I Need help figuring out what to buy

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bassman2

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Dec 9, 2017
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5
I was directed here from another forum. Looks like great info and resources here! I think I need a skidsteer. Please help me figure out what to get! Homeowner use only - 5 acres, Half of it is sloped and levels off... with forest (big fir trees), bushes and blackberries. The slope is pretty aggressive, but there are two "paths" to navigate. Our septic drain field is at the bottom of the slope. Uses: landscaping, moving downed trees, mowing down blackberries and bushes, Using as a loader for Large amount of slab oak stored inside a shop. 14' long 24" wide, 2.25" thick. Maybe pushing snow 2-3 times a year. I've been looking at tracked machines due to the slope on my property. BUT, I wonder if I could get away with tracks over wheels? I'd prefer a smaller machine so I can use it inside my shop - but I think wider tracks would help greatly with the slope on the property. I recently used a T870 to unload all the oak... it's big. Too big, but I loved the controls. What should I be looking at USED? Budget is flexible, but I'd like to spend less than 20k which is a stretch from what I'm seeing in the PNW
 

flyerdan

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Joined
Mar 7, 2009
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983
wow I guess this forum doesn't get much attention. Is there "new posts" feature here?
There isn't a new posts, or mark all read, or any of the other features one takes for granted on vbulletin. Sometimes the new posts will be bolded at the right, sometimes not. It doesn't get the traffic of other sites, so what might get a page of replies on Tractor By Net in four hours will set for a week here, but if someone had anything relevant to add, they will.

As for what you're looking for, I doubt that you'll find a dedicated track machine in your price range that isn't a runout or down to 25% or less undercarriage. It sounds like you'll need a high flow machine for some of the attachments you wish to use, so that would put you somewhere in the Bobcat 753 range. OTT have the advantage of not having the inherit cost and maintenance issues, as well as the ability to only use them when really needed.
Hopefully some of the other brands people will chime in with more suggestions, it's early days yet.
 

Tazza

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Dec 7, 2004
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There isn't a new posts, or mark all read, or any of the other features one takes for granted on vbulletin. Sometimes the new posts will be bolded at the right, sometimes not. It doesn't get the traffic of other sites, so what might get a page of replies on Tractor By Net in four hours will set for a week here, but if someone had anything relevant to add, they will.

As for what you're looking for, I doubt that you'll find a dedicated track machine in your price range that isn't a runout or down to 25% or less undercarriage. It sounds like you'll need a high flow machine for some of the attachments you wish to use, so that would put you somewhere in the Bobcat 753 range. OTT have the advantage of not having the inherit cost and maintenance issues, as well as the ability to only use them when really needed.
Hopefully some of the other brands people will chime in with more suggestions, it's early days yet.
Pretty well any machine will do the job, it really comes down to how long it will take to do. High flow and tracks will give more grip and more flow to a slasher to mow, without that, it will just take longer to do the jobs you have for it.
If your dirt is really soft, tracks will be much better for you, as tryes will sink easily, and you will be spending a lot of time digging yourself out.
 

farmshop

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2014
Messages
698
Pretty well any machine will do the job, it really comes down to how long it will take to do. High flow and tracks will give more grip and more flow to a slasher to mow, without that, it will just take longer to do the jobs you have for it.
If your dirt is really soft, tracks will be much better for you, as tryes will sink easily, and you will be spending a lot of time digging yourself out.
Tracks on slopes with snow can be an adventure they become skis. Wider tracks are great for flotation over mud. You can buy a mower that is non high flow so you wouldn't necessarily need that. A 870 is big machine. A 590 will lift 2500#+ I personally would look harder at wheeled machines. They are cheaper to buy cheaper to maintain you can put chains on for moving snow or tracks over the tires for mud. A set of tracks for a track machine is going to cost 2000or more not including sprockets or idlers. You can buy tires for 600 to 1000 depending on size and brand
 

