Tractor or Skidloader

[Mustang71]

The price range is a hard one. I just bought a 2016 sub compact Massey Ferguson for 10k. A compact tractor new or slightly used were almost the same price around 20k. A tractor with more horse power and more capability is going to have a lot of hours on it for that price. I spent a lot of time and research on tractors as some people here may know. You can find a skidsteer for that price but again it's going to be very well used. I kind of stayed away from kubota also. I really wanted one. They seemed like a great tractor but I probably saved 4k buying the other Japanese tractor.

I also looked at new tractors at the dealer where I bought mine and yea it looks great 200 a month for 84 months with my 2500 down. But that sucks I got 48 months on the used one and pay 196 a month on a 2 year old tractor. Take your time and you will find a decent deal.

 

[mesupra]

I would say if you are not making a living completing your tasks wait for a good deal on a compact 4x4 tractor. Skids steers in that price range are typically well past their 1/2 life and resale can be a bitch. 4x4 tractors sell easy. For snow removal a 3pt plow and plow on front is pretty tough to beat. Keep an eye out for the 1980s kubota, ford, new holland, yanmar and deere units. Even some some never "off" brand korean stuff can be had cheap ( kioti etc.)

 

[Waltzie]

Where are you located?

 

[066blaster]

tractor, then you have you bucket on front and can have blade or implement on back, better clearance, can see behind you, doesn't tear your lawn up. you have to get 4 wheel drive for sure

 

[mesupra]

I have a bobcat ct335 tractor. Pretty much a white kioti dk35. They are a beast of a little tractor and can be had regularly for 10-15k depending on attachments etc. I have the shuttle shift however they did make many hst models. They other similar tractor is the kubota 3010. There are always half dozen of those for sale around here for 10-15k nice ones with backhoe tend to bring a touch more.

 

[sweetjetskier]

Skid steer for sure.

Will well outlift any compact tractor... hell most can probably lift a compact tractor!

My S250 will lift about 5000lbs. It does have liquid filled rear tires (about 250lbs) which helps.

Skid steers do have added lift capacity over a tractor, but lifting 5000lbs on a 7400lb machine??

 

[sawjunky23]

Where are you located?

Minnesota

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Minnesota

Don't know how close you are, but you're welcome to come check out my two compact tractors. I'm not selling, but you can take them for a test drive and see what kind of implements I use with them. I'm just across the border from the twin cities.

 

[rwoods]

Our local firewood ministry has three wheeled skid steers that we use on the woodlot - splitting, piling, stacking and loading. I have a 3000# 4wd compact Deere without a loader that I take to skid stems and load logs and large rounds (fork attachment on 3 point hitch). We gather wood primarily from residential lawns and secondarily from farms and logged sites. Long intro to: recently the ministry raised funds to buy a similar size 4wd Kubota with a loader to take on-site to do the same job I have been doing with the Deere though I had suggested a small tracked skid steer. Among the skid steer concerns were the weight of the machine, the additional weight of a heavier trailer and the maintenance cost. Reflecting back I think they made the right decision. A wheeled skid steer wasn’t even considered given our environment and terrain. Wheeled skid steers would cost us a fortune in lawn repairs and would not be very productive in our other sites which are often muddy and steep.

I mow with my tractor, but even if I didn’t for my firewood uses I would take a tractor with a loader over a wheeled skid steer. You can move and work wood from either end and within reason both ends. Works better in muddy conditions, costs less to buy, operate, maintain and move. Lastly, around here compacts sell quickly and hold reasonable resale values. If I could have and maintain it all for firewood, I would have a tractor and a tracked skid steer.

Ron

 

[rwoods]

Make no mistake a wheel skid steer may serve your purposes well. Any doubt just rent one for a day. You can also check out a tractor or tracked skid steer by renting.

A friend just advised me that our firewood ministry was on the news, here is the clip - you can see our wheeled skid steers at work. https://www.wjhl.com/local/greene-c...ree-firewood-to-homes-with-no-heat/1521994409

Ron

 

[Streblerm]

For the OPs desired use I would say a wheeled skid steer is the way to go. If most of what you want to do centers around the loader then there is no question that a skid steer is the better option. Some of the concerns people have about skid steers can be addressed with how the machine is operated.

You don’t have to make every turn a “zero turn” just because you can. This helps with tearing up turf.

You just have to get used to working while going backwards. Skidding, grading, going up hills...

 

[panolo]

A skid steer with a grapple bucket is a heck of a tool. Cut most of the wood I get in 8' lengths and haul out of the woods. Some of the huge rounds you can pick up and load are great as well. If you are not looking for something to drive over your manicured lawn IMO it is the way to go.

