Compact Track Loader

[2manyrocks]

I get the impression from Lineman North Florida's thread on his clearing work that he is using a heavy duty brush cutter, but not a mulching head. IMO, there's a lot of brush that can be cleared that way without subjecting your equipment to the beating that mulching would. Since you have a friend with an under utilized mulcher, you could subcontract the heavy mulching to him.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I graduated from SFHS in '87, went directly to the Army... just retired this past March 1st. VERY small world!

I'm looking at the SVL75-2 or -3.

There is a very good chance that we know some of the same people, the Alachua area has grown a lot, I used to go in any of the restaraunt's there and know most everybody and nowadays I hardly recognize anyone.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I get the impression from Lineman North Florida's thread on his clearing work that he is using a heavy duty brush cutter, but not a mulching head. IMO, there's a lot of brush that can be cleared that way without subjecting your equipment to the beating that mulching would. Since you have a friend with an under utilized mulcher, you could subcontract the heavy mulching to him.

Yes sir that's exactly what I use, while I would like to have a drum mulcher I just can't see the 30k investment being a good one as it is dog eat dog in this area with the mulching crews and the fact that I stay about as busy as I want with my setup which does a really good job overall.

 

[2manyrocks]

You may be in the sweet spot for getting paid work that doesn't tear up your equipment.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

You may be in the sweet spot for getting paid work that doesn't tear up your equipment.

When I retired I started this as a part time venture to make some side money, after a little while I saw I needed to go legit and get a liability policy and the whole nine yards because it became more of a steady thing. I tell everybody that my rig won't leave Home Depot style flower bed mulch but it will get it pretty decent after back dragging and most people are well satisfied, I don't try to cut anyone else out of work and don't badmouth the guys who mulch, but some of them don't like people with forestry mowers getting some of the work.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd rather not hire someone who bad mouths other people. I hired this specific forestry mulcher for my work because they had a positive attitude and appeared to be honest about their work. Later, I found out that the forestry mulcher I hired is actually owned by a company of four men I personally know.

They are each employed in other jobs and went in together to form a company. So it's not just one guy that owns the Cat 299d and the mulching head. They've split the ownership costs 4 ways. It's pretty expensive for one man to bear all of the cost of buying a CTL capable of running the mulcher, buying the mulcher, and buying the truck/trailer to haul it plus handle all of the operational costs like insurance and repairs.

 

[Darth_DMack]

There is a very good chance that we know some of the same people, the Alachua area has grown a lot, I used to go in any of the restaraunt's there and know most everybody and nowadays I hardly recognize anyone.

Sent you a PM...

 

[screamin400]

I bought a Kubota SVL 75-2 for my business that I started when I retired, I looked at JD, Cat and Kubota, price on the Kubota was about 18-20k less than the others, the overhead door was a must for me as I work by myself and need to be able to get in and out of the cab with the loader arms in any position ( something you can't do with the other two ) and lastly the simplicity of the Kubota, it's simple not a ton of bells and whistles but it's made to work, so far mine has been flawless, use it mostly for forestry mowing and grapple work and a little limerock/driveway work. Good luck on whatever you decide. Charlie.

Traded my svl75-2 in today for the 75-3. I pick it up tomorrow. Damn lot of money so I better like it. I did not care for the hydraulics on my 75-2. I am also on a very heavy mower. Kubota says more torque. I am hoping so. I put a tune on my 75-2. Hoping not to on the new one.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Traded my svl75-2 in today for the 75-3. I pick it up tomorrow. Damn lot of money so I better like it. I did not care for the hydraulics on my 75-2. I am also on a very heavy mower. Kubota says more torque. I am hoping so. I put a tune on my 75-2. Hoping not to on the new one.

I have been nothing but pleased with my 75-2, hope the 75-3 suits you better, they sure do look nice.

 

[4570Man]

Traded my svl75-2 in today for the 75-3. I pick it up tomorrow. Damn lot of money so I better like it. I did not care for the hydraulics on my 75-2. I am also on a very heavy mower. Kubota says more torque. I am hoping so. I put a tune on my 75-2. Hoping not to on the new one.

I think the loader is faster on the -3 machine vs the -2. The -2 seemed to push harder. My -3 only has 10 hours on it mostly moving dirt and gravel with the bucket so I haven’t really used it a lot yet.