Gehl Skid Steers

[Cimarron]

I was wondering if any of you had any experiences (good or bad) with Gehl skid steers. I am considering them but I would like to get some feedback before I make my decision. Thanks in advance.

[salopez]

First off, make sure you have a good dealer. I do and I love my machine. They are alittle more bare bones then a bobcat, but they are strong. I am starting to shop for a 7810 to add to my 4635.

[cat320]

I have the 4640 and it is great does the job hands down with out all the computer stuff. it's a symple machine and not a high tech wonder as some are. would definatly get another one.

[xkvator]

a friend of mine bought a new 5635 in '99...beats the crap out of it...no problems

[stumpjumper83]

With gehl, later is better, they have the 35 and 40 series figgured out. The 7810e even had a 4 cyl cummings, hp @ 115. The machine is a beast, I dunno if it sould be in the same class as everyone else. You should be happy with a 4840e maybe a 5640e. Salopez, who is your dealer?

[itsgottobegreen]

I work on SALOPEZ gehl 4635 when it has needed work. I will tell you this. Its a complete bitch to change out a starter. Otherwise its a Ok machine. But I am also looking at a Gehl 7810 with the cummins to push a 12' protech snow pusher.

[HeyUvaVT]

I can only speak to the tracked machines but the CTL80 is quite popular around here...not as much power as the asv but they definitely hold their own..the hydraulic controls seem alot more snappy and more responsive than the ASV RC100...going from one to the other makes for a few minutes of learning curve

[NHDealer]

I can only speak to the tracked machines but the CTL80 is quite popular around here...not as much power as the asv but they definitely hold their own..the hydraulic controls seem alot more snappy and more responsive than the ASV RC100...going from one to the other makes for a few minutes of learning curve

Uva Im curious in why you say it doesnt have as much power? Please explain. :confused:

[CM1995]

The Gehl compact track loaders are made by Takeuchi. So are the Mustang.

[NHDealer]

The Gehl compact track loaders are made by Takeuchi. So are the Mustang.


This I know..In the Northern Va market you will see very few Cat/Asv tracked machines. They hold a very low market value, mainly becuase of the undercarriage.

[John H]

We have a 7810 and it spends more time in the shop than in the woods. It probably a good dirt machine but in the woods their no good.

[HeyUvaVT]

I may have spoken to soon about the power differences between the RC100 and the CTL80 as there is only 2.5hp difference....however ours is great in the woods...second only I would think to a steel tracked machine like John has..we have 1500hrs of heavy brush cutting and clearing with ours and havent had one serious issue yet maybe we are just lucky? :Cowboy

[John H]

Do you have any pictures of that machine?

[HeyUvaVT]

It's onsite right now..will snap a few pics when we get it back to the shop for cleanup until then for pics of the cutter go to www.loftness.com for pics of the machine www.asvi.com and look at the forestry kit for the RC100

[stormicees]

We have a Gehl 5635 that has been a real workhorse:thumbsup . We also bought three (count'em 3) Gehl 7810s. They have been a problem from almost the very beginning. The main problem we have had is that the lift arms develop slack and rub the cab and the hoses.

I definitely WOULD NOT(:thumbdown :throwup) reccommend the Gehl 7810 !!!!!

Has anyone else had this kind of problem with the 7810?

Stormicees

[2109 Stang]

stormicees;We have a Gehl 5635 that has been a real workhorse:thumbsup . We also bought three (count'em 3) Gehl 7810s. They have been a problem from almost the very beginning. The main problem we have had is that the lift arms develop slack and rub the cab and the hoses.

I definitely WOULD NOT(:thumbdown :throwup) reccommend the Gehl 7810 !!!!!

Has anyone else had this kind of problem with the 7810?



stomicees: I have a 2109 Mustang (same as 7810) 400 hrs no problems so far, I know of a 2004 2105 (same but older) don't know the hrs on it but they use and abuse this machine and also no problems at all ,I wondre how many hrs on your machines and what kind of maintenance schedule do you run on them for that kind of wear

[Countryboy]

Welcome to HEF stormicees! :drinkup

[skata]

We have a Gehl 5635 that has been a real workhorse:thumbsup . We also bought three (count'em 3) Gehl 7810s. They have been a problem from almost the very beginning. The main problem we have had is that the lift arms develop slack and rub the cab and the hoses.