 

[wrx-snowdrift]

Thinking outside the box here. We've had an AGCO Wrangler (formerly Willmar Wrangler) on the farm for at least 15 years. Very handy and capable loader. Better visibility than a skid loader and easier to get on and off of. Sometimes with a skid loader you get in situations where you need the boom raised half way but then you can't get out of the cab. The Wrangler is excellent on turf and doesn't rip up the ground like a skid loader. Not as maneuverable as a skid loader but a lot more maneuverable than a tractor. Does an excellent job with snow removal, we have an 8' snow bucket. I don't recall ever getting it stuck. It does have it's draw backs like not as compact as a skid loader, no PTO or 3pt like a tractor (it does have auxiliary hydraulics so you can run some attachments), not nearly as common and available as tractors and skid loaders. It's not for everyone but it has served us very well.

 

[Whitbread]

Something I haven't seen mentioned is if you need to travel any distance at all. I routinely drive about 1/4-1/2 mile to where I harvest wood at. In high range, my 1620 does 15mph so that distance is only a few minutes. Other tractors, especially European as they usually have "road" gears, have top speeds of 20+mph. Most skid loaders top out at what, 8-10mph? That's yet another thing to consider if it will matter for you.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Something I haven't seen mentioned is if you need to travel any distance at all. I routinely drive about 1/4-1/2 mile to where I harvest wood at. In high range, my 1620 does 15mph so that distance is only a few minutes. Other tractors, especially European as they usually have "road" gears, have top speeds of 20+mph. Most skid loaders top out at what, 8-10mph? That's yet another thing to consider if it will matter for you.

Good point. I've taken my tractor (top speed of 17mph) into town several times for random odd jobs. It takes about half an hour to get there, which is much faster than hitching up my trailer, loading and securing the tractor, and unloading.

 

[CentaurG2]

You can think way outside the box and look for a TLB (tractor loader backhoe). Kubota made the B21, B26, L35, L39 and the L48. Deere made the vaulted 110. I think all were light enough to be trailer behind a 1-ton truck. The backhoe was removable to give you a 3pt hitch but the FEL was not removable. I know the botas were build like gorillas with high flow pumps.

I saw a L48 at a fair earlier this month. It is still available and has both a 4 in 1 front bucket and a rear hydraulic thumb. Both are very versatile options if you know how to run them. Pricey! You can find the dealer that has the machine with a search for Kensington NH tractor.

 

[sirbuildalot]

Skid steers do have added lift capacity over a tractor, but lifting 5000lbs on a 7400lb machine??

I was thinking the exact same thought....so I looked it up. I read it as 2500 lbs with counterweight, not sure where the 5000 lbs figure came from. Maybe he is mixing up breakout force or tipping capacity with lift capacity. My Kioti NX4510 is rated at almost 2800 lbs full height lift capacity and it weighs 5500 lbs. with the loader vs the Bobcat S250 is around 7800 lbs. Unless I'm missing something.

https://www.ritchiespecs.com/model/bobcat-s250-skid-steer-loader

 

[rwoods]

Thinking outside the box here. We've had an AGCO Wrangler (formerly Willmar Wrangler) on the farm for at least 15 years. Very handy and capable loader. Better visibility than a skid loader and easier to get on and off of. Sometimes with a skid loader you get in situations where you need the boom raised half way but then you can't get out of the cab. The Wrangler is excellent on turf and doesn't rip up the ground like a skid loader. Not as maneuverable as a skid loader but a lot more maneuverable than a tractor. Does an excellent job with snow removal, we have an 8' snow bucket. I don't recall ever getting it stuck. It does have it's draw backs like not as compact as a skid loader, no PTO or 3pt like a tractor (it does have auxiliary hydraulics so you can run some attachments), not nearly as common and available as tractors and skid loaders. It's not for everyone but it has served us very well.

I think compact loaders would be the cat's meow at our woodlot - faster, probably cheaper to maintain and, most importantly, safer with the added visibility. I have drooled over those for several years. Unfortunately, used ones are scarce as hen's teeth here and new ones are $$$ (but so are new skid steers). Ron

 

[rwoods]

I was thinking the exact same thought....so I looked it up. I read it as 2500 lbs with counterweight, not sure where the 5000 lbs figure came from. Maybe he is mixing up breakout force or tipping capacity with lift capacity. My Kioti NX4510 is rated at almost 2800 lbs full height lift capacity and it weighs 5500 lbs. with the loader vs the Bobcat S250 is around 7800 lbs. Unless I'm missing something.

https://www.ritchiespecs.com/model/bobcat-s250-skid-steer-loader

Specs aside IMO unless you are stacking big logs or loading such on your super heavy duty trailer, anything with a lift capacity of 5000# is wasted capacity in firewood work. Likewise unless you have a serious bucket it is overkill for loading sand, gravel or dirt.

Ron

 

[Mustang71]

I will say that my sub compact is only rated to lift peanuts but it will lift a full bucket of stone with no problem. Seems like that's the idea. Yea you can lift stupid amounts but moving with them will be sketchy. I did pick my western unimount up with the bucket the other day and it did it fine but clearly if I were to drive around like that it would be tough. Lift capacity doesn't mean you can haul that much around all day.