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Poll: Skidsteer loaders

Started by scsmith42, November 12, 2006, 08:33:44 AM

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scsmith42

Poll runs through the end of November. 

Why would you recommend the brand?  Thanks!
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Norm

I've never owned but have used several different ones. The JD's and Bobcats are the most popular around us. If you get a chance Scott the WSJ ran a series called made in America. One of the companies profiled was Bobcat. After reading it I must say if I was going to buy one they would be on the top of my list.

Kevin_H.

I have had two bobcats and they have given me no real problems, if I was to replace the S175 it would be with another bobcat.
Got my WM lt40g24, Setworks and debarker in oct. '97, been sawing part time ever since, Moving logs with a bobcat.

Brad_S.

I'm on my second, larger Bobcat. I'm not known for my mechanical abilities nor am I very good with preventative maintenance, but the Bobcats just keep going and going.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

Captain

Scott, I'm not voting as I've not yet developed an opinion.

I've run Case, Cat, Bobcat, Gehl, Thomas, and New Holland.

I like the stick controls in the CAT, I haven't quite mastered anyting with the pedal controls yet.

For now, the IR BL375 will have to do, but I still lust for a skidsteer to handle some tasks more quickly.

Captain

Brian_Rhoad

I have a Bobcat 943 that I bought new in 1990. I will never own another Bobcat product. This machine has 2000 hours on it and is nothing but trouble. It won't start if it gets below 30 degrees, and thats with a block heater. It is miserable to work on. The fuel pump went out at about 1500 hours. It is on the back side of the motor where you can't reach it. The service manager told me it is a 12 hour job just to remove the engine to get to the fuel pump. I put an electric pump on it. The quick attach is not the standard size, so when I ask about attachments the answer is " that won't fit your 943". When I bougt the machine I asked the factory rep who was my closest dealer. The company he recommended was a branch of an autherized dealer, but not an "autherized" branch. I didn't find this out untill I contacted the Bobcat headquarters and was told my closest dealer was more than 30 miles from me. I feel I was mislead(lied to) by Bobcat from the beginning.
My opinion of Bobcat is if you want to buy one they better have a two for one sale!

beenthere

Thus the "futility" of a Poll asking about opinions and "what's your favorite" brand name. Get the 'sour' notes on one end of the spectrum and the endless 'praise' on the other.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

scsmith42

Beenthere - I dunno.  Part of what I'm looking for is feedback - both good and bad.  I've heard some nightmare stories from mechanics and owners about working on some of the older Bobcats, and it sounds like Brian's experience bears this out.  However, maybe this has been corrected with the newer machines (which Brad and Kevin's experiences seem to indicate).  The feedback will help me better understand all of the pro's and cons.

However, I'll say this... it's a good thing that Woodmizer doesn't make a skid steer - cause then I'd be in 100% agreement with you about the futility of a poll on this forum!    :D  :D  :D

Craig - I've also heard good things about the joystick controls on the Cat's.   Initially I was not going to consider them because typically anything with the name CAT on it is grossly overpriced, but supposedly they are a little more flexible right now (may be the construction slowdown is affecting their sales).

All - pls keep the feedback coming.  Thx.  Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Paul_H

I like my old 1840 Case for around the mill or landscaping and bull cooking around our place.The boom and tilt controls are hand operated and I think I like it better than the foot controls but it's all good.
So far the Case hase been a good little runner.My cousin has a small excavation biz and runs mini ex'es and skidsteers all Bobcat and really likes them.

I didn't help much eh?  ;)
Science isn't meant to be trusted it's to be tested

scsmith42

Paul - you done good!  Thx for the feedback.  Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Nailhead

I bought a Case 70 XT about 2 years ago. I use it with tracks in the summer and plow snow using a power angle blade and tire chains. It has a heated cab with defroster and fan, but it didn't have a heat control in the cab, you have to adjust a valve on the engine. I but a inline heat control valve a short time after I used it in the winter. It cut my snow plow time in half compared to plowing with a old Chev Blazer. The one thing I would consider next time is a dual range gear box. It could be a little faster for rolling the snow, but I would buy another  Case again.
NH
"The Constitution does not grant rights, it recognizes them."

Norwiscutter

I am happy with my NH LS160 Bought it new with a brush grapple and although a person always eventually wants more power, I think this size is a good one for my all around use.  I traded in a NH boomer 35hp 4wd tractor when I got the skid loader because all I really was every using the tractor for was bucket work. Nothing comes close to a skidsteer for this type of application. I bought new beacuse I didn't like the used prices I found nor the financing rates.  I have used Bobcats a few times and liked mine better, of course mine is certainly a biased opinion. Next on the list, a CAT mini excavator in the 8000 pound range, with a thumb....after that divorce court. :D
Si vis pacem, para bellum.

woodsteach

I went with John Deere based on the customer service in my area.  I hate going to the dealer and he says try it out in our lot.  Hey they all were good in the lot.  JD let me rent one for up to 3 months and if I liked it that went to the purchase price if not I just rented it for 3 months.  I'd like to have joystick only controls instead of the foot pedals, maybe next time.

woodsteach
Brand X Swing Mill, JD 317 Skidloader, MS460 & 290, the best family a guy could ever dream of...all provided by God up above.  (with help from our banker ; ) )

ely

bought my 773 bobcat in 04 i think. it had 325 hours on it then. havent really had a serious problem with it yet. once the fuel line broke off in the tank and it would run out of fuel when the tank was half full. fixed that myself. now the thing wants to pull all the time one way or other. seems to not want to find a neutral with the steering sticks. been told it just needs adjustment,also been told i need to rebuild a valve down on top of the tranny. about 50 bucks in orings from what they say. i just havent got tired of fighting yet, but i am getting close.
i would not have a sawmill if they told me i could not have my bobcat anymore.

