Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/301674
equipment matters determined by ground condi- tions, required flotation and maximum acceptable machine width. Caterpillar offers two distinct types of compact track load- ers. In addition to a product line named compact track loaders, they also offer multi-terrain loaders (MTLs), which are designed to have even lower ground pressure. The MTLs come with wide tracks as standard equipment, and the use of different materials in the tracks and undercarriage sheds some weight. For example, their 289D CTL has an operating weight of 10,533 pounds, an ROC of 2,660 pounds (at 35 percent of tipping load) and ground pressure of 4.6 psi. Their 287D MTL has an op- erating weight of 9,929 pounds, an ROC of 2,800 pounds (at 35 percent) and ground pressure of 3.9 psi. Daily checks Track tension is key to minimiz- ing problems and costs with CTLs. Too loose, and the ma- chine can de-track. Too tight, and undercarriage and track wear are accelerated. Track tension should be part of every day walk-arounds, and the tracks should be tensioned as required. This usually takes only a few minutes and is ac- complished by adding or bleed- ing grease from a cylinder that expands or contracts to adjust tension. Gehl machines offer IdealTrax Automatic Track Tensioning Sys- tem. "The system automatically tensions the tracks at start-up," Moore says, "and it maintains correct, continuous tensioning while the machine is operating. At shutdown, the tracks auto- matically slack, reducing load on the tracks, bearings and rollers and extending the service life of those components." Anderson advises customers to consider the impact of emerg- ing Tier 4 regulations. "As Tier 4 Final continues to roll out to other engine power categories, it will be important to assess the unique service and repair requirements of machines with Tier 4 Final power." He says it's best to find ma- chines with minimal demands related to emissions control sys- tems, "because these machines are often operated and serviced by numerous people throughout an organization with varying levels of technical expertise." "There is a specific place in the market for CTLs," Wade says. "They go hand-in-hand with skid steers but work in differ- ent environments. Customers need to evaluate their working conditions and use the machine best-suited to those conditions, while also adjusting their busi- ness practices to take advantage of that machine type's strengths and weaknesses." This article originally ran in Equipment World magazine. 4 4 To t a l L a n d s c a p e C a r e . c o m M AY 2 014 The Gehl RT250's lift arm incorporates dual bucket cylinders and two lift-arm stop blocks on the front of the main frame. When fully raised, the hinge pin has a 128-inch height.