Thinking of down sizing and adding a skid steer. Opinions?

[flashpuppy]

We have a 33 acre mini farm in NC that we purchased late last year. I did a lot of considering and decided on our M7040. 2/3 are sparsely wooded and open pasture, easy to drive tractor through. 1/3 is extremely densely wooded and not tractor-friendly. We have pasture mowing to do occasionally, although the goats, horses and cows do a good job of keeping things down. There is also a 3/4 mile gravel driveway I maintain with a 7 LPGS. We do not do any hay and can not see any situation in the future that we would.

The tractor has been great. Cab is comfortable in the heat when mowing and the winter when clearing snow. However, I find that I am constantly wishing I had more dirt working capabilities, a bit more loader capacity (I have checked pressures and loader is doing what it should be) and something I could get into the woods and do more clearing with. I was also sad to discover that (whoops) the tractor is too tall to fit into my barn to clean out our goat pen and horse run-in. Really sucks having to clean it by hand and wheelbarrow everything to the tractor bucket.

At first, I thought perhaps I should look for a compact TLB. Would allow me to get into the barn and give me a backhoe for trenching, burying animals, etc.

After more consideration, I am leaning towards a compact track loader. Cab, hi-flow hydraulics, something like a Kubota SVL75. I would get a decent mower for it and use it for trail blazing in the woods, trimming overgrown trees on fence lines (which we have probably two miles that need to be cut back) and mowing into creek banks. Could easily fit into the barn and I believe it would meet most of my other needs.

Here is my snag: what do I do with the M7040? Keep it? Seems like an expensive extra to have sit around most of the time. I would still use it for pasture mowing and driveway maintenance probably. But would I be better served doing that with a smaller tractor? Is there any benefit of me trying to sell this one and pick up something smaller with ROPS in the 40-50hp range? Will a 40-50hp tractor handle a 7 LPGS? I feel that I could defiantly down trade and save some money if I dropped the loader off a smaller tractor, but do I really want to lose the loader? What if the CTL is down and I need one?

What am I missing? Opinions?

 

[jjp8182]

Another option would be a compact telehandler. From looking at things to expand, I'm fairly certain the next piece of equipment I buy will likely be a compact telehandler (potentially a New Holland LM5.25) as they greatly overlap capabilities with CTLs, but can be shorter in machine height, and yet reach higher, with a higher rated lifting capacity.

The other option might be a compact wheel loader as the competition in that market seems to be resulting in some interesting machines as well.

In my own case, the next piece of equipment will be in addition to the L3560 I already have (which works well for mowing, and the grading I've needed to do). So based on that I'd say a 40-50hp tractor could handle a 7' LPGS -- if it has enough weight to effectively transfer the power to the ground. When it comes to ground engaging equipment all the HP in the world doesn't do much if it can't be transmitted to the ground. Having had all 4 tires on my L3560 spinning a few times, I don't think I'd buy a tractor with more hp unless it had more weight (i.e. total weight over >7,000lbs) or was going to be used primarily for the PTO. (while I haven't tried it, as easily as my L3560 handles a full 6' box blade, I suspect it'd work fine with a 7' landplane)

On that note, I think the size of the mower might be more of a driving factor for a smaller tractor's horsepower and it may even be more of the driver for retaining a tractor. I say that as may really come down to how much you'd be using the PTO and the price of replacing current PTO-driven implements with hydraulic driven implements as (from what I've seen) hydraulically driven mowers tend to cost (much) more per foot of cutting width than PTO-driven mowers/cutters.

Last thought, having the loader on a small tractor does add a function (if expensive) front ballast that can help a tractor keep the front wheels on the ground, and add overall weight to the tractor which helps get power to the ground.

 

[flashpuppy]

Alas, compact telehandler is too long. I had a buddy bring his SVL95 CTL over and it is too tight inside the barn. The SVL75 is almost 20 inches shorter. Once you get into the barn, a right turn is needed to really scrape everything out.

The hydraulic mower is a necessity. Reaching down into ditch banks. Picking it up to prune back tree branches in the air. Taking down 4-5 inch growth. I am fully anticipating spending $5k on a 60 inch mower and I am okay with that for what the work it can do is.

