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

[searcyfarms]

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.

maybe i was not clear - what i meant was the svl75 only puts out 17gpm - if you are going to stay low flow you might want a machine in the 21/22 range - i didnt say anything about how much it puts out in hi flow as they range widely from machine to machine - i havent gotten down to 4570s reply yet but i glanced and he is accurate in that you wont be mowing trees with a 5K mower, hence why i said 8 to 10k maybe more..........they do make a mower in that range that runs on low flow up to 25gpm so obviously the more the better on that - that is what i was getting at.

if you are good with the damage a SVL 95 does then obviously you could get by with a 75 - but dont plan on using the svl in slick muddy conditions they are not much better than a wheeled machine when it comes to trying to get leverage or maneuver, Steel bar tracks over tires are the only think that will suffice in those conditions

I can drive my wheeled machine w/out tearing up the yard also but its a time waster and one wrong move and or soft spot and crap.......more work

there is no perfect machine for things - i have run a 75 and 95 kubota, the only think i liked about them was their cab - when working in trees, those tracks come off pretty easy thats annoying - no fault of kubota, its just the nature of track machines, i shucked the track twice driving up a road bank onto the street to load in a dumpster - and it wasnt steep luckily it was on dry ground

If i was planning on cutting large trees i would be looking for the biggest baddest heaviest hi flow machine and mower i could afford on your 10th tree then tell us how much you like it and the ride ;-) its not very fun

 

[arlen4720]

I think if you keep your tractor, then a skid steer would be a nice addition. I have both and wouldn’t want to give up either 1. I like the reach of the tractor loader, and the ability to get off with a load in the air and open a gate.

 

[searcyfarms]

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.

there ya go 4570..........my point exactly, you can get one but good luck with it, it will be maddening and even more so on a smaller machine that spins down quicker under load - that is what i mean by tearing up the ground - the sides of the tracks will flat peel sod that weight is undeniable - that is exactly i went to a cut and i still have to turn carefully with it - AMEN........you will tear up your grass no matter wheeled/tracked -

 

[4570Man]

- the sides of the tracks will flat peel sod that weight is undeniable - that is exactly i went to a cut and i still have to turn carefully with it - AMEN........you will tear up your grass no matter wheeled/tracked -

That’s my experience. No matter how wide you turn the sides of the tracks peel up the grass. Maybe it doesn’t happen as bad with a lighter machine or different tracks but you ain’t moving the 95 without seriously damaging the grass. It’s even worse with any load on the front.

 

[searcyfarms]

i have driven a tl8, tl12, 240, 140, taks - svl75/95 kubs, t650 bobcat, 332 deere and asv RC85 they all will peel turf and yes hauling a load of dirt/rock for landscaping makes it worse

a substantial mower that is capable of tearing up those size trees takes some power - my biggest beef with the two kubotas i ran were the hydraulics i never noticed it on any of the other machines i ran they were lagging, i would move the lever and nothing happened then move it more and a little more then SWING............they were not as sensitive/featherable as others, my fav were the taks..........maybe the 75 and 95 needed adjusting and the dealership didn't know how

 

[ruffdog]

This is why I traded my tractor in on a Bobcat 5610 Toolcat. It has a built-in loader arm and is only about 11ft long with no attachment. I have hi-flow and it runs my 72" front finish mower. Out back it has a 3pt hitch so I can run my rear snowblower, tiller, rear blade, and rotary cutter. It has 4 wheel steering and turns very sharp without disturbing the yard. They are not cheap though.

 

[flashpuppy]

I don't think your going to be chopping 6 trees with a $5k mower.

there ya go 4570..........my point exactly, you can get one but good luck with it, it will be maddening and even more so on a smaller machine that spins down quicker under load...

What about these types of cutters?

I have other attachments from them and have been nothing but happy with the performance. The grapple on my M7040 has been fantastic. I have asked so much more of it than is reasonable and it has not skipped a beat, especially considering it is nearly half of what comparable models sell for elsewhere. I was expecting a fairly comparable situation on a brush cutter from them.

