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Who makes your favorite skid steer?
- Thread starter CEwriter
- Start date
dave esterns
Senior Member
still waiting to put the order in on a new jcb 205 with basically every option when we get the good word. it will be a glorious day... i assume jcb having 10% market share is a joke? ah word on the street is the new terex skid steers wont run for more than a couple days without breaking.
You got it Dave :thumbsup
Couldn't tell you much about running the Terex skids other than what I've been told..the 60hp models have good power and balance, the larger machines are middle of the road with really crappy ingress and egress (I can vouch for for this having sat in both sizes of machines although I have not run any of them).
I don't imagine selling my S220 anytime soon.
dave esterns
Senior Member
i am still impressed bobcat manages to compete with the standard dated 15 year old design.
i recommend that asv use some of that terex money and get something decent going for them. what do they have the good ol boys designing their stuff still?
im impressed at the rate cnh seems to be manufacturing their skid steers. dealerships were instantly loaded with stock models right after their release.
i recommend that asv use some of that terex money and get something decent going for them. what do they have the good ol boys designing their stuff still?
im impressed at the rate cnh seems to be manufacturing their skid steers. dealerships were instantly loaded with stock models right after their release.
The S220 was and is a damn good machine. The new S630 replaces it though and I wouldn't say it looks dated.
I think ASV is probably doing just fine. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big Terex fan, but I do think that Terex will sell more skid steers in their first full year of building them than JCB ever did in a year after all the time they've been around (100-200 a year). Their new machines are going to have to be far and above better than any of the other new machines out there on the market because the robot arm isn't going to convince anyone any more than it already has had a chance to do in the years since it was first introduced to the US.
ironjunkie
Well-Known Member
If we're still talking about skid steers here, I really find it hard to determine a favorite. That is I've had Case,Deere,NH and Gehl. They were all different size machines (1845c 260 775&645? 7800) I think the Case would have run until the end of time, the 260 was strong but Deere had not refined it and there were some comfort and other issues, the New Holland (s) were tough as nails but the tilting the cab deal sucks and so far with the Gehl I'm perfectly happy other than (in my opinion) early boom pin wear, although I can't attest to the first 500 or so hours maintainence, got it used. But for flat out grunt and lifting power, there has been no competition for Gehl in this class machine... up until now. Bobcat's new big boy has similar numbers on paper. If you notice, Bobcat is missing from my list above and that's not completely by accident but when it was time for me to go shopping, every time I checked out the "white brand" I would allways notice the small size of the pins on the loader and then went on to compare the machine weight, Bobcat was allways light. This may be a dumb factor to consider, but I do think that it has some reflection on durability and it does take weight to get that HP to the ground. Since BC is now Korean or something, and along with their seemingly complex (I admit to an electrical phobia) electrical systems, I really don't see a BC in my future. To be fair, BC owned the SS market at least in my (old) area and that says alot, and again, I have not owned one. I'm interested in seeing how their new 855? (not sure on the mod #) works out. FWIW, if you've never put a 110hp/5 ton skid steer with OTT's thru the middle of a freshly dumped triaxle load of dirt..... watch the heads spin!
Now this big class requires DOW trailer and larger truck to transport and clearly you will not squeezr in some of the tight spots that a smaller unit will, and they tend to be hard on tires with their long 55" wheelbase but they reach up to about 12' and load over the sideboards of most any truck, and for some that's a requirement. I have liked ALL of the SS that I have had, they just had different things that they excelled in.:usa
Now this big class requires DOW trailer and larger truck to transport and clearly you will not squeezr in some of the tight spots that a smaller unit will, and they tend to be hard on tires with their long 55" wheelbase but they reach up to about 12' and load over the sideboards of most any truck, and for some that's a requirement. I have liked ALL of the SS that I have had, they just had different things that they excelled in.:usa
Yea, I think that pretty much sums it up. The single arm, in my view has always been a solution in search of a problem. You can make the case for safety, which it clearly is more safe, however I dont think many guys have issues with stepping over the bucket or under it apparently. Honestly even if this new series kills the competetion in everyway, most will still not buy it, because its a JCB and it looks goofy and it has one arm and because JCB's prior machines sucked soo bad no one will risk it, even though it may run (not my opinion just what I feel is the general consensus ).
