Gehl Skid Steers

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.

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.

Overheating

Our machines overheated running with a grapple attachment.

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.

Ohio Takeuchi said:

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.

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hyrda-smooth? who sells this?
does it cushion the arm lift cylinders?

Skidsteers

We are now using two ASV track skid steers.

Gehl 6640

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. !!!

Welcome to HEF ranger! :drinkup

ranger said:

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. !!!

Click to expand...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Rocket said:

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.

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

"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.

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.

gehl opinion

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?