Mini Skid Steer

[shooterdon]

Looking at getting a mini skid steer. Anyone have any experience with the cheap ones from China?

The unit will be used with a grapple to load logs onto the deck of a firewood processor. Estimated maximum weight of logs 700 lbs.

 

[groundcover]

Had my fill of cheap Chinese after trying a 3pt chipper ! Have a couple of Ditch Witch mini track loaders, couldn't be happier.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve never owned one but I’ve driven them around auction lots. I wouldn’t pay $500 for one. The controls are so bad that they really aren’t even usable.

 

[SiteEngineer]

I’d go for a brand that at least has a UK dealer or someone you can actually ring if something breaks.

 

[Runner]

Looking at getting a mini skid steer. Anyone have any experience with the cheap ones from China?

The unit will be used with a grapple to load logs onto the deck of a firewood processor. Estimated maximum weight of logs 700 lbs.

Mike Morgan on Outdoors With The Morgans YT channel has both a Vermeer and an cheap Chinese mini-skid. He has had a couple of issues with the Vermeer (covered under warranty) but hasn't said much about the Chinese unit (and also hasn't shown it much). Might want to look up those videos on his channel just to see what he has to say.

 

[Carl_NH]

Bison Equipment has some nice videos of mini excavators and mini skid steers with lifting, and flow rates and is pretty objective reviews. Bison Equipment, Inc.

 

[2manyrocks]

I looked into them. There is a chinese mini skid steer group on FB. Looked like a lot of posts where people bought them cheap at auction and then soon ran into issues that they didn't know how to diagnose or repair or there were common issues like having track bearings that failed due to not being well sealed and/or tracks coming off.

The grapples for these are not inexpensive even though they don't appear to have as much stoutness as the ones designed for skid steers, IMO.

I bought a chinese mini dumper at auction June, 2025 thinking it might be just enough to help clear out an area infested with thorn trees. It kept stalling on me when I tried to back it up. Started a thread about it on TBN, but basically suspect the hydraulic relief valve pressure may be set too high. It will reverse if I go full stick instead of feathering the controls. Didn't want to mess with it much when it was so hot outside so it's waiting for me to deal with.