Skid steer questions?

hunterdan

hunterdan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Location
Morganton,NC
I'm planning to do some light /medium grading for a homesite. I'll be cutting out about 3-4' of high side of a house pad. I've had a few grading guys come look and as always their estimates are a bit high. It is undisturbed raw woods with loamy clay and occasional rocks.

To the point... I'm going to buy a tracked skid steer and do it myself. I'm planning this homesite and then another 1 or 2 Lord willing.They will be small 1 bedroom pads with a footprint of maybe 40'x40' including positive drainage requirements.
I'm just looking for recommendations in regards to brand/model/weight. So far I'm liking an IHI cl35 but unsure about it's cutting ability at 7500lbs +/-. Should I be looking at a 10k lb machine? Any opinions IHI vs Takeuchi vs ?
Thanks
Here's a video showing the loader/grapple attachment I think would be most useful. I will need to cut and flip dirt, remove small loblolly pines and small hardwoods etc. The attachment is at the 20 minute mark.

 
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braxton357 said:
I have that same flat bottom bucket the guy I had running the skid steer bent it the first 10 minutes. Definitely won't stand up to grubbing trees, which a skid steer is a terrible tool for. And anything less than a 10k lb skid steer is for a landscaper. You might be better served buying a $15k 953 loader with a 4 in 1
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've been considering one of those also. I know it would do all excavating and tree removal etc. but the skid would be in combination with my mini ex and useful in lots of small stuff after the house pad. A 953 would be to use and then sell. Skid would be to keep.
Anyhow, that is a vote for 10k mini over an 8k
 
I'd try to find a tl150 or tl250 if you want to move some dirt, I've never seen another skid steer do it as well as them.

Truth is you can do everything you want to do with an axe and a shovel, the machinery will just make it easier and much faster. In my opinion If you have no issue burning time and fuel, then get what fits your use after this project best and make it work for the couple house pads.
 
Mine is 9k pounds and 80hp and does everything I need it to do. Whatever you do, I’d personally narrow it down to a Takeuchi, Kubota, or older ASV simply because of the flip up door. I can’t stand a hinged door. All 3 make great machines. I’ve owned all 3 brands and wouldn’t hesitate to own another. For what you’re wanting to do, I’d want to cut most of it with a good sized mini ex and move the dirt and finish level it with a similar sized skidsteer. If you want to do it all with a skidsteer, it will either take a long time, or get a big machine and it’ll take a slightly shorter long time.
 
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You can get an excavator attachment for a skidsteer, but I don't know if they are big enough to do more than trench work. I've never run one, so I can't say. Get the Mini large enough to have a blade on it, which sure makes a difference!
 
What about parts/service in your area? That would help me decide on a brand. I've put a couple thousand hrs on two different CAT machines and it'd be hard for me to buy another brand now. Part of that is the fact that they have very good parts availability in my area.
 
If you get one with a door, MAKE SURE it is a door that can be left open during operation. I had a New Holland with a door, it was the first thing I removed as the A/C didn't work. The door could not be opened if the bucket was raised. My Kubota the door raises above your head, I rarely ever shut it, BUT I mostly used it as a forklift more than a skid steer.

My vote as said above, get something that you will be happy with AFTER you do what you need. If that means a smaller/cheaper machine that makes the grading take longer, do that. I've had a Bobcat 190 after I sold a New Holland LX865, the 190 wouldn't lift near what I was used to with the 865, so I sold it and got a 650 bobcat. That machine was good, but the hand/foot controls really bothered my knees (NH was hand/foot and didn't bother me?). Sold it and got a Kubota SVL90. LOVE the SVL90 (A/C FTW!) but it seems 'weak' when operating a high flow brush cutter. I don't know if it's weak or if it's normal as I have not tried any other similar sized machine.
 
Just finished helping a neighbor on one of his jobs excavating for a 28x62 basement. Cut 10' down at the deepest spot and did it all using his Cat 306 and my NH LS190. Cat got everything loose, I just hauled it out. Worked pretty well. We did the same when we came back for final grade and digging footers. @braxton357 's idea is probably the most efficient though.
 
Yep, I believe I will go with a 8k+lb track loader and use my Chinese mini to remove the trees. As mentioned the trees are only 2-4" oak/poplar etc. I only have 3-4 trees in the 8-10" range. I tested the Chinese mini on a few 3-4" -40'tall trees and it pulled them up root and all with no digging. A fat holly had to be dug a bit as it had a strong root system.
Here's a clip of a skid with a 2 way dozer blade. In the clip he's cutting the high side of a logging road with ease. It looks like what I need to do on the one homesite...about 3' needs to be removed over 40-50' long.
 
Tacoma747 said:
If you get one with a door, MAKE SURE it is a door that can be left open during operation. I had a New Holland with a door, it was the first thing I removed as the A/C didn't work. The door could not be opened if the bucket was raised. My Kubota the door raises above your head, I rarely ever shut it, BUT I mostly used it as a forklift more than a skid steer.
Click to expand...

This is my situation too. The LS190 does a great job but the door is off of it for this reason. The next machine it gets sold or traded for will have a door that opens above since we want to get something with tracks eventually.
 
Here's my chubota breaking into the woods and removing small trees and brush. Looking to do a driveway maybe 350-400' long through the woods. Planning to do a simple driveway without disturbing the ground too much. Maybe 15' wide. I have another access Rd to do the building etc.
Really like this little mini

Video won't load. Working on resizing...
 
hunterdan said:
Yep, I believe I will go with a 8k+lb track loader and use my Chinese mini to remove the trees. As mentioned the trees are only 2-4" oak/poplar etc. I only have 3-4 trees in the 8-10" range. I tested the Chinese mini on a few 3-4" -40'tall trees and it pulled them up root and all with no digging. A fat holly had to be dug a bit as it had a strong root system.
Here's a clip of a skid with a 2 way dozer blade. In the clip he's cutting the high side of a logging road with ease. It looks like what I need to do on the one homesite...about 3' needs to be removed over 40-50' long.
Click to expand...

That’s a Grouser 6 way blade and they probably run $5k used and closer to $10k new. They are great for certain things, but hang out to far to do heavy grading with a skidsteer. I know because I have one ;). Unless you have some pretty special NC dirt, it ain’t gonna cut near as easy as the stuff in that video.
 
jeepinmatt said:
Mine is 9k pounds and 80hp and does everything I need it to do. Whatever you do, I’d personally narrow it down to a Takeuchi, Kubota, or older ASV simply because of the flip up door. I can’t stand a hinged door. All 3 make great machines. I’ve owned all 3 brands and wouldn’t hesitate to own another. For what you’re wanting to do, I’d want to cut most of it with a good sized mini ex and move the dirt and finish level it with a similar sized skidsteer. If you want to do it all with a skidsteer, it will either take a long time, or get a big machine and it’ll take a slightly shorter long time.
Click to expand...

jeepinmatt said:
That’s a Grouser 6 way blade and they probably run $5k used and closer to $10k new. They are great for certain things, but hang out to far to do heavy grading with a skidsteer. I know because I have one ;). Unless you have some pretty special NC dirt, it ain’t gonna cut near as easy as the stuff in that video.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Im not gonna go that route.
As far as cutting and flipping some dirt I'm sure with the 40-50' I need to cut 3'...my mini in combination with a skid steer and GP bucket will do it.
I appreciate the good info. and experience here. That's why I always pose questions to y'all.
Worse case scenario I can rent a larger excavator/loader for a day or two and finish with my mini and a skid steer.
 
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