Rubber Pads for Steel-Tracked Excavators & Machines

Rubber pads protect finished surfaces — tarmac, block paving, concrete, indoor floors — from the damage steel tracks cause, without giving up the strength of a steel undercarriage. There are three fitting types: bolt-on (bolt through the pre-drilled holes in your steel grouser shoes), clip-on / side-mount (clip over the shoe with a bracket — no drilling needed), and chain-on / road-liner (bolt directly to the track chain). Which one you need is decided by your machine’s steel shoes: if the grouser shoes already have pre-drilled holes, use bolt-on; if they don’t, use clip-on. Pad width must match your steel-shoe width and the bolt spacing must match your track pitch — send us your shoe width and a photo of the shoe and we’ll confirm the exact fit.

What rubber pads are (and who needs them)

Rubber pads are moulded rubber blocks fixed to the steel track shoes of an excavator, dumper or drill rig so the machine can travel over and work on surfaces a bare steel track would tear up — roads, pavements, car parks, warehouse and factory floors, golf courses, and any finished ground. They give you the durability and grip of steel tracks off-road with the surface-friendliness of rubber tracks on hard standing.

Typical buyers: groundworks and civils contractors moving between rough and finished ground, plant hire fleets, utilities, indoor demolition, and anyone hired onto a job with a “no surface damage” clause.

The three fitting types — which fits your machine?

Bolt-on pads

Bolt through the pre-drilled holes in your existing steel grouser shoes. The pad is a rubber block bonded to a pre-formed steel plate that sits between the grousers, so no extra width is added to the track base. The most secure and longest-lasting type; slower to fit and remove. Choose bolt-on if your grouser shoes already have pre-drilled mounting holes. Widths commonly run 300–700 mm (some ranges to 900 mm). Bolt-on rubber pads →

Clip-on / side-mount pads

A fixed bracket on one side lets the pad clip over the steel shoe from the outside and bolt shut, with no drilling required. Fits roughly 50% faster than bolt-on and comes on and off quickly, so it suits machines that switch between surfaces often. Shorter service life than bolt-on. Choose clip-on if your grouser shoes have no pre-drilled holes. Widths commonly 400–800 mm. Clip-on rubber pads →

Chain-on / road-liner pads

Bolt directly to the track chain (not the shoe). Most common on grey-import Komatsu excavators and some newer US machines. The most robust, heavy-duty option — effectively a permanent fit. Chain-on rubber pads →

How to work out which pad you need

Three measurements decide it:

1. Shoe width — measure across the flat of one steel grouser shoe (mm). This is the pad width you order.
2. Track pitch — the centre-to-centre distance between links; measure across 10 links and divide by 10 for accuracy. Pitch drives the bolt-hole spacing.
3. Holes or no holes — look at the grouser shoe: pre-drilled holes → bolt-on; no holes → clip-on; grey-import Komatsu / chain-mounted → chain-on.

Because the same machine can leave the factory with different shoe widths and hole patterns, confirm by measuring your actual shoes — don’t order off model name alone. Send us your steel-shoe width, track pitch and a photo of the shoe (or your machine serial) and we’ll confirm the exact pad.

Why buy pads through RivalParts

We come at this from the trade side — the founder’s years inside the aftermarket parts trade cover pads, tracks and the whole undercarriage. That means no-nonsense fitment help, straight answers on bolt-on vs clip-on, and competitive aftermarket pricing without the OEM markup. Pads protect surfaces — but if the steel undercarriage itself is worn, see our undercarriage parts range, and if you’re weighing steel vs rubber tracks entirely, read rubber tracks vs steel tracks.

Delivery: we supply across the UK and Ireland — every quote shows the delivered price to your site or yard.

FAQs

What’s the difference between bolt-on and clip-on rubber pads?

Bolt-on pads bolt through the pre-drilled holes in your steel grouser shoes and add no width; clip-on pads clip over the shoe with a side bracket and need no drilling, fitting around 50% faster but wearing out sooner. Bolt-on if your shoes have holes; clip-on if they don’t.

Will rubber pads fit my excavator?

Pads are sized by your steel-shoe width and track pitch, not just the model — the same machine can run different shoe widths. Measure the shoe width, measure the pitch (10 links ÷ 10) and check for pre-drilled holes, then confirm with us.

Do rubber pads make the machine wider?

Bolt-on pads add no extra width because they use the existing shoe. Clip-on pads can add a little width because the bracket wraps the shoe edge.

How long do rubber track pads last?

Bolt-on and chain-on pads last longer than clip-on; life depends on ground abrasiveness, load and how much hard-surface travel you do.

Can I still work off-road with rubber pads fitted?

Yes, but pads are for protecting finished surfaces — for heavy rock or demolition, run bare steel and refit pads for road or finished work.