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With tires, there are only small points in contact with the ground. “You only have a few square feet on the ground at any one time,” says Adkins. “With a track machine, you have considerably more, so the ground pressure is less and the machine will minimize turf damage.”

The extra rubber on the ground also enhances performance. “If you can’t pull the trencher through the ground and you’re just spinning on tires, you’re losing production,” says Kuyers. “Tracks provide more traction when the ground is less than desirable. They’re becoming more and more of a request.

“We’ve also noticed an increase in performance,” he adds, “because the machine doesn’t bounce as much as one on tires. That has increased production.”

Utilize local experts

While understanding ground conditions is critical, it can be difficult given the fact they can vary dramatically, sometimes within little more than an hour’s drive. “Tulsa is just an hour and 20 minutes from our office,” says Adkins, “and the ground conditions are totally different.”

That becomes important if you’re working in an area where the soil conditions are unfamiliar. “What works well in one part of the country might not work well in another,” Adkins points out. “And it’s not necessarily that the machine can’t handle it, but they have the wrong tool on the chain.”