Skidsteer or farm tractor with a frontloader?

[wemfan]

I have 10 acres that I am building a house on and I need some kind of frontloader for general work on the project like moving a little dirt around the place, fixing holes in the road, etc. I would also use it for cleanup and some landscape grading and just general work that you would do during construction and after I live there. Would a farm tractor frontloader work as well as a skidsteer for what I am going to do?

[stuvecorp]

I would vote for the skid. A tractor would work but I like skids better.

[SiteSolutions]

It would work for general work around the house. It wouldn't be a great loader but it would be better for mowing 10 acres for sure. If you just need to pick up or push stuff or do any grading, a dedicated loader would work a lot better. If things are already close on grade and you want something to be an all-around help, the tractor would be a good choice. It will till and mow and you can put a box blade on it to touch up the driveway now and then or drag the yard; you can always hire out the day or two worth of grading and then have a useful around-the-house tool.

[ksss]

I would vote for the skid. A tractor would work but I like skids better.


I think it would depend on what you wanted, production wise a skid steer is the way to go, that not being an issue for a home owner a compact loader would do all that you need as well. I would rent both and see what you feel better running.

[tallrick]

Tractor is generally cheaper. However, grading a road is hard enough with a skid steer but a big pain with a tractor loader. Tractor is easier to work on but skid steer is stronger. I prefer the skid steer because you can look at what you are doing at the bucket easier than a tractor. For moving blocks and steel the Bobcat I have worked much better than the John Deere tractor a friend uses. I prefer the twisting action of skid steering for those tight places over that of a tractor which needs more room to get around. However, on 10 acres that's not an issue.

[stuvecorp]

A skid(I think) would be more useful in construction, auguring deck posts, get one of those truss booms, fork work and there is more but you get the idea. A tractor can have a skid quick tach but am not impressed what a tractor lifts compared to an average skid. You can mow with the tractor but you probably already have a regular mower so that may not matter.

I'll open the can of worms, find yourself a 440 Case and get a set of Loegering steel over the tires tracks and it will be golden.Thumbs Up

[AWJ Services]

I own both.
If your are not wanting to actually get into major excavation a tractor is way more versatile from a cost stand point.
A tractor will not dig like a skid steer plain and simple, but that does not mean it will not dig.I personally hate small frame skid steers like the 753 Bobcat and the other comparable models.
As far as road maint a box blade works just fine.
You will need a something in the 40 to 50 hp range.
The attachments are much cheaper as well.
During construction of the home if you need to do some serious dirt moving just rent a large skid steer.

In the long run as a homeowner you will be much happier with the Tractor for everyday property maint.

[Junior M]

I own both.
If your are not wanting to actually get into major excavation a tractor is way more versatile from a cost stand point.
A tractor will not dig like a skid steer plain and simple, but that does not mean it will not dig.I personally hate small frame skid steers like the 753 Bobcat and the other comparable models.
As far as road maint a box blade works just fine.
You will need a something in the 40 to 50 hp range.
The attachments are much cheaper as well.
During construction of the home if you need to do some serious dirt moving just rent a large skid steer.

In the long run as a homeowner you will be much happier with the Tractor for everyday property maint.
Agreed, once you get your home built and everything done with grass growing and a garden around back the tractor will be alot more useful than a skidsteer..

[talus]

Have you checked local rental yards on availabilty of 3 pt implements? No one in my area rented them. You can find most everything you would need for a skid steer though. What do you think of the John Deere 110 or Kubota l series backhoes? If I remember right you can run some skid attachments off the front and you still have the 3 pt in back. If your property is realy sandy or muddy I would go tractor. I'm sure you know a wheeled skid is near useless in soft conditions.

[AWJ Services]

Have you checked local rental yards on availabilty of 3 pt implements? No one in my area rented them. You can find most everything you would need for a skid steer though.

Why rent when you can purchase.
A box blade new is 300 bucks.
A bush hog can be purchased used for 350 bucks.
Attachments are everywhere.

[tnmtn]

i agree with with AWJ as well. spot on. tractor and box blade is great for grading long drives.

[stuvecorp]

Has anyone seen that Boomer 8N? There was a picture in the TractorHouse, I would even get one of those.

[RockSet N' Grade]

it's the "after I live there" part that makes me hesitate in answering. with 10 acres are you going to plant row crops, hay, bailer, swather, pasture for horses, leave it wild or farm it? If you are gonna do that then a 50 hp min tractor is the ticket. If it is wild, then flip a coin on the skid or tractor. I have both a skid and tractor and prefer to work around my ranchette with the tractor. I would need a more long term view to make a reccommendation.

[wemfan]

I own both.
If your are not wanting to actually get into major excavation a tractor is way more versatile from a cost stand point.
A tractor will not dig like a skid steer plain and simple, but that does not mean it will not dig.I personally hate small frame skid steers like the 753 Bobcat and the other comparable models.
As far as road maint a box blade works just fine.
You will need a something in the 40 to 50 hp range.
The attachments are much cheaper as well.
During construction of the home if you need to do some serious dirt moving just rent a large skid steer.

In the long run as a homeowner you will be much happier with the Tractor for everyday property maint.

No, I don't want to get into major excavation. I just want to keep things like they should be and move a little dirt around here and there. It is always frustrating to be on a job when you need a pile of dirt or material moved and I have to call someone out to do it. On a project with this much room I want some kind of machine out there so I can keep things like I want them. I tend to agree with you that the tractor may be my best bet.

