"Hybrid" Track For Skid Loaders Combines Rubber And Steel

"Hybrid" Track For Skid Loaders Combines Rubber And Steel TRACTORS Tires/Wheels 25-2-3 "Our new æhybrid' track for skid steer loaders combines a rubber surface with steel guides. It offers all the advantages of rubber and steel," says Eugene Breker, Fargo Products, Fargo, N. Dak. The new track is fitted with steel alignment guides and patent pending, replaceable polyurethane traction bars which can be replaced by unbolting them from the guides. The track itself can be shortened or lengthened to accommodate different tire sizes or axle spacings by removing one of the bars, then splicing in a new section of rubber belt. "It solves many of the problems with both rubber and steel tracks," says Breker. "Steel tracks can't safely be driven on concrete or asphalt and weigh more than rubber tracks, which results in more power loss. Rubber tracks ride softer and are less damaging to concrete and asphalt, but are also more expensive. Another problem is there's no way to tighten rubber tracks on a skid loader. As a result, you may have to replace the original tires with smaller ones in order to get the correct belt tension. "Conventional rubber tracks have rubber guides, which don't keep the belt in alignment as well as steel guides. As a result, the tracks have to be tensioned tight in order to keep them from coming off the tires. If one of the machine's tires on one side turns faster than the other one, this tight belt tension can damage the drive train. To prevent the problem you can remove the drive chains from the front wheels, but that leaves only one set of wheels driving. "Our tracks can be run with low tension so you don't have to keep them as tight and worry about damaging the drivetrain. And if you trade for a new skid loader model, you can transfer the tracks to the new machine." Breker says the company offers two sizes of tracks, one for skid loaders equipped with 10.00 by 16.5 tires and the other for machines with 12.00 by 16.5 tires. Prices range from $3,100 to $3,400 depending on the skid loader's axle spacing and tire size. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Fargo Products, 401 27th St. N., Fargo, N. Dak. 58102 (ph 888 777-1675 or 701 235-0124; E-mail: fargoproducts@fargocity.com; Website: www.fargoproducts.com).

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