Top Rubber Track Maintenance Tips to Extend Their Life

What are the top rubber track maintenance tips to extend their life? Rubber tracks outperform steel tracks in a variety of ways. For example, they are less likely to harm the ground and give a quieter ride with less unpleasant vibrations. They’re also much lighter and won’t rust, and they have a strong reputation for long-term durability.

Rubber tracks, on the other hand, require proactive maintenance to ensure machine efficiency and performance, as well as track safety and longevity. These rubber track maintenance guidelines should be incorporated into every fleet’s basic maintenance regimen.

Rubber Tracks: How to Look After Them

• During all pre- and post-operation heavy equipment checks, look closely at the rubber tracks for evidence of deterioration and good alignment.
• Remember to examine the lugs and look for worn bogies and protruding wires while examining.
• Check the operator’s manual to see how wide the distance between the guide lugs and the midroller should be, and make sure it’s correct.
• To avoid excessive wear or the track being thrown off, consult the instructions for optimum track tension; various heavy equipment requires varying levels of sag in the track.
• Clean rubber tracks on a daily basis; if dirt, debris, or other things accumulate in track rails, pressure on the tracks and undercarriage increases.
• Carefully remove heavy accumulations with a shovel or other instrument.
• Rubber tracks can be cleaned with a pressure washer.
• Clear the drive hub holes with a screwdriver; asphalt and other debris that accumulates in them can wear out and shift the lugs on a track.
• Check and clean the drive rollers and bogie wheels throughout the day. Inspect and clean the sprocket rollers every 50 operational hours, or more frequently if working on sand or other abrasive ground. Avoid driving in reverse, which stresses the tracks (and go slowly if you must drive in reverse)
• Avoid abrasive, sharp, or otherwise possibly damaging surfaces such as broken concrete, huge gravel, and other abrasive, sharp, or otherwise potentially damaging surfaces.
• Also, avoid driving over chemicals, oils, salt, or other impurities; if they get on the rubber tracks, wash them off right once.
• Do not drive up to or over curbs.
• To reduce needless and uneven wear on the rubber tracks, make gradual or three-point turns and avoid counter turning.
• Reduce operations on inclines and dips, as well as across depressions and crowns, as these cause uneven track and undercarriage wear.
• When operating on sloped terrain, drive carefully and avoid making sudden turns.
• Inspect tracks every two or three months with the machine hoisted to ease stress and get a good look at whether the bogie wheels’ bearings have worn out or failed.
• Tracks should be rotated on a regular basis to avoid uneven tread wear.
• Avoid exposing rubber tracks to direct sunlight for long periods of time; park in the shade or cover them during storage.
• If you have heavy equipment with rubber tracks that has been sitting idle for a long time, run it for a few minutes every two weeks to keep the tracks from losing their elasticity and becoming deformed.
• Rubber tracks that aren’t attached to a machine should be stored in a cool, dry place out of the sun, lying flat and not stretched out.
• Undercarriage maintenance, which goes hand in hand with track maintenance, should not be overlooked.

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