Soucy International, Drummondville, Quebec, now offers the ST-900 track system. Introduced at ConExpo last March, the Soucy track system can be adapted to go on most telehandlers, according to Peter Watkins, district sales manager.
Soucy International, a privately owned group of companies, creates, designs and manufactures the track kits. The company therefore can work with customers to custom build kits to fit their needs, rather than try to adapt existing tracks kits to their equipment, Watkins said. The company’s engineering department is able to design the axle housing adaptor brackets that support the track beams when they’re not already available. Many telehandlers share the same housings, therefore one set of brackets could fit on different brands of units.
The track systems were originally built for installation on tractors, and the company has kits available that can carry loads of more than 30,000 pounds. “On very heavy units engineering would calculate the length and width of the track system required to support the weight and take some basic measurements of the space available to make sure a kit could be adapted,” Watkins said.
According to Watkins, there are several advantages of using tracks rather than pneumatic or foam-filled tires, including better stability of the unit in soft conditions so that loads can be lifted more securely. Less compaction also results in less damage to the ground. “A track has a huge footprint on the ground surface compared to a tire therefore you will get superior floatation and traction—up to four times that of tires,” said Watkins.
While the tracks are mostly used in the agriculture market on tractors, the company plans to expand its business further into the construction equipment market in the future, possibly on boom lifts and other equipment. “We will offer kits for many types of equipment where tracks could be used to help contractors do jobs faster and safer,” Watkins said.
Most major tractor manufacturers have approved the use of Soucy’s kits, but the company has not yet contacted construction OEMs for approval at this time.
For more information and videos about the product, visit www.soucy-track.com.
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