{"id":101,"date":"2026-02-25T09:30:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T09:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rtc.n2rdev.in\/blog\/?p=101"},"modified":"2026-03-04T18:45:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:45:53","slug":"how-to-measure-rubber-tracks-correctly-step-by-step-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/how-to-measure-rubber-tracks-correctly-step-by-step-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Measure Rubber Tracks Correctly (Step-by-Step Guide)\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Ordering the wrong rubber tracks can delay your job, increase downtime, and cost money in return shipping.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news? Measuring rubber tracks is straightforward \u2014 if you know what to look for.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;replacing CTL (Compact Track Loader) tracks or excavator tracks, this step-by-step guide will help you&nbsp;identify&nbsp;the correct size quickly and accurately.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The 3 Numbers You Need<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rubber track sizing is always written in this format:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Width \u00d7 Pitch \u00d7 Number of Links<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example:&nbsp;<br><strong>400 \u00d7 86 \u00d7 52<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 1: Measure the Track Width<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the easiest number to find.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Measure straight across the track from edge to edge.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Record the measurement in millimetres.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/rtc.n2rdev.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-102\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;measuring the rubber itself \u2014 not including guide lugs underneath.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 2: Measure the Pitch<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pitch is the distance between the centre of one internal drive lug to the centre of the next.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This measurement must be exact.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"105\" src=\"blob:https:\/\/rtc.n2rdev.in\/c20859b6-c3b9-4d3f-9b7e-4debfcc23286\">Use a tape measure and measure from the centre of one lug to the centre of the next lug.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;unsure, measure across multiple lugs (for example 5) and divide by the number of spaces \u2014 this reduces measurement error.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 3: Count the Number of Links<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is simply the total number of internal drive lugs around the entire track.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Count every lug once.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Make sure you complete a full loop.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Don\u2019t\u00a0guess \u2014 miscounting by one link means the track\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0fit.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/rtc.n2rdev.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your measurements are:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Width: 400mm\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pitch: 86mm\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Links: 52\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Your track size would be:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>400 \u00d7 86 \u00d7 52<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s&nbsp;the exact format&nbsp;you\u2019ll&nbsp;need when ordering.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/rtc.n2rdev.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-103\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where to Find the Track Size<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In&nbsp;most&nbsp;cases, the size is moulded into the inside of the track.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look along the inner rubber surface for numbers in the format:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>XXX \u00d7 XX \u00d7 XX<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if the track is worn or damaged, the moulded number may not be readable \u2014 which is why knowing how to measure manually is important.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/rtc.n2rdev.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-3.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-105\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Can I Order Using My Machine Model?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes \u2014 in&nbsp;most&nbsp;cases you can order rubber tracks by machine make and model.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, some machines can run multiple track sizes depending on:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Undercarriage configuration\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Year of manufacture\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Optional narrow or wide track setups\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;unsure, measuring directly is always the safest&nbsp;option.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Common Measuring Mistakes<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Avoid these errors:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Measuring width in inches instead of millimetres\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Guessing pitch instead of measuring precisely\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Miscounting links\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ordering based on another machine \u201cthat looks similar\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Rubber tracks must match exactly. Even one link difference will prevent proper fitment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why Correct Sizing Matters<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incorrect track size can cause:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>De-tracking\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Premature wear\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sprocket damage\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Excess tension issues\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting the measurements right protects your undercarriage and keeps your machine running efficiently.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Need Help Identifying Your Track Size?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;unsure about your measurements, our team at&nbsp;<strong>Rubber Track Canada<\/strong>&nbsp;can help confirm the correct size for your machine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply provide:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Machine make and model\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Width measurement\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pitch measurement\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Number of links\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll&nbsp;make sure you get the right fit the first time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc49&nbsp;Contact us today for expert&nbsp;assistance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ordering the wrong rubber tracks can delay your job, increase downtime, and cost money in return shipping.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":113,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=101"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/101\/revisions\/106"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rubbertrackcanada.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}