I keep the rubber on my tracks clean. I keep oils, gas and other solvents off the rubber. Someone told me not to use products containing silicon on them so I don't but to be honest the silicon thing may be just heresay. I keep them clean and stored out of the sun and off the ground. My tracks are original (1986) and have almost no cracks. The rest of the drive system is really identical to the wheeled version and if worse came to worse you could swap over to wheels I imagine. Have you tried chains on your simplicity. That might do the trick.
Good to hear that your original tracks are still holding up fine. I don't know about silicone attacking the rubber, never heard of that one. However, solvent based products tends to dry out the rubber causing cracks. Tracked to wheel conversion would be possible, since they are built on the same chassis. However, getting parts to convert over may be costly, as with any Honda products.
I don't have a Simplicity, it was one of the model I was considering of purchasing. They are great snowblowers. I'm allured by the Pro models with the eye candy channel handle bar and electric chute, but any large frame Simplicity is fine too. I don't think I'll put chains on my wheels because I think they beat up the pavement too much. I do have a Honda HS1132 with tracks.
