Looking for the Most powerful Tracked machine

[pafarmer]

We are again in the market for an additional tracked loader. We presently are running 3 JD machines, A 319D, 2 ,333D all of these JD's are 2011 units. We resently bought a T770 Bobcat and now have a need for one additional machine. This one is for me to use on the Farm and on the job site when needed. I would like to own the biggest and baddest machine on the market today. We quarry bluestone in our spare time. These blocks of stone can weight anywhere from 2200 to 3600 pounds. So far what i have looked at is;

Tak 250
Case TR380
Cat 299C or D

Looking for everyone's thoughts from real users on any of the above or something else i need to look at. Again I need high horse power and hi hydro power..

thanks in advance.

Farmer

[JCBiron]

JCB 320T
3200 ROC @ 35% tipping load
70 Hydraulic HP with High flow
92HP, over 300 lb. ft. of torque

Sorry, I - just - couldn't - resist - myself......

[pafarmer]

JCB 320T
3200 ROC @ 35% tipping load
70 Hydraulic HP with High flow
92HP, over 300 lb. ft. of torque

Sorry, I - just - couldn't - resist - myself......

The JCB's look like a decent machines. Althought, there is zero dealer network in my neck of the woods. I have a TAK TL250 and a CASE TR320 coming on Monday to demo from a local dealer...I'll report back after I try them both out. I am leaning toward the TAK CTL for all around brute power and pure reliability. They are very dependable machine. Many faithful follows around of Tak here and conditions here are as bad or worse than most places...........thanks and good luck wiht that JCB, It sure looks real nice. You like I assume ? Any issues ? Just wondering.

[JCBiron]

Why not demo the TV380....it seems that the TR320 will be out-classed against a Tak TL250 or 299 Cat? Just curious.

[pafarmer]

Why not demo the TV380....it seems that the TR320 will be out-classed against a Tak TL250 or 299 Cat? Just curious.

They didn't have one in stock and had no luck at other local dealers in finding one. They would not be seeing one in their inventory until Mid June timeframe. It was on short my list of machines to Demo and consider...........Any thing else I may be missing ? Just found out that will be bringing a Tak TL240 as well for me to try out. It's nice having equipment guy willing to deliver three machines on the same day to test back to back. It's going to be a fun on Monday. Really need to be working, not playing on machines again. I wasted allot of time these last few months chasing new equipment, but this one would be my personal machine so I can take a few hours to go play. We sure have a deversified fleet of equipment. I like it this way better than all the same equipment, same people, same problems. After so many years of being solely dedicated to one big dealer I now relaize that others dealers are very hungry for my business. The past JD dealer soon reliazed that he had made a huge mistake when he took my business/money granted.

[stuvecorp]

I like Case but think the TK's are the best track machine. The new Case may have a better high flow from what I've heard?

[JCBiron]

Any thing else I may be missing ?

Well, it sounds like you have your bases covered. I guess it just depends on if you are trying to match the power and usefulness of your 333 Deere, or if you are looking for something more along the lines of the 319? Or somewhere in between for that matter! Ultimately, you need to buy what performs to your expectations, is fairly priced (notice I didn't say cheapest ), and has the dealer support to back you up should you need it. I think sometimes too many choices can make things more difficult (I can't even order off a food menu without second guessing if it is really what I want), but at least you are giving multiple machines a fair shake. Just don't expect the lesser-classed machines to hang with the big dogs. I've also noticed from my own demo experience that features can often cloud judgement. Let me explain:

I've had to demo a compareable class machine, say a JCB 260T vs. Tak TL240, but with less bells and whistles (i.e., enclosed cab, 2 speed, whatever it may be). This is hard to overcome, because when you're sitting in a nice cushy cab, it is easy to miss out on some of the other shortcomings the machine may have. Or the dust in your mouth might keep you from liking a machine that really is performing well. I've been in situations where my choice was either demo the el-cheap-o machine and hope the guy can look past it, or don't demo at all and lose the deal anyway. Hopefully your dealer(s) that are demoing have the specs you want on hand, for your sake and theirs.

