John Deere Gators get on track

John Deere has approved the use of Camso rubber tracks on its Gator utility vehicles in Europe, following their availability in the US for several years. An XUV 855D Gator equipped with a Camso UTV T4S four-track system supplied by UK distributor Supatracks was recently featured on the company’s stand at LAMMA 2016.

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Designed to extend the versatility and all year round use of these popular all-terrain vehicles even further, the Camso tracks reduce ground pressure by up to 75 per cent to less than 1 psi and take less than two hours to install in place of the wheels, with no other modifications required. Track widths are 318mm (12.5in) in front and 356mm (14in) at the rear. The tracks are steered and therefore minimise disruption of the soil surface when driving off-road.

Camso tracks are manufactured in Canada by the same company that supplies units for John Deere’s 8R, 9R and new 9RX four-track Series agricultural tractors. Camso is the world’s leading maker of tracks for farm and construction vehicles as well as snowmobiles. Track systems provide better weight distribution and maximum flotation on all types of off-road terrain.

The 25hp XUV 855D Gator 4x4 has a standard top speed of 32mph (52kph) and features true on-demand four-wheel drive, activated by a dash-mounted electronic switch, power steering and all-round independent suspension, adjustable at the rear. Ground clearance on the tracks is increased by around 45 per cent to 406mm (16in), while total payload and towing capacity remain the same at 635kg and 680kg respectively.

The Gator’s standard deluxe Mauser ROPS frame can be upgraded to a full glass cab if required, and models can be ordered with a variety of other factory and dealer installed options and attachments. These include tool carriers, cargo box dividers, a front mounted load rack, a bull bar and side extensions.

Price of the Camso UTV T4S Track System, which is available to order from the John Deere dealer network, is around £3750 (4875 euros in Ireland at current exchange rates) plus VAT and delivery.