Rubber is best!

Brian M Walters

Thursday, 19 June, 2008

A Danish Army M113 on the Soucy stand (P195a) fitted with its rubber track system dramatically underlines the company’s claim to be the world leader in this field. Indeed, Soucy asserts that it has taken rubber track system technology to new levels, achieving track performances that were once considered to be impossible.
There is no doubt that AFV crews prefer rubber tracks to standard steel systems, but other benefits include a weight reduction of between 50 and 60 per cent, which allows more armour protection to be added to the vehicle. Moreover, a reduction in vibration levels of up to 70 per cent, improves the life of sensitive electronic equipment, while reducing crew fatigue, also achieved by a noise reduction of up to 13dBA.
These benefits add up to better health, operational efficiency and ease of communications of the vehicle crew members, but also make for major life-cycle cost savings, and a reduction in fuel consumption of up to 30 per cent, as well as a significant reduction in maintenance needs.