What uses do you have for old rubber tracks?

[kvc]

Hi all. it's been a while since my last post. Been busy as... Anyhow, thought I would ask the members what they do with old rubber tracks off a mini excavator? I recently replaced the tracks on mine and because there's no local means to recycle them (and a hefty fee to dispose of them in landfill) I thought there must be a good use for them. I've googled this and only seen a few suggestions, such as raised garden beds, cutting sections for stair treads, or in a horse float. They're not easy to cut or cheap to buy and apart from some modest wear, the old ones are in pretty good shape (no sharp edges or wire hanging out). Interested to hear about any practical uses members have found for these.

 

[Nicfin36]

Keep for spares....just in case?

 

[kvc]

Keep for spares....just in case?

Unfortunately, they're beyond that - stretched and metal lugs destroying wear-plates. Surprisingly, I only managed to find one distributor offering a warranty on a new set beyond 12 months (24). The average lifespan seems to be around 2 years or 300 - 400 hours max.

 

[Nicfin36]

Wow, that is not as long as I would have thought. (I don't own a mini excavator.)

 

[D2Cat]

I've seen them cut and laid out in a mud area at a gate.

 

[ccoon520]

Can you post a picture of them? I'm thinking maybe you could make a storage pad for buckets or other implements? Knock out enough pins to separate them into quarter sections and them lay them side by side. Probably easier than trying to cut them apart.

 

[kvc]

Can you post a picture of them? I'm thinking maybe you could make a storage pad for buckets or other implements? Knock out enough pins to separate them into quarter sections and them lay them side by side. Probably easier than trying to cut them apart.

They're not held together by pins - they are a one-piece moulded rubber track with steel belts (like a tyre) and have steel pins/cleats moulded within the rubber. They can be cut, but it makes a real cloud of burning rubber and requires a suitable tool (like a diamond saw blade).
I'm going to put this in the 'too hard' basket for now, until I research this more. in the meantime, they'll get used to make a raised garden bed until a better idea is presented. Thanks for your suggestion.

 

[mcfarmall]

Lay one in a circle, pound some lengths of rebar with a hook on the end to hold it to the ground, fill with sand for a cool sandbox for the kids...maybe a local day care or elementary school could use them.

 

[mikester]

Lay one in a circle, pound some lengths of rebar with a hook on the end to hold it to the ground, fill with sand for a cool sandbox for the kids...maybe a local day care or elementary school could use them.

Which way do you point the protruding steel wires and/or fibreglass fibres?

 

[motionclone]

Hi all. it's been a while since my last post. Been busy as... Anyhow, thought I would ask the members what they do with old rubber tracks off a mini excavator? I recently replaced the tracks on mine and because there's no local means to recycle them (and a hefty fee to dispose of them in landfill) I thought there must be a good use for them. I've googled this and only seen a few suggestions, such as raised garden beds, cutting sections for stair treads, or in a horse float. They're not easy to cut or cheap to buy and apart from some modest wear, the old ones are in pretty good shape (no sharp edges or wire hanging out). Interested to hear about any practical uses members have found for these.

Outside of the box:
Cut them up into 1 foot sections, autograph them then put them up on ebay for $100 each. Do something epic with your excavator and put up a video of it so that it goes viral and you have name recognition first though.

 

[shelkol]

One cut, lay them out for a sidewalk lol

 

[mcfarmall]

Which way do you point the protruding steel wires and/or fibreglass fibres?

Whichever side the kids will be on, of course!

 

[lugbolt]

raised bed garden?

 

[kvc]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I especially liked the kids' sandpit idea - somehow I don't think today's generation of bubble-wrapped children would be permitted to go anywhere near something as 'dangerous' as a ring of rubber, supported by pieces of steel, with sand within....
The tracks will be used as raised garden beds on our farm!

 

[Crash277]

I’d put them on the cement floor in my garage in front of the work benches. Keeps you elevated off the cold floor in the winter.

 

[kvc]

I’d put them on the cement floor in my garage in front of the work benches. Keeps you elevated off the cold floor in the winter.

Unfortunately, the cleats inside don't allow the tracks to sit flat. I use old conveyor belt for standing on inside my workshop - works a treat!

 

[mcfarmall]

Use them to start a brush pile to burn.

 

[Crash277]

Unfortunately, the cleats inside don't allow the tracks to sit flat. I use old conveyor belt for standing on inside my workshop - works a treat!

That’s a good idea. I have a piece of rubber matting left over from a new build horse barn. That stuff is heavy duty.

 

[Stewco422]

I work for a dealership. We donated some larger ones to a horse rescue to hold round bales of hay. Free for them. Safer for older horses vs metal rings. The farm went from over 4 bales per week to only 2.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

guys with sleds use them on their trailers for grrrrip !