# does anyone know anything about takeushi skid steers?



## stihlrunnin (Jan 22, 2008)

im looking to buy a skid steer with a mulcher attatchment on the front for doing clearence work, originally looked at bobcat t300 but have heard some good things about the takeushi TL 150! If anyone has any thoughts i would be very interested. Thanks


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## SCOOTER (Jan 22, 2008)

I have run the tl 150, and a great machine.. I own a Case 95xt but i like the tach much better, im going to trade the case in on a 150. Very quick, and strong machine


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## joe wood (Jan 22, 2008)

*skidsteer*

i have a mustang which is the same machine. 1500 trouble free hours on original tracks. bigger and stronger than the others cat ,bobcat ect. rides rougher than a cat and wont climb as quite as good. the cats are only getting 500 hours on tracks.I heard the bobcat was good machine and tracks are cheaper but i dont know for sure.


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## Curbside (Jan 22, 2008)

I have never tried a Takeuchi and I run all Bobcat equipment T300's, T320's and S330's. The reasons I would not purchase a takeuchi 150 is:
Remeber I'm comparing to the Bobcat's

1)takeushi has a lower lift capacity 2470lbs as to the Bobcats 3200 or 3300lbs depending on which machine (If your mulching that will make a big difference because the cutter heads weigh around the 2200-2300 lbs

2)Operating weights are nearly identical with the takeushi being 200lbs heavier even though it has a larger engine etc. My thinking it will burn fuel at a higher rate combine that with the Yanmar engine(97hp) which is known to be a high fuel burner compared to a Kabota(92) which is in the bobcats. According to takeuchi web site they say at 65% work load they burn 3.7 gallons per hour. I would say we do at least 1/3 better than that and I'm being very conservative with that estimation.

3) takeushi has 2 speed travel that basically equals 1 speed travel of the Bobcat 6.9mph in 2 speed mode as opposed to 6.6mph for Bobcat

4) takeushi (126.1") reach is less than Bobcats 128.8"

5) takeushi flow rate is 23.4 gpm at 2986psi No where in their web site does it mention high flow capability. Bobcat is 37gpm at 3300psi. For running a mulcher you need all the flow you can get. 23 gallons a minute in my opinion would not cut it.

6) I don't know how good takeuchi undercarriage and track is but their web site says they have 6 rollers yet all their pictures only show 5 which is the same as Bobcat. As far as life on undercarriage and tracks with our oldest T300 it now has 1700 hours at 1.5 years so it is the newer K model and nothing has yet been done to the undercarriage and the track is still in pretty good shape. The machine has worked in everything from pavement,concrete, spreading of 4 inch rock to mulching etc and snow removal so the track has not been pampered.

7) I know in our area Bobcat support is suppriour to any other skid steer brand. 

Anyways before you buy make sure you go over all the specs of all the different machines and get the machine that is going to specifically work for you. The biggest mistake is to get a machine that you think will be GOOD ENOUGH. I have learned the lesson the expensive way. Make sure it is good enough for what you want to use it for.

If your going to get a mulching head shop for that at the same time to match the head to the machine. We use fecon heads.


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## GeeVee (Jan 22, 2008)

I'd highly recommend an ASV....

ASV has aluminum bogies for clearing and demo operations, and the suspension is really comfy.


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## underkutter (Jan 24, 2008)

Hello,

I to am (long term) thinking about starting a mulching business. Because I have more time than money now, I've been aggravting the heck out of some skid steer dealers. I still have many many questions.

Something I never considered until I read the above posts is how a compact track loader "rides". Since I'm no youngster, any recommendations on the "cushy" riding track loaders would be greatly appreciated.

I'm I correct in assuming Gehl, Takeuchi, and Mustang are the same machines? At least the models with the 97hp Yanmar? (Also someone mentioned that the Takeuchi's hydraulic flow was lacking but they do offer a "high" flow option.)

I am only a couple of miles from a Caterpillar dealer as well as a Deere dealer. And maybe 1 hour from a Bobcat dealer. All other makes are hours away. Should I stick with a brand that can be bought and serviced locally?

Then there's Case, New Holland, ASV. Anybody know any reason these manufacturer's track loaders wouldn't make good mulching machines?

Also, I ran across a company called Supertrak. As I understand it, they take a stock Takeuchi or Caterpillar and modify/replace areas of weakness found in the stock machines when used as a dedicated forestry mulcher. Like higher flow hydraulic pumps, hydraulic oil coolers, etc. They also add a few ten thousand $$ for these mods!

