Skid steer tracks and grapple forks

[Horselog]

I have a New Holland LS190 skid steer that I'm looking to put over-the-tire tracks on and I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for me.  They have those cheap ones on ebay, not sure if they're any good.  Also looking to get a set of forks with a grapple for handling logs, which is mostly what I'm using it for now.

[Bobus2003]

I have a Multitek grapple for my skid steer, its an early design of this:
http://multitekinc.com/app/inventoryapp/new_equipment_and_parts/inventory_view/2-4-28-1.html

As for tracks.. I just got a set of almost new (100hrs) Loegering over the tire tracks off craigslist for $800. They are nice and heavy duty and have put up too the woods well so far.. ive only got maybe 20hrs on them.
http://www.loegering.com/tracksystems/F-Series.asp

[PAFaller]

I worked for a landclearing crew that had a bobcat 873 and will go with Bobus on the Loegering tracks. We beat that machine pretty hard on the smaller lots (it had a shear head along with a grapple so it got lots of use). The tracks held up real well, and add a lot of traction, but are not a cure all for popping tires. We found small stumps could still get in to a spot where they would pop the tires off the bead. Needless to say I got pretty good at taking tracks off and fixing tires on the job after a few months of working there. But as for those tracks they really helped and are worth the money. As with most things in the woods business, spend a little more on good stuff from the beginning rather than buying cheap stuff 3 times over.

[Warren]

I have a set of bar type over the tire tracks on my Case 1845C.  They work very well.   I agree with the "popping tires" comments above.  I went ahead and bit the bullet, new tires, then foam filled the tires...  8)

Now I just break the drive chains if I am not too careful...    :(

[Horselog]

How did filling the tires work for you Warren?  Is that better than getting solid tires?

Also does anyone know if I need spacers to run tracks on my New Holland LS190?

[weisyboy]

this is exactly what i wanna do - tracks and graple- will keep an eye on this.

did solid filling make the ride rough?

[Bandmill Bandit]

I have used this grapple and plan to get one when I buy my skid steer later this year.

http://www.abcgroff.com/ic/indust.htm

Here is another one that I think would work pretty well for around the mill yard.

http://www.wrlonginc.com/flg.htm

[a old timberjack]

i used and like the mclaren track system. they have a pretty good website for info.and they are direct sales and priced fair and the best for last,they  ship to your door.

[Warren]

The solid fill worked well for me. No more flats, just keep the tracks tight.  As far as rough ride, relative to what ?  I have no "smooth" places so, no difference in ride.  What I did notice with the solid fill + heavy grouser tracks was a significant increase in tip load, maybe +300 to 500 lbs.   Figure that half the foam fill weight, and half the track weight are now on the rear axle of the machine.

As far as spacers, if you buy the proper tracks, you can probably get away with just flipping the wheels out wide. My machine runs 10x16 tires and wheels.  I bought my tracks off ebay. they were listed as 10" tracks.  They were 10" inside the base, which turns out is for a 12" side wall cross section (12.00x16).   I ended up having to put spacers on to ensure no snags.

Grouser tracks off ebay = $ 1,000
4 new tires mounted     = $    400
foam fill 4 tires              = $    400

Obviously, I would love to have a factory track machine with the greater load capacity.  However, barring a factory track machine, the steel grouser tracks, over foam filled tires have worked well for me for less money.

[plasticweld]

When I sold my skid steer the guy who bought it took my old tracks off to run it at the saw mill, I can send you  pictures if you want. They are build up with traction bars and I am sure  you could buy them cheap. not sure if you wanted to wait until you picked up the winch and trailer or not but I can find out what he wants for them if your intested..Bob

[scsmith42]

I can't speak to the tracks, but as far as grapples go I have to brag about Loflin Manufacturing.

http://www.loflinfabrication.com/rootgrapple/

Recently I needed to rebuild the hydraulic cylinders on my Loflin root grapple.  I contacted them a few weeks ago, and purchased two cylinder rebuild kits.  Last week when I took it apart (there are shields over the cylinders), I discovered that the cylinders were welded together - not very easily rebuildable.

I placed a phone call to the Loflin parts dept, explained my predicament, and asked if the cylinders were rebuildable and what the cost of replacement cylinders would be.

The parts rep explained that some early versions of the grapple had been supplied with welded cylinders, and when customers complained that they could not rebuild them the company decided to replace the cylinders - for free.

I pulled my cylinders off Wednesday A.M. and shipped them the same day, Friday afternoon two brand new cylinders showed up on my front porch.

