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help me choose a rental skid steer!

29K views 47 replies 17 participants last post by  2ExploreTech 
#1 ·
well next spring i will be renting a skid steer from Sunbelt rentals i am 15 and always wanted to drive one for a day and this is the perfect excuse :laugh: any way our 3/4 of our yard is big enough for a full size skid steer and the other 1/4 in my backyard next to the pool/fence. if i lift the lift arms up i could clear the pool and fence it is a tight squeeze, the squeeze is about 50" but i think can go close to 70" with the loader arms down i will have to check more on this. i need to dig up 3" of grass up on my front yard/backyard, dig up plants and lift take out back yard side walk and lay dirt/gravel/mulch etc... it takes me almost 1 1/2 hours to mow our grass my grass so i decide not to rent a dingo. i think this job needs a big bucket and power:clapping: i have got it down to 4 models to rent. i wonder if i rent a wheeled unit will it tear up the grass? and i need it to have a back up alarm for safety!! i will let them deliver and pick up for $185 at my 5mi away location if i rent the john Deere and live within the same city will they rent to me for the same delivery price?


bobcat-463 not sure it is 21hp or tiny bucket is powerful enough-cost $140 24hours or 8 machine hours. back up alarm? don't like lift height

new Holland ls160- $150 a day 24hours or 8 machine hours. back up alarm?

john Deere-322 track loader $180 24h or 8 machine hours, back up alarm? not at my original Sunbelt location is 30mi away and does it have a back up alarm?

bobcat regular size- don't want to use a full size bobcat just think they are under powered compared to other brands and are very tippy

thanks for the input !
 
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#2 ·
You don't want to go to big either, because you will find it will just be more of a pain. I think a radius lift machine would be better for digging up the grass. You don't want too big of a bucket. Smaller the bucket more digging power you have just make sure it will cover the width of your wheels or tracks.Lets see what everyone else thinks
 
#3 ·
You may have trouble renting without getting your dad in on the transaction; maybe they will just take a check when they drop it off and not ask any questions.

Out of that list I would say the John Deere sounds like the best digger.

As far as I know, any skid steer is available with a backup alarm but it is up to the individual dealership to order that option on their rental fleet machines, and then maintain the thing in working order. None of mine have had that feature and although I have hit a few stationary objects, have so far not run over any people or pets.

I think you will really enjoy running these machines and maybe this will be the start of something big for you. However it works out, great initiative!

Good luck.

P.S. The Case Construction Equipment website has the most complete comparision pages I've seen on the web. I think it's www.casece.com and just kind find your way from there. Should be able to compare widths, horsepower, and about 30 other specs on a LOT of different manufacturer's machines.
 
#5 ·
I am a little confused on the amoun of space you have to work with so you may have to help me out.I think the Deere is the best choice and next would be the New Holland. Problem is I dont think the Deere will fit through the fence. If memory serves me correctly they come with a 74" bucket so Im betting the tracks are real close to that width, so lifting the bucket wont help ya. There is different track width options though but I dont think that will help ya either. The New Holland will be smaller in width but I dont think it will fit either. The Bobcat is the smallest in width.
 
#6 ·
With any type of hard core work to do tracks will outperform wheels, although a tracked machine will cost you more to rent. I'll give you a bit of "fatherly advice" (cripes, that makes me feel old but my oldest kid is like 5 years older than you), but full-throttle, b@#ls to the wall is not necessarily the way you want to go when you first run one of these. I only say this because I remember what it was like to be 15, and that is how I wanted to go! Just be careful and go slow at first, because these machines can do a lot of damage to property and you if things go bad. Have fun, like other guys have said, maybe this will lead to a rewarding and successful career.
 
#7 ·
well any of the skid steers will fit through my backyard gate over 100" wide but in the backyard on the other side there is a fence that blocks view of the backyard neighbors that is really close to our pool (in ground) that might not be big enough for the skid steer to get through. over by the pool tiny work will be done i could do that with a shovel but when you rent a skid steer just more fun to rip it up:clapping:

i would like to take landscaping up as my career get to driver skid steers and get paid what could be better:laugh:

i need at least 7-8 feet lift height because our wooden fence is just over 6' l

we will save the dirt to cut costs down from the dirt being pick-up
well we have a shed in the corner of our yard that is a tiny gap the skid steer is too big. just big enough a person can get through. so i will have to drive the skid steer into my neighborers yard and dump the dirt behind my shed so i don't want to tear his yard up with tires. so i am leaning towards the john Deere
 
#9 ·
I don't know how Sunbelt's policy is where you live. I work with one of the other rental companies and we won't rent to a cash or charge card customer. You must have an account. Just something to consider, no bashing intended, just don't want you to get all excited and then find out at the last minute that yur out. All rental units SHOULD(ours MUST!) have a back up alarm and fire ext plus operators manual on board before it's cleared for rent. All of your other specs, lift, size ect, should be available on line from the rental place or the manufactures wbsite. Talk to the sales guy.. they make a living by sizing machines to the job.
 
#10 ·
If you are going 4"-6" down, 6' down, or 1" down........call the utility marking company and have them come mark. In essence, any kind of dirt work, call.........it's free and may save your bacon. May as well get into a good habit right from the start.......if you continue in this venture, a little word of advise, if you hear the word "fibre-optic line" and it is marked in the area where you want to dig.........pass on the job until you have increased your skill set, can pick a spoon up with a thumb/bucket, and have big brass......well, you know. Hitting a fibre-optic line rates right up there for me on the pucker scale........you and everyone you are associated with on that dig could be bankrupt in that split second.........that is just plain fact.
 
