[NEUSWEDE]

Well it was a tough week. Third week I have been working started on a new job, pulling stumps, rough grading and moving around fill to prep for loam and seed.

Week started with the F-550 picking up a 12" piece of rebar from morons power brooming crap into the road. Then second day on the job broke a band on the VTS barely got it back on the trailer. Quickly found a 277 to get in and working. Then busted a line on the root grapple while moving stumps. But got the job done by todays deadline and talked to Dale (KRTRAXX) and got a set of replacement VTStracks that hopefully should be here next week. Decided to go with the stock replacements not the V style Ideals or the ASV style one.

Here are some pictures of the 277B, My Gehl before and After it was sidelined and the Deere 120. Really liking the 120, kinda tippy but it does have the long arm but really fast and tons of break out force.

 

[Dirtman2007]

Well it was a tough week. Third week I have been working started on a new job, pulling stumps, rough grading and moving around fill to prep for loam and seed.

Week started with the F-550 picking up a 12" piece of rebar from morons power brooming crap into the road. Then second day on the job broke a band on the VTS barely got it back on the trailer. Quickly found a 277 to get in and working. Then busted a line on the root grapple while moving stumps. But got the job done by todays deadline and talked to Dale (KRTRAXX) and got a set of replacement VTStracks that hopefully should be here next week. Decided to go with the stock replacements not the V style Ideals or the ASV style one.

Here are some pictures of the 277B, My Gehl before and After it was sidelined and the Deere 120. Really liking the 120, kinda tippy but it does have the long arm but really fast and tons of break out force.

Welcome to the excavating business.

Drive motor went out on the daewoo wednesday, $9,000 to fix that.:dizzy:

 

[NEUSWEDE]

Welcome to the excavating business.

Drive motor went out on the daewoo wednesday, $9,000 to fix that.:dizzy:

That sucks but your lucky enough to have a back-up, but I realized early on that running equipment something is always bound to happen. Just sucks this early in the season. But ill slap on the new tracks and not have to worry about it the rest of the year.

Not a fan of the 277 though

 

[bobcat_manS185]

likin that Deere 120C!

looks really nice.

 

[bobcat_ron]

So will you have time to do a push off with the skids???

 

[stuvecorp]

Were your VTS tracks going bad? Just think of it as getting all the gremlins out of the way.

 

[NEUSWEDE]

So will you have time to do a push off with the skids???

At this point the 277 will win since the track on the right side of the Gehl is done. The 277 I think would win though had good grip the tracks never slipped pushing. It did like to bog hard going into a pile and didn't like to drive and turn it was all out driving straight and would turn great but not drive and turn. Its a big machine, same weight as my gehl with VTS but the view was awesome can't see anything out the back

 

[NEUSWEDE]

Were your VTS tracks going bad? Just think of it as getting all the gremlins out of the way.

They had cracks and the first day on the job the side that broke kept slipping, so day 2 tightened up and 2 hours later while turning on rocky sand, big pop noise and started slipping. Got out and saw how it pulled apart and the metal bands were hanging out. Will snap a pic tomorrow when I take the VTS off.

I had been e-mailing dale for the past month talking and pricing because I knew at some point I would need a set since they were all cracked but was told the compound did that and would last.

 

[stuvecorp]

Yeah, I've heard the older ones crack a lot compared to the new compounds. I'm not sure which track pattern to go with when the time comes.

 

[NEUSWEDE]

Yeah, I've heard the older ones crack a lot compared to the new compounds. I'm not sure which track pattern to go with when the time comes.

Yea dale gave me the choice of the 2 below but went with the original VTS Track that was a demo. The V pattern is Solideal and have heard bad thing about their tracks in general and the other was interesting but I figured I would stick with what works since I only use them in the summer for dirt, if it was a year round thing might pick a different tread.

 

[ksss]

A 120 with a long stick and thumb is going to be tippy. I think the 130 size machine is a better match for a long stick and thumb.

 

[DUSTYCEDAR]

It takes some getting used to the cat and turn and push but i love the 277

 

[NEUSWEDE]

few pics of the busted track, looking forward to the new ones. I knew it was coming just didn't think this quick.

 

[bobcat_ron]

When I busted my T190 track, it had actual steel cables in it, not that skinny crap that you got, yours looks like individual strands of cable.

 

[NEUSWEDE]

When I busted my T190 track, it had actual steel cables in it, not that skinny crap that you got, yours looks like individual strands of cable.

Yea I had never seen it like that just small steel braided cables. I guess VTS has gone through a bunch of track changes.

 

[stuvecorp]

Looks like there is still some 'tread' left compared to some of the tracks I've seen. I thought they had cables running through them?

 

[Premier Landscaping]

That looks exactly like mine did. Did the same thing too was slipping tightened it up, started slipping 3 hours later tightened it some more then an hour later was torn all the way across luckily got it loaded on the trailer and back to the shop. I chose to go with the Mclarens have not used them yet as mine went right at the end of the year and ended up putting the tires back on it for moving snow, should be putting them back on in about 3 to 4 weeks so I can give a review of the nex-gen TDF track pattern.

Couple notes if you have not got instructions from someone else for installing. You need to unbolt the vts from the machine and take it completely off for install. You have to remove the front idler hub to get the front tensioner to lay all the way down and then the track will go on in 2 minutes. You will need a big breaker bar, and probably still a cheater pipe, I cant remember what size socket to get the front hub out but the nut is torqued to 750 ft Lbs from the factory. To make it easier I also just cut my old bands off with a sawzall as they would never be going back on anyways, before I unbolted the system from the machine no use fighting an old track anymore then you have to.

 

[NEUSWEDE]

Thought about the next gens but figured I would play it safe and stick with the stock ones. Dale said he had only sold one set and didn't have feedback on them (maybe that was you).

I pulled the tracks off yesterday and put tires back on. The broke track I am going to cut off the other I want to keep just in case something happens down the line.

 

[ksss]

That looks exactly like mine did. Did the same thing too was slipping tightened it up, started slipping 3 hours later tightened it some more then an hour later was torn all the way across luckily got it loaded on the trailer and back to the shop. I chose to go with the Mclarens have not used them yet as mine went right at the end of the year and ended up putting the tires back on it for moving snow, should be putting them back on in about 3 to 4 weeks so I can give a review of the nex-gen TDF track pattern.

Couple notes if you have not got instructions from someone else for installing. You need to unbolt the vts from the machine and take it completely off for install. You have to remove the front idler hub to get the front tensioner to lay all the way down and then the track will go on in 2 minutes. You will need a big breaker bar, and probably still a cheater pipe, I cant remember what size socket to get the front hub out but the nut is torqued to 750 ft Lbs from the factory. To make it easier I also just cut my old bands off with a sawzall as they would never be going back on anyways, before I unbolted the system from the machine no use fighting an old track anymore then you have to.

I will be looking forward to your thoughts on the McLaren VTS track. There are getting to be more and more companies making VTS tracks, thats good. Looks like parts of ND are going to flood again. You will likely need the VTS.

 

[NEUSWEDE]

I will be looking forward to your thoughts on the McLaren VTS track. There are getting to be more and more companies making VTS tracks, thats good. Looks like parts of ND are going to flood again. You will likely need the VTS.

KSSS does your VTS have the newer VTS tracks where every other rib is combined? If so, how do you like the traction?