Rubber-track quality has come a long way from the earliest designs, says Dominion Equipment Parts, and well-designed tracks today can provide 1,000 hours or more of service under optimal working conditions. The company says track selection should be based on machine type and application. The all-steel components of many compact-machine undercarriages require steel-embedded rubber tracks, which are formed by molding rubber over metal cores and steel cables. Steel-embedded tracks provide high durability, require less frequent replacement, and generally lower operating costs, says the company, but can cause greater damage to sensitive terrain. By contrast, loaders that feature undercarriages using rubber-coated roller wheels and large cylinder-shaped sprockets require tracks reinforced with Kevlar or polyester, not steel. This track uses rubber lugs instead of steel cleats to engage the sprocket.
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