Wheeled Backhoe Loader Transforms into a Crawler Backhoe

I came across this video over the weekend, initially on Linkedin which led me to dig deeper to find out a bit more.

We have seen other wheels to tracks conversions before of course, one that sticks in my mind involved a Swedish built Huddig, so this is nothing super new, but still of interest as it involves an American spec Caterpillar 420 XE centre mounted backhoe loader.

Mattracks Inc who are based in Karlstad, Minnesota, have been producing rubber track conversion units for a wide variety of vehicles and machinery since 1994.

The concept evolved as a cost-effective and reliable solution to enable equipment, normally equipped with rubber tyres, to be able to travel across soft terrain where wheeled versions would inevitably become bogged.

The 420 XE featured in the video below has been fitted with Mattracks RT400 tracks on the rear and RT275 tracks on the steering front end. These systems have proven to be ideal for contractors, especially those working in the utility sectors working in remote and wet fields where access is almost always challenging to say the least.

Of course, in the UK we have a company producing similar kind of track systems, and that’s Moorend Ltd, who are based in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, it’s a business I have always meant to pay a visit to, but it’s never happened for some reason, hopefully it will soon as I know that they recently converted some Wacker Neuson dumpers for one of Equipment One’s customers.

Anyway, enjoy the video from Mattracks below.