Rubber Tracks

Quick answer: a rubber track is sized by three numbers, width × pitch × links, in millimeters. Match all three, then match the machine make, model and year. The tread pattern and the price come after that. (Fitment first. It keeps you on track.)

Question	Short answer
What size is my track?	Read width × pitch × links off the belt, for example 450 × 86 × 55
How long do tracks last?	Sources put the average between 1,000 and 1,600 working hours
How tight should they be?	As tight as your machine's manual says. Check every day, or at least every 5 days
Tracks or tires?	Wet soil and width limits favor tracks. Dry, firm ground favors tires
What do we need for a quote?	The track size, plus machine make, model and year

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A rubber track size is three numbers: width, pitch and links

Most rubber tracks have the size molded on the outside or inside of the belt. On compact equipment it reads like 450 × 86 × 55:

Part	Meaning	In this example
Width	Belt width in millimeters	450 mm (17.7 in)
Pitch	Distance between the centers of two drive lugs, in millimeters	86 mm (3.4 in)
Links	Number of drive lugs around the inside of the belt	55

Widths on compact machines run from about 180 mm (7 in) on small excavators to 450 mm (17.7 in) and more on loaders. Pitches you will see often include 72 mm, 84 mm, 86 mm and 96 mm, according to Broken Tractor's track buying guide. Large agricultural track tractors and combines are usually identified by belt width and machine model instead. Our tractor tire sizes explained guide covers the wheeled side of the same problem.

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How do you measure a track when the size has worn off?

Use a tape, a marker and ten minutes. TVH's rubber track measuring guide uses the same three values. Here is a worked example with a track we will pretend is on your machine:

1. Width. The tape reads 17.7 in across the belt. Multiply by 25.4: 17.7 × 25.4 = 450 mm.
2. Pitch. Mark the center of one drive lug. Measure to the center of the lug 5 places along. The tape reads 430 mm. Divide by 5: 430 ÷ 5 = 86 mm.
3. Links. Count every lug around the inside of the belt. You count 55.
4. Sanity check. Pitch × links gives the length around the belt: 86 × 55 = 4,730 mm (186 in, about 15.5 ft). Lay a tape along a straight stretch of the old track. If the total is far off, you have miscounted.

Result: 450 × 86 × 55. Measuring across several lugs and dividing beats measuring one gap, because a single reading can be off by a few millimeters. If you work in inches, our size converter and the tire tools page help with the conversions. Track size is only a starting point, so add the machine make, model and year.

Same three numbers can still be the wrong track

Two tracks can share width, pitch and links and still not interchange. Check every item below before you order:

Check	Why it matters
Width	Too wide rubs the frame. Too narrow rides off the rollers
Pitch	The lugs must sit exactly on the sprocket teeth
Links	Wrong count means the track is too loose or cannot be tensioned
Guide type letter	Some tracks carry a letter such as N, K, W, B or T for the shape of the inner guide. Broken Tractor lists these. Match it to the old track
Machine make, model, year	Matching numbers on different machines are common

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Which tread pattern fits your ground?

Tread is the second decision, after fitment. Pattern names vary by maker. The groups below turn up across the sources we read, including TrackTECH's buying guide.

Pattern	What it is known for	Think about it when
Multi-bar	The smoothest ride of the common patterns	You work on hard or finished surfaces and want less vibration
Zig-zag (general duty)	A value option for lighter, mixed work	Hours per year are modest and the ground is forgiving
Bar or block (heavy duty)	Built for longer life in harder use	You run long hours or work in rough ground
C-block and staggered block	All-round compromises between grip and ride	One set of tracks has to cover several jobs

Rule of thumb: general duty is a trade of price for life. Heavy duty costs more up front and is meant to last longer. Winter adds a twist. Snow can pack into some treads and cut traction, so tell your supplier if you work in snow.

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Skid steer, mini excavator or farm machine: what changes?

Machine	What to know
Skid steer and compact track loader	Rubber tracks only, in bar, block and zig-zag patterns. Undercarriages are rigid or suspended. Kubota notes that the choice changes ride and how tracks wear
Mini excavator	Four undercarriage options exist: heavy duty rubber, general duty rubber, steel with rubber pads, and steel. Carter Machinery lists all four. Only the rubber ones are what we mean here
Farm track machines	Identified by belt width and machine model. Send the model and we will quote what we can supply

Mini excavators and loaders both use width × pitch × links. They do not share tracks, because their guides and frames differ. Never assume a track from one fits the other. For wheeled equipment, start at construction tires or the tractor tires page.

How long do rubber tracks last?