I definitely WOULD NOT(:thumbdown :throwup) reccommend the Gehl 7810 !!!!!

Has anyone else had this kind of problem with the 7810?

Stormicees

what other problems occur to the 7810?

[stormicees]

In addition to the lift arms developing slack:
1. all three machines overheat quickly on warm days
2. all three machines had fuel tank blockage, which we were told was the result of a problem with a fitting in the tank
3. the red bracket that is used to lock the lift for maintenence purposes, broke off on all three machines destroying hydraulic hoses
4. all three machines developed cracks in the frames, (which we were told by the repairman authorized by Gehl is a continous problem)
5. engine compartment screens have broken off all three machines leaving the engines exposed to debris. After being repaired (by authorized repairmen) they continue to break
6. the air conditioners on all three machines never worked properly
7. the accelerator pedals hang and will not go into the "idle" position
8. hand throttle control broke off on two of the machines
9. bolts holding lift arm pins continue to come out causing lift arms to lose position
10. safety switches frequently malfunction shutting down machines
11. bolts in rear bumpers won't stay tight. One bumper fell off.
12. back door latches won't stay closed allowing doors to swing open exposing radiator.
13. front tires are too close to the attachments. Ruined numerous tires when attachments rub tires.
14. electronic bucket attachment locks don't work properly
15. muffler bolts won't stay tight
16. sliding windows get off track because framework gets loose
17. lots of other bolts lose on machines

These problems may sound small but when they can never be repaired (no matter what you do:Banghead ) you decide you bought a poorly designed machine.

I've read what others said about using and abusing their machines but we didn't abuse ours. Normal use just made them fall apart.:beatsme

[KSSS]

I spoke to several brush cutting attachment OEMs and all said the same thing about the 7800 series of machines. They overheat easily and for being as powerful on paper as they are don't generate a lot of hyd. hp.

[2109 Stang]

WoW is all I can say. We get really hot days all summer and most of the winter and never have any heating problems ,but I also have to say I never run the machine close to half throtle and the few times that I'll go over half engine speed there's nothing that will stop or stall that machine,I can go against a pile of lime stone fill and if the machine stops moving it will dig its way down to china ,another thing that I've found on this machine is ,I can climb up a pile where no other SSL can ,it will take a track machine to go where this machine goes ,with out getting the scary feeling of tipping over backwards, like I used to get on my 1845C case ,I used to hate that machine for that. Sound like these machines were not ment for this opperation and is not easy to replace three machines at once specially getting rid of these machines.

[KSSS]

The issue is not with the machine overheating running it with without an attachment. The problem comes with running it with a high heat generating attachment like a Timber ax or other brush cutting attachment. Loftness has a very interesting publication that shows the results of their own inhouse testing on about every machines hyd. hp, hyd flow, psi etc. Much more believeable than the OEM numbers you read.

[stormicees]

Our machines overheated running with a grapple attachment.

[Ohio Takeuchi]

If you are looking for a Track Skid Steer you need to check out the takeuchi machines. They are the only track machine that do not have a bolt on undercarriage. It is built in to the frame of the machine. To smooth out the ride Hydra-smooth offers an add on. It makes a huge difference. It basically puts a shock absorber on the hydraulic system. I am sure any problems Gehl is having it is not with the track loaders.

[skata]

To smooth out the ride Hydra-smooth offers an add on. It makes a huge difference. It basically puts a shock absorber on the hydraulic system. hyrda-smooth? who sells this?
does it cushion the arm lift cylinders?

[stormicees]

We are now using two ASV track skid steers.

[ranger]

Is anyone familiar with a Gehl 6640. I am considering purchasing one equipped with:

1. Cab, heat, and a/c
2. Hi flow hydraulics
3. Two speed
4. Type of controls - undecided but leaning toward joy sticks - left one for driving and the right one controls the bucket/attachment.
5. Hydra glide - this is the option that involves some cushion effect when traveling with a load to prevent bouncing.
6. Radio
7. Rear counter weight.
8. Also, is anyone familiar with a built in fire suppression system for engine compartmet that can be added to a machine such as this.
9. What about a reversible fan that will blow out the radiator occasionally?

