New Halftrack Track Issues

[Jesse]

I think you have been very patient and kind to the manufacturer. Maybe it’s time to name names. Others  in the hobby need to know.

[JamieM5halftrack]

I’m still not going to name names yet. As much as it’s a pain in the backside and I feel as if I have been patient throughout, I still have a problem with these tracks that needs sorting.

[8683jb]

It's decent of you not to name anyone until you're sure the problem is with their tracks and if it is, to give them a chance to respond and offer a remedy, but if they've read your complaints and after two or three weeks haven't even answered, that's an integrity issue that's even worse than the track issue, in my opinion. Their silence speaks volumes and I hope they'll step up and address your complaints and not continue to just blow you off. If they don't, then I agree with Jesse about broadcasting it to prevent someone else getting burned. I sure wouldn't want to do business with someone like that. It's a ton of money to spend on something with no customer support.

[WayOffTrack]

In the end, as I work as a design and development engineer as well as a manual machine operator, I solved the issue myself with so experimenting.

What was the solution to the first problem you were working on? Regarding the new problem, the hot spot is just on one side?

[JamieM5halftrack]

I solved the first issue by machining all of my old guides from the broken track and the spare track I had and fitted them to the new track. The original guides will not fit the new tracks without modification. When you compare the original guides with the new reproduction ones they are nowhere near the same.

The hot spot is on/in 1 track only. I have spoken to someone who has experienced the same issue years ago with a set of Isreal tracks. We don’t know the outcome as the tracks were worn anyway so they got changes for a new set.

[JamieM5halftrack]

The original guides have a 5/8” diameter machined hole in the centre with a counterbore to locate the spring washer. The original guides are also shaped slightly to give you a one point of contact.

The reproduction guides have no 5/8” diameter machined hole, the holes are cast meaning they are not round nor are they tight fit on the stud. I measured some and the holes were measuring up to 3/4” diameter in places. The counterbore for the spring washer is also absent so the nut and washer is never clamping down on a flat face. This I believe is why the guides keep coming loose. The shape of the reproduction guides are also all flat sides and not curved as per the originals so the friction involved is much greater.

[R.E.Co.]

I'm sorry you're dealing with those issues. Tracks should last longer than 1,200 miles. So far my new US tracks have about 150 miles on them, and I drive mostly on roads with some off roads, and I've seen a wear of .006 inches or 6 thousands in those miles. At this rate, I'll be up in the 3,200-3500 miles with the tread depth on mine which are slightly better than originals and significantly better than other reproduction tracks.

If there's any information or help I can offer, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Good luck and hopefully you get a positive remedy.

Jon

[Tapper02]

Definitely sounds like a manufacturing defect.  Even if most of the the tracks that have been made aren't experiencing issues, there can still be exceptions.  I think the manufacturer should be asking for that track back so they can analyze it for quality control issues. 

Where else have you put this out?  This forum is pretty small, and a lot of users have migrated over to the FB "White Half Track Enthusiasts" group and/or also use the "Tracked" section of the G503.com forum.  It certainly wouldn't hurt to put this on multiple social sites to get the broadest dissemination...not only for other owners but maybe to encourage better communication and resolution from the manufacturer.

[brit plumber]

I'm sorry you're dealing with those issues. Tracks should last longer than 1,200 miles. So far my new US tracks have about 150 miles on them, and I drive mostly on roads with some off roads, and I've seen a wear of .006 inches or 6 thousands in those miles. At this rate, I'll be up in the 3,200-3500 miles with the tread depth on mine which are slightly better than originals and significantly better than other reproduction tracks.

If there's any information or help I can offer, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Good luck and hopefully you get a positive remedy.

Jon

Jon, I heard rumour that you may be exporting to the U.K. in the future, is that correct?

[mfrance]

One question ?   Make sure your running track in forward direction as guides are 1 direction  so your not running it backwards at high speeds .. just something to check as tracks are directional
Have seen others put tracks  on backwards  not realizing  the simple ...
Bummer for the issues if its something else ...

[R.E.Co.]

I'm sorry you're dealing with those issues. Tracks should last longer than 1,200 miles. So far my new US tracks have about 150 miles on them, and I drive mostly on roads with some off roads, and I've seen a wear of .006 inches or 6 thousands in those miles. At this rate, I'll be up in the 3,200-3500 miles with the tread depth on mine which are slightly better than originals and significantly better than other reproduction tracks.

If there's any information or help I can offer, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Good luck and hopefully you get a positive remedy.

Jon

Jon, I heard rumour that you may be exporting to the U.K. in the future, is that correct?

Hello! Yes that is correct. I will be putting a post up soon about it!

Jon

[JamieM5halftrack]

Track update!

Good news! After talking to the UK distributor of the tracks for a while the tracks are finally going back to the manufacturer for analysing to determine what the fault is.

The UK distributor has also agreed on inspection of my tracks that there is a fault with the track and has nothing to do with my halftrack, the way they have been fitted or the way they have been used.

Hopefully I will hear something in the new year and decide where to go from there.

[Tapper02]

Good to hear!  Even major tire manufacturers have quality assurance issues that lead to tire failure now and then, so to finally acknowledge that there may have been a fabrication issue with one track is commendable.  We need a continued source of replacement tracks, whether it's Stateside or Europe based, so I'm glad they are taking an interest in discovering the issue to hopefully prevent any future failures.

[JamieM5halftrack]

Track Update:

I appear to be getting one step forward and six steps back.

I have been told after dropping the tracks back to the UK supplier in December last year that they are still in the same place I left them and the manufacturer has made no attempt to collect them.

The UK supplier and myself has contacted the manufacturer on many occasions since they were dropped back to the UK supplier, I get no response at all and the UK supplier is not getting much response either.

I still have no tracks and the show season is approaching very shortly and I don’t know where to turn or what to do next.

I have already paid £7,500 on a set of tracks that are falling apart and sat in a yard somewhere. I can’t afford another set until the issues with this set is resolved.

Needless to say I am not very pleased to say the least but I can’t rant too much until the issue with these tracks are resolved one way or another. I would also like to highlight that the UK supplier has been brilliant and is trying his best to get this issue resolved.

I would like to give this advice though, if you are having issues with tracks and you are told by the manufacturer that you are the only one, you are not. I know a few people using these tracks and they are experiencing the same issues I have and these people were all told the same thing! They are the only one to have issues with the tracks.

I will keep you updated when I know more.

[JamieM5halftrack]

I would also like to add that I would appreciate that my posts on here are not shared over Facebook while this issue is going on!

Please whoever posted MY post on Facebook please remove it immediately!