Buying Advice Skid steer or 1460

[airbiscuit]

Or This:

 

[airbiscuit]

Or This

 

[PowerTracManiac]

After using my PT1460 for a little while now, my impression is that it is a good loader-for the price.
After going through the fuel system, the Duetz starts the first turn every time and seems to be quite smooth for a deisel. I just moved 60 tons of stone for the driveway to the pond and the machine performed very well for that task. The rear tires spin somewhat when hitting the rock pile and this seems to limit the agressive digging action into the stone pile when compared to a skidsteer. The 4 in 1 bucket is good for moving stumps and driveway smoothing.
The front loader lift height seems to be lower and closer to the machine that the JD skid steer I am familiar with. If you want to load larger trucks with taller sides you will need something else. Dump trailers and trucks with lower sides no problem. The destruction to the ground surface with the articulated steering is way, way less than with a skid steer but the tight space mobility is limited compared to a skid steer. The machine is smoother and more comfortable to use due to the longer wheelbase. Skids beat the heck out of me and I do not enjoy operating them-although I have not used a tracked skid.
The attachment piece is a huge factor in my opinion. If your attachments will work with the 1460 attachment plate, that means you have quite a bit of functionality already. The PT1460 is not high flow. If you have any high flow attachments that you must have then that would be very important.
I have learned alot from your posts and you seem to do most of your maintenance and have made a bunch of custom attachments for yourself. That is so impressive. If you want to continue to do that then you will be ahead of the game since you already know so much. However, if you buy a skid steer, you will have a local service department and possibly warrenteed service so you can have someone else take care of any big issues that may come up.
If I had a larger budget for a machine, I would go for a newer style telehandler that is also capable of digging.

 

[m5040]

I will stipulate that Power Tracs are cool, but they are not as robust as a skid steer. If Power Tracs were all that, there wouldn't be a skid steer market, and every contractor would own a Power Trac. If you like the articulating feature, buy this:

If you watched the video, he explains how the Kubota loader does not have the hydraulic flow to run powered implements. It is just for grapples, 4 in 1 buckets etc. And yes skid steers are more robust.

 

[m5040]

Or This

You left out GIant. I was comparing the Giant 1500 to the PT1445/1460. I was able to negotiate the price to only $4k more then a 1460, so it was worth looking it over. The giant is a much nicer machine with paint and fit and finish and even the engineering. The best feature was being able to lock all the wheels together (diff locks) even know it is hyd drive just like the PT. The 2 big issues with Giant and I would expect Mulitone and the others is not having the hydraulic oil cooling capacity to run a mulcher or brush hog/rotary cutter for any length of time. The other issue was side slope capabilities. The engineers at Giant told me it is good for a 4 precent side slope. What is the Power Trac, 30% without duals? (I don't know for sure on the PT, maybe someone can chime in).

 

[MossRoad]

You left out GIant. I was comparing the Giant 1500 to the PT1445/1460. I was able to negotiate the price to only $4k more then a 1460, so it was worth looking it over. The giant is a much nicer machine with paint and fit and finish and even the engineering. The best feature was being able to lock all the wheels together (diff locks) even know it is hyd drive just like the PT. The 2 big issues with Giant and I would expect Mulitone and the others is not having the hydraulic oil cooling capacity to run a mulcher or brush hog/rotary cutter for any length of time. The other issue was side slope capabilities. The engineers at Giant told me it is good for a 4 precent side slope. What is the Power Trac, 30% without duals? (I don't know for sure on the PT, maybe someone can chime in).

It depends on which model of PT you're looking at. Their slope mowers are good for 100% side slope. 100%. That's a 45 degree angle. You will never see any of those machines shown, or any skid steer, operating on anything anywhere near those slopes.

My little PT425, for example, is good for 25 degree angle, so that works out to something between 45-48% side slope, I believe.

I have no idea of what the other PT models are rated for.

 

[MossRoad]

And then there's this to consider. Skid steers are inherently dangerous, in my opinion. You have to enter and exit the machine by climbing over the loader arms, implements, and operational controls. The operator is also within reach of moving parts, and they have extremely poor rearward visibility. Many co-workers have been injured or killed by skid steer operators by being hit or run over.

They are extremely powerful and capable machines, that's for sure. As with all equipment, they have to be operated with common sense and responsibility.

Disclaimer: When I was probably 16-18 years old, my best friend's brother in law was killed while operating a skid steer. Crushed to death.

 

[airbiscuit]

It has been well documented on TBN that Power Tracs are better than CUTs. No we know they are also better than skidsteers

 

[MossRoad]

It has been well documented on TBN that Power Tracs are better than CUTs. No we know they are also better than skidsteers

To each his own. My little PT425 won't do what a skid steer can do, and likewise, a skid steer would be useless on my property for my tasks. A CUT would be next to useless, so I guess that's a step up. :laughing:

 

[airbiscuit]

I like Power Tracs. I just haven't had a religious conversion yet :cloud9: