# How big of a skid steer do I need



## Cutler tree (Oct 11, 2010)

My partner and I are looking for a skidsteer to use for the tree business. How big should we get? I work in NE Ohio. Most of our trees are under 36" trunks. We will be using it to load wood,drag brush to the chipper, and clean up after stump grinding. I know we will use it but just wondering how big you are running.


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## Mikecutstrees (Oct 11, 2010)

Think about the areas you will be working in, what size trailer you want to haul. Also what you be lifting, 9' 30" oak logs? Or firewood length? My Dingo is perfect for us. We seldom take wood to the mill and then only softwood. We work in a lot of backyards. I use a 5,000 lb landscape trailer which hauls my SC252 and TX 425 nicely behind the F-450. A 10,000 lb trailer plus a loaded dump bed with 5,000lbs of firewood would be too hard on the truck in my opinion. I'd rather go easy and have my truck last. Iv'e lifted 46" Silver Maple rounds no problem. Good Luck

Mike


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## flushcut (Oct 12, 2010)

I am using a friends New Holland L465 which I believe is a 45hp machine but I could be wrong. I can't really complain about the power I was picking up and loading 10'x20" ash logs with it. That was right at it's tipping limit, a little shaky. I would like a bigger machine. I am leaning towards a ASV RC50 turf edition which is a little bit more powerful and fairly light weight.


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## sgreanbeans (Oct 12, 2010)

I would go with what your gut tells you!
There is wonderful justification for all sizes, they all have their advantages, just as they all have dis-advantages.
What do you really want? go with it.


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## gwiley (Oct 12, 2010)

I have found my Bobcat 743 is perfect. It weighs about 5000#, tips at around 2000#, 36hp. I use a grapple with it and can lift most of what I try to load on my trailer. For really large stuff I just cut the logs shorter - but is is rare to find an 8-10' log that I can't lift with what I deal with.

THe S130 is about the same machine, newer with a little more HP.

Larger skid steers have the following disadvantages (the advantages are pretty obvious):

- heavier equipment, harder to haul behind the truck
- larger machines/more HP burn more fuel
- larger machines damage the site more, deeper ruts, etc.
- larger machines have a harder time fitting through gates

There are times I want more muscle, but I just can't justify trading up when I consider the downsides of going larger.


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## gink595 (Oct 12, 2010)

Cutler tree said:


> My partner and I are looking for a skidsteer to use for the tree business. How big should we get? I work in NE Ohio. Most of our trees are under 36" trunks. We will be using it to load wood,drag brush to the chipper, and clean up after stump grinding. I know we will use it but just wondering how big you are running.



I'd say a machine like a S175-S185 Bobcat. 1750lb. to 1850lb. capcity. If your going to use the SS to grind stumps then a high flow would be better suited. I've used mine with a std. flow on a stump grinder and it is slow. I will do it but not very well.


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## Bigus Termitius (Oct 12, 2010)

Why get a skid steer at all? I can see getting a dingo, but for heavier duty, why not consider a small articulating wheel loader?
Just a thought.


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## gwiley (Oct 12, 2010)

Bigus Termitius said:


> Why get a skid steer at all? I can see getting a dingo, but for heavier duty, why not consider a small articulating wheel loader?
> Just a thought.



Have you ever operated a skid steer? They are the most amazing piece of heavy equipment created by man. Being able to pivot in place - especially in the woods is unbelievably helpful.


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## Grace Tree (Oct 12, 2010)

Where are you at in NE Ohio? We'll be working on a big oak in Willoughby on Sat. We have a Bobcat mini and a Branch Manager. You're welcome stop by.
Phil


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## epicklein22 (Oct 12, 2010)

It all depends on what other equipment you have and the work being done. Price is a factor too. If you want an all around skid, then get a medium sized skid steer, like a S185/S200, or the equivalent New Hollland/Cat. They will get most jobs done. Do you do any land clearing? A big skid is the ticket them.

At my work, we have a couple cranes, so our work load is aimed at utilizing the crane or sending a regular crew to do pruning. We also do some lot clearing and need a big machine to move logs/wood chips around at the yard. So we have a Case 85xt and a coworker has a big new holland. lx885? The machines do a nice job they rarely ever come to a job site besides lot clearing jobs.

A mini is something that I would like to see in person before going that route. While it sounds like it might be a back saver for some jobs, it also sounds it could be pushed to its limits often. I only know of a ~3/4 companies around here that have them.