Am I being way too optimistic? Keep in mind my intended usage is not: commercial forestry work, for-hire land clearing, knocking down acres of 4-5" trees or mulching large trees. I have something like 600' of trail to blaze through some woods (tractor is and I would like to clean the underbrush from the 10 or so acres of hardwood forest. A big part of what I am wanting is the ability to reach up and trim trees back that have begun overhanging fence lines. Makes it very hard to bushhog up against the fence currently. also, the ability to reach down a bit into creek banks is something I am really wanting.

Are my expectations unrealistic?

 

[searcyfarms]

Not being unrealistic however i find myself clearing and saying, oh that one needs to go too and then that one etc..........and it seems the next one is just a little bigger and a little bigger etc......

I have used one of these Brush Cutter | Vail Products and they do what they say and are built for it, I don't like the design of that other unit, it looks weak on the center spindle and you would have to be right on top of the tree to cut anything sizeable because the blade holder portion is thinner and weaker they had to put the cutters only on the center of the motor to keep from damaging things/bending things etc.......those blades look pretty thin too

That mower is what i had on my skid steer caught on fire and burned. They are heavy and you wont tear it up unless you use it for a pry bar then maybe you could damage it lol.

IF, you go with a hi flow you will be able to keep it spun up better and quicker after running it down, that is the thing that is more frustrating using anything hydraulic driven vs pto driven you do not have constant direct drive power, you have lag, you have wasted time/energy and you will be waiting while things get to usable power again.

My machine with no flat tires on it weight around 10K lbs and this mower will let you know its there, my machine rating is about the same as the 75 Kubota @2300 mine is 2500 if i remember right. My pump is rated at 21 something gpm. Engine 86hp so between the 75/95 -

If you have patience, work slow/careful to reduce your wear/tear on yourself and go in knowing this is going to be a challenge and take a lot more time than mowing you should be fine. I would spend the money on the heavier mower and I'm not just saying get the vail, I'm just saying heavier is better.

I couldn't find the pix of the vail underbelly but its got cutters out on the hub that start at the end of the blades so you don't have to be on top of a tree to cut it.

 

[jjp8182]

It sounds like a CTL would be the best option for a single machine then, though like most things there are always trade-offs. As others have noted skid steers (tracked or wheeled) tend to tear things up by the skidding action of turning, and they also tend to be slow in transit, but getting the most machine into a small area with lots of hydraulic flow is what they are good at doing (in addition to being good for digging). The bouncing and teeter-tottering will likely happen with any machine with short wheel base that's carrying a heavy implement cantilevered off the front or the back (I've gotten some on my L3560 when having a Danuser Intimidator on the front and a finishing mower on the back).

The only other option that comes to my mind would be to use the current tractor with a hydraulic mower (powered by PTO driven hydraulic power pack), and then get a (stand on) mini skid steer for stall clean out. Don't think the M7040 would be quite big/heavy enough to carry one of the tractor-mounted side-arm mowers (though those would be ideal for the type of mowing that needs to be done).

Last thought (guess the prior option wasn't the last): It might be worth looking at a Power Trac or Multione mini loaders ....though I suspect the CTL might be the best overall option for a single machine given the tasks and constraints.

 

[rScotty]

This is why I traded my tractor in on a Bobcat 5610 Toolcat. It has a built-in loader arm and is only about 11ft long with no attachment. I have hi-flow and it runs my 72" front finish mower. Out back it has a 3pt hitch so I can run my rear snowblower, tiller, rear blade, and rotary cutter. It has 4 wheel steering and turns very sharp without disturbing the yard. They are not cheap though.

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That just might be the best solutioin for those that want to afford it. Most of the power of a large tractor in a small package and more maneuverable than a track loader. 4 wheel steering and real 4wd too.
The only problem would be choosing between the Toolcat 5600 with the dump box and the 5610 with 3pt hitch. Hmmm.....unless Bobcat also makes a dumpbox that fits the 3pt hitch.
Come to think of it, somebody must make a small dump box that fits a 3pt hitch.