reduce the moisture in the air, which increases the bond in vulcanising process. Through every step of the process, the individual components are tested and inspected to ensure the highest standard of quality.

Now that I have seen the manufacturing process of the J’Tracks and rubber pads, I am proud to be behind a product with a global quality assurance. Global Track Warehouse is now the OEM supplier for some major supplies and now has the Posi-Trac

and ASV tracks available. We have increased the New Zealand stocks of both rubber tracks and pads with very reasonable prices throughout the whole range.

The life expectancy of a rubber track or pad does not only depend on the quality of manufacture, it also depends on how it is fitted and used after it is purchased. To increase the life of your tracks, never force the track over the sprocket or idler and always run the tracks at the correct tension. Clean and inspect your

tracks regularly and avoid contaminants such as salt, oil, diesel and grease. Replace worn or broken rollers, sprockets and idlers before they damage your tracks and avoid screwing the tracks on sharp or lumpy objects, such as rocks, timber and kerbs.

After witnessing for myself the complete manufacturing process of both GTW’s rubber tracks and pads, I can honestly state that Barry has ticked all the boxes in producing a quality product. n

Let’s talk quality, shall we? Ever had a rubber track break or the steel plates come out? I’ve seen many tracks fail long before their life

expectancy. It’s all comes down to the quality of the components and the way they are manufactured. I’ve been a vulcaniser for the past 35 years and it’s not as easy as it sounds. There are many parameters to be considered when bonding rubber to steel, preparation, chemical solutions, humidity, etc. It all boils down to ensuring bond strength to last the life of the product.

Last month, Barry Min (CEO of Global Track Warehouse ) took me to his factory in Shanghai, where they produce two 20-foot containers of rubber tracks and rubber pads

per day, that are shipped globally to the USA, Spain, Italy, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

There are three components to most rubber tracks, steel plates, steel cables and rubber. The steel plates are press forged from a single piece of steel rod, individually crack tested and then heat treated through a conveyor driven oil bath to ensure consistent hardening throughout. The multi-stranded, corrosion resistant, stainless blended cable is wound into different sizes with a copper coating for greater adhesion to the rubber. Each roll of cable is strength tested to optimise maximum breaking strength. Raw stock rubber is blended, mixed and calendared to different

compounds, thicknesses and hardness depending on the track for which it’s intended.

The J’Track has a continuous cable that is coated with vulcanising solution and wound around a mandrel to the finished length of the track and sandwiched between uncured rubber sheets. The steel plates are sandblasted and painted with solution. They are then placed into a vulcanising press with the raw rubber and cooked into a finished track. The track is then trimmed and inspected for any defects before being shipped worldwide.

Barry also manufactures the bolt-on, clip-on and chain type rubber pads in this factory. The whole factory is climate controlled to

The J’TrackBy PAUL BEdWELL, NEW ZEALANd SALES MANAGER FOR GLOBAL TRACK WAREhOUSE NZ LTd

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