Where Wear Happens: Managing Undercarriage and Ground Engaging Tools (GET) with Customer Value Agreements (CVAs)

Undercarriage: Managing One of Your Biggest Costs

For tracked machines, undercarriage isn’t a small line item. It’s one of the biggest.

In many applications, undercarriage can represent up to half of a machine’s owning and operating costs. And yet, it’s often managed reactively. Run it until it’s worn out, then deal with the downtime and replacement all at once.

An Undercarriage CVA changes that equation.

Instead of treating undercarriage wear as inevitable and unpredictable, it becomes something you actively manage. Components like links, shoes, rollers and sprockets are monitored, maintained and replaced based on condition and planning, not failure. 

That kind of structure brings control back into the picture. Costs become more predictable. Downtime becomes less disruptive. And decisions are based on data, not guesswork.

GET CVAs: Performance That Stays Sharp 

Ground engaging tools are built to wear. That’s their job. But how they wear, and how you manage that wear, has a direct impact on performance and cost.

A GET CVA brings structure to that process.

Instead of scrambling to order tips, adapters, cutting edges and more when they’re already worn down, your Cat dealer helps manage inventory ahead of time. Parts are available when you need them, not after performance has already dropped.

There’s also flexibility in how costs are managed. Some operations lean toward pay-per-consumption models. Others align better with cost-per-ton structures. Either way, the goal is the same: connect wear to a plan that fits how the machine is actually used.

The result is simple. Tools stay sharper. Machines stay productive. Costs stay predictable.

Undercarriage Management: Knowing Before It Costs You

Wear doesn’t happen all at once. It builds over time. The key is catching it early enough to act.

For Undercarriage, that starts with tools like Custom Track Service (CTS) Pro inspections and available track wear sensor technology. These systems track wear across key components, helping identify patterns and changes as they happen.

Instead of waiting until performance drops or a component fails, you get a clearer view of what’s happening beneath the machine. That visibility allows for better planning and more precise service timing.

Ground Engaging Tools follow a similar approach, with regular inspections supported by your Cat dealer. Advanced options like 3D scanning help measure wear on buckets and GET components with a high level of accuracy. Add in operator and maintenance training, and it’s not just about replacing parts. It’s about using them more effectively from the start.

This is where peace of mind starts to show up. You’re not guessing how much life is left. You know.

A Smarter Way to Manage What Wears the Most 

Undercarriage and GET will always wear. That part doesn’t change.

What can change is how you manage it.

With Undercarriage and GET CVAs, those high-wear components stop being unpredictable costs and start becoming part of a controlled strategy. You gain visibility into wear. You align maintenance with real conditions. You reduce the chances of sudden downtime and spread costs more evenly over time.

It’s the same foundation behind every CVA, applied where it matters most.

Less hassle in planning and parts management. More security in how components perform. Greater peace of mind knowing the machine is supported from the ground up.

If you’re looking at how to get more consistency out of your equipment, this is a good place to start. Talk with your Cat dealer about how an Undercarriage or GET CVA can be tailored to your operation.