Best Material for Excavator tracks

[thebigo]

Hay guys, just wanted to know whats the best material, Steel, brass, aluminum, for the tracks on a excavator? Sorry to ask if it's already posted somewhere else in this Forum, I did a search but didn't find anything?

[Lil Giants]

Are you intending to make your own? Most guys use aluminum of varying grades of hardness.

Others have used K1 attachment chain & then either bolt or pop rivet aluminum or steel pads to the chain.

[Rvjimd]

Bigo,

Good question, glad you asked, I'm wondering the same thing. I'm planning on a scratch dozer and a crawler crane and had the same question.

I was going to use aluminum, because I have a lot of experience with it, I thought it would be hard enough to take the stress and abuse, and quite easy to work with compared to steel, and I think it might be cheaper that any of the other materials you mentioned.

I was planning to attach the pads to chain as joe suggests, using the chain with the K1 links. I would use standard 3/32" rivets for the the fastener since I have a pneumatic squeezer.

Interested to see if others have thoughts on this topic. I don't have a mill or lathe so I will probably find angle or channel that will easily cut down to a scale size pad.

Jim

[thebigo]

Thank's Joe for the info, what I am thinking about is buying some for an excavator that has carbon steel on them now. I see a lot of the euro models have either Brass or aluminuim. As Jim said the aluminium probably is easier to work with If you are building, but I wonder If It is really is durable as steel in this application? I may consider building ?
Thanks guys

David

[speedy8305]

I am also building a crawler crane I am using 1"x1/4 alum. flat attached to channel and using #25 chain and sprocket

[bartles]

Well, I am beginning to sort out what way to go with my dragline project. Can you provide me the details using flat bar Al with Channel and #25 chain...