Skid Steers! Who has one? Who uses them regular? Things to consider?

[Slippy]

Any input on skid steers will be greatly appreciated!

I'm looking for one in the 65-75 HP range (7-9k lbs) Wheels vs tracks? I'm favoring wheels, but am I wrong?

Bobcat vs. Kubota vs JCB, vs Deere?

Hep me spend money you knuckleheads!!

[shootbrownelk]

Bobcat with tracks.

[T-Man 1066]

Tracks are good if you are cleaning dooryards, mud, animal shit, etc. Wheels are fine for anything else. If using this in your yard or on grass, you can minimize damage by turning very slowly, not sharp. Even my crawler with smooth tracks, no grousers, can tear up the lawn if I steer too hard.

Other thing to consider, is do you have enough door height in the garage or barn to get it in? Standard residential garage, my skidloader is about 3" too tall to get in, my caterpillar forklift can go in if I tip the mast all the way forward, clears by about 1/2". The Yale forklift will not clear. The 420C crawler fits no problem.

[TJC44]

Any input on skid steers will be greatly appreciated!

I'm looking for one in the 65-75 HP range (7-9k lbs) Wheels vs tracks? I'm favoring wheels, but am I wrong?

Bobcat vs. Kubota vs JCB, vs Deere?

Hep me spend money you knuckleheads!!

I can't help you with the skid steer, but am more than willing to help you spend your money.
I'll PM you my address!

[Slippy]

Tracks are good if you are cleaning dooryards, mud, animal shit, etc. Wheels are fine for anything else. If using this in your yard or on grass, you can minimize damage by turning very slowly, not sharp. Even my crawler with smooth tracks, no grousers, can tear up the lawn if I steer too hard.

Other thing to consider, is do you have enough door height in the garage or barn to get it in? Standard residential garage, my skidloader is about 3" too tall to get in, my caterpillar forklift can go in if I tip the mast all the way forward, clears by about 1/2". The Yale forklift will not clear. The 420C crawler fits no problem.

Moving this from the Toolcat thread;
Good stuff T-Man!

Personal Use Only! Road and trail maintenance, mowing, clearing and some dirt moving/maintenance at my range and near the house. Will add a 60" cutter and a Landplane in addition to the toothed bucket.

My small tractor cannot handle the shit I need done regularly and I'm starting to feel unsafe pushing the boundaries that a small tractor can do. Steeper hills than a tractor can handle.

Already have a 14k equipment trailer.

I've trained my neighbors not to ask me shit! We like each other but we don't hang out with them and certainly don't borrow tools or time from each other.

I'm thinking wheeled unit, also I have plenty of height in the barn and carport. Not the garage, tho.

[Slippy]

Funny encounter with Mrs Slippy a few minutes ago...

She's been watching me research skid steers and she knows that I'm doing my due diligence and obviously concerned about the money...So we're talking about the pluses and minuses of the brands that I narrowed it down to and she finally says, "I trust your judgement"...

To which I reply, "You'd be a fool not to!"

Dang, am I the perfect husband or what?!?!?!

[T-Man 1066]

Moving this from the Toolcat thread;
Good stuff T-Man!

Personal Use Only! Road and trail maintenance, mowing, clearing and some dirt moving/maintenance at my range and near the house. Will add a 60" cutter and a Landplane in addition to the toothed bucket.

My small tractor cannot handle the shit I need done regularly and I'm starting to feel unsafe pushing the boundaries that a small tractor can do. Steeper hills than a tractor can handle.

Already have a 14k equipment trailer.

I've trained my neighbors not to ask me shit! We like each other but we don't hang out with them and certainly don't borrow tools or time from each other.

I'm thinking wheeled unit, also I have plenty of height in the barn and carport. Not the garage, tho.

Agreed about the neighbors. I am the same way about borrowing shit. Real close friend is building a shop, I told him to take my scissor lift and don't fuck around on a ladder. He has done so much for me over the years he can use most anything I have, but when it comes to tools, he is probably better equipped than I am.

And agreed on the wheel unit. Use the track money for either a brush grapple, pallet forks, or some additional attachment.

[Slippy]

Steep area that I need to be able to maintain. You can see the area that is freshly mowed by my tractor and area covered in leaves that I cannot get to due to the way the land is. Landscape company I hire, uses a skid steer every few years and knocks everything down but I'd rather do it myself with my own equipment.





This area (below) is very dangerous on a tractor, easy with a skid steer. I have lots of areas like this. Everything gets overgrown real quick. Tractor not strong enough to knock down small trees so I have to cut them. PITA using a chainsaw on a steep incline;

[Slippy]

Still haven't pulled the trigger on a skid steer that meets my requirements. Ramping up the search next week. Ran across this JD 318G at a nearby dealer.

[Box of frogs]

Been looking at a used D4 online.
I was looking at a heavier tractor and skid steers but I think I need a small dozer.