Keep that in consideration, stay objective, and you should be well on your way to owning yet another CTL! Good luck.

[curbside]

Why don't you look at the Bobcat T870 bigger than the T770.

[pafarmer]

Sound advise JCB...........Too Curbside, I already have a 2012 T770 BOBCAT and a 2012 BOBCAT E50 Excavator, we want to be as deversified as possible from here forward. I am trying to match the 333D in Hydro power and ROC spec's...I know the cushy cab and I most certainly know how to eat dustand dirt all day work so I understand what you are saying JCB. I am leaning towards the TAK TL 250 just for the pure no nonsense, utilitarian, strong reliability and pure power to get it done when the other can't type of machine. But I am open to minded. There are plenty of happy Tak pilot around these parts and the reliability is unmatched from what they tell me. We shall see who wins our business.

[xcmark]

What are you running your looking for the most hydro HP? some machines have better cooling packages and are better suited to some tasks , track frames and how wide the tracks are play a roll in what machine suits your needs most. The TAK is a bull of a machine for sure.

[pafarmer]

Mulcher, big Wood chipper, tiller etc....Heavy lifting, up too 3500 lbs. Would like to get up to 5500 lbs....up to the deck of a flatbed. Heavy dirt pushing......All power !!!

[durallymax]

watch the bobcat advantage videos. The Bobcat is the best at everything, in every way shape or form.

[06Pete]

I demoed a 329 Deere and a 240 Tak the Tak won as much power, narrower, piolot controls vs elect, hyd atach bucket vs elec, piolot controls vs elec the only negitive it had was not as much of a cadilac as the Deere. I also like the overhead door as it is much better then being closed up all of the time or taking the door off. Plus the Tak was $12,000 cheaper. I would wave loved to try a 250 but they could not get one when I wanted it and the 240 did all I needed even load Tri axles Tak is a great machine as much as as I would like to buy american a Tak $ for $ and reliability kills the rest in my experiance not to say the others are no good but just not for me.

[pafarmer]

The biggest attachment I own/run is a Fecon Mulcher, BH85SD loaded .The 333D runs it OK, but slow recover is an issue with my 333D.I do not want to run Aux. Hydro with added cooling Pak. I need to run directly from the CTL Hi-Flow........I am hoping the TL250 runs it better than the 333D.The big Chipper requires just as much hydro power where quick recovery is paramount. Standing around waitng for a chipper/mulcher to spool back up after every 5 inch branch or decent size tree wastes a ton of time in our daily operations. Maybe I am already there with the 333D Deere but I am hoping for a machine with a lot more brute force. The Takeuchi TL250 seems to have the best shoot at earning my business, however the new CAT 299D is going to be a strong contender according to the man from CAT. Monday I will pick my new CTL......We are all set to Demo back to back the following machines....I am after RAW , brute working power on this particular buy. Just for the record the my 319D is probably the best skidsteer i have ever owned for all around general skid steer, small enough to fit most places, easy to haul and allot of power for such a little machine , the only problem I seem to have is getting the keys back from my wife. She absolotely can't seem to say enough good things about having that little Deere around the farm.
CAT 299D
Case TR320
Tak TL 240
Tak TL 250

Report to follow...............thanks for all of the replies thus far.......

Farmer

[KSSS]

That should be an interesting comparision. The new CAT has a lot of HP so its hyd hp should be way up there. As far as engine torque the CASE still out specs the D series CAT from the numbers I saw and I know out specs the TK machines by a substantial margin. My 320 which has the same power as the 380 could not use any more hp efficiently without more weight (I dont have any additional counterweight on it). I have been doing a lot mulching lately but have not been able to run my mulcher on the 320 do to not having the Lexan door yet, to bad because I really think that the mulcher would the true test of a machines strengths and weaknesses. I have been using the 320 on the HF rotary mower.

Interesting to see how your comparison works out.