Narrowed down to three track steers. Can you give advice?

[boatskipper]

I've been looking for a track steer to use to clear my land. Mostly will be used to move downed trees to brush piles (not huge trees, just small and medium sized cedars). Clearing under brush, moving large rocks, general stuff like that. The land is 30 acres and overgrown and I'd like to get it cleared out enough to have some grass for cattle.

Attachments I'll use regularly... grapple bucket, tree shear, tree puller.
Attachments I'll use occasionally... post hole digger, tiller, brush hog, a few others.

Anyways I've narrowed it down to three and I'm having trouble deciding how much HP I need and which one to go with.

2011 Takeuchi TL230 - 66 HP - 1,900 hours. Brand new tracks, standard flow. Cab w/ ac and heat. - $26,000
This one is from a dealer and has a service record showing the routine maintenance, which is a plus. Not sure if it is enough HP though.

2009 Takeuchi TL240 - 86HP - 2,200 hours. about 75% on tracks, high flow, open ROPS - $27,000
This one is a private seller and he has used it for dirt work. Appears to be in good condition, nothing jumped out at me when I drove it.

2008 Takeuchi TL250 - 94 HP - 3,200 hours, about 30% on tracks, high flow, open ROPS, $26,000
This is the most powerful and most used of the bunch. The old man who owns it has had it for a few years, he bought it from United Rentals and has used it to clear his land. Felt good and solid.

Will you give me your thoughts on these and which would be best for my goals? I like the idea of the newest one with the cab, but will I be sorry I didn't go with a higher HP?

 

[hvy 1ton]

Brush mower really needs an enclosed cab or at the very least a poly door.

 

[boatskipper]

Brush mower really needs an enclosed cab or at the very least a poly door.

Does 66 HP sound like enough to handle what I need the machine for?

 

[hvy 1ton]

I've never been around a tl230 or any other track machine that would have a 66" bucket. I'd imagine it'll run out of power before traction, but i currently do the same things with a 75 hp wheeled machine pushing a 72" bucket.

 

[Mark13]

I have a '10 TL230. I run a brush cutter on it and have a couple 78" buckets for it. Handles everything just fine. It'll fill a 78" bucket up then keep piling the dirt until it's ready to push the front window in if you really want to see what it will do. For the most part though it'll heap a 78" bucket easily and carry it around fine unless the ground is really soft then it wants to tip forward. For a small machine they're very impressive. I've never ran a TL240 or TL250 to compare it to but I'd imagine both are a big improvement but the lack of an enclosed cab is a downside. I know I wouldn't want to run my brush cutter with an open cab, throws way to much stuff.

 

[boatskipper]

I have a '10 TL230. I run a brush cutter on it and have a couple 78" buckets for it. Handles everything just fine. It'll fill a 78" bucket up then keep piling the dirt until it's ready to push the front window in if you really want to see what it will do. For the most part though it'll heap a 78" bucket easily and carry it around fine unless the ground is really soft then it wants to tip forward. For a small machine they're very impressive. I've never ran a TL240 or TL250 to compare it to but I'd imagine both are a big improvement but the lack of an enclosed cab is a downside. I know I wouldn't want to run my brush cutter with an open cab, throws way to much stuff.

Thanks! That's the kind of input I'm looking for. So most of the time I won't be using a regular bucket it will be using it with a grapple bucket moving downed cedar trees and piling into burn piles and a tree shear or puller bringing them down. Nothing huge, probably 6-8" would be the biggest.

Is that something you feel the TL230 is capable of handling? I would think so as cedar trees aren't too heavy.

 

[Mark13]

The TL230 shouldn't have much trouble with that. I've never used a tree sheer but I've used a heavy grapple bucket on mine a bunch and it does just fine.


I could move this around at ground level with my machine and forks, I think you'd be ok with 8" trees. Freshly cut down willow tree.

 

[furu]

No cab and without Lexan door or similar is a show stopper if you are going to run a mower/mulcher unless you have a death wish. Just saying.
I think for the purposes that you describe the lower HP machine will be fine except for the mower/mulcher. Don't know what Takeuchi specs are for standard flow and high flow but standard is frequently in the low 20 to high teens. High flow from 35 up to 45 gpm. Most mowers that will do a good job will need the high flow option but there are a few that you can find that will run on standard flow just not real well.
I would continue your search to find a high flow machine with a cab.