A track loader is an engineering vehicle consisting of a tracked chassis with a loader for digging and loading material. The history of track loaders can be defined by three evolutions of their design. Each of these evolutions made the track loader a more viable and versatile tool in the excavation industry.

These machines are capable in nearly every task, but master of none. A dozer, excavator, or wheel loader will out perform a track loader under a set of conditions, but the ability of a track loader perform almost every task on a job site is why it remains a part of many companies' fleets. If you’re working in an application with a lot of rocks, steel, metal, tree stumps, etc, you will need to think carefully about using tracks. The reason being is that these track loaders have an undercarriage that is made from rubber that can rip, tear, cut, slice, when used in coarse underfoot conditions. It’s going to be miles better to have tires in this application because tires will be much easier and more cost effective to replace than an undercarriage.

If you’ll be working in conditions that have virtually no rocks, steel, branches, and other debris, you are better off using tracks. Tracks will allow you to work in more weather conditions than tires, and overall you’ll be more productive with your machine because you can work it more often.. For instance, one application that’s virtually good for a track loader is landscaping. They are customarily working in light underfoot conditions and won’t have to fret about enormous damage to the tracks.