If You Were Going To Buy a Crawler

Afternoom All,


ive been kicking around the idea of getting a small crawler to pull logs off my ridge. It is steep grade and need to go thru mud . Anyone have any suggestions ,Woild like to stay Ih if possible but what do you all think.
Thanks
Harry

Wide tread spacing and wide grouser plates are going to assist with stability and floatation. Though I am a red (tractorially) guy I believe that all 1955 and newer crawlers are going to be about equal in usefulness. With that said the reality is condition, particularly the tracks and undercarrage. These are more expensive to repair and problematic if worn than the engine or cosmetics. From track pin/bushings to bogie wheel life and bearings, to the drive sprocket wear, the undercarriage must be serviceable. If you are not sure how to assess these, find someone who knows and have them assess the condition. Track clutches and track brakes should be included in the analysis.
Do not buy a crawler with a differential and just track brakes (no clutches) early Oliver and Cleatrack machines are to be avoided for this reason. They turn, but not well, and not under load. Jim

For up and down a slope a track machine is good. Sideways on a slope - You have a good chance of sliding down hill. You will have low ground clearance, In mud ???

I have no experience with crawlers and this doesn't address PRTZMAN55's question but... my Dad, WWII army enginer, Pacific, mentioned problems with the Cleatrack drive system. He also said it was the best type of drive for getting out of mud unassisted.

Jim,

Could you expand on the performance of the Cletrack system? I've never seen one in action but I have looked at the mechanical schematics and it looked like a very interesting design with the claim that power was uninterrupted. Is it that there's not enough reduction on the inside track to make sharp turns?

Better have a well-funded checkbook.

A GOOD 'lil crawler ain't gonna come CHEAP, and dealing with a "fixer-upper" is gonna require some serious "cha-ching", as well.

The system is not complex at all, it is just like a conventional 2 wheel drive farm tractor with wheel brakes. It consists of a differential (spider gears and all) with no lockup device or traction control. It is an "open" differential. On each track, there is a brake. It is only capable of slowing down one drive sprocket or the other (or stopping it all together)
In action it operates by forcing the track on the outside of a turn to proportionately increase its speed (differential action). The result is like trying to turn a farm tractor (while the wheels are straight ahead) with the brakes only. This puts greater load on the engine, because the brake is placing heavy drag on one driven axle.
The normal crawler system has a clutch in each drive axle to disconnect the drive (either slipping that clutch, or complete disconnect) this allows full engine power (at the same ratio) to be applied to the outside track in the turn, and does not cause drag to be applied to the power flow. If further turning is needed, the coasting (declutched) track is then slowed further by braking action from the control lever as it goes from declutching an axle to braking that axle. A much better turn results, with no drag on the engine, and stronger continuous push or pull. Jim

I recommend the international 125B with a 4 in 1 bucket. It is a turbocharged Deutz diesel, wet steering clutch design that is practically indestuctible and you can steer it with two fingers. They have self leveling buckets, and nitrogen accumulators in the hydraulics to absorb the shock when the bucket drops instead of your back. Biggest maintenance is the track frame, idlers, sprocket and chain. Normal use area. If they are ok, you will love it. The 100B is mechaically about the same but no turbo.

it will need a great roll cage and seat belt, hope you have a lot of experience on crawlers .

There are plusses and minuses to the Cletrac steering system. Yes, trying to turn when you are at the limit on pulling can be a problem, and they do like to wander when you are going straight ahead. On the other hand, the steering doesn't start working backwards when you are going down a hill. With clutch steering, if the engine is holding back and you pull the left steering lever, the clutch disengages and that track speeds up until you pull hard enough to apply the brake. Then the unintended right turn starts to become a left turn. This is a valid consideration if you are working steep grades.

By the way, the Cletrac differential does not have bevel cut spider gears. The only bevel gears are the ring and pinion.