Hi all, Where to start.....my wife and I own about 6 acres in NW Ontario, mostly overgrown old farm land. We (she) has horses and we are clearing pasture, riding areas and trails among other things. I currently own an old (late 50's) MF industrial tractor, a 202 Workbull with front end loader and backhoe along with 3 pt hitch and a couple attachments but I am finding myself spending more money and working on the poor old thing more than I am using it. So with that in mind I am educating myself on other options and I have come to the conclusion that a skid steer would be the right thing for me. I love the old tractor but I think it's time for an upgrade. So my wish list for a skid steer include, enclosed cab with A/C and heat, possibly a tracked machine but I am thinking a tired machine with grouser tracks might make it more versatile for all the things I do with it. Enough power and aux. hydraulics to run pretty much any attachment I might need. Things I want to do with it.......haul/level gravel, clear areas of brush, landscape, haul horse manure, cut rough areas of grass, plow snow, lift/move heavy things.......... I should probably add that most of our land is relatively flat, no real hills to contend with. My hobbies include working on pretty much anything mechanical, electrical, electronic, wood, home improvements and the list goes on. Bottom line, I don't like paying anyone to do something I could do myself. Not only to save $$ but because I am always interested in learning new things and doing it the right way. So......where would be the best place to start asking questions as to what machines I should start looking for? Cheers!!
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Welcome, I am in N Minnesota myself. If you search the forums here there are just about as many reccomendations for skidsteers as there are members. Lots of advice most of which is good and it is all free. I watched a Cat tracked skidsteer working building a sewer mound in the muck and rain the other day and it spun a lot but it was doing the job where a wheeled one would not. It all comes down to budget in the end though.
Welcome to the site, just sit back with your favorite drink and start reading. My advice is start looking around for what there is used around you. Get a good feel for prices, they vary greatly around the country. What I have found is $10,000 is about the lowest you can pay for something desent, anything less normally need of a lot of work, is really old or a scam. Cab/heat and A/C are going to add noticably to the price and is where the demand is, just to warn you. If you find a machine locally private, before buying take it to the dealer and have it inspected. If the seller has nothing to hind they will have no problem with this and it will save you headaches. Track machines are nice, but do add big expensive up front and down road maintaining. For a homeowner, wheel machine with over the tire tracks maybe a better options. If you ask me, look for a nice bobcat 763 or 773 G series, but that is just me.
Thanks guys, I know I have some serious reading to do. Just in looking around the internet I see a HUGE variety of different machines and prices. Just need to figure out what I really need and what will suit me best. I'm probably looking in the 12-20K range and there seems to be a lot to choose from.
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Welcome to the forum Inno, hours of good reading here.
Dedicated track machines are better on soft ground and more stable on hills, but cost another $10 to $15 per hour to operate, for under carriage wear and tracks. Rip a tire $200 rip a track $1500 to $2000.
New drive motor, wheel machne 1000 to 1500, track machine 4 to 5k
The potential for expensive failures is higher on a track machine and reduces it used resale value. I'm not saying its impossible to find a good used one, but keep that thought in mind
There are also idlers and sprockets to consider. All this is why you will often see a comparable size track loader depreciate to close to the value of a similar wheel loader buy the time they are a few years and 2000 or so hours old.
Also track loaders are not very good in snow unless you put "snow tracks" on for the winter.
So finding a clean low hour wheel machine, for under $20k is possible, but not too likely with AC, However a track machine under $20k that does not need serious undercarriage work is not so likely, with AC, not likely.
Ken
