter plowing, take the tires off, and install the tracks for the spring, summer, and fall. Our company is going to demo this set-up and hope to have more info for next year. I do not have a website for you to check out (sorry), but I am sure most people are good enough on the web to find out more info.

In my opinion this looks like a real good deal. We have a T-300 Bcat that we load salt with but find that plowing snow is like walking on ice, two puts allot of strain on the whole system, since most skid steer operators feel a track loader can be run just the same.  They are not meant to make zero radius turns, putting too much pressure on the bogey wheels and the idler gear.

One machine with this setup sure does look like the way to go. Hope I can give you guys more info in the future.


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## lawn king (Nov 21, 2004)

*tracks*

There are steel tracks you can install over the rubber tires, you can get those through bobcat. They work well but they tear up asphalt bad.


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## wstwind (Jan 19, 2005)

rob1325 said:


> If you don't mind me asking. How did you mount the snow tires to your machine? Which rims did you use and what machine do you have? Have any pics of them? I looking to improve the traction of my Cat 262 without useing chains.
> 
> Thanks,
> Rob


we run john deere skids. standard skid steer rim, i believe it's a goodyear tire. sorry no pictures. your cat dealer may have more info. about your machine. not standard practice around here, we had to search out a place that would do it for us. in my opinion it was worth the small hassle. i'm suprised more guys have'nt tried this yet. good luck.


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## norrod (Nov 3, 2004)

tracked machines are awesome, but suck for snow and ice. 

It's kinda like trying to plow with monster mudders on your pickup. Your traction PSI is reduced greatly because the contact patch is so large, you have terrible traction.

CAT makes an awesome machine. When I bought my SSL machine last year, I checked them all out, but went with BOBCAT for one reason. Service and Support. My dealer has three shops that triangulate my entire territory. So no matter what part of town I am on, I can get parts, service, or rental equipment quickly. I checked out Thomas & Mustang, but not very good support system. I needed a system that can back me up when I am stranded on a job and need help fast, so's not the look bad in front of a client. After-sales Support was my number one deciding factor in what I was going to buy.

I looked at ( or should say drooled over) CAT equipment, but one a-hole salesman with an attitude sent me down the road. I guess he wanted a new customer that could bring him 7 figures in sales. I was a small time operation, and Bobcat made me feel big time. They bent over backwards to work me a really good deal, and still bend over backwards when I need to rent attachments, or another machine. I busted a shearpin on a tiller, and one call brought a field mechanic to me in just about an hour.

So I am just saying, you should never buy a machine because it is pretty. You want to make sure it is quality stuff, with a nice ergonomic design, and has the support structure to make you look big time, even if you are not. 

I my opinion, the top choices would be
CAT, BOBCAT, or JOHN DEERE. Each one has some unique cool features.


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## lawn king (Nov 21, 2004)

*track machines*

I don't agree with norrods (ABOVE) opinion that track machines suck in snow! The rubber tracks do slip a little on ice,but not on snow. I will take the track machine over wheels for winter operations every time. No disrespect intended to norrod,i thought his post was excellent!


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

Tracks rock for summer use(although if your doing demo stuff with em you can tear the heck outa the tracks and they cost alot more than tires since you can run some junk cheapies to tear the heck outa.......anywho) Much more stable, dont tear up turf as bad. The metal tracks that go over the tires can be some mean MO FO's but if you get into deep mud the tires spin inside the tracks. 

Tires are better for snow removal IMO, really want to try some regular truck tires. Since the machine will just be using a pusher box and not really loaded regular tires will work. 

Tracks will work fine though for snow removal, i justthink smaller tires would be ideal.


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## Ever Green (Feb 2, 2005)

Thanks all who replied...I'll keep you posted


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## kl0an (Dec 12, 2003)

Why not go with tires and make dualies out of them?? We have a Case Maxi Sneaker (Not for snow plowing or anything) and it's got some really wide all terrain tires on it and since we use it in Tundra applications for laying cable, we added a set of wheels all around. It practically floats on it's own.. 

If traction is your problem, double it up..