IL Bull

Case gets my vote, although I am bias.  I work for a Case construction dealership.  We did have an opportunity to operate almost all the competitions machines at a dealer meeting and I thought that the next best machine was the Cat.  I own an older version,  a 1845B, Case.  I have updated the coupler to the ISO style so I can use any attachments.  I've had this skidsteer since 2002 and have only replaced two hydraulic hoses, a water pump and the fan belt.  Uses about one gallon of fuel per hour. 8)  Case is very easy to service and the newer models have the tilt up cab,  one of their big sales features. :P  I work in the service department so we get to work on a few Bobcats.  They are a lot harder to repair.
Case Skid Steer,  Ford Backhoe,  Allis WD45 and Burg Manual Sawmill

scsmith42

Thus far Bobcat is leading at 37%, followed by New Holland at 22%, and John Deere after that.

Several folks have commented positively about Joystick controls, versus foot controls.  From what I've heard thus far, Joystick is standard on Cat, and optional on Bobcat and New Holland.

I'd like to get a machine that my wife will be confortable with operating occasionally.  Thus, I'm a bit leery of foot controls versus joysticks, as the joysticks seem more intuititve (plus she has run the loader on our Kioti tractor as well as the Cat backhoe, so a joystick would probably be an easier transition for her.

My thanks to those who have completed the survey thus far, as well as to those that will complete it in the next week or so.  I also really appreciate the insights that have been offered - this is definitely great info.

Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Striker

I have run most of the machines in the poll. I would not buy one that has a seat belt that has to be fastened to start the engine. That is a tremendous waste of time. We have a 300 Bobcat and a 320 Deere at work. My favorite is the BobcaWe demoed a Cat before we bought the Deere. Most of us didn't like the pilot controls on the Cat.

In my experience the different brands all handle a littl different from each other. Try all that you can . Pick the one that suits you the best and has the best service department.

Jeff

Captain

I differ in the opinion of the seatbelt, there has to be something to wear in a skidsteer to keep you in place.   I like the pulldown bar best  ;)

Captain

customsawyer

I didn't vote as I have not used one enough to base any feed back. I did research them for awhile a few years back and the thing that I learn was that most of the companies had it to where you could get it with joysticks or the foot controls. The little bit I did use some I found them difficult to get my 260 lbs. in and out of with out the need of a can opener and they ride about like the worst horse you could think of at a trot and no stirups, ;D I personally get along better with a tractor or my backhoe as I fell I have a better field of view when I am working around my mill. But a person has to reason that if everyone felt about them as I do there wouldn't be so many out there to chose from I am sure if I spent the time on one as some here have I would learn some tricks to make it alot easier for me to run one.
Two LT70s, Nyle L200 kiln, 4 head Pinheiro planer, 30" double surface Cantek planer, Lucas dedicated slabber, Slabmizer, and enough rolling stock and chainsaws to keep it all running.
www.thecustomsawyer.com

Part_Timer

I've only ever run the JD's but I like them.  Most all of what you see around here is JD because of the service at the dealer here. 

I wouldn't run one without a seatbelt.  I learned the hard way. :-[

The foot controls are ok but I'd like to try a joystick before I made my mind up. 

I have done some electrical work on the JD's and the repair manual is pretty good.  Lots of schematics , very clear, dash panel comes right out without any problems.

just my .000000000002
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

Weekend_Sawyer


I own a 96' NH 885, really like it, it is starting to get worn and so am I.
After a day of using it with foot cotrols my arthritic knees are on fire.

My next one will not have foot controls. They work very well, I dont.

Jon
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

scsmith42

Again, my thanks to everybody for the feedback. 

I too learned the benefits of wearing a seatbelt "the hard way" one time on a borrowed machine.  I think that there is still a dent in the top of that cab from my head!

WS - good insight re the knees - I have similar issues and had not thought that far down the road.

Scott
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

barbender

I have a 99 Case 1845C- I went with this machine because I've been using/abusing them where I work for the last 10 years, and nothing seems to ever break on them.  The 1845 is no longer available, they've been replaced by a new machine. The Case machines have a 3.9BT cummins engine, thats a lot more motor than most other machines have. I see a lot of Bobcat machines in the Equipment Trader for sale with around 1500 hours on them, and they've already had the engine replaced. A lot of machines are running undersized engines that are putting out a lot of horsepower, so they don't last very long.  We have a Cat 287 track loader at work, we just blew that engine up and it only had 1800 hours on it. The cats have a perkins diesel in them, not real impressed with those. The cats are nice machines to run but I don't think they are as good a quality product as other machines. I've never ran one of the machines with foot controls, don't really want to either. I like Case controls, the pilot controls are ok too. The new John Deere machines look like a really nice unit, haven't got to try one out yet... I'm starting to ramble.....I love skid steers
Too many irons in the fire

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