Track life on Half Tracks
Moderator: Kevin Lockwood
- Mtn-Track
- G-Second Lieutenant
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 12:19 pm
- Location: **
Matt,
The answer to your original question is, at best, a difficult one. The wear on a set of tracks is determined by: The age of the tracks (rubber), what they are driven on (asphalt, rock, sand, etc), how they are aligned/adjusted on the halftrack, how they are cared-for (inside storage, outside storage, in the sun, etc.), how fast they are driven and for how long (heat cycles), how much exposure do the internal cables have to air, are they plow-steel cables? stainless steel cables? phosphor-bronze coated plow-steel cables?etc. etc....
All of these, plus more, determine the life of a track. If I remember correctly, I once found a WWII reference that said to expect about 1000 "combat miles" out of a set of halftrack tracks. Basically, the newer they are and the better care you take of them, the longer they will last. How long is anybody's best guess.
The answer to your original question is, at best, a difficult one. The wear on a set of tracks is determined by: The age of the tracks (rubber), what they are driven on (asphalt, rock, sand, etc), how they are aligned/adjusted on the halftrack, how they are cared-for (inside storage, outside storage, in the sun, etc.), how fast they are driven and for how long (heat cycles), how much exposure do the internal cables have to air, are they plow-steel cables? stainless steel cables? phosphor-bronze coated plow-steel cables?etc. etc....
All of these, plus more, determine the life of a track. If I remember correctly, I once found a WWII reference that said to expect about 1000 "combat miles" out of a set of halftrack tracks. Basically, the newer they are and the better care you take of them, the longer they will last. How long is anybody's best guess.
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- Sergeant Major of the Gee
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Who could blame you for a rant like that, Maybe these guys need shouting at befor they can see sense. In essence I posted exactly what you repeated above about a dozen posts previous. As I wrote then " just look at the darn things" and the ones available now are " the bargain of the century"...........My personal opinion is that anyone not having spare tracks is a fool, anyone not buying spare tracks at their current price is a fool, and anyone owning a halftrack without the means to provide such an essensial spare part is a fool........as I wrote, a personal opinion.Mtn-Track wrote:I had the rubber tracks made in 2002. Gary (G102) has the neoprene tracks made in the late 80's and early 90's.
If you need tracks now or WILL need tracks in the future, NOW is the time to get the tracks. The price that Gary has IS BY FAR THE LOWEST THAT THEY HAVE EVER BEEN AND EVER WILL BE. Mine are more $$$ since I PAID MORE to have them made by the IDF supplier. THEY DO NOT MAKE THESE ANY MORE UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY FOR A BIG ORDER, and with the world in the current mess, THEY MAY NEVER BE MADE AGAIN!
I can't believe you guys are having this discussion on finding a company to make halftrack tracks. What are you going to do? Get everyone together to make a big order? Then what? Who's going to take delivery and ship them around the world to everyone that ordered some?
THEY ARE HERE NOW, THEY ARE FOR SALE, THEY ARE MADE FROM THE ORIGINAL MOLDS, AND THEY WILL NEVER BE THIS CHEAP!
This rant is by no means a sales pitch! It's a reality check!
If you still have doubts, ask yourself this, Image a time when there are no tracks left (all the clever guys bought them) now imagine you are on the side of the road with a busted track.........OK, now, go to your shed, with $1200 - and dont come out until you have made a new track. You will never appear again !.............or even funnier, try and sell your mint M16 with no track ........How much do 'gate guardians' make ?
I realise this thread has developed and left the strict confines of the original question, but so what.......that is exactly how conversations are supposed to evolve.
Regards Mark.
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- G-Master Sergeant
- Posts: 101
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- Location: Hatfield, PA 9440
Getting points across
Hi Matt,
Yes, I looked back on the thread and see it took off on a tangent. I stand corrected.
Posts like this are so difficult to communicate through sometimes. Mtn-Track says I am missing the point. Actually, no, I don't think I did. I think I was actually trying to make a different point.
Let me see if I DO get his point: Why worry about getting more tracks made when Gary has them in stock and at a good price - a price you can't come close to compared to the other attempts to get tracks made.
Mtn-Track, did I get it right?
If I did, that's fine then. I Take your point. (I will probably be buying tracks from Gary anyway) If I didn't, please set me straight.
