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MChalkley
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- EarthForce EF-5 mini-TLB (2001)
Goodbye Kubota, hello EarthForce
- Thread starter MChalkley
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OP
MChalkley
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- Eastern Virginia
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- EarthForce EF-5 mini-TLB (2001)
TWINKLE_TOES
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Re: Pic of EF-4
Mark,
whats the button on the lower left? (the one that looks like a fat lady bending over) The one on the lower right looks like a can of beer. What kind of beer does it dispense and is it cold? Looks like lots of room for a couple of pressure gauges. I'm still working on that part. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Al
Mark,
whats the button on the lower left? (the one that looks like a fat lady bending over) The one on the lower right looks like a can of beer. What kind of beer does it dispense and is it cold? Looks like lots of room for a couple of pressure gauges. I'm still working on that part. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
Al
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MChalkley
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Re: Pic of EF-4
Al - The lower left one is a proximity IR detector alerting you to the presence of a warm-blooded creature (such as a fat lady bending over) near the tractor (fortunately, it's smart enough to not detect fat guys in the seat, er the tractor seat, that is...). This is a European tractor, from the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia no longer exists, I was politely informed by an alert TBN member by private e-mail) - therefore, the beer is warm. The light on the lower right is to inform you that the keg is nearing empty.
Ok, now, for the serious-minded TBN members (both of you), the straight dope: From left to right, the idiot lights are: Glow plug, alternator, oil pressure, and hydraulic filter restriction. On the EF-5, there's also a "snail" light, which means the motor is in maximum displacement, low speed, high torque, mode.
MarkC
Al - The lower left one is a proximity IR detector alerting you to the presence of a warm-blooded creature (such as a fat lady bending over) near the tractor (fortunately, it's smart enough to not detect fat guys in the seat, er the tractor seat, that is...). This is a European tractor, from the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia no longer exists, I was politely informed by an alert TBN member by private e-mail) - therefore, the beer is warm. The light on the lower right is to inform you that the keg is nearing empty.
Ok, now, for the serious-minded TBN members (both of you), the straight dope: From left to right, the idiot lights are: Glow plug, alternator, oil pressure, and hydraulic filter restriction. On the EF-5, there's also a "snail" light, which means the motor is in maximum displacement, low speed, high torque, mode.
MarkC
Anonymous Poster
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Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...
SSK was skid steer killer? It sounds like you have dislikes of skid steers but having hundreds of hours on skid steers and combined thousands of hours on every loader from 4 yard articulators to skip loaders to compacts, nothing, will move material faster or quicker then a skid steer. We use them to move piles of gravel easily twice as fast as a JD 210 carying a one yard bucket. The compacts with hydrostatics used most recently at work, wouldn't stand a chance moving as much material even with their bigger buckets. When it comes to getting into zero tolerance clearance, its the only solution. The JCB I use with the 3 steering options was fantastically manueverable, but nowhere near the tight quarters working ability of a skidsteer (namely Bobcat as thats the only brand I've ever run) They are not ever going to be killed, but they will be improved on. I think they are one of the first to use hydrostatic drives. Just my 2 cents, I think the EarthForce unit will be a fantastic unit, but then anything that replaces the shovel in my hand is always welcome. Best wishes, Hank
SSK was skid steer killer? It sounds like you have dislikes of skid steers but having hundreds of hours on skid steers and combined thousands of hours on every loader from 4 yard articulators to skip loaders to compacts, nothing, will move material faster or quicker then a skid steer. We use them to move piles of gravel easily twice as fast as a JD 210 carying a one yard bucket. The compacts with hydrostatics used most recently at work, wouldn't stand a chance moving as much material even with their bigger buckets. When it comes to getting into zero tolerance clearance, its the only solution. The JCB I use with the 3 steering options was fantastically manueverable, but nowhere near the tight quarters working ability of a skidsteer (namely Bobcat as thats the only brand I've ever run) They are not ever going to be killed, but they will be improved on. I think they are one of the first to use hydrostatic drives. Just my 2 cents, I think the EarthForce unit will be a fantastic unit, but then anything that replaces the shovel in my hand is always welcome. Best wishes, Hank
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MChalkley
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Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...