Rockset n grade, I plan to keep the whole 10 acres mowed like a city yard. The house sits back about two thirds of the way on a long skinny 10 so I want to keep it all like a park.

[grasswhacker]

I just purchased a Mahindra 4530 w/loader to do some digging and rock moving around my farm.
Before that I bought a used NH L555.
The tractor definitely does more things that I need to accomplish.
One thing i did not like about the tractor was the limited ability to see in front of the loader, to gage the bucket position when digging up rocks, without having to tear up everything around the boulder.
The skid steer allows me to be more precise in these tasks.
I was originally going to sell my skid, but decided to keep it since they both have their place on a farm IMO

[Cub Cadet YANMAR.]

my dad has been using tractors at his work and the best ones for loader work seem to be the CASEIH/New Holland tractors the way the hood slopes gives you good view of the bucket better then deere or kubota we've been using a 2008 Caseih Farmall 55 with cab its a great machine would love to buy one for are two acres and the farm. you shouldn't have a problem lifting anything with the Farmall55 or 60 either they will lift 2500lbs. My buddy uses the same tractor for his landscaping its the jack of all trades loader,backhoe,back blades,mowers you name it you can use it with a tractor. not putting down the skids either,but a tractor seems to be alot more versatile

[grasswhacker]

Tractor is generally cheaper. However, grading a road is hard enough with a skid steer but a big pain with a tractor loader. Tractor is easier to work on but skid steer is stronger. I prefer the skid steer because you can look at what you are doing at the bucket easier than a tractor. For moving blocks and steel the Bobcat I have worked much better than the John Deere tractor a friend uses. I prefer the twisting action of skid steering for those tight places over that of a tractor which needs more room to get around. However, on 10 acres that's not an issue.

Hadn't read your post before I posted, but I concur.
Both have their advantages.

[AWJ Services]

I like the L4740 Kubota Hydrastatic drive.
It is the largest Non Turbo engine in the series.
Get the R4 tires.

[wemfan]

I like the L4740 Kubota Hydrastatic drive.
It is the largest Non Turbo engine in the series.
Get the R4 tires.

Tell me resaons for your recommendations AWJ. I was thinking of maybe the M5040, why the L4740? What is Hydrastatic drive? Why a non turbo engine and why the R4 tires? I believe they are industrial tires? How will they work for me later when the 10 acres is one big yard?

cubcadet and grasswhacker- I will look those tractors up after I post this. Thanks.

[Cub Cadet YANMAR.]

Good luck to you my friend I'm not a mahindra fan, my grandpa has a small 18hp with loader and mower and the hydro's are really slow and not responsive and I don't like the dealer at all here so that's a turn down to me, Not saying they don't make a good machine just telling my story. And not to spend your money, but for 10acres I would highly think of getting a cab with your tractor for AC/Heat like i said Ive put about 30hours on the CaseIH farmall 55 we rent and i love it great view from cab and has plenty of power for any job around the house or small farm. What ever you do decide to get make sure you enjoy it.

[AWJ Services]

R4 tires give decent dirt traction and are fairly non intrusive on turf.
Of course a turf tire is the best for protecting your turf and The ag tire is best for dirt.The R4 is a happy medium.

The M series is larger and weighs more than the L series.The M series is a heavier duty tractor than the L but I think if you end up mowing with the Tractor it will bite you with it's size and weight.The M series does not offer HST but it has more hyd flow.
I have an L3710 that I have beat the crap out of.It is about 8 years old and has never missed a beat.The L Gran series is a good balance of size weight and performance.
If you are buying the tractor to keep the Turbo is just one more maint item and most people never need full PTO hp with a tractor.I stay at around 1800 rpms most of the time.
If you are going to be pulling a high load pto driven attachment then that changes things just as RSG mentioned it depends on primary uses.
They offer more power in the L series if you need it.
Also 4wd is a must.

HST is hydrastatic drive.You just mash a pedal to go forward or backwards.No clutch and infinitely variable speed.You lift your foot and the tractor stops.If you are just going to be mowing ,plowing,bailing hay etc where you just run one speed for long distances then gears are fine, but if you will be changing directions, changing speeds,etc often HST is the bomb.

The L4740 wil pull a 7 foot finish mower pretty well.It will mow 10 acres in a couple Hours.
I prefer Kubota but people have excellent service from other brands as well.

I would recommend remotes on the back and also remotes on the loader with skid steer quick attach plate on the loader.

[93turbo]

for your own personal use a tractor is way more useful then a skidsteer. Heres mine its an 86 with almost 3000 hours on it now and we have used it for everything. I have dug septic tank holes with it to setting trusses and arches. Two pins and two hoses and you can set the hoe off and put the 3 point hitch arms on and run a whatever you want I wouldn't trade it for a skidsteer for nothin for as many different things as I use it for

[RockSet N' Grade]

AWJ..........could not have said it better - from tire choice to L Series, to HST. I am on my 3rd Kubota and it has been maintenance free and trouble free. The hydrostatic trans is a fantastic transmission, easy to use and is my primary choice. The 4330 I have now has a full cab and I would not ever own a rig without a full cab ever again in my life. Not big enough to pull a swather or baler.......but I don't need them. I have all the implements under the sun and just ordered a pto driven log splitter and pto driven generator to add to the list. If you decide to get a box blade for your roads, get a box blade with a roller on the back of it........that combo puts down a smoother surface OR buy a roadgrader implement. Those roadgrader two bladed box blades work excellent.....we did 288 tons of road resurfacing in Az. with a novice at the wheel and it went down easy and smooth.