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## gwiley (Oct 12, 2010)

It may help to explore the comparative specifications, the following link lets you easily compare lift capacity, operating weight, width etc.

http://www.bobcat.com/loaders/comparemodels/skidsteer

For example you will find that once you go past the S130 (1300# lift, 2600# tip) the dimensions and weight jump to the next layer.

One of the best ways to try this is get a very old used one and figure out how you use it and what you need. They hold their resale value very well - you can typically resell a used skid steer for what you paid for it even after adding a few hundred hours to the meter.


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## treeclimber101 (Oct 12, 2010)

Anything is better than nothing , but a skidder and a mini are ideal for me , I use the loader for the mower and the BIG and the mini on nice yards and in small gates , I have a 7753 and love it and a taskmaster and love it more ...


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## CUCV (Oct 12, 2010)

If I had to have one machine it would be in the 763, 773, S150-S185, LS175, JD 320, JD 250 class machine. Many of these machines feel compact like the 753's and can be made as narrow as a 753 by flipping the wheels yet they have a bit more lifting capacity and give a smoother ride. I do love my LX885 and you can't beat the cab on my 246C (but you don't really want/need the enclosed cab for tree work.)


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## JTinaTree (Oct 12, 2010)

Here is watcha need, easy on lawns and picks up impressive weights. Loaded this big Post Oak with no problem.


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## Bowhunter01 (Oct 12, 2010)

Bigger is always better! Guns, trucks, knives, outboard motors, skidsteers,...


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## mattfr12 (Oct 13, 2010)

i use a high flow s205 bobcat and its great i find new and amazing uses to make my life easier with it daily. in the hard to reach places instead of buying a mini loader wich can be well over 20k new i bought a 30hp john deer tractor with a frontloader on it for 15k out the door brand new. it has turf tires on it and weighs around 3k. you can take a it in a yard on rainy day and barley see where youd drove it. plus it also lifts like 3 times as much it will do 1500 pounds. 500 pound load compacity on a mini and the reach height where never justifyable for me. they wont reach over the tailgate on my trucks. you could probably get it on the gate but as far as pushing it forward and what not thiers alot of hand work involved.


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## a_lopa (Oct 13, 2010)

Cat 226b is what you need...


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## Bigus Termitius (Oct 13, 2010)

gwiley said:


> Have you ever operated a skid steer? They are the most amazing piece of heavy equipment created by man. Being able to pivot in place - especially in the woods is unbelievably helpful.



Oh yeah, great fun and very handy, and if the right one came along for the right price I doubt very much that I could pass it up. 

However, I'd rather have a compact tractor or articulating compact wheel loader for tree work if I had my choice. They make more sense on the turf as well as load better and handle better, imho.


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## tawilson (Oct 13, 2010)

I see a T190 or equal in my future.


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## Mikecutstrees (Oct 13, 2010)

Used the Dingo to load 5 Big pine logs today. The largest was 26" and 8' long. Worked well. Had to lean on the back a little to balance it. Someday maybe a big open top chip truck with a grapple. That would be nice..... Mike


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## lxt (Oct 13, 2010)

just get a front end loader/backhoe, small unit would do fine..... you`ll be surprised how handy the backhoe will come in!!!!



LXT..............


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## Toddppm (Oct 13, 2010)

I have a 743 and use at my house more than on the job. I find it to be a PITA to load and unload and can't be used very often in the nice yards we work in. Usually the access is too small, hills or just too nice. It seems easier/faster to just hump the wood out in barrows or our powerwagon most times.
Every time I read one of these threads with minis involved I think that's the better route for what we do but I do like having the bigger one for occasional big trees, landscape work and snow removal.


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## Koa Man (Oct 19, 2010)

I have a mini skid and a Gehl Advantage. I rarely use the mini skid because it tears lawns and cannot lift as much or as high as my Gehl. The Gehl is also a lot faster. Here is a video on you tube of me picking up coconut palm logs on a job we did today. The video gets a little jumpy because my ground man had to run to keep up with the Gehl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEwxnidQv5E


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## bushinspector (Oct 19, 2010)

We are running a 246 Cat skid and it is working very well for us. If you use caution and do most of your turning before you get to the lawn, the damage is small. One of the largest benefits we have found is not chipping. Just load the brush into the trailers and haul!! The machine that you get needs to match your trailer both in the width and weight. Since we are not chipping it is important to be able to smash down the material in the trailer. We NEVER get in the trailer anymore to cut the limbs up to get more brush in.


