Standing in my yard, looking at my new RS07, I faced the final, crucial choice: wheels or tracks? It’s more than a preference; it’s a fundamental decision that defines what jobs you can tackle efficiently. I’ve run both, on everything from finished lawns to muddy construction sites. Let me save you the analysis paralysis and share the straightforward framework I use to decide, based on the real-world trade-offs between speed, ground protection, and cost.

Choose wheeled skid steers for primarily hard, stable surfaces (concrete, asphalt, packed gravel) where travel speed, lower cost, and easier maintenance are priorities. Choose tracked skid steers (like the RS07 track version) for soft, wet, or delicate terrain (lawns, mud, sand) where superior traction, floatation, and minimal ground damage are critical, accepting a lower travel speed and higher wear-part cost.

It’s not just about the surface you’re on today; it’s about the surfaces you’ll encounter all year. Here’s my decision breakdown.

1 The Need for Speed (and Lower Operating Cost): The Wheeled Argument

My wheeled machine was a champion on my landscaping jobs for municipal contracts. On pavement and hard-packed sites, its 8 km/h top speed meant I could zip from the pile to the truck faster. Wheels are also simpler: no complex undercarriage, cheaper to replace, and generally have lower long-term maintenance costs. If 90% of your work is on surfaces that won’t rut or cause slippage, wheels are the efficient, economical choice. They’re the workhorse for hard ground.

2 The Gentle Giant: Why Tracks Win on Lawns and Mud

The moment I started doing residential work, wheels became a liability. A 3000-lb machine on tires will leave ruts on a damp lawn. Enter the tracked RS07. The integrated track design spreads its weight over a much larger area, resulting in incredibly low ground pressure. I can now drive across a customer’s prized sod after a rain to deliver mulch with my bucket or use my trencher without leaving a trail of destruction. In mud, the grip is phenomenal. Tracks turn “impossible” days into productive ones.

3 The Hybrid Reality and the RS07’s Advantage

Most of us face mixed conditions. That’s where understanding the RS07’s specific specs is key. Its tracked version still offers a great travel speed, and its design minimizes vibration. Crucially, with tracks, you gain stability on slopes, which is vital for safety when using attachments like the high-dump bucket. The initial cost is higher, and you must budget for track replacement (a significant wear item). However, for a diverse business, the versatility and site-access tracks provide often justify the investment by allowing you to accept a wider range of jobs.

Your choice between wheels and tracks dictates your market and your schedule. Wheels offer speed and economy on hardscapes. Tracks offer access and preservation on softscapes. Assess your primary revenue-generating surfaces honestly, and let that guide you. The right configuration doesn’t just fit your machine—it fits your business model.

Still debating wheels vs. tracks for your operation? Get personalized advice based on your common job sites and attachment use. Send us a description of your typical work terrain and projects, and our application specialists will recommend the optimal RS07 configuration—wheeled or tracked—to maximize your uptime and profitability.