buying 1st/last skid steer

[bubbas45]

Howdy, folks. I've been enjoying reading all your posts, trying to learn. I am planning to buy a skid steer for farm use, not for a business. We just bought 72 acres where we plan to build a house and barn and so on. It's been recently logged, so there are a lot of stumps and slash around. It's on the side of a hill, but not all hilly; for example, the 20 acres at the top where we will put in a pasture is fairly flat.

What do I want the skid steer for?
1) Grinding stumps in the pasture area. I don't need a hayfield, so I don't need to pull the stumps and fill in the holes. Couldn't afford to have an excavator come in if I wanted to, anyway. We have more time than money.

2) Moving some of the slash around, general land clean-up.

3) Moving rocks. This is NH, and we have granite galore. Again, land clean-up for pasture--it doesn't have to be like a billiard table--orchard area, and so on. Hopefully I can even dig out some rocks with the skid steer.

4) Putting in fence. We are going to fence quite a bit of the property. I just bought a KingHitter Series 2 post pounder for that purpose.

5) Anything else we can think of: drive maintenance, snow removal....

We can't really afford a new skid steer; for non-commercial use I don't think it would make sense anyway. So I am looking at used. I have no experience with skid steers. I'm 6'2" and about 240-ish. Don't need fancy, but don't have to have Spartan, either. I don't need heat or AC, but don't mind them, either.

Locally are a couple of decent, low-hour machines in my price range (under $20k): a Case 226B with joysticks and a Gehl 5640 with (?) t-bar controls.

Any reason to prefer one over the other? I think the Gehl is much heavier duty, higher HP. I haven't used hand controls; I drove a NH LS175 the other day with joysticks and it was pretty simple.

I just don't want to under buy, but I also don't want to get more just for the sake of getting more (okay, that's a lie, I do, but I shouldn't).

Renting isn't a useful option. I need what I need when I need it, not when the rental office has it.

I think all the dealer networks in NH are kind of a crapshoot, but I could be wrong.

Any comments, recommendations, advice to run away from one or the other?

thanks, bws

[oakhillslandscaping]

hey bubba i live not to far away and my family used to own land in greenville NH, i have a new holland ls190 that i got from chappell, if you get a machine i would get it there they are pricey for used equipment but are great with parts and service, we also got an excavator from there and we are intending to get another one from there this summer

[Scag48]

A CAT 226B and Gehl 5640 are 2 very, very different machines. The 5640 turbo's are a hoss of a machine, I have quite a bit of time in one. I have 800 hours or so in a Cat 216, which is almost a 226, great machines as well but comparing that to the Gehl isn't a fair game. I can tell you, the T-bar is fine for an hour or two but they wear you out. I'm a young guy and twisting those damn levers all day is hard on your shoulders, I prefer pilots.

[Lawnworks]

I guess you mean a Cat 226B? I think you are going to need a high flow machine for the stump grinder. Have you demo'ed a Cat? I prefer the hand controls over yank 'ems and foot controls.

Look at craigslist.org for some deals on skids... might have to drive a few hours to get a deal though.

Check these new hollands out... they seem like a good deal. I know they aren't in your area but should give you a price comparison.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/grd/579171126.html

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/grd/573907909.html

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/for/565410705.html

[Lawnworks]

http://nh.craigslist.org/bfs/579961449.html

http://nh.craigslist.org/bfs/575454929.html

http://hartford.craigslist.org/grd/533283719.html

[bobcat_ron]

T-bars are the worst, you'll want to use another type of "bar" after work going at it all day in any thing that has rowing oars.

[NEUSWEDE]

Gehl Offers the pilot controls on the 5640 turbo. I have them on mine that I bought last year. It is the best set-up. I would say if you have more time than money and don't need all the frills Gehl is the way to go. I do snow removal with a Deere 325 and a Cat 236B and I can run circles around the 236B.

You might want to look at a track loader because using it constantly off road you will be able to handle the mud a bit better. I ended up getting over the tire tracks and will hopefully move to The VTS this year for off road conditions but I like the tires for snow removal and parking lot sweeping that I have.

[RockSet N' Grade]

Pilot controls if you want to have hands and arms left to do anything with.......

[NEUSWEDE]

Pilot controls if you want to have hands and arms left to do anything with.......

How do you like your VTS tracks on your 5640? Ho many hours do you have on them?

[Lawnworks]

I agree on the pilots. I have an old Cat 248 w/ pilots. I bought a T190 just to resell... I can't even stand to move the thing... once you go pilots you won't go back.