And Fecon. Seems everybody uses their mulching heads but they also make a Yanmar powered compact track loader type machine. Anybody know anything about Fecon's machines?

The bottom-line for me I guess is this: I plan on this being my second job. I'll probably run the machine twenty hours a week max. Do I need a Supertrak with all the options (and expense) or will a standard loader be up to the task, ie. Bobcat, Cat, Deere?

Through all of my internet research I've read in a couple of places that these "little" loaders aren't desigined to run all day with their hydraulic system maxed out. Is that true or a crock?

There are so many questions that I don't even know to ask! Anybody who wants to answer those go right ahead!!

Thanks very much for ANY help!


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## joe wood (Jan 24, 2008)

check gehl financing i got 1.9% 2 yrs ago might be zero now


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## stihlrunnin (Jan 25, 2008)

*posi track vs takeushi*

posi track is another option, the problem is the dealer is a a long way from home! I originally was going to go with a tl 150 with a FAE uml/ssl 175, have found out that we have fecon dealer in the uk, if anyone knows the comparison to FAE and Fecon would like to know! What would be the max diameter of tree/ shrub you could clear? thanks


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## JohnH (Jan 25, 2008)

We run Fecon and FAE mowers. If It was my company I would scrap all the FAE heads.The Fecons are I think are better built. There easier to work on also, and cheaper to fix.

AS for the SuperTrak machines they are one of the best machines mowing. They are very HD where needed. 
JMOP
John


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## Curbside (Jan 25, 2008)

Those Supertrack machines look very interesting. Looking at their specs it looks their are adding the high flow in the Takechi. Those are quite the pumps their are putting in the machines. I sure would be curious as to how much more that machine costs. Actully it looks like they do a lot of customizing on all of their machines to set them up for mulching.


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## JohnH (Jan 25, 2008)

They really beef them up . They are very $$$$$$. But worth it if you want a dedicated mower.


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## underkutter (Jan 26, 2008)

The Supertrak versions of the Takeuchi and Caterpillar track loaders are usually 30 to 40 thousand dollars more than the "do it yourself" versions when comparing them on the used equipment sites. So I'm GUESSING it's a fifty thousand dollar upgrade if you're talkin' new. 
:jawdrop:


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## Curbside (Jan 26, 2008)

I belive those Supertrack machines are all of that. In fact some of the specs appear that the engines are even swapped out of them. Not totally sure but appears that way. I know when you get into high pressure and high flow pumps you are looking at large cost.


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## JohnH (Jan 26, 2008)

They get a machine and tear it apart. They will at times pull the engine,cooling system, hydros. Then rebuild it with bigger and stronger stuff.
They start basic 320 Cat EX with 150HP motor rip it out and put in a 250-300HP engine bigger cooling sys and bigger hydro pumps.
Here's there web site. http://www.supertrak.com/
John


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## ASD (Jan 26, 2008)

the Supertrak versions of the 150 Takeuchi is about $96,000.00


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## Diggerman (Feb 16, 2008)

*Takuechi TL150 with FAE forestry mulching head*

Stillrunningman, We have just sold our CAT287B XPS MTL and FAE UML/SSL-175 forestry mulching head and we are waiting for the delivery of our new Takeuchi TL150 with new FAE UML/SSL-175 forestry mulching head later this month.

Go to:- www.royfrancisplantsales.co.uk

We can sell you this same combination new, ex demo or used as we are now dealers for both products.

Al the Diggerman.



stihlrunnin said:


> im looking to buy a skid steer with a mulcher attatchment on the front for doing clearence work, originally looked at bobcat t300 but have heard some good things about the takeushi TL 150! If anyone has any thoughts i would be very interested. Thanks


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## stihlrunnin (Feb 19, 2008)

*re TL150*

cheers diggerman, not sure wether it was you i spoke to but i was interested in your cat you had for sale a while ago, but after seeing one in action and speaking to various people, power seemed like a slight issue! Hence why i want a Takeushi, trying to get things organised up here but people just lose interest if they are not going to make a sale straight away! Have you tried the fecon head or are you pretty keen on FAE! I have been on the phone with AHWI uk about availability of fecon heads within europe, may end up being more hassle than its worth! What would be the best way to contact you? thanks


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## Diggerman (Feb 20, 2008)

Stillrunningman, I spoke to several poeple at some length in the later part of last year regarding the sale of our CAT287B XPS MTL with FAE UML/SSL-175 forestry mulching head, to give it it's full title. To say the CAT machine is underpowered is too simplistic, but it is true that the CAT machine does have a problem when fitted with this type of attachment, that is purely down to the way the XPS system works and not the engine output. I can say this with total confidence because the fault was diagnosed at our premisis with our machinery by 2 CAT service engineers with full diagnostic kit over a period of one week liasing with Cat in the USA, until then CAT did not know of this inherant fault/design fact about their tracked skidsteers.