I appreciate you sharing your thought, suggestions, etc. !!!

[Countryboy]

Welcome to HEF ranger! :drinkup

[Tigerotor77W]

Is anyone familiar with a Gehl 6640. I am considering purchasing one equipped with:

1. Cab, heat, and a/c
2. Hi flow hydraulics
3. Two speed
4. Type of controls - undecided but leaning toward joy sticks - left one for driving and the right one controls the bucket/attachment.
5. Hydra glide - this is the option that involves some cushion effect when traveling with a load to prevent bouncing.
6. Radio
7. Rear counter weight.
8. Also, is anyone familiar with a built in fire suppression system for engine compartmet that can be added to a machine such as this.
9. What about a reversible fan that will blow out the radiator occasionally?

I appreciate you sharing your thought, suggestions, etc. !!!

I'd say everything is pretty useful on your list... here are some thoughts:

4. You'd want to try out both patterns and see which ones your operator is most comfortable with. Spending $4000 (?) extra for joystick controls that your operator can't be productive with is... not a good business investment. On the other hand, if your operator loves joysticks and you decide to save money, you might lose productivity, too. Demo, demo, demo!

5. If you do a lot of traveling over rough terrain, ride-control will help. If you do a lot of flat work (asphalt milling only, say) or only plow (only plow in Texas? Not likely either; these are just examples), ride control might not be of that much use.

8. Haven't actually heard of one, but not a bad idea.

9. I didn't realize anyone offered a reversible cooling fan -- if you work with a lot of brush, again, this may be a good idea.

[ranger]

Countryboy thanks for the welcome! I am enjoying this forum.

Tigerotor, thanks for your reply. The maching will be used on private acreage with a lot of different jobs from using a tree shear, grapple, regular dirt bucket, grademaster, auger, and who knows what else in the future. I did see a reversible fan for case skid steers somewhere on the net. Surely someone makes one for Gehls as well.

In my search for a machine I drove a John Deere 332, the tractive force this machine had was quite impressive. Getting in and out of the machine seemed quite cramped compared to other machines though. Any thoughts on this machine from anyone.

I appreciate everyone' thoughts regading the positive and negative factors of various skid steers.

[cat320]

I have a 4640 I think some of the stuff you listed would be found on bigger machines .

1. Cab, heat, and a/c
2. Hi flow hydraulics
3. Two speed
4. Type of controls - undecided but leaning toward joy sticks - left one for driving and the right one controls the bucket/attachment.
5. Hydra glide - this is the option that involves some cushion effect when traveling with a load to prevent bouncing.
6. Radio
7. Rear counter weight.
8. Also, is anyone familiar with a built in fire suppression system for engine compartmet that can be added to a machine such as this.
9. What about a reversible fan that will blow out the radiator occasionally?
# 5.8.9 I don't think you will find on smaller machines not really alot of room under the hood.

All the other stuff they have and now have joystick controls i have the Tbar and they are nice but i would not rule out the joy sticks would like to demo one with them.

I just moved about 100 or so yards last night and made a road for the trucks to dump more out in the back of this yard. And it ran great.

[Steve Frazier]

I think if anyone were to spend a day with pilot controls vs. the old hand/feet manual valves or even the levers with wrist valves you'd never want to run anything but the pilot controls. I find they are much more precise and the fatigue level at the end of the day is no where near that of the other style controls. Production is much better with the pilot controls as well. The Cat style pattern with the bucket and boom on the right and travel direction and speed on the left just seems to come natural to me.

In my opinion, the pilot controls are well worth the extra cost if you are going to be spending any amount of time in the machine.

[ranger]

Thanks to everyone who has responded to my question about 6640's.