Hank - I didn't make it up - I just reported it. SSK really did stand for Skid Steer Killer. That's why I said I'm sure it'll be renamed, now that Ingersoll-Rand, the owners of Bobcat, have bought the company.
I don't disagree with you at all about the speed of moving materials (in tight quarters) with a skid steer being better than anything else. There are jobs that I have rented a skid steer to do because it's the best option, but I still hate them. With the steering options on the EarthForce, I don't think there will be anything I would need a skid steer for, unless the work area is so cramped that the machine is just too wide to fit - then a small skid steer might be just the ticket - but even then I'd probably just let somebody else do it.
MarkC
Hank - I didn't make it up - I just reported it. SSK really did stand for Skid Steer Killer. That's why I said I'm sure it'll be renamed, now that Ingersoll-Rand, the owners of Bobcat, have bought the company.
I don't disagree with you at all about the speed of moving materials (in tight quarters) with a skid steer being better than anything else. There are jobs that I have rented a skid steer to do because it's the best option, but I still hate them. With the steering options on the EarthForce, I don't think there will be anything I would need a skid steer for, unless the work area is so cramped that the machine is just too wide to fit - then a small skid steer might be just the ticket - but even then I'd probably just let somebody else do it.
MarkC
Gatorboy
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Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...
Here is the page containing information on the [Skid Steer Killer]
It looks great! I wonder how much that puppy costs?
Regards,
Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann
Fallston, Maryland
Here is the page containing information on the [Skid Steer Killer]
It looks great! I wonder how much that puppy costs?
Regards,
Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann
Fallston, Maryland
JATO_RaT
Veteran Member
Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...
Mark, I did check out the Earthforce site after you had brought up the product. I saw the SSK, never thought of it as competing against a skid steer, still really don't. It will never have the manuverability of a skid steer which for the most part is where they excel over everything. The true beauty of the skidsteer obviously is in its tight quarters abilities which is why farmers pretty much don't need them, although they have been inside of semi truck trailers removing material. Another huge bonus is the giant hydraulic flow to run tons of implements. The 773 can put out 27 gpm, with that kind of flow, running a hydraulic hammer with some muscle is possible. Having rented many Vermeer and Ditchwitch trenchers, they are hard pressed to outperform in pure speed to a Bobcat trencher. Obviously I'm not trying to persuade you into a Bobcat, just speaking up for them since my experiences with them have been nothing short of fantastic machines. When it comes to excavating, folks out here are slowly turning away from backhoes and going to small excavators. Bobcat makes one of the cadillacs. Knowing little about operating backhoes I asked the fella that trenched our leach line system on a house we remodeled why a excavator over a backhoe? First and foremost was how steep the terrain was. It was steep I thought it was all going to hand dug. Nope, that guy took that little excavator down the hill clearing in front, spinning around and digging etc. He could not make it up since it was so steep bit he had his trailer at the bottom and drove it up. The line was over 1500' long. I was amazed. When he was done, there was very little evidence he had even been there, that he said is where the excavator really shines. The price is quite reasonable to. He said the model he was on went for about $32000. Anyway, as great as the skidsteers are, I won't be needing one myself and have settled for the Kubota L48, no hoe. The Earthforce price for the EF5 or for that matter, the EF4 was still far greater then the L48 and really not what I was after. However, If I were building homes or running a small backhoe service they would be real serious considerations! I mean its like a JCB with hydrostatic drive. I hope everything works out really great with your new machine and I know everyone will look forward to hearing about your experience, Rat...
P.S. its got to be reassuring to know that a great company like IR will be behind your purchase, that would have been a huge concern of mine.
