Johnno21464 said:
Thanks Steve!
I am doing or will be doing what you listed in your response. Everything from moving large dumps of top soil to spread out so I can seed a new lawn to moving trees for planting to stone work moving and mulch moving to eventually pavers. Caterpillars have not been 1 of the makes that everyone seems to be suggesting i use. They all seem to like the Bobcat followed by New Holland but I am taking what you say seriously. I also appreciate the advice to on having a dually 1 ton truck for towing your Cat. How much of a trailer GVW would I need or could you tell me how much your Cat weighs.
One guy even told me to blow off ALL skid steers and get a 4 and 1 Tractor with a box scrape. Please give me your 2 cents as well as anyone else that wants to chime in.
Thanks so much!
John in CT
John,
I think the skid steer market has evolved thoroughly enough that you won't have to worry about what machine you get. I prefer two brands, but that's me -- I'm an engineering student and don't own an earthmoving business; the two makes I prefer suit me better than Cat because I'd likely be too rough when digging. (I like "feeling" the machine about to stall, then back off the levers. That's not a good idea, as it's bad for the engine and the machine, but at any rate, I guess I enjoy having control of my machine's every feature.) There are several people who will swear by the Cat control style. Indeed, it is extremely easy to operate (the levers barely move, so you're not leaning forward to move the machine forward, or yanking backward to move the machine backward; the movements are smooth and short. If you want to learn how to operate a skid and still be pretty productive, a Cat is a great machine. They are built well and are very, very easy to operate. On the opposite side, some people feel that the single lever to control direction isn't very suited for them. As Steve already mentioned, you really want to demo a few units to see which one you like.
As for what machine to get: there's a lot going on in the skid steer industry now. Every major manufacturer has put Tier-II engines in their machines, which other than bringing lower emissions, also brings more power to you (in most cases). Given the rough parameters you specified above, I'b be inclined to take a look at the vertical-lift models: particularly, the Bobcat S250, Case 445, Cat 252B, New Holland Ls185.B, and possibly the Komatsu SK1026-5 (if you have a dealer near you). Each machine here has its own set of features that set it apart, so I would suggest (again) that you demo each unit at least a little bit to see which one you feel most comfortable with. Of the units mentioned, the NH probably has the smoothest ride; the Cat and Komatsu will be the easiest to operate. Both Cat and Komatsu (and Bobcat, if you order SJC --> Selectable Joystick Controls) have an "anti-stall" feature of sorts; the Bobcat (using either hand controls-only or standard foot pedals) and Case do not have this feature. I don't know if you had run skids when you were still in the business, but chances are, the Cat and Komatsu patterns will suit you well in that you won't have to concentrate on the engine RPMs as much -- you can work on digging or manuvering. However, if you feel that you are well-accustomed to a certain characteristic already, or feel that you are comfortable with a certain make already, go for it and try it out to see if that's the one you want.
Another note: the Deere machines are going to be a good buy as well. They have been re-engineered in a few areas, and if you heard horror stories from anyone before, you can rest assured that they won't fail that quickly this time around. Deere engineers did a much better job.
I will be honest with you: this probably won't be a very easy decision for you if price is of little importance (don't let the dealers know this, however!). NH and Deere, especially, will tell you that the visibility from the cab is superior. However, I'll ask you to take a really good look around... not just swivel your head in one plane, but tilt it, too. Pick an imaginary spot and see what it takes to see that spot (for both NH and Deere, the rear corners -- at about your 4:30 or 7:30 positions -- are pretty weak). Can you see the tires in a Deere? if you are unloading from a flatbed, can you see out the sides once the boom arms are raised four feet? With Case, how good is the visibility to the rear corners? With Bobcat and Cat, how far back do you have to look before you can see the ground?
Servicability is another HUGE issue. Every manufacturer other than Bobcat uses an inline-mounted engine, so each of them will tell you that it's a hassle to get to the other side of the engine. Keep in mind that it's very rare that you need to get to the other side of the engine. People may tell you that Cat's and Bobcat's radiator means that washing out the machine will take all the dirty water and dump it on the engine. Very true, but when it rains... it's all the same with all the manufacturers. The dust on the hood will wash off in the rain water... and land on the engine. Bobcat will tell you that CNH machines have big holes in the rear grille that could allow for branches to puncture the radiator. Case's vents are louvered so that this doesn't happen. The side panels on both the Deere and NH machines: are they easy to remove with the boom arms down? How easy are they to replace? Case has the only (I believe) no-tilt cab in the industry. Does this mean anything serious for you?
Last but not least, be very wary about what people say about ground clearance. Just because a Deere has 11" doesn't mean it can get through the same mud a Bobcat can (with "only" 8.5"). The keel structure of the Bobcat allows it to traverse some areas that might bog down another loader... so if you have friends with Bobcats and NHs, take two comparable models (ideally, the S2x0 or S300 against the Ls190 or Lx985) and run them through a small bog and see which one survives. Each manufacturer is going to toss his own twist on selling you the product. In the end, it comes down to which machine you're most comfortable with, and with which sales rep you feel the most secure. And do check follow up support as well -- don't fall for the sweet-talking ones that burn you in the long-run by avoiding your questions and issues.
And keep us posted... there are a lot of people here who have had various experiences, so don't be afraid to ask all sorts of questions!
