Recommendations for a skid steer for around the house and farm

I have a buddy with a 257b track , a cat 236b and a mid sized gehl. Forget the number all for sale in northern Illinois. Your more than welcome to message me for a number

Hi Cartzblown94z....! I am 20 minutes from you! Let me figure out how to message you.

I like my 226 a lot but wish I had a 236 a lot for the extra power and weight. But it gets the job done just fine.

Thank you, Desertwheeler, too. I know there is a lot of information here, I have been reading many posts from many people, I appreciate the posts here. I saw that a rear video is nice, and Costco has one with rave reviews...for 199 presently...almost tempted to buy one in anticipation, but I'm holding back, chuckle.

Or you can hire me to come do what you need done with my track machine .

Cartzblown94z, smile, I could, but I was checking your posts out and you are very high caliber! I am a farmer wanna be and am starting late in life, smile. 3/4 of it is having fun with a skid loader doing things. But thanks for the offer and thanks for the phone number. I am hard leaning towards new, what do you think of the Case dealer in Rochelle, Johnson Tractor?

Never dealt with them. I'm not a case fan. The newer ones prob have the pilot controls but I hated the older ones and the clunky controls. Patten cat I have an acct with and they are great, but that's about the only dealer I've dealt with. I do all my own repairs and order online when I need something

Kater:
Food for thought...look at my thread of improvements to my NH L220 here: https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?35861-User-Improvements-to-New-Holland-L220-SSL-amp-Attachments

Some thoughts...

Backup camera, be sure it's heated, so it sheds ice/snow if you will be plowing snow. I opted for a low tech approach of external rearview mirrors.

I agree that a good minimum size (maybe all you need) is an operating capacity of 2,000 lbs. That will put you about in the 60 hp range.

Vertical lift is really great for augering post holes, you don't have to constantly move machine to auger plumb. Otherwise, it's good for lift & carry (load is closer to machine than radial) & has more reach at maximum height. Also, NH & Case vertical lift feature a unique in-cab boom lock that makes it safe to get out of the machine when the arms are up.

Case & NH are very similar & are made in the same factory in Witchitaw, KS.

JCB side-entry cab is unique & is the most spacious. Among other things, side entry allows getting out when arm is only partially up, or are in any position. Can make working alone much more doable. Side-entry is probably the thing I miss the most using my NH skid steer as compared to working with my Ford/NH 1320 4fwd compact diesel tractor, but I don't miss being COLD when plowing snow, where I don't usually ever have to get out.

All CTL's with solid undercarriages & rubber tracks will ride hard & will tear up turf.

Cat MTL, with a ASV/Terex suspended undercarriage will provide the best ride & do the least damage to turf, & provide the best flotation on wet ground, but there are design problems with balance & maintenance.

Cat has made many good improvements in their D series machines. I think that their hydraulics are probably the strongest, & their E-H joystick control system is the most refined. They also offer unique self-leveling down (as well as up), speed-selectable ride control, & return-to-dig functions.

Cat & JCB both have virtually one-piece sealed cabs.

A SSL or a CTL is a compact, very maneuverable & powerful machine. But, as compared to wheeled tractors or compact articulated loaders, they are very cramped to work on, don't have a lot of ground clearance, & have hard to clean undercarriages & belly pans.

Availability of a rear drawbar, or at least a rear-end design that makes it easy to fabricate one, could be important if you want to tow something or add something on the back (like a receiver hitch & winch, like I did).

There is NO perfect solution...no one makes a machine that combines all the features that I would like in a SSL or CTL. My dream would be a side-entry tracked machine (JCB), with an improved suspended MTL undercarriage (CAT), with refined E-H controls & strong hydraulics (CAT), with a rear drawbar/double receiver hitch (NH/Case), with vertical lift with in-cab boom lock (NH/Case). And for icing on the cake, throw in a mono-boom that telescopes even a little, like a tele-handler!!

StumpyWally thank you, that is a lot of information, I appreciate it. I looked awhile today and one has to really delve for such.

Off topic, but here is a news story for JCB: http://www.australianearthmoving.com.au/?p=3966 Apparently they have won a record for their big machine.
quoted: Australian Earthmoving Magazine News:

The world-famous JCB GT was today crowned the fastest digger on earth after reaching speeds of more than 113 km an hour in Australia.



The JCB GT – originally designed to perform high-speed wheelies at racing events – made the attempt in front of independent record officials at Bathurst, NSW. Today Guinness World Records confirmed that the powerful JCB digger was officially the fastest backhoe loader in the world with a speed of 116.82km/h.

JCB opens new Chicago-area parts distribution center
JCB opened its fourth parts distribution center in Aurora, Illinois, in September, joining warehouses in Savannah, Georgia, Fontana, California and Ontario, Canada. The Chicago-based facility will serve as the main parts distribution center for JCB in North America, and more than doubles the previous warehouse capacity in North America.

The centrally based location is designed to reduce transit times to dealers, says Chris Giorgianni, vice president, parts and services, JCB North America. “It’s possible for us to stock more parts inventory in North America than every before, and our North American customers will be able to more quickly get the parts they need to stay up and running,” he says.

New holland and deere would be the closest dealers, bobcat isn't far either

Monday I was go get information from our local dealer, but I have not received any emails, only a phone call, after I voice mailed what I needed, and their midwest guy asked them to call me..

..which ...the local owner left me a voice mail (I had purposely asked him to email me, and did not leave my number--the corporate office gave out my number)...on voice mail the local owner said they would be open Monday after Thanksgiving.

I asked for itemized pricing for the JCB 260.some attachments like fork with teeth, bucket, rock grapple...and any kind of pdf of service or operation manual via email.

How long does it take for a more local dealer to add JCB, I see some sell two kinds, here on the forum, or should I be asking dealers further out?

An elderly neighboring farmer died so I did not "go after" these answers this week, hoping they would "do their job" while I dealt with neighbor's issues and funeral.

Clearly disappointed.

I can tell you everytime I deal with the guys at patten cat in Rockford for rental machines they bend over backwards to help. They are right off 20 at the IL2 exit. Not too far either

Availability of a rear drawbar, or at least a rear-end design that makes it easy to fabricate one, could be important if you want to tow something or add something on the back (like a receiver hitch & winch, like I did).

"So where do I stand on this point with the JCB?" It doesn't look very rear capable."