Berm project -- skid steer opinions wanted

[Txhillbilly]

After having a Fence company since 1979 I would highly recommend a John Deere.As useful as they are ,clearing land of trees is not their strength. Keep in mind the new track machines are heavy, and if you haul one on the road you will need a CDL. The tracks are expensive something to consider in shopping around, along with the ease of replacing hoses.

You only need a CDL license if you are using / hauling equipment for a profit - Commercial use.
Private / Personal use doesn't require you to have a CDL license.

 

[effendude]

Find a decent used unit, with a 1000 or more hours on it. Do your projects, maintain the unit, and you'll sell it for what you bought it for. Most of the depreciation and value comes in the first 1000 hours or so. Age is less of a factor. Look for pre DEF machines, save yourself some maintenance.

I've owned a bunch of machines over the years, all Case machines. I am tall and thought it was ridiculous to try to use your feet to run the bucket. Most machines now are all hand controls I believe. Current stable includes a Case SR200 for hard surface and precise work and a ASV RT-75 tracked machine for dirt work. Both have cabs, heat and air. Worth every penny.....

Scott

 

[akajun]

Skid steers are nice, but I think you'll get more value buying a small used dozer like a Komatsu d21-d31
John Deere 350 450
Cat d2/d3
and a35-45hp 4wd tractor with a loader

If your in texas theres lots of good used dozers and tractors there on FB market place.

Skid steers do everything, but few things really well
from the work you want to do a Dozer and a tractor will suit you better.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Skid steers are nice, but I think you'll get more value buying a small used dozer like a Komatsu d21-d31
John Deere 350 450
Cat d2/d3
and a35-45hp 4wd tractor with a loader

If your in texas theres lots of good used dozers and tractors there on FB market place.

Skid steers do everything, but few things really well
from the work you want to do a Dozer and a tractor will suit you better.

I agree with your thought. I mentioned a wheeled loader earlier, it’s amazing how much work you can do with one of these machines. They also can be driven to the worksite pretty fast and don’t have to be trailered.

 

[leakeyjohn]

We live on a small ranch, and hiring out some of our never-ending projects will be crazy expensive, based on the quotes we've received from the contractors who even reply after discussing the work with us at our place. Never been a worse time in my life to buy stuff, whether service or materials. Sigh...

So, we have a driveway to create, and a road, land clearing, brush piles (for wildlife habitat) ,planting beds, hundreds of post holes (split rail fencing), and moving material like gravel, D-G, soil, etc. One of the fun projects is a berm for shooting smallbore on the back acreage.

Seems like a tracked 'skid steer', i.e. compact track loader, would be extremely useful, and based on the quotes we've gotten would easily pay for itself, even vs. renting one (and the logistics involved in that). When we're done, figure in 4-5 years, we'll sell the place and all of our stuff and move to an apartment in Italy. Mamma mia!

I think suffering is part of the 'fun', so I'm not keen on spending the $6k-$8k more for an enclosed cab with A/C. (I'm not worried about the cold in the 2 months of "winter" we get here, last Feb's snow being an outlier.) And we're thinking a 68hp-75hp unit will suffice, and be within budget of $60k max. (New cost, including bucket, grapple, and auger).

A neighbor bought a 2k hour used 2016 Bobcat for about $25k in 2019, used it for a couple hundred hours for a year, and then sold it for $26k after having it detailed and repainted. But I'm not okay with buying a project. Whether boats, cars, or this, I want to have no unplanned down-time. and the gently-used stuff in this area seems to cost as much or more than new.

Brand preference, attachments, cab or not, whaddya think?

I would go with the brand that the dealer you consider long term trustworthy and has great service as well. Those things are far more important long term than low purchase price to me.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

It's an old thread but if possible, wait a bit. Equipment is coming down later this year and for a while.

 

[Walt Krafft]

He only needed it for 4-5 years. Should be for sale by now.

 

[TAJ45]

Maybe even packing his bags for ltaly.

 

[OMW57]

Im a retired heavy equipment operator & have run a LOT of different brands of skidders, After retiring, I started working for a farmer buddy, He bought a Kubota track skidder, it has the best visibility of any of the machines I have run! Best way to know which is the right one for YOU, is to get in them & try them out!
Best of luck in your search! I hope you get a good one & have fun!

 

[OMW57]

OH fer chrying out loud! Didnt see the dates!

 

[6MMsteve]

Takeuchi is a very good tracked skidsteer, but I have used a Cat like them also, just get one with enough weight and power to do the job, check escape issues in case you have a hyd leak or mechanical issue...some u cannot get out of if u get in certain situations, chk tracks, bogie wheels, drive wheel oil, play in linkage, blowback ect, press bucket and chk for oil bypass,

 

[6MMsteve]

got me it's an old thread