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## treeclimber101 (Oct 19, 2010)

Buy something that you can "afford " to look at parked when not in use , you don't want a payment on a machine that sits more than it runs , I just bought another case cat , paid 6k for it with the 580e backhoe engine in it just for moving snow and an occasional log or two , now I have the three machines and honestly have less than 30k in all of them ..


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## a_lopa (Oct 29, 2010)

Koa Man said:


> I have a mini skid and a Gehl Advantage. I rarely use the mini skid because it tears lawns and cannot lift as much or as high as my Gehl. The Gehl is also a lot faster. Here is a video on you tube of me picking up coconut palm logs on a job we did today. The video gets a little jumpy because my ground man had to run to keep up with the Gehl.
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEwxnidQv5E



Thats a nice set up Koa,Having decent lift and articulation.

Have you brought another chipper?


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## sgreanbeans (Oct 29, 2010)

a_lopa said:


> Thats a nice set up Koa,Having decent lift and articulation.
> 
> Have you brought another chipper?



Love the video, that has been a debate for us, I really like the idea of that loader, is that a BMG attachment or is that a Gehl (the grapple)?

Love how your guy made the effort to make sure that fron made it in the shot! Messed up, was trying to quote Koa Man


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## Koa Man (Oct 30, 2010)

The grapple is a BMG. I have the adapter plate on the Gehl so it uses the universal mini skid mount, like the ones on the Toro Dingo.

a lopa, 
I did not buy another chipper and currently do not plan to buy one. The reason is I now spend about 5 months out of the year working at hotels in Waikiki, mostly at night from 11PM to about 8AM, trimming coconut palms. Can't run the chipper during those hours. We trim the palms with a cane knife (like a machete) so there isn't much noise. My other jobs I just hand load in my dump trailer or if there is a lot of brush, I have my good friend bring his 250 Bandit and chip truck and pay him for chipping. What I do plan to buy next year is a medium duty truck with a hooklift. If I use a bin with 4-5 ft. high sides, I could load it with my Gehl easily. Almost like having a grapple truck with the advantage of being able to also pull the brush and logs out of the yard.


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## a_lopa (Oct 30, 2010)

Yes Koa will make loading easier, i have a mitsubishi low side dump truck i brought from auction and use that with my cat 226b skid steer.

With 5 months palm trimming and a good sub chipper its barely worth it,Im running a morbark 2400xl its easily the best chipper ive owned but it is heavy.

Did you end up buying the bigger lift?

Seen this one today i would rather it than the bobcat IMO


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## tawilson (Nov 9, 2010)

tawilson said:


> I see a T190 or equal in my future.



Or possibly a S250 with a set of steel tracks.


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## gwiley (Nov 9, 2010)

tawilson said:


> Or possibly a S250 with a set of steel tracks.



That would be nice, but remember that if you need to move the machine an S250 might be pushing/past the limits of your truck/trailer.


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## tawilson (Nov 9, 2010)

gwiley said:


> That would be nice, but remember that if you need to move the machine an S250 might be pushing/past the limits of your truck/trailer.



I've tried one out. I've got a F-250 and a 10,000lb equipment trailer and a 12,500lb dump trailer so I can move it. I'm not in the tree business so it won't be a moved a lot right now. I just stuck my nose in on this thread cause of the skid steer topic and I'm in the market, doing research.


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## gwiley (Nov 9, 2010)

tawilson said:


> I've tried one out. I've got a F-250 and a 10,000lb equipment trailer and a 12,500lb dump trailer so I can move it. I'm not in the tree business so it won't be a moved a lot right now. I just stuck my nose in on this thread cause of the skid steer topic and I'm in the market, doing research.



That will be fun.

One thing that I discovered is that most of the hitches rated at 10,000lb are actually rated that way if a weight distribution kit is used, without it they are only good for 7,000lb. You should double check your hitch, weight distribution kits are only a few hundred dollars from NT or other dealers.


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## tawilson (Nov 9, 2010)

gwiley said:


> That will be fun.
> 
> One thing that I discovered is that most of the hitches rated at 10,000lb are actually rated that way if a weight distribution kit is used, without it they are only good for 7,000lb. You should double check your hitch, weight distribution kits are only a few hundred dollars from NT or other dealers.


Good point, but I'm set there too. My daddy was in the travel trailer and campground business so I'm all up on wd hitches. I bought the campsite business from my parents which is where the skidsteer will be used for now. I have done some contracting, landscaping and plowing on the side when my regular job as a tinknocker slows down. That's a future use for the skidster.