Mark, I did check out the Earthforce site after you had brought up the product. I saw the SSK, never thought of it as competing against a skid steer, still really don't. It will never have the manuverability of a skid steer which for the most part is where they excel over everything. The true beauty of the skidsteer obviously is in its tight quarters abilities which is why farmers pretty much don't need them, although they have been inside of semi truck trailers removing material. Another huge bonus is the giant hydraulic flow to run tons of implements. The 773 can put out 27 gpm, with that kind of flow, running a hydraulic hammer with some muscle is possible. Having rented many Vermeer and Ditchwitch trenchers, they are hard pressed to outperform in pure speed to a Bobcat trencher. Obviously I'm not trying to persuade you into a Bobcat, just speaking up for them since my experiences with them have been nothing short of fantastic machines. When it comes to excavating, folks out here are slowly turning away from backhoes and going to small excavators. Bobcat makes one of the cadillacs. Knowing little about operating backhoes I asked the fella that trenched our leach line system on a house we remodeled why a excavator over a backhoe? First and foremost was how steep the terrain was. It was steep I thought it was all going to hand dug. Nope, that guy took that little excavator down the hill clearing in front, spinning around and digging etc. He could not make it up since it was so steep bit he had his trailer at the bottom and drove it up. The line was over 1500' long. I was amazed. When he was done, there was very little evidence he had even been there, that he said is where the excavator really shines. The price is quite reasonable to. He said the model he was on went for about $32000. Anyway, as great as the skidsteers are, I won't be needing one myself and have settled for the Kubota L48, no hoe. The Earthforce price for the EF5 or for that matter, the EF4 was still far greater then the L48 and really not what I was after. However, If I were building homes or running a small backhoe service they would be real serious considerations! I mean its like a JCB with hydrostatic drive. I hope everything works out really great with your new machine and I know everyone will look forward to hearing about your experience, Rat...
P.S. its got to be reassuring to know that a great company like IR will be behind your purchase, that would have been a huge concern of mine.
OP
MChalkley
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- EarthForce EF-5 mini-TLB (2001)
Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...
Rat - Actually, a lot of the farmers around here do use skid steers - for mucking out, which I find mildly amusing... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Seriously, though, as I said, I realize they're great at maneuverability, and the hydraulics are extremely versatile. I still hate them. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
One aspect of maneuverability that I don't like about skid steers is the situation that crab steering excels at: working tight against buildings. While I know a lot of people are a lot better at skid steer operation than I am, I haven't seen many people who were good enough to operate them efficiently in that situation. And the only reason they'll work at all is because they don't have the flexibility of being able to have an implement on the back.
It's good to see you back - you've been gone a while, haven't you? If you're interested in my experiences in the EarthForce, I suspect you may be in the minority. I get the feeling that not many on this board are interested in anything bigger than the Kubota L's and their equivalents. I still think most of my modifications, the jobs I want the EF-5 for, and the attachments I'm using with it are applicable, at least to some extent, to most everyone here, but I'm beginning to wonder if most others here don't see it differently. Maybe it's just that TBN has gotten so big that most members don't look at the "Other brands" forum.
MarkC
Rat - Actually, a lot of the farmers around here do use skid steers - for mucking out, which I find mildly amusing... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Seriously, though, as I said, I realize they're great at maneuverability, and the hydraulics are extremely versatile. I still hate them. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif
One aspect of maneuverability that I don't like about skid steers is the situation that crab steering excels at: working tight against buildings. While I know a lot of people are a lot better at skid steer operation than I am, I haven't seen many people who were good enough to operate them efficiently in that situation. And the only reason they'll work at all is because they don't have the flexibility of being able to have an implement on the back.
It's good to see you back - you've been gone a while, haven't you? If you're interested in my experiences in the EarthForce, I suspect you may be in the minority. I get the feeling that not many on this board are interested in anything bigger than the Kubota L's and their equivalents. I still think most of my modifications, the jobs I want the EF-5 for, and the attachments I'm using with it are applicable, at least to some extent, to most everyone here, but I'm beginning to wonder if most others here don't see it differently. Maybe it's just that TBN has gotten so big that most members don't look at the "Other brands" forum.
MarkC
JATO_RaT
Veteran Member
Re: What a long, strange trip it\'s been...
Mark, its kinda that way for me. Heck, look at the Kubota owning etc, its about weights on the BX or MMM on the BX or BX squeaks, oh well, they deserve as much time as me. Rat
Mark, its kinda that way for me. Heck, look at the Kubota owning etc, its about weights on the BX or MMM on the BX or BX squeaks, oh well, they deserve as much time as me. Rat
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