What Parameter Dimensions Can Be Customized for Steel Track Undercarriages?

On a customised steel track undercarriage, almost every dimension that defines the chassis is an adjustable parameter rather than a fixed catalogue item. MAGEON builds these chassis from 1 to 60 tons with 200–500 mm track width, and the specification is derived from the machine rather than selected from a list. The practical limit on customisation is not the manufacturer's willingness but the customer's own information: the more precisely the machine is described, the more of the parameter set can be engineered to fit it.

This article sets out which parameters are genuinely customisable, which ones interact and therefore need to be decided together, and what data MAGEON needs to produce a firm configuration and price.

Which parameters are directly customisable?

Load capacity is the first, and it is the parameter most often left vague in an initial enquiry. The MAGEON steel track undercarriage range spans 1 to 60 tons and is built to order, so the rated load is a design input rather than a fixed catalogue value. It is not a matter of picking the nearest size: the frame, the crossbeam section, the roller and idler capacity, the drive sprocket and the track chain specification all follow from the machine's actual loaded weight and its load distribution between the two crawler units.

Track width is the second major parameter, and MAGEON's standard range is 200 to 500 mm. Width governs ground pressure, lateral stability and machine footprint. A wider track lowers ground pressure and improves stability against tipping, but it increases the machine's overall width, which matters wherever the machine has to pass through a gate, travel on a public road, or be loaded onto a ship or a low-loader trailer.

Travelling speed is the third, specified from 1 to 4 km/h on the steel track range. Speed is a function of the drive package — hydraulic motor displacement, travel gearbox ratio and sprocket torque capacity — and it interacts with chain pitch and grouser bar geometry, because a track designed to run slowly through mud is not the same track as one designed to move quickly on a haul road.

The fourth is the drive system, with hydraulic, electric and mechanical drive all available. The choice is dictated by the host machine's power system, and it determines the motor interface MAGEON has to design around.

Which structural and installation parameters are customisable?

Beyond the headline three, the physical dimensions of the chassis are equally adjustable. Overall undercarriage length, width and height are set by the machine envelope — MAGEON's rubber-padded steel track undercarriage for drilling rigs and mobile crushers, for example, is published at 2250 × 300 × 535 mm with the dimensions themselves noted as customisable, which is typical of the range rather than an exception.

The mounting interface is fully custom: the flange dimensions, bolt pattern, drive shaft height and hydraulic interface are all engineered to the host structure, surveyed one-to-one against the existing equipment. Whether a 360° slewing bearing rotary system is integrated — allowing the upper structure to rotate in confined working conditions — is a further configuration decision, and MAGEON builds the slewing-bearing version across the same 1–60 ton envelope.

Colour and finish are also specified per order, supplied in black or a custom colour. Material certification, packaging format and shipping terms are settled in the commercial section rather than the technical one, but they are equally part of what gets confirmed before production.

Which parameters cannot be treated independently?

Load capacity, track width and travelling speed are the three that interact most often, and specifying them in isolation is the most common cause of a mis-sized chassis. A 20-ton machine on a 300 mm track width produces a ground pressure that will push the tracks into soft ground; widening the track to 500 mm solves the ground problem but may exceed the machine's transport envelope and the width limit for road travel. Raising travelling speed on the same chassis increases the wear rate of the chain and sprocket, because the grouser bar is impacting hard surfaces at a higher frequency.

Similarly, the drive system and the interface are coupled. The choice of hydraulic, electric or mechanical drive determines the motor mounting, the shaft height and the port arrangement, and the sprocket is selected to match the resulting torque — so an apparently free choice of drive at enquiry stage can constrain the mounting interface, which in turn constrains the frame.

This is why MAGEON applies the parameters together rather than quoting each independently. The engineering approach is a requirement assessment covering machine weight, installation dimensions, travel speed, working conditions and drive configuration, which produces a single coherent configuration and price.

