Tractor or Skid Steer?

[Dave___in___CT]

Hi...

Check out the costs... I'll expect a skid steer and the attachhments for 'em are more expensive...
...and used stuff will likely be from commercial users... unlike CUT's & implements...

How about a used commercial backhoe/loader?
...and a supplementary tractor ?

Dave...

 

[PineRidge]

I think that you will find that a tractor will give you more bang for the buck. A 4WD tractor is a lot more more stable on uneven ground and the attachments are for the most part cheaper. My vote goes to the tractor. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[GareyD]

I suggest the tractor.

My L3430 works so well for the reasons you asked about and is such a pleasure to run, that after owning both tractor and skid steer at the same time, I traded my New Holland LX485 Skid Steer for the FEL and backhoe to put on my Tractor /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Now if I tackle something and the 3430 won't "Get 'er done!" ... I'll head off to the rental yard....(ain't happened yet!!)

GareyD

 

[fishman]

YooperDave might be on to something. I don't own one, but it appears that Powertrac incorporates some of the best things about a CUT and a skidsteer in one package. Check out the owner forum on this site.

 

[Steven]

I would go with a tractor.

Skid steers can be unstable off of flat surfaces. they also do a number on the ground they are operated on. spin it around a couple times and look at your lawn or new trail and it will have some nice ruts. if you have an unbelievable deal on a skid steer then I would buy it and use it as leverage on a tractor of choice. and if trade in is not up to par sell it agian and make a profit. just my opinion.

 

[RobertN]

I'll chime in, since I have used a few different tractors now. Over the last year, by ownership or rental I have used the following:
Kubota B8200HST 4wd CUT(Mine)
Bobcat S185 Skidsteer(Buddies) www.bobcat.com/products/item.view.jhtml?itemId=5129
Bobcat 463 kidsteer(Rental)
www.bobcat.com/products/item.view.jhtml?itemId=2783
CAT 247 Track-loader(Rental)
ASV RC30 rack-loader(Rental)
www.asvi.com/rc_30.cfm
Kubota L35-TLB(Rental)
www.kubota.com/blutility.cfm
Bobcat B250 TLB(Rental)
www.bobcat.com/products/item.view.jhtml?itemId=4934

For all around flexibilty, I would go with the ASV RC30. It is light(~3000lb), so transportation is easy. It is very flexible with the small skidsteer attach. Power is good at 31hp. Ground pressure is a measily 2.7lb/sq". Stability with the tracks on off-angles is good with the tracks. The machine easily outmanuevers a CUT, without thrashing the ground like a skid steer. As a reference, I found them new in Sacramento for $22k. Used from dealer in Sub-200 hours was about $17k.

Skid steers are GREAT! The flexibilty is much better than a CUT. First, they were originally built for work around the farm(Fisrt Bobcat's built for farm in North Dakota). They turn on a dime. You can not beat the available skidsteer attachments; even as much as I like CUT's with 3pt, the skidsteer is more flexible. Out here at least, you can rent skid steer implements, whereas I can not find rentals for 3pt pto attachments. The down side is, powered implements are expensive with hydraulic drive and all. Skid steers in general tend to be more expensive as an initial investment. S185 with a smooth and a tooth bucket ran $25k+ a year ago.
The biggest thing I see for a CUT is price. They are flexible, and have lots of less expensive 3pt/pto implements available. It's hard to beat a CUT with loader and scraper for $12-15k.

Just a few notes from the above tractors:

Kubota B8200HST-4x4 - I have had this for about five years. Overall it is a great tractor. It does not manuever tight enough for some work stuff I have done. With no down pressure on the 3pt, the post hole digger is pretty useless once the ground firms up. I have done a lot of mowing loading and scraping with it though.
ASV RC30 - Rented for a couple days. Amazing how much scraping and digging I did in moist conditions with very little disturbance to the grass and soil around me. Plenty of power for the size of the machine. I want one, but expense compared to my CUT is holding that up; would sell CUT as $$$ towards this machine. I can not say enough good about it! It was great!

Bobcat 463 - Little! But, I had to get through a small gat. At 36" wide, I squeeked through with 1/4" to spare. It did a lot of work for a tiny machine. Used in dry conditions, so skid steering worked fine. I am sure I will rent this machine again for tight access work.

Bobcat S185 - Cool machine! 56 turbo HP! This guy can realy dig. With a Hi-flow trencher attached, it trenched easily in our rock littered Gold Country soil. It's haevy though, at 6000+lbs with buckets. As a skid steer, it also can make a mess, although it is easy to clean up as you finish(except in wet stuff).

Cat 247 - This 50hp track loader worked well in wet conditions where I am sure the same size S185 Bobcat skidsteer would have gotten stuck in(Been there, done that)(got the Kubota stuck trying to do some finish work after doing majority of work with 247). It is a great machine, but big for my needs. The CAT joysticks were cool to work with too.

Kubota L35 - Great all around TLB. Power and digging were great. Manueverability limited for tight spaces though. Will use again I'm sure.

Bobcat B250 - Cool TLB. Has standard skidsteer attach fro front bucket, with plumbed hydraulics to go with it(can use hydraulic driven implements). Used to finish where Kubota L35 had problems with access. This unit has 4-wheel steering, allowing for tight manuevering. Note Bobcat rented this machine for less than the local rental yard asked for the Kubota L35.

Overall I think the skid/track loader is more flexible than a CUT. The tools are amazing that work with these machines. Go look at Bobcat or ASVi's web pages and search the attachments.

For your applications, sounds like a track-loader with 4-in-1 bucket would help with general loading and moving logs, slash ect. A trencher, whether a purchase or rental, could do electrical trenches and drainage trenches. The pond would be easy with a track loader. Stability with the tracks would most likely be better with a track loader than with a CUT or skid-steer.

 

[40Kchicks]

Excellent post Robert.
For my poultry farm I wouldn't be without my Cat skid steer. It has proven to be the most versatile of tools. I agree with everything you said and don’t agree that a skid steer is unstable on sloped ground. Just back up the slope and work down the hill. I have tracks for mine that turn it into an unstoppable tank that will go places a CUT would never go.
Eric

 

[Phred]

Eric,

Thats a good point. If you go up backwards you can climb up much stepper slopes safely. A lot of guys will load them on trailers backwards for that reason.

I also like the fact that you can see the bucket on a skidsteer so well. On my utility tractor you can't see the bucket / forks well. This makes it hard to move pallets around. Your right there looking down on it with a skidsteer.

Fred

 

[RobertN]

Using the Skidsteers, I found backing up things a must. It says to do that in the book too. I had that S185 Bobcat on some interesting rocky terrain on one job. I had no issue with side to side stability; it was front to back. Minding what you mention, I had no iproblems. I popped wheelies a lot with an ampty bucket, but the backend ground out long before I would ever go over.

I was really impressed with the Cat track-loader. I had not used the joysticks before. Those worked well. It also had a foot throttle in addition to the hand lever. I thought it was odd, till I had used it for an hour. Then I thought it was really cool! It was a very stable machine,, and handled well. It is amazing how smooth they are too, with the ASV torsion bar suspended track system.

I have seen Gousers for skidsteers, but have not actually seen them in use. I would assume they make it pretty comparable to a track-loader for traction and stability.

 

[snowbound]

RobertN, when you say that the track loaders (like the ASV RC-30) are "stable" do you still have to back them up your hills like the skid steers?