# Over tire tracks review, Solideal



## treesquirrel (Mar 8, 2010)

I have been wrestling with wet conditions for a long time now with my S250 with rubber tires. Have 3 jobs I've benn unable to do for almost 2 months.

I did a lot of thinking and decided to bit the bullet for some over the tire rubber tracks. I looked at all of the tracks available on the market and decided on the solideal track system.


Now that I have them on I did the first big job with them on Sunday. It was a customer that I removed some trees for back in december that also had a huge sink hole in the back yard.

I had to get down into the hole and compact all the stuff down as best I could and then grade some dirt from the rest of the yard into it and finish grade the yard for him to plant some grass.

All in all these tracks rock! Back before the economy hit the crapper I had a dedicated track machine which I had to sell. This machine now outperforms the track machine I had. 

The first thing I noticed was this setup will conform to obstacles. My track loader would see-saw over stuff. This flexibility results in fantastic traction. I was pushing loads of dirt real well and digging in moist conditions. The red clay we have around here is pretty unforgiving when damp. Going into and out of the hole was a snap, practically zero spin. I also NEVER experienced tire spin inside the tracks that I read about in some reviews of various track systems. This system is a nice tight fit with only 1-2 inches of sag so the contact of tire to tract is very good.

I can't wait to see the pushing power the machine has on a clearing job. The S250 already has good pushing power so I expect a dramatic increase.

Anyone who wants to get an over tire track system that will perform and produce excellent results should seriously consider this system!

Best,

Squirrel.


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## Bowhunter01 (Mar 8, 2010)

Good review. I've been wanting a set of OT tracks for my S250 for a long time, they would help me a lot. We've had such a wet winter that it will be a long time before I can get onto some of my jobs. One thing holding me up is I'm running 15.5" wide super float tires, and no one makes tracks that will fit. I hate to buy a set of wheels and tires too.

Any impressions on how your tires will hold up running under those tracks? I've heard some tracks can chew up your sidewalls, and that stuff can also get jammed inside the tracks and tear up tires.


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## treesquirrel (Mar 8, 2010)

Bowhunter01 said:


> Good review. I've been wanting a set of OT tracks for my S250 for a long time, they would help me a lot. We've had such a wet winter that it will be a long time before I can get onto some of my jobs. One thing holding me up is I'm running 15.5" wide super float tires, and no one makes tracks that will fit. I hate to buy a set of wheels and tires too.
> 
> Any impressions on how your tires will hold up running under those tracks? I've heard some tracks can chew up your sidewalls, and that stuff can also get jammed inside the tracks and tear up tires.



Mine are new so I have no feedback on tire survival. I will tell you that the tires I got for the tracks were recommended by the dealer for their performance with this specific style of tracks, they are Interco Skid hog tires.

I also went with 10.5 tires and wheels and the 10 inch track setup. This keeps the geometry right for grading. If you put tracks over your 12.5 standard tires for an S250 it will raise your machine up where you cannot get the bucket flat on the ground for smooth grade work.

The other benefit of going with the 10.5 tracks is wheel spacers are not needed. With the 12.5s and wheel spacers I would have to buy a wider equipment trailer.

I will be doing some serious digging tomorrow and will post that outcome here as well.


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## Bowhunter01 (Mar 8, 2010)

Gotcha. Yeah, it would be important to be able to set the bucket down flat. I think they make an adapter plate for that, but that's just one more thing to buy. I think my machine would be funny looking with 10" tires, after running these big ones so long, but not having to run spacers would be good. I've heard they are hard on the machine. 

Did you run 10" tires before you bought the tracks?

What kind of ball park price range are you looking at, without the tires? I might look into a set of used wheels & tires, have to wait until later in the year though, after taxes and all.


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## treesquirrel (Mar 9, 2010)

Yes the machine does look funny with just the tires but once the tracks are on its fine. The 10.5 inchers plus tracks are about 35 inches tall. the 12.5 tires alone are about 33 inches so you get 1 inch of extra height. But as I said that 1 inch does not have a bad effect on grading.

My total cost including new tires with wheels was 4000.00. This was for the older style trackmaster. The new lifemasters would have been around 5200 with wheels and tires. 

I'm off to do some digging so I will post a report later on that.


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## treesquirrel (Mar 9, 2010)

Today's job went like clockwork. I had to bury some concrete chunks from a demolished driveway and dug a 10 foot deep pit and the traction supplied by the new tracks made this job go really well.

I then graded the lot over and the whole thing was completed in about 3.5 hours. I also had to pile up some tree debris and other organics that cannot be buried. A lot of work and thanks to the tracks it was done in slightly damp conditions.


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## Bowhunter01 (Mar 11, 2010)

I'd like to check some out some time. Traction and flotation are important. Wish I didn't have to buy more wheels & tires though. I was spinning in some greasy mud while trying to grade out a driveway today, the tracks would have helped out. I do like the idea of having some give to the tracks, so you don't tip a lot when you run over stumps. I've spent pretty much all I can spend this year on this other truck and trailer, but maybe I can come up with some next year. I know they would help me out.


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## JinFung (Sep 6, 2011)

Bowhunter01 said:


> Good review. I've been wanting a set of OT tracks for my S250 for a long time, they would help me a lot. We've had such a wet winter that it will be a long time before I can get onto some of my jobs. One thing holding me up is I'm running 15.5" wide super float tires, and no one makes tracks that will fit. I hate to buy a set of wheels and tires too.
> 
> Any impressions on how your tires will hold up running under those tracks? I've heard some tracks can chew up your sidewalls, and that stuff can also get jammed inside the tracks and tear up tires.


 
Hi,May we know where to purchase the OT tracks?
Please kindly PM me.
thank you!


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## chainsawcircus (Sep 7, 2011)

*the rubber ones are great.*

we used to have the metal track to go over the tires or our s175. They were a real pain, rough on the machine too. tore the tires all to pieces and ruined the bearings in the drives. I am glad the rubber ones are more machine and user friendly.


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