Here at Papé Machinery Construction & Forestry, we are committed to helping our customers make the most of their equipment. Compact track loaders are often an essential part of any fleet, and we want to help you maximize your uptime and minimize your downtime. 

Proper track maintenance and build quality are key to extending the lifespan and operability of your machinery. In this edition of the Papé Machinery Construction & Forestry blog, let’s take a look at tips for maintaining your undercarriage, and how John Deere creates compact track loader undercarriages that are built to last.

John Deere Undercarriage Features

When it comes to undercarriages, John Deere ensures they will stand up for the long haul.

John Deere has perfected the slurry-coat process, creating a tough shell around parts that ensures they won’t break or crack under pressure. Exclusive SC-2™ coated bushings create longer-wearing components that can handle significantly more wear and tear. In fact, the SC-2™ coating has shown to be 25 percent more durable than standard chrome plating.

Some key features of all John Deere undercarriages include:

• Staggered rollers: Stagger roller design gives compact track loaders more durability, less vibration, and a smoother ride.
• Track shoes: Made of boron steel, John Deere track shoes are tough as nails and can be tailor-made for your application.
• Track rollers: With boron steel alloy that’s hardened to good core hardness and heat-treated outside the roller diameter, John Deere track rollers are built for maximum wear life all while preventing bushings from loosening.
• Track links: Boron-steel alloy prevents pins and bushings from loosening, and can tolerate deeper heat-treating.

Types of John Deere Undercarriages

Depending on your application needs, John Deere offers 3 different types of undercarriages:

• John Deere Standard Undercarriage
• John Deere Extended Life Undercarriage
• John Deere Maximum Life Undercarriage

All of these undercarriages are built to last, but if you’re looking to extend the longevity of your equipment, you may see significant savings by going with the Maximum Life Undercarriage option.

Maximum Life Undercarriage

This undercarriage is designed to withstand up to 4,500 hours in wet, highly abrasive soil. And with bushings, seals, and larger components working together as a system, wear life is longer and occurs more uniformly between all system components. Some exceptional benefits of the Maximum Life Undercarriage include:

• More steel, which improves balance
• SC-2-coated bushings minimize service requirements because they deliver up to twice the life
• Reinforced seals, which extend undercarriage wear life
• Heavier components, adding stability, power, and longevity

Regular Undercarriage Maintenance & Inspection

Regardless of which type of undercarriage you invest in, regular inspection and maintenance is key to extending the longevity of your compact track loader’s undercarriage. As part of your regular equipment inspection checklist, be sure to:

• Inspect your tracks for any abrasion, damage, or embedded debris.
• Inspect the drive sprockets for wear and periodically measure them to gauge their wear-life status.
• Look for any abnormal wear, leaks, or damage on the bottom track rollers and idlers.
• Check track tension and make periodic adjustments to minimize damage. Be sure not to over-tighten tracks, as hypertension can cause premature wear; tracks shouldn’t be too loose, either, as you don’t want to risk derailment. 

If you need assistance checking the health of your compact track loaders and undercarriages, be sure to reach out to our equipment specialists and schedule a service appointment.

We Are Your Partner

Here at Papé Machinery Construction & Forestry, we are committed to pairing you and your fleet with the best equipment for your application needs. We don’t just sell the equipment, either; we help maintain it as we continually work hard to minimize your downtime and maximize your uptime. Reach out to us to schedule a service appointment, or ask us about our compact track loader undercarriage options.