Track/ATV Failures

[mlaux]

A lot people are of the opinion that tracks break easily and cause ATV damage. I have noticed that most of the stories I hear are second hand. In the interest of good data lets list the failures. Please list the ATV and track type. Here is mine after 2 seasons:

Bomb Outlander 400
TJD Gen 3

Two track tension Zerk's
Melted side plastics and seat from too much throttle for too long
Edit: Twisted Right front antirotation in disagreement w/ tree.

Post Up!

[Grtwhthntr]

Good post, will be interesting to see what issues everybody has had. Ran my Cattracks last season and this year on my Foreman 500 and Rubicon 500.

When I first bought tracks LF had misaligned tensioner causing a twist in front of track, fixed myself.
Replaced RR track frame and anti-rotation bar 'cause I mangled it on a irrigation pipe. No fault of the track, and even bent up and the anti-rotation bar bust in half still took me home.
Lost one of the center wheels, another fell off when I was torturing it on a tree. Both had missing bolts (should have checked them) drove home without both wheels no problems.
Mangled one bearing cap on the same forementioned tree.
Flipped a track twice I believe.
Wheel bearing replacement spring and fall, no worse than mud tires though.
I use them pretty hard on occasion and all of the failures have beed due to my own abuse/negligence. IMO one tough set of tracks.

[rbreman]

Polaris Prospectors now on my 800x2. the only problem so far is the mounting hardware for anti rotational bars had to reinforce the front mounts and snapped a rear bar. No problem any more with snow build up on the rear cv's they are now covered and no more snow ingestion for air intake or fan they are now covered. Have had them 3 years on two different bikes. Saw a new set at Rond's today for 2895.00

[ssphunter]

I have Tattoo tracks on a 2005 Honda CTE Rubicon. Other than them rubing on my front fenders I have no complaints so far. I lost one of my idler wheels once. It was funny because I was comming home on my own path and thought I'd found someone elses wheel. I thought geez it looks like it might fit my tracks. Well it fit allright because it was mine.LOL It was an easy fix, just needed a new snap ring (.59 cents I think it was) and was good to go. I tested them pretty hard on my first few rides and I think they are a good tough set of tracks. Only time will tell how durable they really are but so far I love them.Just what I need for my hunting and fishing trips.:cheers:

Mike

[COCACOLA]

I ride a 700 KingQuad with TJD XGen tracks. So far no problems with them except I knocked the rear 1/2 off when jammed against a fallen tree. I checked the quad over tonight and have not noticed any thing different since putting the tracks on.

[Maxter]

Melted side plastics and seat from too much throttle for too long

This was a problem with the Bombs and had nothing to do with the tracks. Bomb now has a redesigned heat shield.

400 bomb max on Mattrack lightfoots. 2 seasons riding and I bent a tie rod after hitting a log once.
800 bomb max on Commanders 1.5 seasons riding. lost a large wheel due to the tensioner being built faulty. Threw a track once, possibly due to lack of tension or it could have been because it was stuck under an ice ledge and I gave it too much throttle, or maybe both, who knows?

[punch]

When These Tracks Come Off, Are They Hard To Put Back On?

[tattooedcat]

i have commanders on my cat and half season ridin only prob was one slider on bottom broke loose and slid up the track, but not really a issue is replaced on warranty and was ridable all day ( didn't notice till next day)

[Grtwhthntr]

When These Tracks Come Off, Are They Hard To Put Back On?Not too difficult, but you do have to carry some tools to back off the tension and be able to lift the weight off the machine, either by driving it up onto something, or winching it off the ground. One other technique we have used several times is to drive another bike beside pointing the opposite direction, hook its winch to the back of the other bike and vice versa, pulling with both winches to lean the bike over. Also have used this technique in the summer for tires that have come off the bead. Tracks don't usually come off unless you are messing around in tight situations, trees, narrow cuts, etc.

[Loudelectronics]

Bent a Tie rod. That is my first issue on my second season. But that could have been from rolling it down a hill twice or from lending my quad out once and getting it back with a slight pull to the right.

[nutter]

broke a front tensioner due to a crappy cowboy weld from the factory. welded it properly and no issues.

put a can-am cvt prefilter on the belt intake and it's been good so far

tracks are easier to turn than big tires due to lower gearing. now if you try snocross with it you'll probably break something due to the extra unsprung weight but in normal driving i haven't broken anything on the quad (and i am by no means easy on it)

basically the 'i heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend' stuff is balony. that's why this site is such a value - it helps everyone out with decisions and problems

[pioneer]

Three years on Traxions only problem was the drop down pin on the front antirotaion wasn't welded properly and snapped off, but found it in the snow and limped out and welded in myself and never another problem. Cattracks for two years no problems, and now Commanders and no problems, all tend to rub a bit at high speed when you hit a bump. These have all been on my 03 660 grizz bought in 02, and no damage to my machine either.

[Grizzly SE]

Thanks for all the helpful insite. It's nice to see such honesty.

[mongrol]

An old but good post and needs updating for 07/08. Me & E-Tatou originals? 610 miles on 2 atvs since 11 Dec 07 for a total of 60+ hrs. Not an incident to report. If everything I've owned had been this trouble free, I'd have a lot fewer grey hairs. Like to hear from others and this yrs experiences.

