Cord
Veteran Member
My first machine was a Yanmar 1110 compact tractor. Mounted a loader on it and used it for mowing, rototilling and snowblowing. The perfect machine for the small yard that we had. We've since bought a larger property and I wasn't using it for mowing. The loader didn't have much capacity so I had purchased a larger Waldon wheel loader. The Waldon was a capable machine, but it was very top heavy and unstable. It had a brand specific bucket attachment and no auxiliaries so I couldn't use rental attachments. I loved the 5,000lb breakout force and 1/2 yard bucket, but the machine was painfully slow and ungainly. After I broke the 3rd axle, I sold it (the new owner later blew the ring gear out) and bought a Gehl 6635 skid steer. I really like the skid steer and it's been a real work horse. 2300 lb rated capacity, high lift height, long wheel base and good power. Havn't been a big fan of the Deutz engine and it's expensive to buy OE parts for. In the three years I've owned the machine I've put on 350 hours which is pretty good for a home owner. However, my projects are starting to wrap up and my usage will be dropping significantly. I really like the Gehl hand controls because they function like pilot controls, but they provide feedback so I can feel how hard the machine is working. I've never been productive with hand-foot controls so I'm not willing to consider them. My skidsteer burned the other week and there's a pretty good chance they will total it. If they do total it, I'll look at the buy-back, but in the past the buy-back amount was some stupid high amount. Therefore, I'm finding myself being forced to hit the for-sale listings in search of a replacement machine. I figure the payout will be $11-14k, less a $1k deductable so I'll have a $10-13k budget. Not much to work with, but I'm only a home owner.
Requirements
Lifting capacity. It's a big thing for me. I know that I frequently maxed out the 6635, so although I'm willing to give up capacity, I question if this won't be a mistake.
Stability. Both our home property and the property up north have very steep terrain, so a low center of gravity is a requirement.
Would like something that doesn't tear stuff up. The skidsteer is great, but it's very difficult to drive on grass or gravel without making a mess of things. It's frustrating to go back and rake the gravel every time I move a trailer.
Mobility. Machine must be able to go up a 25% gravel slope without a load in the bucket. Many machines can't do this. I'd also prefer a machine that is capable of 4-wheel steering.
Height. To fit in the lower level of my barn, it can't be over 7' tall.
Self-leveling bucket. I don't like dumping a load on myself and it would drive me nuts having to concentrate on keeping the bucket level when I should be focusing on something else.
Width. Would be nice if it could be modified to a 60" width so I can use it up north.
Projects on the horizon:
I still need to build a couple of boulder retaining walls and do some earth moving in a small area. If I get a smaller machine, I don't know if it can set some of the rocks that I have as they already felt heavy.
Moving trailers. I rent storage space in my barn and every spring and fall I'm moving $60,000 travel trailers. The ability to push a 35' trailer up a 10% hill, on gravel, while turning 90 degrees, with great precision is a absolute requirement.
Repair some trails at the cabin. I have a gravel trail that follows the edge of a cliff. At the narrowest, the trail is 66" wide with a 10' drop off. My current skid steer is wider than this so I have to use a smaller tire to reduce the width. Even then it will be tight. For this reason, I'm thinking about going down to a 4800 series machine. But that will significantly reduce my capacity.
Prep the garden. I was planning on renting a rototiller and use the skidsteer to break the ground on her new garden. One of those projects that's a couple of years out.
Trench in a electric cable. I need to run some electric line at the cabin and I was hoping to rent a rock saw to use on my machine. The saw will probably require hi-flow.
I'd consider a mini wheel loader because it has great lifting capacity if they were low enough and stable enough. Many of the mini machines are pretty tall for their width. It would need to have a universal attachment and auxiliary hydraulics. I like the idea of the backhoe-loader tractor, but many are either toys or they're too large. I like the Deer 110 because it's a Yanmar (favorite brand engine) and I can take the loader off and use the 3pt and pto. That's freeking awesome. However, the machine is too wide and too tall. I've also thought about some of the Volvo machines with the side door. Neat idea, like the easy access, but I haven't ready many good reviews on their controls. The Bobcat Toolcat is a great machine that I have used, but it doesn't have much for lifting capacity. Love the 4 wheel steer because it's nimble and doesn't tear stuff up. The Bobcat MT-55 is another machine that works great up north, but it's really too small for moving trailers. I'm seriously considering a Bobcat B300 because it has capacity, 4 wheel steering and I could rig up a 3pt with the bucket off. Unfortunately, it's discontinued and I've heard the Italian sourced hydraulics are hard to find parts for and expensive to fix.
Requirements
Lifting capacity. It's a big thing for me. I know that I frequently maxed out the 6635, so although I'm willing to give up capacity, I question if this won't be a mistake.
Stability. Both our home property and the property up north have very steep terrain, so a low center of gravity is a requirement.
Would like something that doesn't tear stuff up. The skidsteer is great, but it's very difficult to drive on grass or gravel without making a mess of things. It's frustrating to go back and rake the gravel every time I move a trailer.
Mobility. Machine must be able to go up a 25% gravel slope without a load in the bucket. Many machines can't do this. I'd also prefer a machine that is capable of 4-wheel steering.
Height. To fit in the lower level of my barn, it can't be over 7' tall.
Self-leveling bucket. I don't like dumping a load on myself and it would drive me nuts having to concentrate on keeping the bucket level when I should be focusing on something else.
Width. Would be nice if it could be modified to a 60" width so I can use it up north.
Projects on the horizon:
I still need to build a couple of boulder retaining walls and do some earth moving in a small area. If I get a smaller machine, I don't know if it can set some of the rocks that I have as they already felt heavy.
Moving trailers. I rent storage space in my barn and every spring and fall I'm moving $60,000 travel trailers. The ability to push a 35' trailer up a 10% hill, on gravel, while turning 90 degrees, with great precision is a absolute requirement.
Repair some trails at the cabin. I have a gravel trail that follows the edge of a cliff. At the narrowest, the trail is 66" wide with a 10' drop off. My current skid steer is wider than this so I have to use a smaller tire to reduce the width. Even then it will be tight. For this reason, I'm thinking about going down to a 4800 series machine. But that will significantly reduce my capacity.
Prep the garden. I was planning on renting a rototiller and use the skidsteer to break the ground on her new garden. One of those projects that's a couple of years out.
Trench in a electric cable. I need to run some electric line at the cabin and I was hoping to rent a rock saw to use on my machine. The saw will probably require hi-flow.
I'd consider a mini wheel loader because it has great lifting capacity if they were low enough and stable enough. Many of the mini machines are pretty tall for their width. It would need to have a universal attachment and auxiliary hydraulics. I like the idea of the backhoe-loader tractor, but many are either toys or they're too large. I like the Deer 110 because it's a Yanmar (favorite brand engine) and I can take the loader off and use the 3pt and pto. That's freeking awesome. However, the machine is too wide and too tall. I've also thought about some of the Volvo machines with the side door. Neat idea, like the easy access, but I haven't ready many good reviews on their controls. The Bobcat Toolcat is a great machine that I have used, but it doesn't have much for lifting capacity. Love the 4 wheel steer because it's nimble and doesn't tear stuff up. The Bobcat MT-55 is another machine that works great up north, but it's really too small for moving trailers. I'm seriously considering a Bobcat B300 because it has capacity, 4 wheel steering and I could rig up a 3pt with the bucket off. Unfortunately, it's discontinued and I've heard the Italian sourced hydraulics are hard to find parts for and expensive to fix.
