Piston
Elite Member
I've seen a lot of "skidsteer vs tractor" discussions, and a lot of "3 pt backhoe vs. min ex" discussions, but not too many on the pros and cons of having one single good sized tractor, vs having a skidsteer AND mini ex.
One of the things I rarely use my tractor for (in fact, I could almost say never) is typical farming duties. I have very little field to mow, I have never pulled a plow, and I've never even seen a hay baler in action, let alone use one. :laughing:
I mostly use my tractor for woods work, things like logging, clearing land, stump grinding, chipping, making trails, splitting firewood, removing snow, and I'm always using my grapple for numerous things. Many times I find my tractor isn't large enough (or rather, I'd LIKE something larger and more capable). I have read and researched just about everything relating to upgrading my tractor to a new, larger one, so this isn't about that.
Recently a friend of the family mentioned he would be selling his mini excavator, so I started thinking about how handy it would be to have a mini ex. Then I started thinking more and more about what I do with my tractor that makes me want a bigger one. Well it seems like mostly the FEL lift capacity is the biggest problem. I've read that skidsteers have pretty impressive lift capacity for their size, and also with high flow hydraulics I could get a heavy duty brush cutter that would work a lot better in the woods vs. my tractor and brush hog. It seems like theirs every attachment made that I would ever want for a skidsteer, just like a tractor.
Rather than focus on only the uses I have for my land and equipment. What are some general ideas from the guys who have used all 3 peices of equipment, or just your opinion in general?
Would someone who doesn't do any farming, but does a fair amount of large log handling and woods work like I've mentioned, be better served by a combination of a mini ex and skidsteer, or would you rather have a single utility sized tractor?
I look at things like HD brush cutters, tree shears, and the lift capacities of skidsteers, as well as the incredible amount of work a mini ex can do with a hydraulic thumb and can't help but think that would be one heck of a nice setup
One of the things I rarely use my tractor for (in fact, I could almost say never) is typical farming duties. I have very little field to mow, I have never pulled a plow, and I've never even seen a hay baler in action, let alone use one. :laughing:
I mostly use my tractor for woods work, things like logging, clearing land, stump grinding, chipping, making trails, splitting firewood, removing snow, and I'm always using my grapple for numerous things. Many times I find my tractor isn't large enough (or rather, I'd LIKE something larger and more capable). I have read and researched just about everything relating to upgrading my tractor to a new, larger one, so this isn't about that.
Recently a friend of the family mentioned he would be selling his mini excavator, so I started thinking about how handy it would be to have a mini ex. Then I started thinking more and more about what I do with my tractor that makes me want a bigger one. Well it seems like mostly the FEL lift capacity is the biggest problem. I've read that skidsteers have pretty impressive lift capacity for their size, and also with high flow hydraulics I could get a heavy duty brush cutter that would work a lot better in the woods vs. my tractor and brush hog. It seems like theirs every attachment made that I would ever want for a skidsteer, just like a tractor.
Rather than focus on only the uses I have for my land and equipment. What are some general ideas from the guys who have used all 3 peices of equipment, or just your opinion in general?
Would someone who doesn't do any farming, but does a fair amount of large log handling and woods work like I've mentioned, be better served by a combination of a mini ex and skidsteer, or would you rather have a single utility sized tractor?
I look at things like HD brush cutters, tree shears, and the lift capacities of skidsteers, as well as the incredible amount of work a mini ex can do with a hydraulic thumb and can't help but think that would be one heck of a nice setup