Update: Off topic. Tractor vs. Skid Steer

[Toddmack]

I have 7 acres, mostly pasture and my needs have always been dirt moving, brush/ tall grass clearing and some random stuff. Have a 26hp Deere and wish I had a skid more times than not. You can get front brush hog for them which is more manageable, they're easier for fork work and smaller footprint. I know there's reasons for both but I'd love a skid over my tractor.

The only kicker is if you can see the forks from the cab/rops. That always leaves the win to the machine without a front door.

 

[1lessdog]

We have a little over 10 acres. Big yard with lots of trees and garden. I have not taken the tractor out of the barn since Nov. I Have a snowblower, tiller , dirt and snow bucket. Pallet Forks and grapple for the skidsteer. I have been thinking about selling tractor with all attachments. It is so handy with the quick attach on a skidsteer. I can go from tiller to grapple fork in less than 5 mins.

 

[1lessdog]

Skidsteer and snow pusher and i can move lots of snow in a hurry. Guys say you need tracks. All this snow was moved with a Bobcat 642 gas with wheels. And a 642 is a small skidsteer.

 

[Kalitrazescapee]

If you're going to deal with snow...tractor...skid steer on tracks is useless in snow and ice.a 4x4 tractor w a plow attachment can push more and can pile snow higher than a plow on trk. Also bush hog etc is behind barn work the skid steer.

 

[JSH]

Been off and on skid steers of various kinds over the past, (1983 to present) years, I am still a peddles and arm guy. 8-10 hours a day on a loader that is all in the arm use my shoulders and forearms ache. You have way more muscle in your legs or at least I do. I can look at something to move and it just happens.
A track machine is way over and above a skid steer for what you describe. I am a Bobcat man through and through.
What ever you get makes sure it has auxiliary hydraulics. There are numerous attachments to be had. I suggest renting attachments before you buy, then make your decision.
Equipment all has its place some better than others, but a rubber track loader does a lot pretty darn good.
Buddy bought a used Cat loader to build a pond. Every time he turned around it seemed he was working on it instead of using it. He got a couple of Bobcats rented, forget the # but the biggest machines the had in 90-91. Used his tractor to pull a small scraper, Bobcats to push and level with. Three of us knocked the pond out in several evenings and weekends over a month of pretty much playing around.

 

[1lessdog]

Been off and on skid steers of various kinds over the past, (1983 to present) years, I am still a peddles and arm guy. 8-10 hours a day on a loader that is all in the arm use my shoulders and forearms ache. You have way more muscle in your legs or at least I do. I can look at something to move and it just happens.
A track machine is way over and above a skid steer for what you describe. I am a Bobcat man through and through.
What ever you get makes sure it has auxiliary hydraulics. There are numerous attachments to be had. I suggest renting attachments before you buy, then make your decision.
Equipment all has its place some better than others, but a rubber track loader does a lot pretty darn good.
Buddy bought a used Cat loader to build a pond. Every time he turned around it seemed he was working on it instead of using it. He got a couple of Bobcats rented, forget the # but the biggest machines the had in 90-91. Used his tractor to pull a small scraper, Bobcats to push and level with. Three of us knocked the pond out in several evenings and weekends over a month of pretty much playing around.

Back in 90 and 91 the biggest Bobcat was a 943 but the 843 was a beast. I ran the hell out of the 843. My favorite machine was the 743 with the Kabota 4 cyl diesel. You could run them all day on a tank of fuel.
I put together 1000's of Bobcats from 1983 to 1996. In 1994 I believe the 773 came out and that was a piece of crap machine.

I worked in MR fixing everything that came off the line that needed work. From oil leaks to the machine creeping while idling.

 

[22turborimfire]

I know Orange county fairly well with living on upper end of Lake Anna for 20+ years at the Spots Orange line .

If builder is doing most of the clearing and rough grading, installing driveway sounds like a good mid size tractor would get the job done with front end bucket within reason .

Now I have always wanted a skid steer and with the attachments that are available. I've have seen them walk circles around tractors plus I would like to have one setting around.

I've been around equipment many years and like everything else equipment operator makes a difference. Don't purchase a tractor and expect it to do loader work. But for light grading , mowing or bushhoging with unlimited time a tractor will fill your needs . 7 acres of grass cut weekly gets old speaking from personal experience.

 

[JSH]

Back in 90 and 91 the biggest Bobcat was a 943 but the 843 was a beast. I ran the hell out of the 843. My favorite machine was the 743 with the Kabota 4 cyl diesel. You could run them all day on a tank of fuel.
I put together 1000's of Bobcats from 1983 to 1996. In 1994 I believe the 773 came out and that was a piece of crap machine.