Is anyone familiar with the Gehl joy sticks? Do you know someone who has had Gehl joy sticks? What are the strengths, weaknesses of them? I briefly drove a 6640 on a dealer's yard with joy sticks. There did not seem to be a sense of feedback through the joy sticks that I feel with the hand/foot controls. Perhaps this is is just a lack of experience with the joy sticks.
Has anyone had a similar perception about joysticks?

I had hand/foot controls on a 6635 and they were fine. However, it seems that the overall trend is toward joy sticks on most machines.

I generally tend to stick with the basic tried and true technology but I think it might be a good idea to go for the more modern controls on such a major purchase.

What are your thoughts? All comments are appreciated.

[Rocket]

Cannot stand the Gehl controls, and therefore the machines. Too bad, too. There is a dealer right around the corner. I rented a brand new one to test when I was getting ready to purchase a machine. They make good farming equipment supposedly but the skid was horrible. It did not seem as if they took any thought of ergonomics. It is the one machine you will not ever find me in again. :eek:

[cat320]

Don too bad you do not like them all what you get used too i guess . which controls did you use the T-bar is great i think . they really stand behind the equipment can't say that about bobcat of boston

[itsgottobegreen]

I can't stand the gehl T bar controls. Their hand foot control are very fast and easy to control.

[skata]

Cannot stand the Gehl controls, and therefore the machines. Too bad, too. There is a dealer right around the corner. I rented a brand new one to test when I was getting ready to purchase a machine. They make good farming equipment supposedly but the skid was horrible. It did not seem as if they took any thought of ergonomics. It is the one machine you will not ever find me in again. :eek:

why didnt you rent a gehl with controls that you're familiar with?
which model did you use? wheeled? tracked?

[KSSS]

"Cannot stand the Gehl controls, and therefore the machines. Too bad, too. There is a dealer right around the corner. I rented a brand new one to test when I was getting ready to purchase a machine. They make good farming equipment supposedly but the skid was horrible. It did not seem as if they took any thought of ergonomics. It is the one machine you will not ever find me in again".



That has been my impression of Gehl as well. Not to offend any Gehl fanboys I just always thought that their machines seemed like they were never "finished". It is like someone put them together in their shop over a long weekend. They may run great and last, but I am willing to pay more to have what I think is a more comfortable, and well thought out machine. At least its (CASE) fit and finish quality would lead you to believe that it was built in a legitimate factory. You sit in a Gehl with hand controls and the sticks are straight up and down (at least they were several years ago when I last ran one) even the 1800 series CASE machines were somewhat ergonomic and were tilted at a comfortable angle. Again, no offense to those who run them, they just are not for me.

[Fieldman12]

Actually Gehl no longer makes farm equipment. They got out of that field I think it was late last year. They are focusing only on Construction machinery now.

[scott janisch]

This is a late response to the thread but I wanted to let you know that there are good models of Gehl's out there. I have a 2001 5635 that is very long on hours and is still running strong with very few problems until this year.
the starter went out last week and a oil leak on one of the hoses on the drive motor.The starter I attribute to too many cold weather starts this last winter and the oil leak was a loose hose and worn o-ring. Every other fitting has stayed tight. I run hy-flow hydralics and have not had any heating problems or broken hoses.
When I bought the machine I had reservations about the oil cooled Deutz, but this engine has been amazing.no oil leaks and when I got it in 2001 I felt it had the most power in it's class.This machine is very nimble and visibility is great,it's a series II so it has 2-speed, lowered side booms for visibility and a great heater,It has t-bar controls so all my feet do is run the throttle with my right foot and the aux controls with my left. The t-bar controls are not pilot controled but I don't find them all that
tiring.
I do like the ability to adjust wear out of the linkage easily and with the tip up cab access to engine and hydralics and linkage makes life a lot easier. The machine has always run smooth and the balance is very good.
It has adjustable hinge pins where the bucket attaches to the boom,where you can adjust out the wear.I think this is a good idea but I have a hard time keeping the adjustment bolts from backing out.Also Gehl could work on pin seals for all the hinge pins as they will puke out the grease all over the machine.Instead of sunrise yellow I when it was bought it's more a sundown yellow depending which color of grease I'm using at the time.
I'm sure now that I've bragged about the machine,I will have a catastrophic component failure tommorrow and I'm preparing to buy a new machine soon. I'm going to try out the newer models to compare how they stand up to my old technology with 4000+ hrs. I'm looking for a machine that is powerful,stable with good balance,good visibility and dependable. and if it breaks don't make me stand on my head to fix it or have parts so rare or brand specific the dealer has to wait in line to get them.
I am shying away from the 7800 series Gehl because of comment on this site and others. I would have no problem buying another 5635 though I did want a 7800 series, going to Mustang is buying basicly the same machine,wondering if they have same problems or is it quality control at the plant? I'm wondering if there are some Mustang owners with an opinion?

