Is Caterpillar really the best track loader?

[Shimmy1]

I spent years with a 280 Deere. Monster of a skid. Sometimes wished wasn't quite so heavy but when building gravel pads could get it packed down as well as any packer. Only problem I ever had was I liked working in high, and it didn't have enough cooling. So why is everyone gaga over the TAKs? Is it like sitting in the chair at home? Both in sound and comfort? Are the hyd. perfection? What makes them the best?

 

[Tags]

So why is everyone gaga over the TAKs? Is it like sitting in the chair at home? Both in sound and comfort? Are the hyd. perfection? What makes them the best?

I think the reason is this, they've been around the longest and "if" they are cared for correctly will last a long time. They have good power, large cabs, the new ones offer dual auxiliary hydraulics ( so you could run a tilt tach and a 4n1 without a diverter), and the roll up front door..Things I didn't like about em' were pretty minor, aux hydraulic flow can not be locked on in 2 positions, I think that the drive control is pilot and the loader control is electric (may be completely wrong on that though) and they are a bit crude inside. My purchase came down to the Tak and Kubota, and Kubota won because of better price, better financing and closer dealer.

 

[Shimmy1]

I'm going to try and get a Kubota to try tomorrow. I'm sure that it will not be near as comfy inside as the Cat though. So if you had each dealer 10 miles away, identical service provided, where would you consider the price cut-off to be? Or would you never even look at the Cat?

 

[pafarmer]

I run nothing but CAT equipment because the CATvdealer in my area is the best around. If your CAT dealer is good and close to you
My experience is your should stick with the dealer the best stands behind you and your equipment after the sale. Today's CTL 's are pretty good machines. It's the dealer that makes or breaks your owning experience. Nothing wrong with CAT, they build the baddest CTL in the land today. The 299 XHP and the 289D...my .02....Good Luck

 

[Shimmy1]

I run nothing but CAT equipment because the CATvdealer in my area is the best around. If your CAT dealer is good and close to you
My experience is your should stick with the dealer the best stands behind you and your equipment after the sale. Today's CTL 's are pretty good machines. It's the dealer that makes or breaks your owning experience. Nothing wrong with CAT, they build the baddest CTL in the land today. The 299 XHP and the 289D...my .02....Good Luck

Well the Kubota dealer is 160 miles away vs. 60 for Cat. We have the Cat in the yard right now. Its not an XPS though. Has everything else though.

 

[Tags]

If my Cat dealer had been better, I may have ended up with one. They were so bad that I doubt I'll ever own a Cat again....

 

[pafarmer]

If my Cat dealer had been better, I may have ended up with one. They were so bad that I doubt I'll ever own a Cat again....

Further proving my point that dealer is the most important factor when considering equipment ownership...my CAT dealer is the best around of all the equipment manufacturers , that's why I own nothing but CAT equipment....used to be Deere until they decided my hard earned dollars were not important to them. They soon learned just what a grave error they had made. I will never buy Deere anything again...

 

[Construct'O]

Have Deere and Cat one thing i don't like is the roll back on the Cat bucket.Deere has about twice the roll back that the Cat has.That's one of the big difference i don't like on my Cat CTL.

 

[Construct'O]

As far as the Tak i don'tlike the sharp been in the track at the rear idler,compared tot he more graual ben in the tracks on the Deere and Cat machine.Ride rought also witht he metal inplants in the tracks that the roller ride on.Makes for rought ride and the Deere and Cat doesn't have the metal inplants which i think give for a better ride ,plus metal inplants cause more wear on the rollers and idlers because of metal against metak.Where as Deere and Cat rollers and idlers just run on the traacks rubber.Never seen ruuber against metal wear more then when you put metal against metal.