Source	Figure
Bridgestone	About 1,200 working hours on average
Broken Tractor	1,000 to 1,600 operating hours
Cleveland Brothers	400 to 2,000 hours, averaging 1,200 to 1,600

That spread is huge. Surface hardness and the operator explain most of it. Rock, stubble and abrasive ground wear rubber fast. Slack tension and sharp turns on pavement do the rest.

Is the cheaper track really cheaper per hour?

Divide the price of the track by the hours it lasts. That is the cost per hour. A track that costs twice as much and lasts twice as long costs the same per hour. A track that costs twice as much and lasts only 1.5 times as long costs 33% more per hour (2 ÷ 1.5 = 1.33).

Price compared to option A	Life compared to option A	Cost per hour
1.0×	1.0×	The same
2.0×	2.0×	The same
2.0×	1.5×	33% higher
1.5×	2.0×	25% lower

We do not publish track prices, because every track is quoted. Ask each supplier for the expected hours, then run the sum. (Our idea of a fun Friday is a division problem. We know.) For how we think about tire prices, see how much a tractor tire costs.

When should you replace a track?

• Cracks that run across the belt, or steel cords showing.
• Missing or badly worn drive lugs, or lugs that slip on the drive wheel.
• Sprocket teeth worn pointed or hooked instead of rounded. Replace those parts too.
• Tread worn well down. A new track has about 1 in (25 mm) of tread.
• Cuts along the edges, or dry rot and stress marks from sun.
• A track that keeps loosening, sagging or jumping off.

Replace both tracks together, in most cases. A new track beside a worn one makes the machine pull to one side.

How tight should a track be?

Follow the manual for your machine. Cleveland Brothers advises checking tension daily, or at least every 5 days. Tension is set with a grease cylinder. Too loose and the track can jump off. Too tight and everything wears faster. Before new tracks go on, inspect the rollers, idlers and sprockets, because worn parts ruin new rubber.

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Do you need tracks, or would better tires do the job?

Rule of thumb: tracks earn their keep on wet soil and width-limited jobs. Tires with the right pressure cover the rest. (Tracks are the only footwear that never ask whether the field is dry.)

Bridgestone's tracks versus tires comparison puts numbers on it. Below 20 psi (1.4 bar), tires put less pressure on the soil than tracks. From 20 to 35 psi (1.4 to 2.4 bar), the two are about even. Above 35 psi (2.4 bar), tracks win on flotation.

Factor	Rubber tracks	Tires
Best slip rate	0 to 3%	5 to 9%
Wet or muddy ground	Larger footprint, shallower ruts	Good if run at low pressure
Fuel use	No real saving; can need more power to turn	About the same when properly maintained
Typical life	Around 1,200 working hours	Depends on tread type and care
Upfront cost	Higher than a comparable wheeled machine	Lower
Maintenance	Track tension, greasing, oil levels	Inflation pressure

Selection depends on field width limits, soil, budget and weather. Check our tractor tire pressure guide before you spend on tracks.

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Seven mistakes that cost people a second shipment

1. Measuring the gap between lugs instead of center to center.
2. Forgetting that 1 inch is 25.4 mm.
3. Miscounting links. Count every one around the inside.
4. Assuming matching width, pitch and links means the track fits.
5. Ignoring the guide type letter.
6. Fitting new rubber onto worn rollers or sprockets.
7. Buying on price per track instead of cost per hour.

How do you buy a used track without regret?

Tread carefully. A used track can be a sound buy or a short-lived one, and the photos decide which. We source new and used tracks, and suppliers send photos of the actual item on request. Ask for these:

• The outside of the belt, full length, for cuts and cracks.
• The inside, showing every drive lug.
• Any spot where cords show.
• The molded size markings.
• Tread depth next to a tape measure.

Our used tire inspection checklist covers the same cuts, cracks and photo questions for tires.

When you don't need new tracks

• Your ground is mostly dry and firm and you run tires at the pressure the load table allows.
• Your tractor is wheeled and you only want less compaction. Wider flotation tires may do it for far less money.
• The track is loose, not worn. Tension may be the whole problem.
• You are not sure which size you have. Sort that out first, then decide.

Where tracks and tires meet in our catalog

For wheeled machines, browse agricultural tires, wheels and rims, the tire size index, farm equipment tires and the R1 to R4 tread guide.

What to send us for a quote

• The size from the track, or your width, pitch and link count.
• The machine make, model and year.
• How many tracks, new or used, and where to ship.

We quote each track. We ship to the USA and Europe in about 1 week and take payment by Zelle. Send us your size on WhatsApp or use the quote form. We will find the track. We will probably also make a tread joke. Consider it free.