Rubber Tracks for your skid steer or mini excavator, like your car tires, last a long time but will need to be placed at some point. To keep your machine operational, replacing old and worn out rubber tracks is essential in keeping your machine running and getting the job done.
Once your rubber track needs replaced, how do you know what to buy? Similar to a car tire, there are three measurements you need to be aware of. The first is the width of the track in millimeters. The second number identifies the pitch. The pitch is the distance between each link center to center. The third and final number is the total number of links on track.
A lot of times you can find the size info right on the track that you are needing to replace. It’s likely that the inside of your old rubber track contains this measurement. If it has it, then you should be all set. However, its important to double check the rubber track size if its a piece of equipment that you’ve bought used. Its possible that the previous owner put the wrong track size on.
The standard formula is this:
- Width (mm) x Pitch (mm) x Links (#)
How to measure rubber track sizes
Three Rubber Track Measurements:
- Width in millimeters
- Pitch in millimeters
- Total number of links
Let’s break this down further and go over what each of these three measurements mean.
Width in millimeters:
If you measure your track in inches, you can convert this measurement using the following formula:
- 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters
- 1 millimeter = 0.0393701 inches
Common Track Widths
| mm | Inches |
| 450 | 17.72 |
| 420 | 16.54 |
| 400 | 15.75 |
| 350 | 13.78 |
| 320 | 12.60 |
| 300 | 11.81 |
| 250 | 9.84 |
| 230 | 9.06 |
| 200 | 7.87 |
| 180 | 7.09 |
Pitch:
This is the distance between each link. This is measured center to center. It’s important to measure CENTER to CENTER. Pitch is important because the pitch will need to match up exactly to be compatible with your machine. If its not, the track will not fit properly leading to slippage and breakage.
Total Number of Links:
The total number of links is essentially the total number of metal lugs that make up the rubber track.
Once you’ve round the right size track, head over to our guide on how to pick the right rubber track tread pattern.
You can also use our track finder to identify the correct track for your piece of equipment.
(NOTE: Be aware, some manufacturers swap the Pitch and Number of links)
(i.e. 300 x 80 x 52.5)
You may also see letters “N” or “W” on Excavator tracks. That letter states the guide width is either “Narrow” or “Wide”.