We are waiting for a TL150 to be delivered by the end of this month and we will test it with a new FAE UML/SSL-175 forestry mulching head to make sure the combination works properly.

As far as your question is concerned it depends whether you will be cutting only vegitation or coming into contact with the ground, in my humble opinion if you are only cutting vegitation and want the best contactors attachment then nothing I know beats the Gyro-Trac Toma-Ax 500HF, but if ike us, you want a general purpose mulching head and will come into contact with the ground then I would still recommend the FAE UML/SSL models.




stihlrunnin said:


> cheers diggerman, not sure wether it was you i spoke to but i was interested in your cat you had for sale a while ago, but after seeing one in action and speaking to various people, power seemed like a slight issue! Hence why i want a Takeushi, trying to get things organised up here but people just lose interest if they are not going to make a sale straight away! Have you tried the fecon head or are you pretty keen on FAE! I have been on the phone with AHWI uk about availability of fecon heads within europe, may end up being more hassle than its worth! What would be the best way to contact you? thanks


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## stihlrunnin (Feb 21, 2008)

*gyro trac!!*

looked at the gyro trac web site they look pretty good, how can the gyro trac mulch through far bigger stuff than say the fae, i thought it was all dependent on power! They recon the gyro trac 500 job would clear up to 10" diameter run of 140-150 l/min, whereas the fae is about 6" max! Have you seen a gyro trac in action and are there any dealer over here. Thanks


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## Diggerman (Feb 22, 2008)

Stihlrunningman: In my limited knowledge the Gyro-Trac can cut much larger material because it has very sharp fixed tugnsten carbide knives instead of the usual type of hammer-knives, fixed or swinging, that are associated with heads like the FAE or similar. We had the MD visit us about 12 months ago because we were thinking of buying an 500HF head and we discussed the possibility of becoming their UK dealer, they are very robust/confident that their 500HF head can out perform any other head by a ratio of 2 to 1, but the slight sting in the tail is the 500HF head is quite a bit more to buy in the 1st place. We decided not to persue this any further because we are not a dedicated forestry company and the 500HF head was too specialised for our application at that time.

On the whole their products seem well thought out and they seem to be a good company to deal with.

As far as I know there is no dedicated UK dealer at present.



stihlrunnin said:


> looked at the gyro trac web site they look pretty good, how can the gyro trac mulch through far bigger stuff than say the fae, i thought it was all dependent on power! They recon the gyro trac 500 job would clear up to 10" diameter run of 140-150 l/min, whereas the fae is about 6" max! Have you seen a gyro trac in action and are there any dealer over here. Thanks


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## jsbiker (Mar 25, 2008)

*wow i dont know how you get your info*

i dont understand how some of you get your info maybe from god knows
Gyro-Trac has to be one of the worst units ever made. but they have the best bull sh..t department. its the only unit that i know that never cover warrenty, have the highest cost per hr of any unit made.
in a 30 day run the have the lowest rate of work finished. 
the size of the tree a unit will cut down is all in the size of the rotor in dia. nothing more than that. 
so FECON FAE and yes Gyro-trash have the same size rotor so the will cut about the same.
and if they are so good why are they alsways trying to copie or get FAE to build rotor for them 
need to get the FACTS not the BULL


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## underkutter (Mar 25, 2008)

jsbiker,

Since I posted a couple of months ago I've read and heard in many places the samethings you're saying. ie. Stay away from Gyrotrac. It seems forestry mulchers have the toughest lives of any equipment. They run full throttle 10 hours a day, over stumps (they've just created), chewing up rocks and dirt. They hafta be built tough, REAL tough. Most say the Gyrotracs aren't.


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## Diggerman (Mar 26, 2008)

*Takeuchi TL150 with FAE mulching head*

Update: 

Finally we have taken delivery of a new Takeuchi TL150 and fitted it with a new FAE UML/SSL-175 forestry mulching head for demonstration purposes, will let you know the outcome.