What about the customisation that is not dimensional?

Some of the most valuable customisation is not a dimension at all. The slewing bearing configuration converts a fixed chassis into a rotary platform, which changes what the machine above it can do in a confined pit or on a congested site. The track material choice — bare steel, rubber-padded steel, or a full rubber track — changes the operating envelope rather than the size, and is worth as much attention as any dimension. Colour, documentation package and inspection level are commercial parameters that are equally specified per order.

MAGEON's stance is that OEM and ODM custom service is available on the full range, and that the drawing-based and sample-based processing routes are both supported, so the parameter set is not constrained by what the manufacturer already has tooling for.

What information do you need to submit to get a firm quotation?

Five items cover the great majority of enquiries: total machine weight and load distribution, the mounting interface dimensions including bolt pattern and drive shaft height, required travelling speed, the ground and duty conditions, and the drive configuration required. Drawings in DXF, DWG or PDF format, or a measured sample of the existing chassis, accelerate the process considerably and reduce the number of assumptions in the configuration.

On commercial terms, the minimum order quantity is one set, standard lead time is approximately 20 days for one set and 30 days for two to three sets, and longer timelines are negotiated for volume orders. Every chassis ships with a one-year or 1,000-hour warranty and ISO 9001:2015 certification, with a factory inspection report, material mill certificate and video outgoing inspection available before dispatch.

Frequently asked questions

Can a steel track undercarriage be made smaller or larger than the standard range?

The published range is 1 to 60 tons with 200 to 500 mm track width, and that range already covers the overwhelming majority of crawler machinery. Outside it, the limiting factor becomes the economics of a one-off frame design rather than the technical feasibility. If your machine falls outside the range, raise it explicitly in the enquiry — MAGEON will confirm whether it is worth engineering, and where a different approach such as a rubber track or a modular slewing configuration is more appropriate.

Does a wider track always make a better undercarriage?

No. Width lowers ground pressure and improves stability, but it also widens the machine, adds weight, raises the rolling resistance of the track chain and can push the machine outside its transport or road-travel envelope. The correct width is the narrowest one that satisfies the ground pressure and stability requirement for the machine's duty. MAGEON sizes this during the requirement assessment rather than defaulting to the widest option.

How do I decide between a steel track and a steel track with rubber pads?

Base the decision on where the machine travels. A bare steel track is correct for work in rock, quarry floors, hardpan and heavy excavation, where mechanical bite matters and the surface is already damaged. A steel track with bolt-on rubber pads is correct for machines that relocate frequently or travel on paved surfaces — MAGEON's 3–15 ton rubber-padded steel track undercarriage is built for drilling rigs and mobile crushers at 2–4 km/h travelling speed, keeping the steel load path while reducing surface marking.

Can the undercarriage include a 360° slewing bearing?

Yes. The integrated slewing bearing rotary system allows the upper structure to rotate 360° relative to the chassis, which is what drilling rigs, screening plants and crawler cranes in confined working conditions require. MAGEON builds this across the same 1–60 ton envelope as the standard steel track undercarriage, so a slewing capability does not force a smaller machine class. The slewing torque requirement is an input to the design, so it should be stated at enquiry stage.

What if I only have machine weight and no drawings?

That is enough to open a configuration and price discussion. MAGEON's requirement assessment covers machine weight, installation dimensions, travel speed, working conditions and drive configuration, and can begin from partial data, with the interface confirmed later from physical measurement. The engineer replies within one working day on a technical enquiry, so the fastest route is usually to submit what you have and let the drawing request follow.

How long does a fully customised chassis take?

Approximately 20 days for one set and 30 days for two to three sets, with longer timelines negotiated above three sets. The minimum order quantity is one set, which means a first prototype with a fully custom parameter set does not carry a batch penalty. Where a genuinely novel design is involved, the design and approval stage adds time before that fabrication window begins, and the actual schedule is confirmed at quotation stage.