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## rob1325 (Jan 6, 2000)

wstwind said:


> we run john deere skids. standard skid steer rim, i believe it's a goodyear tire. sorry no pictures. your cat dealer may have more info. about your machine. not standard practice around here, we had to search out a place that would do it for us. in my opinion it was worth the small hassle. i'm suprised more guys have'nt tried this yet. good luck.


Thanks for the info wstwind. Will tir to find some winter tires for it.

Rob


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## NorthwestPlower1 (Feb 4, 2001)

lawn king said:


> I have been in the landscape trade for 27 years, i hav'e had the opportunity to operate lots of hydraulic equipment starting in the mid seventys at the agricultural school i attended. I have operated dozers,tractors,excavators,backhoes and many models of skid steer loaders. The cat 277 all terrain rubber track loader with pilot controls is , I'm at a loss for words to describe this machine, demo this machine and you will buy it over any bobcat,john deere,new holland or anything else,it's awesome!


I would agree fully with your evaluation of the Cat 277 nothing beats in the dirt at it's size and will take your word for it in the snow too. (we dont do snow removal with it) However, we went thru our first set of tracks at 800 hours. They were 6000.00 to replace with our own mechanic. I am guessing it may be possible to get 1200 hours out of them. This alone prompted me to buy a Cat 252 2 speed. Same controls same w/AC. Almost exact but on wheels.


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## BigZ1001 (Feb 18, 2003)

lawn king said:


> I don't agree with norrods (ABOVE) opinion that track machines suck in snow! The rubber tracks do slip a little on ice,but not on snow. I will take the track machine over wheels for winter operations every time. No disrespect intended to norrod,i thought his post was excellent!


Tracked machines can be somewhat dangerous while going across sloped surfaces (when frozen). Don't think they won't slide sideways down a hill.


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## Randy Scott (Nov 6, 2000)

salt shaker said:


> I was at the Ohio CENTS show for landscaping and came upon a company called LOEHRING. They have designed a track setup that bolts right up to any machine. This allows you to buy a rubber tired machine for winter plowing, take the tires off, and install the tracks for the spring, summer, and fall. Our company is going to demo this set-up and hope to have more info for next year. I do not have a website for you to check out (sorry), but I am sure most people are good enough on the web to find out more info.


The name is Loegering. Their website is www.loegering.com. Those tracks that bolt to the hubs are 15 large. As in $15,000.00.

Gonna be a tough call as to whether or not you would be better off with another machine for twice that.


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## salt shaker (Sep 10, 2004)

*need help understanding?*



> Gonna be a tough call as to whether or not you would be better off with another machine for twice that.


Mr. Randy Scott
If someone is interested in a track loader(they are not called skid steers), what do they do in the winter time with them? It is not recommended that you plow with them for the reasons that myself and norrod implicated toward.

The track system by (sorry)


> The name is Loegering. Their website is www.loegering.com.


 is the same cost difference between a rubber tired skid steer and a track loader. If you were to buy two rubber tired machines, how would that benefit someone that wanted to have a track machine for spring, summer, and fall work? Ratlover says it in his post


> Tracks rock for summer use(although if your doing demo stuff with em you can tear the heck outa the tracks and they cost allot more than tires since you can run some junk cheapies to tear the heck outa.......anywho) Much more stable, don't tear up turf as bad. The metal tracks that go over the tires can be some mean MO FO's but if you get into deep mud the tires spin inside the tracks.


I posted this to inform anyone who reads this thread that there is an option to buy a cheaper skid steer that can be used during the winter season and have tracks on it for the dirt season. Yea 15,000 sounds like allot, but the way you say it I need to spend 15,000 more and get a second skid steer after I purchase my new one and still don't have tracks. If I bought two track loaders now I've spent 45,000 each, and cannot use it during the plow season, so now I've spent 90,000 (which is 30,000 more than two rubber tired machines..... yada, yada, yada, bottom line, it makes sense to look into this additional system... I'm sick off typing see ya!!


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## lawn king (Nov 21, 2004)

*tracks*

Ther'e may be some lamination issues with the rubber tracks bonding to the belts on the cats. Machine is at the dealer now, i will post the outcome her'e.


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