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## jsbiker (Mar 26, 2008)

*nice unit Diggerman*

diggerman 
who changed the high flow on your unit? or what is the flow on it.

Underkutter
it just a fact Gyrotrac has the worst heads on the market.
i see more dead units around, forsale, bank sales, acution, than any head made. in Canada (home of gyrotrac) they have the smallest part of the market, and that is just by talking to users and dealers.
why do the say that the rotor is easy to remove for repair?
i see user with 2 and 3 rotors for one head why i ask.
i talk with people ever day and have tested almost every unit made for the OEM's and carrier OEM's. I find that Fecon and FAE heads out proform the others in the long run with out any problem. 
just like next week i will be test some new teeth and and a new power unit for a company it will be near Richmond VA and i will not run the units for less than 40 hr each


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## Curbside (Mar 26, 2008)

It looks as of this month Gyrotrack and Vermeer have entered into a partnership. I personally use Fecon cutter heads but have seen the Gyrotracks work and they seemed to work okay. I have no idea how good they are but it sounds like you have had some bad experinces. Was it the cutter heads that were giving you guys (jsbiker) the problem or the carrier or the whole unit. I'm not sure if they actully manufactuer them in Canada any more I thought they moved their operation to South Carolina.


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## jsbiker (Mar 26, 2008)

*hi Crubside*

well its not me i would never owne a Gyrotrackyou would have to sak the wellover 100 people that have had problems.
they have a building in NC and people but its a Canada company.

you can go to a comlany in GA Soft Trac and get a much better carrier and built how YOU want it. 

the Vermeer thing is just that they want to sell someting and Gyro has NO dealers so it a good fit 
let look at it this way look around and see the number of Fecon or FAE heads still working over 10 years, now try to find another make that is still working the same or even 5 years. oh yes most of them have not been around 5 years

sorry i just like the fact that FAE has a R&D department and is always looking for new ways to get things done and is an ISO rated company are ANY of the others. do any of the others have office in most countries around the world.

i am sorry the engineer and QC guy coming out LOL.
Fecon also build a good unit and its just me I like to fit and finish of the FAE units. my choice unitl someone shows me different on papaer and in the field over one year had running that FAE and FECON have the best unit made hands down. the worst is the 30min. demo they all look good for 30 mins give me 80 hrs 


sorry for the engineer and QC guy coming out of me


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## stihlrunnin (Mar 26, 2008)

jsbiker said:


> i dont understand how some of you get your info maybe from god knows
> Gyro-Trac has to be one of the worst units ever made. but they have the best bull sh..t department. its the only unit that i know that never cover warrenty, have the highest cost per hr of any unit made.
> in a 30 day run the have the lowest rate of work finished.
> the size of the tree a unit will cut down is all in the size of the rotor in dia. nothing more than that.
> ...



After speaking to a "Gyro trac dealer" in Ireland, The alarm bells were ringing, pretty much everything what you have said, also the fact the head cost £17,500 about four grand more than Fae, Running cost seem ridiculous, teeth and the rate you go through them! Fae it will be hope your reading this diggerman!


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## Waltgr (Feb 15, 2009)

*supertrak*

i have a supertrak TL150 with fecon head, bucket and rake attachments. I have been mulching for a couple years. great machine, enjoy the work.
But I have arthritis and I have a serious neck problem, even though the vibration in the machine I think is very minor, it is enough to aggravate my neck problem to where I had to get an epidural shot 3 times.
this caused me to avoid doing very much work with the machine. I still run it around my property for short times, and I do small jobs for neighbors and friends. I am considering selling, even though this is not the greatest time to be selling.
but since I am afraid to go on jobs. I don't want it to just set.


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## globalsales (Oct 22, 2012)

*500hf head*



stihlrunnin said:


> After speaking to a "Gyro trac dealer" in Ireland, The alarm bells were ringing, pretty much everything what you have said, also the fact the head cost £17,500 about four grand more than Fae, Running cost seem ridiculous, teeth and the rate you go through them! Fae it will be hope your reading this diggerman!



hi there , there is a guy in england running a coulpe of 500hf heads on 22 t excavators , he is very happy with them , running costs are very low he is getting 300hrs to set of teeth 4 pound to the hr isnt bad costs .. ... gyro-trac recently had a couple of good deals on ex demo heads i heard .. try this link ; GTglobalSales.com


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