Buying Advice Skid steer vs traditional tractor??

[Jeeterf15]

I have seen where skid steers now have available bushhog type attachments as well as many other items like the bucket&claw, stump grind, rotary brush cutters, etc... This setup seems so much more versatile...and I have been told skid steers keep their value even better than a John Deere...

Job is 20+ acres for developing and clearing, into pasture land and an eventual clearing for a pond. Lots of dead downed trees as well as grouped overgrowth of small to medium unwanted trees...

Question:

Big JD 50+ hp tractor with bucket grapple and mower or the skid steer ?

Pro / cons of each and opinions appreciated...

My first post after lurking a while and thanks!

JB3

 

[Hay Dude]

opcorntub:
Butter anyone?

 

[4570Man]

They’re both poor tools for the job. Get a big trackhoe with a thumb.

 

[Hay Dude]

If you can get a brush cutter for the dipper stick, you can mulch the small trees up into wood mulch.

 

[Jeeterf15]

They’re both poor tools for the job. Get a big trackhoe with a thumb.

Newby, pls explain thumb? I know trackhoe...

Can’t mow with a ‘hoe

JB3

 

[Jeeterf15]

opcorntub:
Butter anyone?

Good laugh at the popcorn drama and the banana republic...thx!

 

[Hay Dude]

you can mulch the small trees up into wood chips.
This will reduce amount of brush you have to deal with (unless you can burn)

 

[4570Man]

Newby, pls explain thumb? I know trackhoe...

Can’t mow with a ‘hoe

JB3

No a trackhoe won’t mow but a tractor will just get torn up attempting to clear 20 acres and a skid steer lives stuck. Now if you had a tracked skid that’s a different beast.

 

[Hay Dude]

Newby, pls explain thumb? I know trackhoe...

Can稚 mow with a 蘇oe

JB3

Sure you can mow/mulch with an excavator or track hoe, whoever told you that you cant? They are the best land clearing tool money can buy.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...rs-backhoes/&usg=AOvVaw0nV13KtFckVS020zNRj4Um

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=ja9pIS2ED24&usg=AOvVaw3hPPBiM-MKgcIquzGKQ3aE

A thumb is like a claw mounted down by the bucket so you can grasp trees, stumps, rocks, etc

 

[Dozernut]

I went to a Kubota CTL [compact track loader] from a larger tractor and have never looked back or wondered if I had done the right thing. I got a 3pt adapter for the CTL and can use most of the implements I already own. I did get a hydraulic brush cutter for the CTL as the old one would have been too expensive for me to convert. Get a stump bucket and you can dig up some very large stumps. I got one with a grapple arm which makes it more versatile. I still have my small tractor for lawn mowing, tilling and other tasks that that a small tractor shines at.

There are pros and cons to converting to a CTL over an SSL. The SSL [skid steer loader] is cheaper in cost for purchase and maintenance, but as already mentioned, they do get stuck easier than a CTL. The tracked machine is a lot more stable than a skid steer and doesn't have the bounce that comes with air filled tires on a SSL. The CTL is not gentle on a lawn anymore than a heavy tractor with loaded R1s. Mine has a full cab with heat and air which is nice for the cold or hot days and a blessing when you get into a nest of bees. My CTL has great forward visibility but reverse visibility is poor, I went to a reversing camera with a 7" monitor which helps a lot.

Getting into a CTL is fairly easy until you hook up an implement. The implement blocks easy access to the machine and sometimes creates an adventure for getting in the cab without skinning yourself up. I greatly favor the Kubota straight lift front door versus the swing out doors the competition uses. The best easy access side door machine has to be the JSB with the mono arm.

There are a lot of great CTL machines out there but you need to decide what brand and dealer best fit you. I wish you luck and I think you are thinking along the right line as long as you do not want or need a tillage or pulling machine, which would be a tractor.