Skid loader recomendation?

tomstractorsandtoys · Mar 5, 2019

My son was offered a job with an Amish fence crew. He would need to supply a skid loader. Would prefer one with tracks and has to have a minimum hyd flow of 17.5 gal to run the driver. What would you recommend. We have a NH here on the farm and like the hand/foot controls but might be open to others. Would like to be around the $25,000 price range. It is an established crew with plenty of work and he was offered very good pay. Thanks Tom

Wisconsin Cowman · Mar 5, 2019

I'm surprised the Amish don't buy there own skid loader. If your son likes the New Holland I would suggest he stays with a New Holland. Maybe a LT185B probably will have a hard time finding a track machine for less then $25,000.

Andy Martin · Mar 5, 2019

I bought McLauren over the tire tracks for my Bobcat 773 and couldn't be happier with them. About $2,000, all steel, but it can't get stuck. I had it sidehill and got into some quick sand. Had to drop the load and use the grapple to push but it backed right out. It already had solid tires and I was using a tree shear and was tearing up the tires on stumps. The tracks really make it agile.

JD Seller · Mar 6, 2019

I have had JD, NH and Bobcat. I like the older Bobcats best, like 873s. I am used to hand and foot controls. I dislike the hand controls on the Case machines. To stay under $25k with tracks you going to be pretty limited if your talking a true track machine. I would recommend him looking at a rubber tired machine with steel tracks over the tires. You can buy a good skid steer and new steel tracks for $25K or under and have a machine that is not totally wore out.

My son bought a JD 323D with around 1000 hours and it cost him $40k with 75% tracks. Just a price point.

Commercial Farmer · Mar 6, 2019

Hard to beat a NH for stability.

Bob Bancroft · Mar 6, 2019

I have a neighbor who has both Bobcat and NH, and he agrees with you.

MSM · Mar 6, 2019

Messicks has a few tracked skids in yoir price range. Nice looking low hour Cat 287@20k

tomstractorsandtoys · Mar 6, 2019

Thanks for the info. We just started this project yesterday afternoon and after some research we are starting to consider steel tracks. Tom

Destroked 450 · Mar 6, 2019

I've had my ASV RC85 track loader for nearly 10 years, love the machine but rubber track machines do have their limits.
Rubber tracks are near useless in slick mud as they simply spin on top of the surface and won't dig in like steel over tires.
Also big rocks are a rubber tracks worst enemy, I've done more damage to my machines tracks on rocks than anything else.
Rubber tracks are expensive, over $2000 per side on my machine.
Track machine does have better stability, more lifting power and do less damage to the ground when turning.
As I said I love my rubber track loader but wish I have a second machine with steel over tires for muddy conditions and rocky terrain.

Is there a reason they want him to use a skid steer verses a tractor?

Commercial Farmer · Mar 6, 2019

I?ve been he Bobcat route. Run 3 New Holland?s here.

SVcummins · Mar 6, 2019

I like how easy the new Holland is to open and service the inside of it when you have to . Never been around a tracked machine but I bet they are harder to work on

Brown Swiss · Mar 6, 2019

Cat is the best as far as i am concerned, a bobcat with the kubota engine is good, we have 3 650s at the mine and the engines are junk, at 1500 hours all 3 had be worked on for injection failure. Kubota has been a good machine have 1 at work and going strong and everyone likes it especially the door and easy to grease. New holland was okay, had new hollands for loaners when the bobcats were down. They tried a deere track skid loader when they bought the kubota, i was glad to see it go back to the dealer, just wish they would take the deere end loaders back also.

Skid loader recomendation?

tomstractorsandtoys

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Wisconsin Cowman

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Andy Martin

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JD Seller

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Commercial Farmer

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Bob Bancroft

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MSM

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tomstractorsandtoys

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Destroked 450

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Commercial Farmer

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SVcummins

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Brown Swiss

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