proper term/ where to get "road pads"

440roadrunner · March 26, 2009, 05:13:34 AM

what is/ are the proper term for rubber "road pads" for tracked vehicles? Where are some places to get them or get material to make them?

John D · March 27, 2009, 03:37:27 AM

Quote from: "440roadrunner"what is/ are the proper term for rubber "road pads" for tracked vehicles? Where are some places to get them or get material to make them?

Great question! I was just thinking about how to make wooden blocks for my AG-6 - it has ice grousers, and I don't want to tear up the concrete bridge when I move it this spring. Of course, I could put down a couple of logs, but the bridge is inclined, and I really wouldn't want to slip off it into the ravine!

Someone in this group has to have made those pads. Old rubber tires?

Blake Malkamaki · March 27, 2009, 04:29:40 AM

We made wooden blocks for the steel wheels on our 28-50 Hart Parr years ago. Luckily we only made 6 or 8 to try before wasting our time on more. They lasted for several minutes of driving around with no load. Not a good idea.

Blake

Bob · March 30, 2009, 01:59:29 AM

Maybe pieces of conveyor belting bolted to the tracks with no grousers. Or when you run over the road / concrete just lay long pieces of belting down and drive on it. I have ran dozers on our shop floor before with nothing and the small tractors don't do anything if you go slow and make gradual turns.

Crazy Matt · October 01, 2009, 12:41:14 PM

The military surplus warehouse in Idaho falls has a bunch of rubber track pads.

440roadrunner · October 01, 2009, 09:04:55 PM

Quote from: "Crazy Matt"The military surplus warehouse in Idaho falls has a bunch of rubber track pads.

Can you tell me who they are? Is this a retail surplus outfit, or one of these deals where you have to bid on lots? They have a web page? (I'm a LONG way from Idaho Falls, up here in Coeur d Alene)

79star · February 15, 2010, 07:03:18 PM

Could used tracks from a Cat Challenger be cut up to make road pads? Any thoughts on this?

John Schwiebert · February 16, 2010, 06:17:02 PM

Around here when these guys move these D-8 Cats that pull tile plows across a bridge or a road they throw down about a dozen used car tires and away they go.

Bob · February 16, 2010, 07:40:31 PM

If you just took the track grousers off and left the plate (most cletracs use a plate and shoe) it wouldn't hurt the road, maybe a little, but wouldn't have any traction. My BG has rubber pads on it. It looks as if they were molded around the shoe, then bolted on. I know Zimmermans sell bolt on blocks for HGs. Maybe they would have a source for making bigger ones for the bigger tractors. The only problem with that is it would be awful expensive.

Bob

LoggerLee · February 14, 2011, 05:00:55 AM

The guys like to use Trex on they're crawlers,lasts a lot longer than wood I hear.
Haven't tried it myself though

Bob · March 22, 2011, 02:29:00 AM

"Call me for any track pad needs...we are the true manufacturer of our track pads right here in Warren, PA, USA!!!

If we haven't already made it we can!

1-800-289-1456 x 164"

I copy and pasted this info from the HCEA forum. I think the name is "Track Pads" but don't quote me on that. Might be worth a phone call

killdozer51 · August 08, 2011, 09:40:23 PM

a friend of mine went to a local industrial tire store that he dealt with and got some thick rubber from some old loader tires and old track pieces from mini escavators. cut them the size he wanted, drilled holes in the rubber and mounted using two carriage bolts(cut the excess bolt off after they were tightened. when you put them on it affects your traction some. we took them back off later because we were pulling logs and needed all the traction we could get! good luck

james