I worked in MR fixing everything that came off the line that needed work. From oil leaks to the machine creeping while idling.

Funny you bring up the 773. In 94 place I worked bought a brand new one, it replaced a little Mustang loader, so that was like going from a modelT to a Porsche. It never caused a lot of problems or had many. In all fairness it was never worked hard. It was on concrete all its life indoors. Atmosphere was what was hard on it, building full of dry fertilizer. That stuff attacks copper and brass with a vengeance, steel is bad enough.
As I recall I bypassed a whole bunch of safeties as the ammonia vapors and dust was hard on them. Forget the name they had on that early computer system.
One I have access to now is a T200 or 250, slips my mind as I don’t pay attention to it much. We have had it 13 years now. Original tracks didn’t last long, got another set (cheap) they lasted about two years and now this set. Working around RR track and crossing them with a load was very hard on them, lol me too as far as that goes. It is a beast and is a damn good machine.

Mowing 7 acres, I would have some sheep or goats. That is enough to bale imho. Neighbor has a 12 acre spread, he and his wife mow it twice a week with two 72” zero turns. I can find better things to do than mow grass, offense.
I used to mow when the dogs belly hit the top. Now I have a smaller dog, considering waiting till I can’t see her before I mow now lol.

 

[1lessdog]

I will never forget the 1st time we set the creep on a 773. The Engineers had to be there. The boom was up and ROP was up. It was idling and the two Engineers were going to show us how to set the creep. They reved it up all the way and loosened the bolts. It went into a spin and there was maybe 10 or 12 people standing there. They scattered like fleas. It nocked over 2 other Bobcats and 3 or 4 toolboxes. I timed it just right and jumped on the frame and reach up and shut it off. I got my ass chewed for jumping on it and shutting down. There's maybe 4 or 5 gallons of fuel in them. It would have wrecked lots of stuff and ran a long time before it would have ran out of fuel.

 

[1lessdog]

I'm converting a 3 point brush hog into a front mount skidsteer. I'm just putting a Orbit motor on it to run the PTO and will use the skidsteer Hyd to run it

 

[1ofU]

I've been down this road before , get a tractor with FEL , rent a skid steer
to do dirt work .my first mistake was I sold my backhoe .. had a bobcat that
set most of the time unless i was going to move something or dirt work ,
sold the bobcat bought a tractor with fel about 90% of the time I happy
just when i wished i could lift more weight sometimes .

 

[Thomasconnor]

It depends on your use of course. Skid loaders are great for grading and loading.

I get gravel for free and have put in and maintain over 1/4 mile of lane on 16 acres. If you wheel gravel or dirt any distance a tractor can't be beat. The backhoe is even better since the rear is well-weighted and the hoe can be surprisingly versatile. I've used the Case hoe to pull 4" vines out of trees. The thought of "wheeling" anything with a skid loader is comical. I would look at that 100 yards and start wishing for other ways. Did you ever feel how they bounce? How about that top speed?

I have two 2WD tractors so I have a backup and so I don't have to switch implements often. I have plenty of hills and since I don't have to work anything when the ground is wet or soft, a 2WD tractor properly weighted will do everything a 4WD will do for me including steep hills and plowing snow. Regarding tight turning, can you even "rotate" a 4WD tractor with the individual brakes?

I chuckle at the misnomer that 4WD is necessary in a tractor. Properly weighted with Ag tires, well I've never wanted 4WD especially given the tradeoff and I have some hills. Again, I can wait for hard dry ground. Who wants to clean 300 pounds of mud off of a tractor anyway?

Including most road vehicles with 4WD. I have to laugh when I see the little shiny monster trucks with fancy bed covers being used to pick up a case of bottled water at Home Depot. I think it was a Chevy commercial: How tough is your truck? Likewise I think 4WD in a hobby tractor is an American marketing theme....Tom

 

[Wild Bill IV]

I have worked on farms and worked construction!!! Tractors are very versatile!! I used a 8' dozer blade on a dual wheel 140HP 1466 IHC Tractor!!! Moved a lot of dirt, snow, siloage, and siloage packing!!! With the bucket attachment, moved loose dirt and sand, and general lifting for stumps, engines, bulk fuel tank!!! Used mower, fence post auger, sprayer, swather, bailer, on the PTO!! Pulled sweeps, disc, drills, and plows on the swing bar!!! VBAR Rippers (chisels) on the 3 point!!!