Tazza

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Tracks on slopes with snow can be an adventure they become skis. Wider tracks are great for flotation over mud. You can buy a mower that is non high flow so you wouldn't necessarily need that. A 870 is big machine. A 590 will lift 2500#+ I personally would look harder at wheeled machines. They are cheaper to buy cheaper to maintain you can put chains on for moving snow or tracks over the tires for mud. A set of tracks for a track machine is going to cost 2000or more not including sprockets or idlers. You can buy tires for 600 to 1000 depending on size and brand
Personally i rather tyres too, no final drives or tracks to replace if things go bad. A cheap tyre is about $100 each, i can handle destroying one of those, but a track i'd be a little cranky.
Another thing to consider is servicing, depending on the brand you go for, you may need parts. Bobcat are great for this, depending on the model, prices can be quite high. For home use, in the bobcat brand, i'd try and stay away from hand controls, stick with manual steering and lift/tilt controls. The electronic ones are nice, but when they go bad, the bills can out weigh the machine if it's a hard fault to locate.
 
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bassman2

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
5
Personally i rather tyres too, no final drives or tracks to replace if things go bad. A cheap tyre is about $100 each, i can handle destroying one of those, but a track i'd be a little cranky.
Another thing to consider is servicing, depending on the brand you go for, you may need parts. Bobcat are great for this, depending on the model, prices can be quite high. For home use, in the bobcat brand, i'd try and stay away from hand controls, stick with manual steering and lift/tilt controls. The electronic ones are nice, but when they go bad, the bills can out weigh the machine if it's a hard fault to locate.
I'm bidding on a 2013 Takeuchi ts70r right now... I'm currently the high bidder at $3500 - I don't expect that to last. This is an auction across the river from me (PDX) - that goes live tomorrow morning. All the other machines in the auction are track machines...
 
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bassman2

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Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
5
I'm bidding on a 2013 Takeuchi ts70r right now... I'm currently the high bidder at $3500 - I don't expect that to last. This is an auction across the river from me (PDX) - that goes live tomorrow morning. All the other machines in the auction are track machines...
Well, none of my purchase attempts have been successful, and I've finally decided to spend the money and buy new. I am looking at: Bobcat t450 - 42k out the door. Bobcat t550 - 45k out the door Takeuchi TL8 - 43k out the door. The Takeuchi is a bigger machine but I'm concerned about resale value and dealer support. The local bobcat dealer is solid - and the sales guy is good. Only downside to the TAK is I've "heard" they slow WAY down going uphill. Any truth to that?
 

Tazza

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Dec 7, 2004
Messages
16,829
Well, none of my purchase attempts have been successful, and I've finally decided to spend the money and buy new. I am looking at: Bobcat t450 - 42k out the door. Bobcat t550 - 45k out the door Takeuchi TL8 - 43k out the door. The Takeuchi is a bigger machine but I'm concerned about resale value and dealer support. The local bobcat dealer is solid - and the sales guy is good. Only downside to the TAK is I've "heard" they slow WAY down going uphill. Any truth to that?
I'm partial to Bobcat, i know i can get parts for years after it was made.
I guess it depends on what sort of work you plan on doing, a larger machine will do more work faster, but use more fuel and have issues with tight spaces for access.
You will need to work out what you expect to need it to do most of the time, and size it from there.
 

Mountain Man

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2015
Messages
18
Well, none of my purchase attempts have been successful, and I've finally decided to spend the money and buy new. I am looking at: Bobcat t450 - 42k out the door. Bobcat t550 - 45k out the door Takeuchi TL8 - 43k out the door. The Takeuchi is a bigger machine but I'm concerned about resale value and dealer support. The local bobcat dealer is solid - and the sales guy is good. Only downside to the TAK is I've "heard" they slow WAY down going uphill. Any truth to that?
I think that you need to go with a brand that has a sales/service facility near by. For me it was New Holland, which is closest. They've always responded to any questions I've had and we've formed a great relationship. I bought an LS170 wheel machine, then I bought aftermarket MacLaren tracks. I've got a bucket, forks, grapple bucket, log splitter, and Bradco backhoe. I bought it as a private machine for my personal use, but have since made it into a business after retiring from real estate. I have no regrets and will eventually move to a C238 track machine with high flow hydraulics. Not having high flow on my LS170 was a mistake.
 

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