 

[searcyfarms]

if you are thinking of taking down 4/5 inch growth, that will be a big job for a hydraulic mower, you will need a mulcher type mower for that and will be getting up in the 8K to 10K range for that, now all that being said, you also have to consider the mower hanging out in front of you - mulchers like that are HEAVY and will give you a teeter totter effect, with the short wheelbase it is far more of a rodeo experience in the machine not to mention lifting that way up in the air moving it. Tracks loaders have a bit of an advantage due to sheer weight and the tracks are more stable but when it comes to the weight hanging over teh front, have fun!!! and stay belted in.

i am fortunate to have many options of cut/medium/large/SS and love them all when needed so YES you will not find a good trade off when it comes to versatility but compromising with justification is difficult

I had not found a reason to get rid of them yes some are old but very capable when i use them for more production and ease of work and less wear/tear on me and my equipment

 

[bridge4]

If you can afford the Kubota you are looking at, and the much more expensive SS attachments, I would do it in a second. Those things are very nice machines and the size/power/weight combo can't be beat.

Sell the tractor if you don't think you will use it anymore, but I'd have the track loader for a little before I ditch the tractor just incase.... or maybe see if you can't rent one for a month with a few attachments to make sure its everything you think it is.

 

[searcyfarms]

FYI the currrent svl 75/2 kubota only has 17gpm - if you are going to be chopping trees, you will either want a 21/22 gpm or Hi Flow unit - it takes a lot to spin a hydraulic mower and a lot to keep it spinning while working

i wouldnt get rid of that tractor either maybe get a different one but you wont replace a SS/Tractor with each other - and even tho that SS has tracks on it, it will still leave ruts and tear up your yard - they are close to 10K lbs - i have used them all and use my cut for all my landscaping - lighter is better but then you cant do the jobs you need to and if you tractor is falling short your SS will need to be big to do what you are wanting -

 

[timbatrader]

Skid steers are great for dirt work so much better than a tractor with loader but one thing to consider is around my small farm any way a loader is used for so much more around the place loading /unloading trailers helping on construction projects etc with most skid steers you can not get out hook up a chain or man handle a load off a bucket with the bucket raised or engine running for me this was big part of my dission to change to a pivot steer front end loader not as good for dirt work but more useful as a general purpose loader

 

[flashpuppy]

FYI the currrent svl 75/2 kubota only has 17gpm - if you are going to be chopping trees, you will either want a 21/22 gpm or Hi Flow unit - it takes a lot to spin a hydraulic mower and a lot to keep it spinning while working

i wouldnt get rid of that tractor either maybe get a different one but you wont replace a SS/Tractor with each other - and even tho that SS has tracks on it, it will still leave ruts and tear up your yard - they are close to 10K lbs - i have used them all and use my cut for all my landscaping - lighter is better but then you cant do the jobs you need to and if you tractor is falling short your SS will need to be big to do what you are wanting -

You have several facts wrong here. The hi-flow option is 28GPM. Rotary cutter/mulcher I’m looking at need 27GPM. So, yes I am on the low side of things, but I am not way under rated requirements.

SVL65 and 75 are both several thousand pounds lighter than my tractor and has way more surface area for a lot less ground pressure. The tractor makes instant ruts in anything other than bone dry conditions. I am not complaining about that, but an SVL95 did a lot less ground damage than my tractor does and I am looking at a smaller CTL than that was.

 

[4570Man]

I don’t think your going to be chopping 6” trees with a $5k mower. A maximum destruction mower is over 10k. I’ve got a fair bit of time on a 95 track loader. They don’t make ruts but turning is brutal on the ground. Even making a wide sweeping turn rips the grass. Doing any work without destroying the grass is out of the question.

 

[rScotty]

If what you want is a smaller machine for doing barn, woodland, and barnyard work then it's worth looking at the smallest Kubota TLB - the B26. Or alternately one of the small compact tractors. With industrial tires they are easy on the ground, handy, and surprisingly capable of doing real work. There are good reasons why they are so popular in small farms all around the country.
rScotty