Skidsteer v. Tractor

[DAVELAWN]

For general landscape work....which is better, considering all factors....price, etc?

For instance Kubota tractor v. New Holland Skid Steer


What would you choose for your first piece of equipment and why? Seems they younger generation likes the skidsteer, while the older the tractor...

[Lawngodfather]

There is no comparesent.

Skid steers can carry much more weight that a tractor, turn better etc...

Tractors ar not good for digging. If it had a backhoe then it can dig.

No factors, they are 2 different machine with 2 different purposes.

[DAVELAWN]

LGF,
Just curious what you consider the uses for each machine?
The skidsteer is the better pick?

[Lawngodfather]

I don't have a tractor

Dusty and NCSU have tractors.

[greenngrow]

I have 2 tractors :l) Don't have a need for a skid steer. They are toooo heavy for the above ground waste chambers..... In my area tractor works better......

I have seen where I needed a skid steer but I so fine...

[Complete Lawn Care]

I think a tractor is much more verstile. I have a front end loader on mine and a forklift attachment. I use it to move soil around, build beds, move plants around etc. I also spread soil, bushhog, lot leveling, and plant my food plots at the deer lease. I can use it on newly laid sod, where a skid steer would tear up the sod while turning. I admit it cannot lift as much as a skid steer might, but the other advantages far outweigh that small issue.

[Lawngodfather]

Each have their place, doing lawn stuff a tractor would be better, landscaping digging and stuff like that a skid steer would be better. A tractor is not a digging machine.

Mark does a lot of lawn installs.

Nick prob does much of the same.

For heavy landscaping a skid steer is the machine of choice.

[NCSULandscaper]

Tractors are nice, and the implements are alot less than the ones for a skid steer, but after years and years working with tractors, i am buying a skid steer within the month because its more compact, can get into smaller areas, and seems to be more versitile than a tractor can be.

[Matty Mallard]

I don't have a tractor

Dusty and NCSU have tractors.
I liek my skid steer but it tears lawns up worst then any tractor ever will.

[Avery]

Well I have always used tractors. Currently have three. All JD. 770/4310/5410. The 5410 has forks, backhoe, 4-in-1 bucket. I am currently in the process of demo'ing some skidsteers. All tracked because of the soft sand we work in. To date I am not impressed what so ever with the skidsteers. The Bobcat I have now is weak, loud, complicated, and tears up the surface it is operating on. Also after running it for 9 hours day before yesterday there is not enough aspirin to ease my aching back. According to the salesman it has around 60hp, and a tipping capacity of 3356 lbs. My 4310 has half the horsepower of the Bobcat and will do twice the work. And even better costs less than half what the Bobcat does. Several things I do not like about skidsteers. It takes (depending on your setup) both hands or both feet to work the bucket. With a utility tractor only one hand is required. It takes both hands to make the machine move. So everytime I take a sip of water, wipe some sweat, or swat a bug I have to stop the machine. On the Bobcat whenever you get off the machine you have to lower the safety bar and punch a bunch of buttons to get it in work mode again. Tractor I just hop back on and go to work. No foot throttle meaninig you have to pin her ears back to get any power of of the thing. Makes for a very loud operating environment and burning a bunch of fuel when you do not need to. And sure, they have lots of cool attachments but you can only run one at a time. With a tractor I can run two. I tried skidsteers with wheels long ago and found them to be useless. The tracked versions are not much better. I am sure some people like them. To each his own. I will stick with tractors for the time being. Once I take this god forsaken Bobcat back I am going to give them (skidsteers) the benefit of the doubt and demo a Cat. I seriously doubt it will chance my mind. Have to wait and see.

[NCSULandscaper]

Once I take this god forsaken Bobcat back I am going to give them (skidsteers) the benefit of the doubt and demo a Cat. I seriously doubt it will chance my mind. Have to wait and see.


I think you will enjoy the CAT, i just bought one and the controls are so super easy and the foot throttle makes it very nice. Definatly have some of the best tracked machines in the industry.

[Avery]

Well I try to have an open mind when it comes to things that may help productivity. So I will give the Cat and honest try. I can say I would lose money if I had to use Bobcats. No if's and's or but's. I called the salesman the first day I had the Bobcat and told him about the problems I was having. Said he would be down to check it out the next day. That was three days ago. If he will not take care of me as a potiential customer how will he treat me after he has my money?? Has a foot throttle eh? Sounds interesting.....

