Mini Skid Steer Track Problem

[Andyba20]

I know some of our members are knowledgeable and/or professionals with heavy equipment so I’ll see if anybody has any suggestions or ideas on how to fix this. I have a late 2004 Toro Dingo TX425. I pretty much just use it sparingly around the house, so it has a pretty easy life and isn’t used often. 2 years ago I was using it and the left side track slipped off. The lugs were beat up so I just bought a new track and kept going. About 2 hours of use with the new track and it slipped off too. I reread the track tensioning procedure and tried again. It worked for a few more hours and slipped off again. I’ve tried increasing tension with the same results. I inspected every component of the track system. The tensioner arm spindle bushing was worn so we tack welded it and I went ahead and put in new bearings in the tensioner wheels. The tensioner spring seems fine (not cracked). All the bogie wheels move freely. I don’t have another machine like this to compare it to, and I don’t want to disassemble the right side track for fear of messing up something that’s working fine. The link below shows the tensioner arm in the guide slot, there is play but I’ve be been told that’s normal. The other link shows the drive wheel, which looks like it “might” have a very very slight wobble, but it could be my eyes playing tricks. The pic of the track shows where the lugs have been worn when coming off the track, they probably have 5 hours of use. Can anyone think of anything I’m missing? 
 

 

 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Look like something is allowing the track to slip left to right and the lugs on the back of the track are chewed up pretty badly. Being the lugs are now tapered it will allow the lug to wedge over and slip off. What are the lugs of the other side look like without taking the track off? I have a feeling still there is a boogie wheel or idler wheel that has a bad bearing that is allowing the track to slip sideways. I just got done renting a mini-track hoe and used it to do the digging work here the same kind of track that is rubber. I know Jesse had one track pop off and he managed to get it back on and stay on since. I'm assuming that the only thing to keep that track in place is the lugs themselves in your case so if the lugs are damaged I would say its possibly the cause of popping off. As for why the lugs are chewed up is it because of the track being pulled hard inward or outward, by something like a bad idler or something is bent?

Edited June 16, 2023 by Mopar1973Man

[Tractorman]

I have a small mini-excavator - a 2007 Takeuchi TB016 with rubber tracks.  I know it is not the same, but it is similar.  I bought the machine used with 1550 hours on the hour meter.  Still had the OEM tracks.  At 2200 hours, because the rubber had many rips and tears, I replaced the tracks with new tracks from Prowler. 

 

Those tracks kept coming off - even when I was being very careful with turns.  I tried various methods of adjusting them.  I thoroughly inspected the undercarriage components and could not find anything wrong.  Finally, after 140 hours of operation I removed the tracks and set the new and old tracks side by side for comparison.  The OEM tracks were far superior.

 

The photo below shows some of the differences between the OEM tracks and the Prowler tracks.  The major difference was that the OEM's steel foundation for the guides was much more robust.  The bonding to the rubber was also superior.  The OEM tracks are shown in the upper part of the photo.  The guides are in far better condition at 2200 operating hours than the Prowler tracks are at 140 hours.  Also, the OEM tracks never de-tracked.

 

 

I re-installed the old tracks and sent my documentation to Prowler.  They gave me a full refund.  I ran the OEM tracks for another 300 hours while looking for another set of tracks.  I finally purchased a set from National.  Those tracks are built much more like the OEM tracks.  They are working fine (500 hours of operation now). 

 

I have de-tracked the Natinal tracks a couple of times, but each time was under severe operating conditions.  I think that new tracks are more susceptible for de-tracking just because they have much more traction than the replaced worn tracks.  Good traction with aggressive maneuvering can lead to de-tracking.  

 

You may want to give a close comparison inspection of your old and new track and evaluate any quality difference.  It could be contributing to your problem.

 

- John