While CNH's manufacturing ability may look impressive, I am still waiting on a TR320, I the super high flow pump is the hold up. I think when it finally gets here I am going to wrapped the hell out of it in Christmas lights and park it my front yard.
The Terex machines lacked some refinement in my opinion. Like mentioned, getting in and out is not a lot of fun. Considering how bad some OEM's first series were (Deere specifically) if it runs and is dependable, that should be considered a win.
Last edited:
CEwriter
Senior Member
I think that Bobcat machine you're talking about is the S850.
Compact track loader counterpart is the T870, I think.
L
dave esterns
Senior Member
hahahah!! i am dying laughing here!! give it time, i will be back to say i told you so in the future when jcb is established in the skid steer market. maybe terex should have teamed up with jcb instead of asv...
i will say that "terex" being the smaller (skid steer) manufacturer is (asv) seems to be in touch with their customers directly from the factory. they bought bak the lemon skid steer the local farmer had.
dave esterns
Senior Member
howcome the giant skid steers of the 80s never took off? if your looking for boom strength, go with the terex, their boom is impressive.
dave esterns
Senior Member
around here the main thing that would stop people from buying a jcb is they dont offer foot controls or mechanical hand controls. much like everyone, they are blind to anything that might be better but is different.
ironjunkie
Well-Known Member
Like I said, different jobs and uses for the different (size) machines. I think that the "giant" skid's are gaining popularity with an overall initial outlay and operating costs that are a small fraction of what a "regular" track loader would be. Now I realize that it's hardly fair to compare what a 953 will do compared to the big skid steers but, it's really it's closest cousin in terms of excavation work and truck loading. You could include similar capicity wheel loaders in that argument as well. This may be the reason for BC to enter this market.
It seems that back in the 80's as you reference, and still today in some peoples thinking, skid steers are just little utility machines, like a dustpan and broom, something that you might use after the real work is done (on a pipe or dirt job), or on the farm, it's a good scraping cow chit and moving round bales and helping with the chores. This is where the mid size machines do make sence.
dave esterns
Senior Member
dave esterns
Senior Member
ah the newness wore off for my buddy who bought his case sr250 or whatever and now he is pissed the controls suck compared to his 445. ah ic my chronic wrist pain is bak for the winter from driving the bobcat around too much.
stuvecorp
Senior Member
What controls did He get?
dave esterns
Senior Member
the standard ones.
stuvecorp
Senior Member
Yeah, but in the new series I don't think that is the same as what the old ones had(if that makes any sense...). I have servo 'H' pattern in a 440S3 skid and am happy with it. Kaiser would have to confirm what the new Alphas are?(again, sorry) I know they have a 'new' pattern that is basically like the old 1840/1845's. I ran it and hated it, thought it was not user friendly and don't know why they would go backwards with it?
ricco
Member
case case case
jakelly
Active Member
Hello all,
I've spent quite a bit of time on this forum researching different machines. I think I am leaning toward the purchase of a Gehl ctl70, or a case 440 ct. I haven't decided yet, but 2 to go and I'll ask.
I've spent quite a bit of time on this forum researching different machines. I think I am leaning toward the purchase of a Gehl ctl70, or a case 440 ct. I haven't decided yet, but 2 to go and I'll ask.
pafarmer
Senior Member
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All of these new skidsteer are decent machines. Stick with a local dealer that wants your business and you'll have your best chance at skidsteer bliss.........my .02 ............Gehl ctl70 is a solid performer. Same as a Tak and they are pretty bullet proof.