Now that's great customer service.  They did not have to do this - I had asked about purchasing replacements, and for a company do volunteer this - especially in this economy - says a lot about them.

By the way - the grapple works great!

[Ironwood]

Just to add to the topic, I bought a used Bobcat 763 and found a slightly used set of Grousers. WOW, I have used Loering tracks before on anotheer 763, and they were good, but WOW are the Grousers heavy duty. I have been using it ALOT. I got new tires (surprisingly cheap from my Bobcat dealer, heavy duties $160 and just bumped to $175). Went to foam fill them and my tire guy let me down and I brought them home not filled (wasted 2 hours or so, he was "too busy" to get to them and I needed the machine). They are now grinding old foam from tires and remixing it, the system is called Tyrfill, it will cost me $125 each.

Looking for a root grapple.......

Ironwood

[westyswoods]

One word of caution when looking for a root grapple. If you should happen across a used Bobcat grapple beware of the older ones with the grapple cylinder offset instead of centered. The force generate will torque the closing tines. I've been through two different sets. I have been going to cut and move the rams to the centers but just have not got there. The newer models are made with a center mount.

They are not a bad grapple, although I have seen and used others which are better.

Have a great day
Westy

[Ironwood]

I missed several at auction, my buddy sent me pics on his phone, I told him go as high as 2K, they went for 2300, and 2200. so that is good info on the centered hydraulic. I may end up fabbing my own from 12 block fork truck tines I have here. I think it would be a hybrid between a root grapple and brush grapple. Need to GIT ER DUN!

Ironwood

[CLL]

I had a Case with Grouser tracks and never had trouble popping tires if I kept the air at proper inflation. Could go anywhere with them

[barbender]

Working in soil with lots of rocks is the only place I've popped tires off, they have a way off getting inside the tracks and then under a tire, kapow!  Those same conditions destroy rubber track undercarriages, the main thing is to be really careful when you're turning. If you are the type of operator that always has to sit in one spot and spin, you will have trouble. Seems to me the guys that make more three point turns didn't have nearly as many problems as the ramrods that that are spinning around like tops all day

[Ironwood]

The only one I popped was on super rocky terrain (rock hammering) and the tracks were Loehrings which hold the rocks INSIDE the track much more if it gets in there, compared to Grousers. The Grousers have less "floation", but reign supreme for durability and cutting soil (I was just spinning donuts yesterday to shave a little topsoil that was compacted and had some intense grass roots. I did a swimming pool dig/levelling for a nieghbor and did the same thing to shave the clay just a little to get it level. Works very well. Also, with new tires and a fair bit of slack I have yet to have a Grouser "slip" on the tire, that seemed to happen a fair bit with the Loehrings. If you are in super soft/ swampy ground ALOT the Loehring would be the way to go.

Ironwood

[T Welsh]

Horselog, Get a set of tracks. you will be thrilled with them, they will turn your 180 into a different machine right away! as for the grapple,get the skeleton type, you can see better with them. We run a tree service and it is my go to machine every time

   190LS on left and 180LS on the right with grapple. we went and bought solid tires last year at this time and have had good luck so far with them, the ride is a little harder,but is a trade off for not having to fix flat tires. I would recommend them to anyone who uses there machines to the limit ;D. Tim

[Ironwood]

Good point on the skeleton type, I was just contemplating the backer plate, I found a 1/2" one online, and I thought maybe I would just make my own with the plasma cutter and some heavy iron as it is needed to cantilever off the backer plate anyhow (to 60"+ width of machine). I just hooked up my buddies post hole digger this morning with very open backer plate, makes sense, and will save me $250 each (I neeed several for various adapters).

Ironwood

[T Welsh]

Ironwood, I have been making my own plates for about 5 years now and the material costs and time costs about $100. ½ plate stock is all that,s needed plus welder and torches. or you can pick them up at auction for around $125. I just made a plate to attach 3 point hitch implements to a skid steer. I cut a big window in the plate so you can see through it, The little things you learn when you use them every day helps. Tim

[NWP]

Grouser tracks.  I have 2 Bobcat Industrial Tine grapples.  New they are $4600, but you can pick them up for about half that used on ebay.  I wouldn't own any other kind.  Don't go cheap on the grapple, you'll end up disappointed.

[DR Buck]

I have the Grouser tracks.




Here is my grapple.  Not sure of the brand.

[snowstorm]

for anyone interested there is a skid steer graple bucket on craigs list me