#11 ·
WARNING - If you decide to go with the CTL you may never want to go back to a wheel skid steer again. :) Only thing that stinks about the CTL's is the price tag and the maintenance of the undercarriage.
 
#12 ·
All have made good points here. Don't also forget that when the machine is returned it must be full of fuel. Several years ago that was not a big deal but these days it cost a good bit to fill a machine up. Also I have never rented a machine other than a trencer but some places want to charge a warranty that you may or may not want. It may be worth getting with the rental if you have no backup money to fix it if it does break and they stick ya with the bill.
 
#13 ·
Not trying to rob this thread but out of curiosity. We all know these are cheap prices to rent a skid steer or CTL for. How many added cost are put on this say $150.00 to rent a machine for 8 hours. I know there is a fee for delivery or if you need a trailer to rent but what can a guy usually get away with on price after its all said in done in an 8 machine hour work day after returned, fueled up and so on. Any other hidden taxes, insurance or anything??? Just sounds cheap to rent some of these machines to me. I have received comparible prices to rent though.
 
#14 ·
well for me fuel,14% rental protection plan and delivery/pickup so around $300 total but more like 350 if i rent the john Deere. sunbelt charges $85/delivery $85/pickup for skid steers but i think i can rent any skid steer in my city outside of my local Sunbelt for the same pick-up/delivery (that is where the john deere is!)
 
#15 ·
so john Deere $180 a day
14% of $180 is 25.20
and delivery/ pickup is 170
$60 for 1 tank fuel may get refund if all is not used
$450 total

if i rent a lowes rental pick up truck to tow the skid steer home and rent a trailer for 24 hours take the rental truck back to lowes get in our car drive home next day go back to lowes and rent the truck again and tow the load back wonder if i would cut the cost down?
-i only live 10min away from lowes
-the rental truck is only $19 for first 79MIN
 
#16 ·
I have both a Deere 322 and Nh ls160 night and day difference rent the deere and you will be done in half the time we just cut out a driveway 3ft cut on the up hill side and 150ft long it was in a new subdivision and they are building 3 houses across the street and all of the contractors were laughing at us when we showed up with our little 322 (they were using a d4) we knocked it out in about 4 hours including spreading the gravel they were all amazed by what the deere could do.

Plant Sky Cloud Vehicle Window
 
#17 ·
i am only going 4-6" down will i have to call someone to mark where the pipes are in the ground?
You will probably hit the cable TV cable to your house regardless of anything you do to prevent it. Around here, the installers barely break through the sod and just lay it on the ground and hope the homeowner doesn't cut their grass too close!

As suggested, definitely call the line locators to come out and mark the area; make sure you call several days in advance of when you plan to dig.

The renting a truck thing may or may not work out to your advantage but is definitely the right sort of thing to be thinking about. That pickup and delivery is a killer!

The first job I ever did, I had to buy a 5 gal can and drive back and forth to the gas station about 6 times to fill up the loader I rented! What a pain in the butt. If you do rent a truck and trailer, at least you will be able to drive the thing up to a pump and save some aggravation. The rental house will probably charge you about $6 a gallon to top the tank back off, which can add up pretty fast.
 
#20 ·
-why does john Deere not use a seat bar in the skid steers?
-if i prepay for gas will it still cost $6 a gallon?
-does your john Deere use hand controls?

and i just found out we have a cat rental store 30min from our house i will call and see how much they charge to rent.

do wheeled skid steers tear up grass? i will go over our lawn several times and don't want the whole yard destroyed.

on the john Deere skid steer there is a Dual Flasher Switch can you tell me what that does?
 
#21 ·
Go to the rental store and have them (any of them) give you a walk through on their machine. All the technical questions should be answered then. Maybe they would even let you test drive a machine in the yard a bit. Do wheeled skids tear up grass? Answer: not if you go in a straight line and plan your turns to be in areas that are in the work area. Make gentle curving turns instead of sharp turns and the disturbance will be somewhat less. Make sure the turf is dry and not been watered and the disturbance will be less.
 
#22 ·
Also don't forget about the septic tank and/or sprinkler system lines. Most locators will not mark connecting gas lines either. I have seen what happens when a skid steer hit a gas line someone had buried only 10 inches down, NICE! As for lawn that you want to save any machine can leave its mark. As suggested above make sure the lawn is not wet and soggy, but dry can be bad as well. Hard skid-steer tires can crush dry lawns and leave tracks that last for weeks. Both tracked and wheeled machines can tear up grass when making a turn. Best way to avoid this is not to make a turn when the bucket is loaded. Even a wide turn on a skid steer will do some damage when the machine is loaded. Why not practice turning on the lawn you want to dig out first? This way you get the feel for the machine before risking the areas you want to save. The main advantage of tracks is that they don't pack your soil while giving you maximum push for digging.
 
#23 ·
got it narrowed down to Deere 322ctl new Holland ls160 or the bobcat 453 with a 21 horse engine hope it is diesel?

has any one drove the bobcat 453 and tell me how good it would be for this kind of lifting?

i called the cat rental store they were charging $195 skid steer $300 ctl and $75 pickup $75 delivery:nono: :nono:
i am better of renting form Sunbelt:dancing:

here are a few videos of the 453 the power looks ok on the newer diesel model
 
#24 ·
You guys did a very good job cutting that driveway. Only thing that I wonder about though is where they put the garage and where you had to cut the driveway because of that. I wonder if maybe the driveway will get allot of run off from the neighboring house because there lot slope right over into there's or at least it looks that way in the pics. Am I wrong?
 
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