[2109 Stang]

I'm wondering if there are some Mustang owners with an opinion?


scott ,I own a 2109 got it in november 05 and only have little over 300 hours on it ,so I might not be a good source of info for that matter , but have to say , the machine has performed flawlessly in this little time , I almost got a Case but the salesman didn't pay attention to what I wanted on the machine so I move on, bobcat S300 had a great deal going at that time but they are too tippy and ride too ruogh and after reading about al the small electrical problems some of their machine have, thats the last thing I want on a dirt moving machine so I went with Mustang and never look back ,power to spare and lift that can not be match by any other compact machine or must backhoe loader. any question that you have about this machine just ask .I'll be glad to answer .

[Rocket]

why didnt you rent a gehl with controls that you're familiar with?
which model did you use? wheeled? tracked?

T-bar is what they had. The Gehl dealer around the corner was just opening for business. I use the pilot controls in the CAT. Almost became a statistic in an old Thomas using foot controls. Won't go near them now. I've got two left feet. I got experience in some loaders before taking on business ownership so I was more comfortable with the pilot controls. Used ASV for a couple years but their dealer is another 30 minutes away beyond CAT.

[cat320]

I agree with the foot controls, i have not tried the pilot controls yet .the T-bar i thought i would not like but have gotten used to them.

[scott janisch]

thanks for the reply 2109 STANG, I'm a big Mustang fan since I've had 2, a940 and I stll have a 2040. It's really fun to use in tight areas. It also has a single stick t- handle with foot controls. I like it cause I can turn my body instead of my neck for those long mutiple reverse trips I have to do to get around houses. Less tiring with one hand on the stick. The down side is always catching the crotch of your winter overalls on the stick on your way out of the cab which of course causes increased wear and tear.

[stumpjumper83]

In my opinion the controll to have witha gehl is the pilot ones. The t-bars are hard on the rists to operate and you may not be able to get full flow out of the hydraulics. The centeral position has the handle perpendicular to the operator and requires 35-40 degrees of rotation for full flow. The pilot controlls use two joystick that you can switch the patterns around on for any combination that the operator desires. For fine work or tight conditions I prefer case controlls becase of a better feel of the turn and easier to counter rotate, BUT you have to drive with two hands all the time...

[twin34]

i have not had any trouble

[amscontr]

I used to run a 2002 Gehl 7610,doing everything from demolition to finish grading for landscapers and that is one particular skid loader I have nothing bad to speak of. Of course not all machines are ceated equal. For some reason Gehl does not recommend using steel tracks with foam-filled tires?????
I don't know about the newer models but that 7610 was unstoppable.

[wweverett]

I have a 7810e, w 62 hours on it pulled the air filter and the secondary was covered, pulled the secondary and the snorkle was full of fine dust. Gehl is being a complete a** about giving me a new engine or machine. I should have got the 272c cat but my 297c will not start without plugging it in below 15 degrees and I knew the cummins would. They took an oil sample 3 weeks ago and I have heard nothing, probabaly because it was bad and they don't want to say anything.

I mean the machine is great does anyone want a low hour 7810e w/ every option.

[Gehlcrasher]

I'v run the 5635t/5635tseries 2 and 5640e turbo over the last 15 years before that ive had clark toyota and mustang. I just love the gehl. I put up with a few early faults (drive hoses seals etc) but once there fixed with better hoses their great. I like the 56** because of its unique size. more power/speed/lift than equally sized skid steers. shure one might have more power but is slower or longer wider.The main thing is to do a really good check when new, cover any hoses that may rub etc. Oh never had one over heat yet even in 38 deg cel heat.

