Skid Steer - Tracks or Wheels?

[Rustyiron]

This will put brush just about anyplace you want + 12' high. Very stable @ 90" wide, it's "footprint" is almost square.

 

[tawilson]

Rusty, that looks just like my set up except for the color. And I've changed my mind, I am glad I got the wheeled with the ott tracks. I've got other equipment for the finish grading.

 

[Hilbilly]

This will put brush just about anyplace you want + 12' high. Very stable @ 90" wide, it's "footprint" is almost square.

That looks like a pretty Mean Machine and I'm sure I would be very happy with something like that.

 

[870wing]

Would some thing like the Antonio Carraro Mach 4 or Mach 2 fit your needs? They are designed to work on hilly terrain. They have a very low centre of gravity, have reversible steering/seating consol. They also come with or without a cab. They can also reach 40km/h (24 mph) if speed is needed.

Mach 4 http://www.antoniocarraro.it/en/products/MACH_4~4970
Mach 2 http://www.antoniocarraro.it/en/products/MACH_2~5131

Take care

870wing

 

[oldman570]

Take the time to test both the tire and factory track units, at most any dealer, before making any a buy of a unit. Most dealers and rental units are easier on the wallet in the long run. For my use I found that the rubber tracked factory units did the best job when working in a soft ground environment , where a tire unit did more damage. A unit with a floating bucket is best, as it can make repair to some damages easier also. As for work on any steep grade, all the movement should only be done in a straight uphill or down hill movement and the use of a grade level bubble on most machines should be used and heeded to prevent a tip over dangers situation. JMO
Oldman570

 

[rmk700]

Hands down tracks. There is a long list of advantages and tires are a thing of the past for our uses.

 

[crashz]

I bought a Bobcat 753 a few years ago, thinking the same thing. Tight quarter mowing, grading, loader work. Gotta be better than my 21 hp gear drive tractor. It is. But its not without limitations. The 'cat is much more unstable on hills. Gets stuck easily. Pushing and digging are limited by weight and traction, which is marginal. Destroys grass. Side slope stability is a little scary. Up/downslope is even more scary, as it needs a load in the bucket to be able to travel up a slope. I've nearly "turtled" it a few times.

I thought it was a better and cheaper option than buying a 40+ Hp HST tractor. I think for my uses, the bigger tractor would be better.

On a jobsite this past winter I used our Cat 277 track (the wide all-terrain tracks) machine for snow plowing. It was amazing how stable it is. Obviously the power and weight was a major improvement as well as pilot controls, but the tracks make it so much easier to grade and handle slopes. So much so that I will look into a Loegring set of tracks for my 753.

 

[db1486]

I would say a track machine would be what would work for you, but to fund a good one in the $10-20000 range could be tough. How big would you be looking at. I've run a 313 Deere with OTT, and a bobcat T550 at work, and just bought a mustang mtl325 for the farm. I will say the bobcat floats around the nicest, and in wet soft ground, turning hardly leaves a track. But its not a real big machine either. Tracks are also nice because no flat tires in the bush. Had that happen on the Deere, and not fun with the tracks on. Joystick controls are a really nice option too.

 

[kevinwak]

My neighbour has one of the all wheel steer Bobcats and he loves it. Yes, it doesn't turn nearly as sharp, but there is no wheel slide on the ground as one set of tires skids to turn. He says it is amazing In Snow as compared to a normal wheeled skid steer, because even when he is turning he has forward power on all four tires, he isn't stopping one side to turn that way. He snowplows the perimeter of his 1/4 section all winter long with no issues. Another advantage is since the tires have to steer they are set way further from the machine body, increasing stability.

 

[ovrszd]

My Brother had a Bobcat T300. He bought it at 2300hrs with new tracks, very straight machine, gave $30K. We put 500hrs on it before he retired and sold it. I ran it most of those hours.

I believe a CTL to be considerably more productive than a SS. I could work in soft, wet ground that my Kubota M9540 could not traverse. I actually finished a waterway with the CTL, smooth as a '47 Chevy. Then absent mindedly tried to cross it with the Kubota. Had to go get the backhoe to pull the Kubota out.

As to maintenance costs, I believe them to be higher on a CTL. This is due to more moving parts in the chassis. Some on here have included drive motors in those expenses. That is incorrect as you will have that same maintenance risk in a SS. Daily maintenance on the rubber tracks is insignificant as well. Adjustment is not required often. It's just something you need to watch. Kinda like air pressure in your SS tires. Which brings me to my next point, I worked the T300 in all kinds of terrain including thorny brush. I never had a single flat tire.

Go CTL and you'll never wanna go back to tires.