[NCSULandscaper]

definantly wont have a problem with CAT's service, thats the main reason i went with them, their price was higher but damn their service is top notch. Is Gregory Poole in your area? i know they have all of eastern NC covered.

[Advanced Lawncare]

Cat & Case both have the foot throttle. I have a case 60xt (appx 70hp) and it works well for what i do, but there are some jobs that a tractor would probably work better on and some that the skid work better on.

Ted

[phishook]

When I buy, it's going to be a tractor first just because of bush hogging.

BUt I've rented an ASV twice and love the machine. It's got the CAT controlls and just seems to float over the ground. NO bouncing and jerking like most of the machines give a novis like me.

[Avery]

definantly wont have a problem with CAT's service, thats the main reason i went with them, their price was higher but damn their service is top notch. Is Gregory Poole in your area? i know they have all of eastern NC covered.
They are, but Carter Cat is closer.

[Matty Mallard]

Well I try to have an open mind when it comes to things that may help productivity. So I will give the Cat and honest try. I can say I would lose money if I had to use Bobcats. No if's and's or but's. I called the salesman the first day I had the Bobcat and told him about the problems I was having. Said he would be down to check it out the next day. That was three days ago. If he will not take care of me as a potiential customer how will he treat me after he has my money?? Has a foot throttle eh? Sounds interesting.....
Our little bobcat 463 beats me up pretty badly if I use it for a few hours. NH and Cat come with full hand control options and it makes the job so much easier.

[northeastpropertymgmt]

i think as said above they both have there places. a skeed steer has a cab and can have heat and ac with is nice for plowing. on most tractors that i have seen u can only get cabs with the bigger modles. i have not driven a skeed steer so i can not say how it rides or drives but i have driven tractos and love them. they do have there limets that a skeed would be nice to have for small jobs with tight areas. it would be good to have both

[Alan Bechard]

I think it really depends on the work that you are doing. For reference, we have a 1925 New Holland (34hp tractor) with a 7308 loader and a Bobcat 610.

If I had to have just one, and was doing general landscaping, mowing etc. we would keep the tractor. If we were just doing stone work, patios, retaining walls etc. it would be the Bobcat.

We opted to have two older, slightly less capable (but affordable) machines, the big deal for me was when you had the tractor at the jobsite, how did you load the mulch at the storage yard? By having both, we are able to have the "right" piece of equipment on the job, and still have something at the yard to load mulch etc. with.

Our business today, if one had to go, it would be the Bobcat.

[northeastpropertymgmt]

i was looking around the web at some of te skeed manfagures and was looking at the tellahandlers. they seem like a great idea for the hard to reach places bnecause of there reach and for grading and snow removel never seen anyone using one so thought that maybee i dident know something cuz they seem like a great tool

[Bayfish]

A friend of mine in the business of irrigation, site work, pavers etc... bought a ditch witch mini loader. Walk behind unit with tracks and 25hp Honda motor. Since he got it, his bobcat has sat in the garage. Bucket will raise high enough to dump in a 1 ton with rock bed. Has vibrating plow attachment for irrigation installs, digs out walkways, dozer blade he says has tremendous amount of push. Paid 17k for unit and 13k for attachments.

[Matt]

I think if I was on a job where it didn't matter if things got torn up, then I would want to have a skid. If I was on a job where being neat, and damage free was a prevailing factor, then I would definately want the tractor.

[Matty Mallard]

A friend of mine in the business of irrigation, site work, pavers etc... bought a ditch witch mini loader. Walk behind unit with tracks and 25hp Honda motor. Since he got it, his bobcat has sat in the garage. Bucket will raise high enough to dump in a 1 ton with rock bed. Has vibrating plow attachment for irrigation installs, digs out walkways, dozer blade he says has tremendous amount of push. Paid 17k for unit and 13k for attachments.
My fathers looking at buying an excavator for site work... He wants to get into more drainages and dirt/prep work.

[Bayfish]

I use a tractor now for moving and spreading dirt, moving mulch, stones, bushhogging etc... I think I would go with the tracked mini loader next. I would like to get into the paver market soon.

[NCSULandscaper]

skid steer wont tear up anything if you know how to drive them, i can use them on lawns and not leave a single tear mark because i have operated them for over 10 years.

A machine only works as good as the operator.

[cat]

skid steers are a very useful peace of equipment i have a john deere 317 and really like