Well long story short, I've been using my dad's Cat skid-steer to clear some of my property I bought this year that's been grown up.

He mentioned something to be Saturday about the drive lugs in the tracks being cracked, but they've been like that since he's owned it (200-450hrs) and didn't foresee them giving him a problem before he sells it after the first of the yr....

-I guess that was before he dropped it off at my place

Me and him put about 20hrs on it this weekend and ran it pretty hard, cleared about 3 acres of underbrush. He ran it much harder than I did. Anyway, he calls me today and says he's going back to work (28 days in off the coast of Africa) and told me to keep it and he'd get it when he came home, and to keep it, grease it, and use it... No sweat. I was literally moving loose, already cut and dug up brush from one pile and onto the fire, no load, not spinning the tracks, and busted about 4 drive lugs out of the left track. now he's gone and I've got 4 weeks to fix the machine, finish my clearing and a couple small jobs and have it ready for him to get LOL.

It is a 65hp Caterpillar 247B high track loader. I've found track repair kits because apparently this is a common problem. An aftermarket track is about $1400ea, the OEM tracks are about $3Kea.... Ouch.

The repair kit is about $185 but I don't know if that's per-lug or for multiple lugs. My main concern is repairing the broken ones, then more take a ****.. Or spending several hundred on repair lugs and it being damn near what a replacement track would cost.

Bet case scenario id like to find a decent used set of tracks for a good price to finish my job and so he can sell it without track problems.... That drives the price way down on this kind of equipment. Besides these rubber tracks being what they are, the rest of the machine is in great shape and has been maintained meticulously.

WTF do I do now

 

That's a tough one Ben, text me in the morning. I have a good friend who runs equipment like this daily, he might have some good advice or may have a hookup on parts if he doesn't have some stuff laying around!

 

No welder? Haha

We have had to replace a track on a small trackhoe. That sucked.

Then had to repair a Final drive on a small dozer in the field. I know why they call them Finiancal drives


Either mew track or weld that dude up!!

 

I'm guessing he has rubber tracks on it. That's how I've always seen them around here anyways.

 

PM me your number dude, I don't think I have it on this newfangled smarty pants phone

TLP0702-377 Caterpillar 247B 01A Aftermarket Rubber Track (Quantity 2 Utilized)

TLPLLKIT Caterpillar 247B 01A Drive Lug Repair Starter Kit (Quantity 1 Utilized)
Says there one kit repairs 5 lugs.... Tempting to try anyway.

 

Yeah, it's a rubber tracked machine. It really rides pretty smooth, most of the replacement tracks have steel belted cores. I dont think it'll be bad swapping a track on it. Pick the front up with the bucket, the rear with a bottle jack and run the turnbuckle in.... It's not a big track so a couple pry bars should get it....

 

I would say cheap enough to try once lol. But if more break, then consider options. I am by no means a heavy equip guy lol...... Pm sent, also remembered I have a buddy who is a sales rep for cat that I can touch base with also

 

I get a "gold OEM discount" at Mustang Cat, Holt Cat, Warren Cat and Louisiana Machinery, here whatever thats worth LOL. I know the spark plugs that usually cost $150+ea we get for about half that... natural gas engine parts are high dollar LOL.

I'll give ya a shout and see what we can dig up. If nothing else buying a few of those kits may be something to try in a pinch.

 

Gold oem discount huh, sounds like some stuff your president is offering lol

 

I dont know WTF it is haha... Its just on all of the invoices I get from those places... for all I know everyone gets it hahaha

Theyre not giving equipment parts to people who dont need them and would be pissed if they ever had to do a day's work with said equipment... thats more like your president's discount