Undercarriage & Rubber Track Care

Tracks and undercarriage parts are among the most expensive wear items on a compact machine. Good habits can add a lot of life to them.

Check track tension regularly

• Follow the tension specification and method in your operator manual.
• Too loose: tracks can derail. Too tight: faster wear on rollers, idlers and sprockets.
• Check more often in sand and mud, which pack into the undercarriage.

Keep it clean

• Clear packed sand, clay and debris from the undercarriage at the end of the day.
• Clay that dries hard can add tension and strain components.
• On coastal jobs, rinse off salt.

Operating habits that save tracks

• Make gentle, wide turns rather than counter-rotating on the spot, especially on hard surfaces.
• Avoid running tracks over sharp rock edges, rebar and demolition debris.
• Minimise travel on bitumen and concrete.
• Don't let tracks ride up against kerbs and walls.
• Travel with the idlers at the front where the manual recommends it.

Signs tracks need attention

• Deep cracks across the rubber
• Exposed steel cords
• Missing or damaged lugs
• Worn sprocket teeth or rollers
• Tracks that keep derailing even when correctly tensioned

Storage

Store machines out of direct sun where possible — UV exposure ages rubber. See our storage guide.