Skids and trackers are good for a lots of tasks in contruction!!! But, I have seen more dangerous acts from operators that think they are the words best joystickers!!! I have seen a skid nearly roll end over end going down a slope with a high lifted bucket full of dirt!!! Damn near ended up with 2 broken ankles from a forked skid full of brand new form boards!! The newbie who knew everything was coming in hot and heavy and let go of the sticks!!! Yeah, the dumbshit activated the emergence brakes!!! I was holding the dunage and I could only jump up on the top sheet as the sliding full stack was come at me!! SURFS UP AND SHIT WAS FLYING!!! He got an ear full of my foul mouth and I instructed him not to operator any large equipment on a jobsite I was on!!!

The point I'm going to make is this!!!
SAFETY FIRST!!! I have seen a 10 year old girl lose her hair and scalp from her hair getting caught in an active PTO shaft!!! Had a couple of schoolmates come to school with broken arms from sleeves or gloves getting caught in PTOs!!! I have seen the best skid and trackers operators screw up property and equipment from overconfidence in their skills!!! Make sure you are in a neutral gear, with brakes set, and the PTO is disengaged before you leave the seat!!! Always set blades, buckets, and 3 point implemented on the ground!!! Always keep loads low!!!! PIN THE SWING BAR BEFORE ROADING THE RIG!!! And the most important rule!! ALWAYS DECOUPLE THE PTO SHAFT ON EQUIPMENT YOU ARE FIXING OR REPAIRING THAT IS STILL ATTACHED TO THE TRACTOR!!!

 

[xswanted]

Get a tractor.

They ride better.

More options for implements.

Rent a skid steer for what you think you’re tractor will fall short on.

Farming a few hundred acres and maintaining the yard and my shooting range I don’t own a skid steer.

I have rented one a time or two for dirt work but a loader tractor works as well, just slower.

My money would go for the tractor. 65-80hp.

 

[Fclassfool]

Buy a tractor with a bucket rent a skidsteer when needed.

 

[Wild Bill IV]

It depends on your use of course. Skid loaders are great for grading and loading.

I get gravel for free and have put in and maintain over 1/4 mile of lane on 16 acres. If you wheel gravel or dirt any distance a tractor can't be beat. The backhoe is even better since the rear is well-weighted and the hoe can be surprisingly versatile. I've used the Case hoe to pull 4" vines out of trees. The thought of "wheeling" anything with a skid loader is comical. I would look at that 100 yards and start wishing for other ways. Did you ever feel how they bounce? How about that top speed?

I have two 2WD tractors so I have a backup and so I don't have to switch implements often. I have plenty of hills and since I don't have to work anything when the ground is wet or soft, a 2WD tractor properly weighted will do everything a 4WD will do for me including steep hills and plowing snow. Regarding tight turning, can you even "rotate" a 4WD tractor with the individual brakes?

I chuckle at the misnomer that 4WD is necessary in a tractor. Properly weighted with Ag tires, well I've never wanted 4WD especially given the tradeoff and I have some hills. Again, I can wait for hard dry ground. Who want to clean 300 pounds of mud off of a tractor anyway?

Including most road vehicles with 4WD. I have to laugh when I see the little shiny monster trucks with fancy bed covers being used to pick up a case of bottled water at Home Depot. I think it was a Chevy commercial: How tough is your truck? Likewise I think 4WD in a hobby tractor is an American marketing theme....Tom

Tom: I know what you mean!!! I had the Missouri small farm tractor!! I could and did pull small implements, posts, and stumps with my CJ-7 Jeep!! I won more than one bet on climbing steep hills without rooster tailing dirt and sod!! Going deep into forest areas and pulling the side mirrors in to go between a couple of trees!!!

The thing that drove the deluxe Home Depot 4 Wheelers crazy was sand pit sand!!! A couple of us Jeepsters would crawl up sand banks, drive down into the sandy swallow water, drive back up and then fly across the sand flats, make return turn, and then fly back to the piles!!! That got their ego!!! It was too much for them!!! A couple of the big 4x4s took off at high RPM!!! They got about 40 feet in rooster tailing sand and then dropped threw the top dry sand until both drive axles were deep in the sand!!! Adding insult to their injuries, I would drive up close to them and shift into 1st, jump out of the Jeep, and slowly walk up towards the trucks with one hand on the wheel and steered around them making a full circle before jumping in and shifting into neutral without touching the clutch!!! That pissed them off bigtime!! You could see the steam coming out of their ears!!! $50 from each driver got them out of the sand!!! Yeah, they left with their tails between their legs and a lighter wallet!!!

 

[nakneker]

I have a little over 400 acres, sage and cedars mostly, not prime land but I like it, I have a Kubota 80hp with a dozen attachments, hydraulic hooks up in front too which I use all the time. I use it to pull a home made pull behind grader I bought off a guy to tend the roads most of the time but I am constantly using it for something. There are times I wish I had a skidster too.