Like the Tak roll up window,but like the Yanmar motor better inthe older Tak, then the new Tak machine that has the Kubota

 

[Shimmy1]

Well, we're hoping to have a Kubota to try by Thursday. Now the Cat salesman has really sharpened his pencil though when he has found out we are trying all of them. Came back today with $79,000 on a 2015 299D XHP FULLY LOADED. 0 hrs, coming directly from Cat. Not quite sure we can really consider anything else. They're talking $69,000 for the Kubota.

 

[Steve Frazier]

Take a look around your area and see what brand machines most excavation contractors are using, and I mean everything, not just the model you're looking at. It wouldn't hurt to talk with a few and ask how their relationship with the dealer is. It really is an important consideration

 

[Shimmy1]

Take a look around your area and see what brand machines most excavation contractors are using, and I mean everything, not just the model you're looking at. It wouldn't hurt to talk with a few and ask how their relationship with the dealer is. It really is an important consideration

Thanks Steve. I have done some poking around and it seems like most guys are switching to Cat. However, that being said, I have heard of some disappointed with the service. We have had nothing but awesome service out of them with the Challenger and they let us have freight delivered there for no charge. But, there is a difference between getting work done on your dime vs. Theirs. Hopefully, if we go with Cat, we won't be looking at a Kubota when its time to replace because they have shown us their ugly side.

 

[pafarmer]

That's a great price on the 299XHP.....I would very strongly consider that deal.....the biggest , baddest CTL on the market presently. Great machines....

 

[Shimmy1]

So, finally got somewhere with Kubota. They're going to bring a 90 up on Thurs. 0 hrs, $64,000 with high flow, hyd coupler, cab, air, heat. Sounds good, will it be enough to forget about the Cat?

 

[Georgia Iron]

Here is a video of a tl12 pulling a 299d backwards. The taks are little tanks. Cat has been behind the curve and is playing catch up. Is the 299d better? Only time and repairs will tell.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YUCcM1ffljs

And of course here is another link.

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?31599-Tak-TL250-vs-Cat-299D-XHP

 

[Shimmy1]

Can't do Takeuchi. Closest dealer is 430 miles away. Would like to try one but just not feasible. By the way, have seen a video of a Kubota pushing a TAK backwards as well.

 

[Georgia Iron]

Can't do Takeuchi. Closest dealer is 430 miles away. Would like to try one but just not feasible. By the way, have seen a video of a Kubota pushing a TAK backwards as well.

I looked all over for that video, no luck finding it. I do not think the cat is a bad choice. I do think it will be much more expensive to own and use if you keep it for the long term. I myself stick will the old school stuff. If I need a special computer to fix my tractor, I would rather not own it. I tend to repair my own equipment. I suppose if I were doing million dollar jobs and I could just drop it off and pay premium dealer repair prices, I might get a new cat. But I am not on that level. I have a tl150 now and if I could get a new one or a new cat, I would get a new tl150 but they are not sold now. I looked for almost two years to find my tl150.

There are tons of tl150's with 5000 plus hours for sale that were used as rental machines. That speaks for itself.

I also like the case 440ct series 3 machines.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[KSSS]

I see nothing wrong with the CASE machine. I don't have a TV380 but I do have an SV300 and a TR320 and I don't see any of the issues you did, but I guess that's why there are other machines to suit about every taste.

 

[grandpa]

Well Shimmy , correct me if im wrong but you dealer is Bultler Machinery? I think they are a good company, but with the increase in their business due to the oil fields I think they have their hands full in the service dept. I know my cat service rep from here in Minnesota (Ziegler) makes routine trips out to the oil fields to help out in that respect. But Cat would be my pick just for the service factor.

 

[Shimmy1]

Yes. Tomorrow we're going to try the Kubota and a T770 Bobcat side by side. Really wasn't considering the Bobcat but more than a few local guys said the new new cabs are pretty nice, so I checked specs. Was impressed enough to give them a shot. The 770 has more tip load than the Cat. Should make it pretty stable. Little less HP, but I think that will only come into play with the high flow attachments. We shall see tomorrow.