|
| We haven't found a time yet when the tracks were inferior to wheels. My son does a lot of finish grading with his, he also loads a lot of manure with it. We've got a 277B, it's a slightly different track undercarriage, they change them based on if the machine is a verticle lift or not.
It is a dream to run, so smooth you can use the accelerator and hold it steady instead of having the throttle at a certain setting, makes it easy to slow down around close quarters and if you're stopping and starting often. Controls are all pilot controls instead of fly by wire, to me they were smoother than the T300 Bobcats we demo'd against and we had run nothing but Bobcats since 1967 until 3 years ago. Personally I think the cab has more room for those of us who are handicapped when it comes to getting away from the table.
If I remember right the B versions improved the visability, allowing you to see out lower on the front door and improved the A/C drive, but after that my mind draws a blank tonight regarding other changes.
The ASV undercarriage will run very smooth on rougher ground, it won't buck around like a wheeled machine might at times. How long the tracks last is related to how you run the machine and how you take care of it. Charlie's got about 1200 hours on his and the tracks still look almost new, you can't really see any wear, but he doesn't spin them and abuse them.
The only thing I can say I don't like about it is the level lift switch which is supposed to control the bucket so you don't have to roll it out as you pick it up. It's electronic and switchable in the cab. I think it rolls out too much and if you've got a bucket that's really full it will spill some off the front when it's turned on. I just prefer to run with it off and level the bucket myself.
Some people have complained about the ISO controls, but everyone that we've got running it has no problem with it, even my 83 yr old Dad. To me it's just more natural to steer with your left hand and run the bucket with your right since that's the way most dozers and track loaders are anyway.
If the machine you are looking at has a cab with a/c and all the extra's the price is probably not bad. Get on Machinery Trader and search for that model and year, then click on auction results and it will give you hi, low and average sales prices. | |
|
cat 257 tracked skid steer