But for the record, my point was getting a handle on what to do when Gary is out of stock, or the price for the last few climbs out of reach.
Probably what would help if Gary could clue us in on the remaining quantity of tracks in his warehouse. If he only has 20 sets left.... Ok, time to take out a loan and call in an order. If he has 500 sets left, then this discussion really is a moot point. We will all be dead of old age before we have to sweat finding tracks.
Both professionally and personally, I have been burned when a Single Source Vendor folded. In one case the owner had a heart attack and his stock couldn't be sold until the contested estate was settled. In another, the manufacturer went bankrupt and there was over a year gap while the contract was put up for bid and approval.
I have nothing against Gary - he was very helpful to me on the phone about two weeks ago - my concern was only about developing a replacement supply source for when his stock is out.
Cheers,
Jim Burrill
Yes, I looked back on the thread and see it took off on a tangent. I stand corrected.
Posts like this are so difficult to communicate through sometimes. Mtn-Track says I am missing the point. Actually, no, I don't think I did. I think I was actually trying to make a different point.
Let me see if I DO get his point: Why worry about getting more tracks made when Gary has them in stock and at a good price - a price you can't come close to compared to the other attempts to get tracks made.
Mtn-Track, did I get it right?
If I did, that's fine then. I Take your point. (I will probably be buying tracks from Gary anyway) If I didn't, please set me straight.
But for the record, my point was getting a handle on what to do when Gary is out of stock, or the price for the last few climbs out of reach.
Probably what would help if Gary could clue us in on the remaining quantity of tracks in his warehouse. If he only has 20 sets left.... Ok, time to take out a loan and call in an order. If he has 500 sets left, then this discussion really is a moot point. We will all be dead of old age before we have to sweat finding tracks.
Both professionally and personally, I have been burned when a Single Source Vendor folded. In one case the owner had a heart attack and his stock couldn't be sold until the contested estate was settled. In another, the manufacturer went bankrupt and there was over a year gap while the contract was put up for bid and approval.
I have nothing against Gary - he was very helpful to me on the phone about two weeks ago - my concern was only about developing a replacement supply source for when his stock is out.
Cheers,
Jim Burrill
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- G-First Sergeant
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Tracks
I'd like to ask Gary, how many sets of tracks do you have in your inventory? How many NOS vs How many usable but used, etc? This number would go far in determining how long you guys may have left, before the situation of tracks becomes critical.
I hate to say it but aside from the $ involved, the tracks are the next main reason I will never own a halftrack. No offense to those who do, just my opinion....
I hate to say it but aside from the $ involved, the tracks are the next main reason I will never own a halftrack. No offense to those who do, just my opinion....
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- G-Major General
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- Location: H'burg VA
Mtn-track
I understand that my question is about as vauge as "how high is up?" and that there are a lot of variables involved. All I was looking for was a ball park answer from HT owners on what their experiances were with track life. Your answer is fine (thank you).
Humbermk4
I see your point .
Matt
I understand that my question is about as vauge as "how high is up?" and that there are a lot of variables involved. All I was looking for was a ball park answer from HT owners on what their experiances were with track life. Your answer is fine (thank you).
Humbermk4
I see your point .
Matt
- Mtn-Track
- G-Second Lieutenant
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For Jim;
I think everyone in the US knows that some day the price of gas will be over $10.00/gal, if gas is even available at all. Does that mean we should currently seek out a refinery that will make and sell it too us for less than the current prices for when that happens? How realistic is that? That was the point I was trying to make. The current price on new tracks reflects a surplus, but that will ultimately change.
Matt,
The tracks that were made from WWII until the 70's is highly questionable. As the rubber gets older, it cracks and chips. The cables also corrode within the track that makes them weak. They may look good, but they are a failure waiting to happen. I know, as I had some really nice looking, older-production, NOS tracks that failed in less than 100 miles. At the time, if you could find them, they were in the $5000 range for a set! As such, I would avoid spending any money on these older used or NOS tracks (made from WWII until the 70's).
I think everyone in the US knows that some day the price of gas will be over $10.00/gal, if gas is even available at all. Does that mean we should currently seek out a refinery that will make and sell it too us for less than the current prices for when that happens? How realistic is that? That was the point I was trying to make. The current price on new tracks reflects a surplus, but that will ultimately change.
