It also covers the pros and cons of using track shoes. Although an excavator is used as a working example, the same principles apply to any tracked machine that has shoes.
wearer and the ground, and as with most machine components, track shoes have to be replaced now and then.
This article explains what a track shoe is, how the installation and removal procedure is done, and what tools are needed to do it.
What Is a Track Shoe?
Excavators use one of two different types of tracks: rubber or metal. The former is typically constructed of a single piece of rubber and needs to be replaced as a whole. Rubber tracks have a lower initial cost but wear out more quickly. However, if most of your work involves traveling on finished surfaces such as lawn, concrete or asphalt, the rubber track may be your best option.
The metal track is made up of a continuous band of links called a crawler track or track chain( think bicycle chain) to which individual shoes are attached. This has an advantage in that a few shoes, or even just one, can be replaced when needed instead of having to replace the entire track. Metal tracks
January 2025 • www. thepartsconnection. org • 13