[gehl5635sxt]

I need help with something.

My Gehl 5635 has some problem with the hydraulics. About six months ago, the lift arms, tilt, and auxiliary would not really work while the machine was cold, then work better. I could always get them to work if I held the control halfway open or thereabouts, but everything would stop if I opened it fully. Later on, all hydraulics quit, and I replaced a relay switch that fixed that, and replaced the fluid and filter (the fluid I was using was very poor quality also, I found out about that time).

The problem persists. When I try to engage a control, it may start to work and stop, or not work at all. It sounds as if I'm trying to engage a control while the parking switch is on or the safety bar is up, that clicking sound when everything is shut off.

Any ideas?

[emilbanks]

I have a Gehl 4640E with T-Bars handles great fast response.

I also leased for a year a CTl60 track machine did a great job clearing 40 acres of land.
We use Bob Cats at the power plant and they have everything heat air conditioner all the bells and whistles but for home farm use the gehl is ok for me.

Emil:)

[thejdman04]

Gehl makes pretty good machines

[CEM]

I have a 4615. My first skidsteer. T bar controls. I have had it for two years. I love it.

[crutch]

I ran an old high hour N/A Gehl w/ T-Bars doing trails work at a forest reserve for a few months. Their idea of a maintenance schedule is changing the oil once/season and really high turnover means many 'operators' have had their way with the machines. Leaked a tank of hydraulic fluid and a couple liters of coolant/week, creeping hydraulics, have to jump the starter with a screwdriver (safe!) and a nice grey sludge would ooze out of the belly pan into the water table every time you got up on the right angle :) but it still ran strong day after day as long as you kept on top of the fluids.

IMO they're tough as nails. Those T-Bars hurt the wrists pretty bad though...

[rconley1879]

Looking for comments on 6640 machine.
Have just bent the 2nd left lift cylinder, have to slow down engine sometimes to let hydraulic pump catch up. Of course dealer says he can find nothing wrong.

[rconley1879]

Is anyone familiar with a Gehl 6640. I am considering purchasing one equipped with:



1. Cab, heat, and a/c
2. Hi flow hydraulics
3. Two speed
4. Type of controls - undecided but leaning toward joy sticks - left one for driving and the right one controls the bucket/attachment.
5. Hydra glide - this is the option that involves some cushion effect when traveling with a load to prevent bouncing.
6. Radio
7. Rear counter weight.
8. Also, is anyone familiar with a built in fire suppression system for engine compartmet that can be added to a machine such as this.
9. What about a reversible fan that will blow out the radiator occasionally?

I appreciate you sharing your thought, suggestions, etc. !!!


Have one---actually 2nd 6640---1st one was excellent so traded it for cab model.
IT HAS NERER BEEN RIGHT---uses oil, about to replace 2nd left lift cylinder, hydraulics sometimes won't work until let off of engine speed, even after oil and filter change!!!
It is for sale!!!!

[bdaaone]

i have a 753 bobcat, wont start, says input on display.

[DirtCheapDrew]

I've had a few Gehls over the years. All 6620 and 6625's. My current machine is a high flow. They've been great and don't owe me a dime. Always had good luck with the Perkins engines, don't know much about the Deutz. Most guys with the Deutz in Rayco crawlers have all been back to the dealer for engine replacements. Yanmar and Kubota for replacements. Not sure if Gehl's had problems with the new Deutz. Interested to see what Gehl offers this year. Yes, Gehl and Mustang tracked machines are made by Takeuchi, still great machines with a more American label. I've had good luck with Cat equipment over the years. ASV didn't seem to backup their machines when some local guys had front spindle bearing problems years ago. The Bogie wheel set-up seems to be prone to problems, especially in freezing weather where mud and rock presents problems. Let's face it, not everyone can park their machine in a warm barn every night. Just my .02.

[crosswind]

I have an older 6625 that I replaced some of the linkage bushings.After replacing them the machine now creeps really bad in reverse and also turns to the right.
I don't have any manuals, any advice on how to adjust that out would be appreciated.Thanks.