Matt,
The tracks that were made from WWII until the 70's is highly questionable. As the rubber gets older, it cracks and chips. The cables also corrode within the track that makes them weak. They may look good, but they are a failure waiting to happen. I know, as I had some really nice looking, older-production, NOS tracks that failed in less than 100 miles. At the time, if you could find them, they were in the $5000 range for a set! As such, I would avoid spending any money on these older used or NOS tracks (made from WWII until the 70's).
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- G-Major General
- Posts: 3039
- Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:22 pm
- Location: Florida
New tracks are really not that expensive when you consider how much you will spend for a set of 10 new tires for a CCKW or other large HMV.
It is all relative.
It is all relative.
Green Trucks and High Tides Forever
Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662
Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662
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- G-Master Sergeant
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- Location: AL.
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- G-Major General
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My current line of thinking is to spend the money before Wall Street makes it disappear. That is just one more plus for investing in HMVs in that they do not vanish overnight like my 401K does.
Green Trucks and High Tides Forever
Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662
Diamond T M3 Half-track Serial # M32971 USA 4045956
Autocar M3A1 Half-track Serial # M3A1-47825 USA 4053835
Autocar M16A1 Half-track Serial # M15A1-1945 USA 40150662
- Tim Sutter
- Sergeant Major of the Gee
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- Location: Pinole Ca.
As if on que
Now that is funny. As if it was on que. Did any one notice the add at the bottom of this page?
It wasn't me, I didn't do it.
M2 Half Track
M10 Ammunition trailer
DUKW
M2 Half Track
M10 Ammunition trailer
DUKW
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- G-First Sergeant
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:22 pm
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Tracks
I'm curious as to why Gary has not chimed in with a number of how many tracks he has left. I'm thinking his number must be low and if he gives that information out he will get flooded with orders for his remaining stock. If that happens he'd be without future income in that regard. By not admitting and not creating a panic he will be able to stretch this finite source out...hmmm interesting.......
My gut feeling is that there are probably less remaining tracks available than you think but that is just an opinion.....
My gut feeling is that there are probably less remaining tracks available than you think but that is just an opinion.....
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- G-Lieutenant Colonel
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- Sergeant Major of the Gee
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I purchased my set of replacement tracks even before I finalized a deal on a ht. As for how many Gary has left... I was there recently and I think I saw less than a dozen sets left sitting in his warehouse. Not an offical accounting by any means.
I also own a weasel and wish I could get a set of new tracks for it for the cost of a set of new ht tracks. So I'll just fix the old ones up and run them some more for now.
Steve
I also own a weasel and wish I could get a set of new tracks for it for the cost of a set of new ht tracks. So I'll just fix the old ones up and run them some more for now.
Steve
Friends don't let friends buy Trail King trailers!!!
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- G-Brigadier General
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TRACKS
I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE BEEN ASKED HOW MANY TRACKS I HAVE IN STOCK AND WITHOUT BEING SARCASTIC I HAVE NEVER TOLD ANYONE HOW MANY I HAVE AND I AM NOT GOING TO. THE PRICE IS AS BEST AS IT WILL EVER BE FOR THE TIME BEING THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY CONCERNED. IF YOUR WORRIED ABOUT NOT HAVEING A SET OF TRACKS FOR YOUR HALF TRACK THEN THE BEST SUGGESTION I CAN OFFER IS ORDER A SET NOW WHILE THEY ARE IN STOCK AND THE PRICE IS SO LOW. WITH A NOS SET ON YOUR VEHICLE OR SITTING IN THE GARAGE YOU WILL NEVER WEAR OUT A SET UNLESS YOUR IN YOUR TWENTIES. I KNOW AT 53 I AM NOT CONCERNED ABOUT WEARING OUT MY NEW SET I INSTALLED YEARS AGO AND THEY ARE A FRENCH MFG. SET ON MY HALF TRACK, GARY
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- G-First Sergeant
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I'd be worried....
Between the previous two posts, I'd be worried if I owned a halftrack and needed tracks. To me not admitting to how many tracks Gary has in his inventory is basically saying "I'm hiding something". And in this case its probably a very low number of tracks. I'd definitely be concerned.....
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