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## pdqdl (Nov 9, 2010)

Nobody has mentioned my favorite toy: Bobcat A300

This machine switches from 4 wheel steering to skid steer from one button inside the cab. Otherwise, it operates just like any other newer style Bobcat.

good: huge capacity, doesn't tear up turf or leave tire tracks, pretty reliable.

Not quite so good: it is too big for a lot of places. And it costs 2.5 times what a new mini would run you. It will pick up 5 times as much weight though!

In four-wheel-steer mode, it has twice the traction and digging power as when in skid-steer mode. It is vastly better for snow removal than any other skid steer machine. We still have the original tires I bought with ours from 2007, so the tires last longer, too.

Here is a good demo video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2cz0JMRtgo


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## gwiley (Nov 10, 2010)

tawilson said:


> Good point, but I'm set there too. My daddy was in the travel trailer and campground business so I'm all up on wd hitches. I bought the campsite business from my parents which is where the skidsteer will be used for now. I have done some contracting, landscaping and plowing on the side when my regular job as a tinknocker slows down. That's a future use for the skidster.



Nice to have a good source of that kind of information. I found out after I had been hauling the skid steer and loads of up to 10,000lbs (est) of logs that my 10K hitch was only good for 7K without the weight dist. kit. Almost as alarming as when I realized that my trailer brakes were dead on both axles!


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## pdqdl (Nov 10, 2010)

Pintle hitch for heavy loads is the only way to go. Strong, reliable, and they are usually rated for lots more weight than 10k. Shucks, I think you can get pintle hitches rated to 50k if you are willing to mount the behemoth on your truck.


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## tawilson (Nov 12, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> Pintle hitch for heavy loads is the only way to go. Strong, reliable, and they are usually rated for lots more weight than 10k. Shucks, I think you can get pintle hitches rated to 50k if you are willing to mount the behemoth on your truck.



The hitch receiver is what gwiley was talking about. I still haven't checked, but I think the oem Ford hitch is rated for 10,000 or higher. It's sure seen higher.
And I made a deal for an S250 today. All the options, and I've already got several attachments, plus a set of Loegering grouser? tracks.


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## treeclimber101 (Nov 13, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> Nobody has mentioned my favorite toy: Bobcat A300
> 
> This machine switches from 4 wheel steering to skid steer from one button inside the cab. Otherwise, it operates just like any other newer style Bobcat.
> 
> ...



Around here BOBCAT is having some tough economic times they have closed there store near me and plan to close another in central jersey , now you have to order all parts online and wait for the service truck for warranty work or run it 2 hours up north , Bobcat may be on its way out ..


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## ronnyb (Nov 13, 2010)

I have to agree with Koa. I have a Vermeer S600 and it does a lot of turf damage unless you are planking it. I had the opportunity to buy a Gehl at the same time and now I regret it. I bought the Vermeer because the service at the dealer is A1, but those mini articulated are amazing. Virtually no turf damage. I work in an urban area, so a mini makes sense. If I worked in a suburban area, a bigger machine would be a must.


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## pdqdl (Nov 15, 2010)

treeclimber101 said:


> Around here BOBCAT is having some tough economic times they have closed there store near me and plan to close another in central jersey , now you have to order all parts online and wait for the service truck for warranty work or run it 2 hours up north , Bobcat may be on its way out ..



That may just be a regional problem for your area. Perhaps poor dealer support led to poor market penetration?

There are many more bobcats than any other brand. Around here, when you see a skid steer, it is usually a Bobcat. Case and Caterpillar make regular appearances, and the really big contractors like the Takeuchi track loaders. I can't remember the last time I saw a New Holland, Gehl, or ASP.

KC Bobcat has this area tied up, and their service is pretty good, too.


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## treeclimber101 (Nov 16, 2010)

pdqdl said:


> That may just be a regional problem for your area. Perhaps poor dealer support led to poor market penetration?
> 
> There are many more bobcats than any other brand Around here, when you see a skid steer, it is usually a Bobcat. Case and Caterpillar make regular appearances, and the really big contractors like the Takeuchi track loaders. I can't remember the last time I saw a New Holland, Gehl, or ASP.
> 
> KC Bobcat has this area tied up, and their service is pretty good, too.



It seemed a bit weird too me as well , I know they had some really bad mechanics there , but the next dealer is almost 60 miles from here .. I would like to think that there service truck mechanic won't be a complete dope since he will be handling all my service work now ...


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