Clark Tracks

Bogie tracks are among the least glamorous and most decisive purchases in Australian forestry. Clark Tracks is the specialist manufacturer most often named in the local supplier network, represented through Randalls.

Track and tyre configuration affects flotation, traction, rutting, machine width, tyre damage, track wear and fuel use. In high-rainfall or steep regions, that combination determines whether the machine works in a wet week or sits — which makes tracks a production input rather than an accessory.

Rutting is also a compliance question where harvest plans restrict soil disturbance, so track specification can affect the operating window as much as the productivity.

Tyre and track configuration affects flotation, traction, rutting, machine width, tyre damage, track wear and fuel use simultaneously. In high-rainfall or steep Australian regions that combination decides whether a machine works in a wet week or sits — which makes tracks a production input rather than an option list item.

The economics should be modelled against lost days, not against purchase price. A track set that adds operating days through a wet season, on a machine carrying substantial fixed cost per available hour, pays for itself in utilisation long before it pays for itself in traction.

Rutting is also a compliance matter. Where a harvest plan restricts soil disturbance, ground pressure determines the operating window as much as it determines productivity, and a breach can shut an operation down entirely.

The trade-offs are real and worth stating. Tracks add machine width, which can make a thinning corridor unworkable regardless of production capability. They accelerate tyre wear, raise fuel consumption, and carry their own replacement cost. Specify them for your soils and season rather than fitting them by default.