[ssphunter]

I've had my set of original Tatoos for two full seasons now. The only problem I've had is I lost (and found) one of my idler wheels. All I needed was a snap ring and everything was back to normal. Losing that ring had nothing to do with quality. I think I probably sqeezed it between two trees or something to cause this.
Mike

[S240]

:cheers: i did the same as gunny with adapter bolts. and tensioner lock-nut i replaced with double-nut. as they would losten up when 30-40+ mph. on asphalt/dirt with hard breaking and fast hard starts. i think vibration/speed have somthing to do with it. i had painted lines on bolts and studs as to check any time. tracks are holding up very good wheels and drive gear really show no signs of real wear yet; 300 mi. so far. aprox 80 on dirt/asphalt/rocks :cheers:

[rbreman]

Only problem this winter was I broke both anti rotational bars on the rear and strengthen the mounting brackets. Once I repaired them everything has been good no more problems. Third season with them. Polaris Prospectors.

[JohnC]

Bought my Tatou 4s all season tracks about mid-Feb of this year.

5 miles into the first ride, the left rear drive sprocket came off the wheel hub adapter. The attaching screws had backed out. The drive sprocket is made is such a way I didn't lose any of the screws, which was a good thing.

Later ...
Gunny :rocker:

Actually, the very same thing happened to me but only made it 2-3 miles on first ride.
The same left rear sprocket came off the hub (screws backed out)
This was the only problem in 300 km of riding this winter, tracks were new Jan 15/08

[JohnC]

Definately a pain in the *ss to get the hub back where it belongs..... All I did was back out the scews and red loctight them all. Checked a couple times after that and they have never moved.
I'm happy otherwise with this kit, and glad I waited on the 4s .

[mongrol]

Excellent service from such an unsophisticated piece of equipment and I include all types of tracks. Not a heck of a lot to complain about. Way to go Mfg's.

[dowse]

A guy that I know has Matt Tracks on his Polaris, and he had them on his Can-am too, has had nothing but trouble when he goes out with them. Screwed up both of his quads. The tracks seem to kick off, then it just gets worse and worse...

[Maxter]

Here is an update from my last post here. Mattracks several years riding on both Bomb 400 & 800 no problems other than bent tie rod as mentioned earlier. Commanders on Bomb 800, broke 1 rear anti-rotation rod, screwed up the spindles on each hub. Not sure if this was due to design flaw or not. Modified the bearing support and have since had no problems. (Factory claimed it was over tight track tension :confused3) New track had a misaligned rear tensioner which was causing the large rear wheel to come off. The factory (read Vinnie here) replaced tensioner and wheel and no further problems. I have logged over 2500 km on tracks so far and pleased with the products.

[mongrol]

I just watched a factory video from TJD and they recomend setting the rear suspension to its stiffest adj. I guess it helps stop track from hitting fenders etc. Anyone else do this and if so did it help?

[S240]

:scooter:on the rear 4s's there is 3/8 in. play or gap between the rubber bushing and frame. i have just touched the fender on an arctic cat. it was a pretty steep sonw drift, with a little excess speed. did'nt see it. i've had the bike on three tracks quite a few times and no fender rubbing other than the one extreme snow drift:action-smiley-075:

[QUADZILLA]

I just watched a factory video from TJD and they recomend setting the rear suspension to its stiffest adj. I guess it helps stop track from hitting fenders etc. Anyone else do this and if so did it help?

I did this as recomended in the instructions but it was too stiff, this was with TJD gen 3's on a Burte Force, put it right back in the shop and turned it back down to the first position and never looked back. I knocked the track off once, not all the way off or anything but the wheels were running one grouve over. I was real close to my shop so I rode home and fixed it in the warmth. I ran those tracks for about 1300kms on the clock so probably 40% less than that because of the gear reduction.

Now last winter I tried something completely different, I call it half tracking and for flatlanders this is the most fun I have ever had all winter!

I ran 2 AD Boivine Traction + tracks on the back of my Brute and put my rear tires on the front for extra floatation and WOW what fun.

95+ Kms/hr, slideways in the corners on the river, doughnuts on hard pack and the only damage I sustained I would consider 100% user abuse.

I bent the antirotation rods from pulling wheelies, I could pull the front wheels about 12 inches off the ground and hold it there for about 30 to 40 feet. That Burte was stupid fun, gonna miss that machine? Other than that wich didn't at all effect the performance, these tracts are bullet proof, just don't hit anything, tracks don't give like tires!

Anyway I'm going to run the AD Boivins and ther TJDs on the Rhino this winter, I'll let you know how they all work.

As far as the TJD's no problems so far, very satisfied. :cheers: Same with the 1/2 tracks crazy fun! and no speed loss woo hoo!

[Lostviking]

Can Am 800 XT Tatou 4S Tracks 60" Moose County Plow.

175 miles plowing parking lots last winter no issues what-so-ever.

[JAG GAL]

I haven't had any problems, but maybe my orv is built stonger than all of yours, LMAO!!!:humbs: