Argo Rubber tracks-hinge kit- any good?

[bradders13]

I use a 2004 Avenger with rubber tracks. Prior to a particular year 2005 or 2006 or something like that, there was no hinge kit available and so our tracks are endless.

I came across this document argoparts.com/files/track-research.ppt

(think you need to download it, rename it as a Word doc to be able to open it)

Anyway it seems that all new rubber tracks have hinge kits so that A. they can be easily fitted/unfitted and more importantly B. they are longer and don't put as much as much stress on bearings and chains etc...


The Argo is used on sand, mud, marsh, carefully on some concrete (from only short distance from Coastguard station to beach) so tracks need to be on at all times for mud rescues and missing person searches as taking them on and off without hinges takes too long.

Hinges seem the logical steps forward as we can could remove them fairly quickly for training exercises and patrols etc... when have to work rocky shores and hard sand.

Does anyone have any experience good or bad of the hinge kits?

[ARGOJIM]

The hinge kits work fine and are standard equipment since about 2005. You will need to cut the track at a specific point.
After the hinge kit is installed, removal installation should take about 10-15 minutes after some practice as long as you do not remove the wheel extensions.

You will no longer have to remove the tires/wheels to remove the tracks and simply deflate/ inflate front and rear tires and remove/install pins and roll out of/ into tracks.

[2014SE]

The hinge kit is a fancy name for conveyor belt lacing. You can buy several kinds of lacing that will work from a belting or rubber supplier for about 1/4 the price argo wants for their "hinge kit". Flexco, alligator & clipper are the common brands of lacing, I bet argo gets theirs from one of them and triples the price. Check out Acklands Granger, B.C. Belting or just search belting or belt lacing for a dealer near you.

Escargo uses Flexco and I think channel tracks use the same.

[Old Tucker]

I used the Flexco on my chanel track and It worked just fine. They come in I think 1 1/2 segments and you just order as many as you need. Very easy to install. And they are tough. you will not brake them.

[2014SE]

My thought as well, they are tough, they use them on large conveyors in mines hauling tons of rock and they seldom fail. Did your channels come with flexco for connectors or did you get them your self?

[Old Tucker]

I put them on myself. Very easy to do. One word of advice is do not measure once or twice measure three times. And then check again Because you only cut once. If you are too short the first time. No matter how many times you cut after that, You still will be to short. Thats what I found out in cutting a 2x4. No matter how many times I cut it I was still to short. Dam tape measure any way. Come to think of it I found it on the side of the road.

[thorn]

I put them on myself. Very easy to do. One word of advice is do not measure once or twice measure three times. And then check again Because you only cut once. If you are too short the first time. No matter how many times you cut after that, You still will be to short. Thats what I found out in cutting a 2x4. No matter how many times I cut it I was still to short. Dam tape measure any way. Come to think of it I found it on the side of the road.

Do the Chanels not come with any kind of connector?

[Old Tucker]

No they do not unless Marcel is adding them now. I do not know. Ask and see if He will add them for you if you want them. They were using the over lap joint.

[bradders13]

Thanks for your advice gents

Will certainly look into UK suppliers of belting and weigh up against the proper track lacing, but certainly going for one of them.
Cheers