One other thing, why do these New Hollands go so cheap? I would prefer a NH over a bobcat, but bobcats are always more money.

[meets1]

BOBCATS - I think have been around forever - great resale, name, number of units sold. now myself - I am limited to my area but I went with a new S205 bobcat. So far, great machine - tested all of them and I loved the pilots but the size of machine I needed didn't offer so I got the ahc - I like it but nothing like pilots. Rmember though - parts, service - no matter the brand - you'll need this sometime down the road! Enjoy your new projects!

[RockSet N' Grade]

Newsweede: not enough hours on them to give an honest opinion on how they hold up or wear and tear but, I do have enough hours on them to tell you that the stability, the ride, the pushing power have all increased dramatically. Running a tracked machine vs. a wheeled machine as far as comfort go - there is no comparison. My last job we had to transport up a fairly nice slope and I would not have attempted it with a wheeled machine. The VTS system just walked right up and side sloped quite nicely. After the snow melts and I go back to work and put more hours on 'er, I will be able to give a more objective opinion......but right now, I'm sold.

[chiroz]

I just bought a Gehl 6640 for my hilly and very rocky 30 acres. I love it. I have the t-bar controls and disliked them at first but now I actually like them. I find them very easy to run all day. It is a brush clearing and digging beast. Exactly what I needed for my place. My tractor is now just for mowing.

[YellowDogSVC]

You should check out a toolcat 5600 high flow.

It will grind stumps, dig post holes better than most skids, and you can haul materials in the bed and use the grapple to clean up slash and brush. It will run a mower like a 5' bushhog either hydraulically on the front or off the rear pto. You can maintain, grade and compact your driveways and it will travel at nearly 20 mph. 2 seater, heat and AC make it comfy to go out and do some chores. We love our Toolcat and find a multitude of uses for it. I also run skidsteers but for general maintenance and chores, the Toolcat can't be beat. You can rent many attachments for it rather than have to buy but I find a 4n1 bucket and grapple a necessity. I also use a $2k grader attachment that does an excellent job on our more than 1 miles of gravel driveways.

[Lawnworks]

That toolcat sounds perfect for his needs. I bet they ride better than a skid steer. Whenever I get some land I would love to buy one of those to have around.

[RipT]

Toolcat by Bobcat would be a good all-around choice. Should be in your $$ range if can find a nice used B or C version (C has better lift arm). Turbo & high flow nice (especially if you want to go with a blower for snow) but otherwise not an absolute.

They are quite smooth riding and stable, yet with all-wheel steering do not tear up grass or lawn like a wheeled SS will. We have one in BC primarily for snow removal with blower & blade. Have access to pallet forks, graple rock bucket and other attachments also.

[YellowDogSVC]

I picked up a used B for about 20k with attachments and low hours and AC. Nice thing is you don't have use all wheel steer if you don't want to. Only had a few problems to fix but nothing too bad. I think for a small farm or ranch, they can't be beat. You can always rent something bigger if you need it but I have a 4n1 tooth bucket that helps with the digging.

[bubbas45]

Thanks for all the comments, folks. That Toolcat would be an easy sell to the spousal unit. She really likes the idea of something like a Kubota RTV, anyway.

I don't know how well it would handle my post pounder. It's a KingHitter Series 2, 1535 pounds, 12.5 ft tall, with a 5-inch rock spike. It's kind of a monster: http://www.fairbrotherind.com/products/postdrivers/series2/. However, it only requires 1800 psi and 10 gpm of flow.

I'll have to do some more looking at it. I've found an NH LS190 at a pretty good price with high-flow, cab, etc.

thanks, again, bws

[Lawnworks]

Yeah for few more grand than an rtv, you can get a workhorse.

Those NHs look like a great value... and from what I hear they are tough as nails.

[bubbas45]

I'll have to do some more looking at it. I've found an NH LS190

I know I sound ignorant; that's okay. I am ignorant. In this pic, are these what are referred to as hand controls?

bws

[ksss]

Technically they are hand controls as you control them with your hands. However they are not for the sake of skid steer talk, hand controls. Hand controls control all functions with your hands only. The NH you have a picture of controls the direction and speed of the machine with your hands. The loader functions are run by your feet. There is also the discussion of pilot controls being used to describe all hand controls. Bobcat, Deere (soon to be released) and CAT use E/H electric over hydrualic. These are not pilots. CASE, Volvo, TK, NH, Komatsu offer Pilots and NH and CASE at least have Servo hand controls as optional equipment.