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.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

(My Brother) just retired from our home County land works division. He's a triple ASE Certified Heavy Diesel Mechanic and Heavy Equipment Operator with over 30 years of fleet maintenance experience.

You say your brother is the above, and then you come here to ask your questions???

Why isn't your brother looking the options over, and then making the choice based on HIS experience?? He is "by far" the guy to be making the decision!

SR

 

[Darth_DMack]

You say your brother is the above, and then you come here to ask your questions???

Why isn't your brother looking the options over, and then making the choice based on HIS experience?? He is "by far" the guy to be making the decision!

SR

He is leaning heavy for me to get a CAT 299D3. Or, a Deere... I'm the one spending the cash... he just LOVES to spend my cash.

I always like to hear other people's personal experience. But, yes, my brother is definitely a CAT guy. Since he repairs them at work, he knows them in and out.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Your brother will ALSO be the guy that will be servicing and repairing it!

Do you want him to be learning on the job, bitching because it's not something he used to, or do you want him to be working on something he likes and knows???

SR

 

[4570Man]

Your brother will ALSO be the guy that will be servicing and repairing it!

Do you want him to be learning on the job, bitching because it's not something he used to, or do you want him to be working on something he likes and knows???

SR

For the $20,000 premium a cat 299 cost over a 97 kubota I could listen to a lot of whining.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

For the $20,000 premium a cat 299 cost over a 97 kubota I could listen to a lot of whining.

You get it back in resale and service down the road!

SR

 

[4570Man]

You get it back in resale and service down the road!

SR

I’ve got 2 Cats but Kubota offers a hard to beat deal in a skid steer and mini excavator. And I’m sure his brother could figure out how to work on a Kubota.

 

[mikester]

I would avoid first model years of anything because it takes time to work out the kinks.

Every machine has it's strengths and weaknesses. Your best bet is to demo/try/rent each machine to see what works for you.

Things I look for:
1. Operator comfort - need a quiet cab, ease of access, ease of escape in emergency - how do you get out when the machine dies and the loader boom is blocking the door and the engine compartment has caught on fire? How accessible are all the grease points? Refueling? DEF port?
2. Visibility - CTL/SS have poor visibility as a rule as you are sitting inside a milk crate. How good are the cameras? Are controls sensibly placed?
3. Fuel economy - this is a big issue for me, I dislike operating fuel guzzlers and equipment that needs lots of DEF to keep running
4. Hydraulics - MUST HAVE LOAD/RIDE CONTROL (aka accumulator) and high flow remote hydraulics
5. Reliability- harder to assess this one
6. Service - Machine has to be easily serviceable, ie. how hard/easy is it to clean engine screens, you NEED to have support from the vendor and on-site service when your machine goes DOA somewhere in the back forty
7. Engine - what are the service intervals? Cost of consumables like filters etc? How hard is it to clean radiator grills, engine cooling screens? Does the engine have automatic reversing fan blades to keep crud out of the radiators?