Compact track loaders

Concrete Construction, August, 2002

Throughout the construction business the success of small skidsteer equipment has led to the development of other compact equipment. The newest addition is the compact loader with rubber tracks. For many jobsites, this configuration has advantages over a skid-steer loader or even over an all-wheel steer loader (see Table 1). The very low pressure the track exerts on the soil (as low as 2.5 psi for the smaller models) makes it ideal for muddy conditions or where damage to the working surface must be minimized, such as on established lawns or asphalt. Another consideration is that tracks never get flat tires, and they operate more efficiently in muddy conditions. However, tracked loaders are considerably more expensive than skidsteers of comparable load capacity. (One company that makes both gave list prices of $26,400 for a 75-hp skidsteer and $39,800 for a tracked loader of the same size.) The key to determining if this type of equipment is right for you lies in how varied are the soil types and conditions you work in. The amount of time the tracked loader will be in use or the potential for additional productive time may justify the additional cost.

Another way to get a tracked loader is to add a removable track to your skidsteer. There are several suppliers of both rubber and metal tracks (contact CEAttachments, Loegering, or Protrac). Removable tracks provide flexibility in the use of a skidsteer but do not provide the advantages of stability found in a tracked loader, which incorporates a track suspension system into its undercarriage. Removable tracks also do not completely protect tires from punctures.

Another option in small tracked Loaders--very small--is a walk-behind. Toro's Dingo 425 Wide Track has a 25-horsepower engine and offers 35 quick-change attachments (circle 8 on the Reader Service Card). Kanga Loaders also has a tracked walk-behind machine, the TK-113 Kid, that might be handy in some situations.

In Table 2 below, showing the various models currently available, you will notice similarities among a few of the machines. The Polaris machine is manufactured by ASV, who also supplies the tracked undercarriage for the Caterpillar machine. The ASV models are the lightest of the tracked loaders, and, with their wide tracks, the ground pressure is around 2.5 psi (compared with 4 or 5 for other models). The smaller size allows ASV to keep its prices the lowest in the category (under $30,000). Another similarity you'll notice is between the Takeuchi machines and those from Mustang; Takeuchi is the original manufacturer of both. There are many attachments for these loaders--Bobcat lists 43 different ones.