If your really gonna use it then buying makes sense but if your just gonna use it a 2-3 times a year after you get your place cleared then renting is a good option. Renting eliminates maintenance for you, keeps you in good reliable equipment and you can change machines when you need to.

I’m a commercial contractor by trade, my partner likes to buy equipment, I tend to prefer to rent. Most of the items we’ve bought over the years have sat too much, it’s waste imo. Buy if your gonna rack up some hours on it, rent if it’s need here and there.

 

[Ccrider]

It depends on your use of course. Skid loaders are great for grading and loading.

I get gravel for free and have put in and maintain over 1/4 mile of lane on 16 acres. If you wheel gravel or dirt any distance a tractor can't be beat. The backhoe is even better since the rear is well-weighted and the hoe can be surprisingly versatile. I've used the Case hoe to pull 4" vines out of trees. The thought of "wheeling" anything with a skid loader is comical. I would look at that 100 yards and start wishing for other ways. Did you ever feel how they bounce? How about that top speed?

I have two 2WD tractors so I have a backup and so I don't have to switch implements often. I have plenty of hills and since I don't have to work anything when the ground is wet or soft, a 2WD tractor properly weighted will do everything a 4WD will do for me including steep hills and plowing snow. Regarding tight turning, can you even "rotate" a 4WD tractor with the individual brakes?

I chuckle at the misnomer that 4WD is necessary in a tractor. Properly weighted with Ag tires, well I've never wanted 4WD especially given the tradeoff and I have some hills. Again, I can wait for hard dry ground. Who want to clean 300 pounds of mud off of a tractor anyway?

Including most road vehicles with 4WD. I have to laugh when I see the little shiny monster trucks with fancy bed covers being used to pick up a case of bottled water at Home Depot. I think it was a Chevy commercial: How tough is your truck? Likewise I think 4WD in a hobby tractor is an American marketing theme....Tom

Us country boys in Alabama take our “hobbies” seriously. I have owned and operated 4 or 5 2wd tractors and 4 4wd tractors over the last 35 years, along with a skid steer, a D3 dozier, a couple of backhoes and a 555g loader.

If I had to have only one, it would be the 4wd tractor. You can add any implement needed at reasonable cost and accomplish most any task that you could with the other machines.

For heavy duty work, rent the right machine for the task and be done with it.

Tom, some of us use our tractors on wet hilly muddy grounds. We don’t always have the luxury of waiting for things to dry out. And yes, you can turn a 4wd tractor with the brakes. No big deal, just disengage the 4wd. This is coming from someone that has spent years actually working on a 4wd tractor.

In addition to making it easier to maneuver/work in wet slick places, 4wd is like adding horsepower to your tractor- extra pull power. You can do a lot of work with a 4wd 40-50 horsepower compact tractor.

 

[bsekf]

I have read this whole post. I agree, buy a 4wd tractor of 60-80 HP and a FEL. But not a mention of the tractors you are recommending. Do not even look at anything that says COMPACT! That leaves 90% of the Kubota line out! Look for UTILITY tractors, plain ole farm tractors. They are built heavier and will take rougher treatment. It is too bad the government got mixed up in engineering, the new diesel engines are an abomination. So, buy repairability, warranty and dealer. AND, HEAVIER IS BETTER

They make almost anything for 3point hitch and you will learn to hate it, look at the Quick hitch if you work alone. Same with FEL attachments, get something "quick change" and it would be nice if the tractor came with a front hydraulic pump so you could use Skid Steer attachments like mulchers and brush cutters.

Excavators, bulldozers and tracked loaders are nice if your budget can stand them. Watch these kids run this new equipment and unless you are blind you will realize it takes hours to learn to be proficient. HIRE

Things I have learned the hard way in 85 years.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I have read this whole post. I agree, buy a 4wd tractor of 60-80 HP and a FEL. But not a mention of the tractors you are recommending. Do not even look at anything that says COMPACT! That leaves 90% of the Kubota line out! Look for UTILITY tractors, plain ole farm tractors. They are built heavier and will take rougher treatment. It is too bad the government got mixed up in engineering, the new diesel engines are an abomination. So, buy repairability, warranty and dealer. AND, HEAVIER IS BETTER

They make almost anything for 3point hitch and you will learn to hate it, look at the Quick hitch if you work alone. Same with FEL attachments, get something "quick change" and it would be nice if the tractor came with a front hydraulic pump so you could use Skid Steer attachments like mulchers and brush cutters.

Excavators, bulldozers and tracked loaders are nice if your budget can stand them. Watch these kids run this new equipment and unless you are blind you will realize it takes hours to learn to be proficient. HIRE

Things I have learned the hard way in 85 years.

I feel just a little different about your last statement. Give just about any of the Boomers I know thirty minutes with any machine, they drive it like they own it.