Tracks or Tires

Here is my deal. My Father And my Brother were both operators. So I grew up as a operator.
But then changed careers.
Now they are both gone I don't have any equipment left.
But I have a lot of work that needs done. Both at the farm
And I have a sawmill.
I have lots of brushy fence rows 2 miles plus.
Lot of small logs to move 1500-1800 lbs.
And I sell a few hundred loads of firewood a year.
So lots of work in the woods that I have been doing with a tractor and front end loader.
And feeding & off bearing the sawmill.
Hope this all makes sense...... Lol
So what would you pick. Track? Tires?
Thanks
Dave

If you're on near level ground, either will do. If you're planning on operating on hilly terrain or slopes, you need to consider tracks, especially if carrying loads.
I pickup sawdust from a mill, and if yours is anyway similar in conditions when it's wet, I'd go straight for tracks. Small tires won't work in those conditions.

What size machine are you considering? Personally I'm a tracks fan, compact articulated wheel loaders do better than wheeled skids for my applications.

Are you ever out doing whatever and the ground is soft, slippery? The wheels will do everything the tracks will do on firm, good ground. It's when it gets wet when it goes south for the tires. Another factor, probably doesn't apply to you, is a track loader will run circles around wheels when leveling and grading, but needs a packer.

I been renting a few track machines.
I would like to stay in the 60-70 HP range.
Which would also like to stay under 10000 lbs.
I would like to stay under $30000

Dobbada said:

I been renting a few track machines.
I would like to stay in the 60-70 HP range.
Which would also like to stay under 10000 lbs.
I would like to stay under $30000

Click to expand...

Everything sounds easy except price. Machine is going to be 5+ yrs old and probably 2000+ hrs.

Altorfer cat has a 279C with 4000 hrs. $28500

I know my price tag may hurt me but. I am just tired of throwing the rent money away. I know I could near double everything I do with a skid loader. Or at least better my use of time. I don't want 200 loads of firewood........ Lol

How are the 277c 2008/2009 machines? I see a lot of them in the low 30's with less than 2000 hours.

I would say you should be fine with tires, especially since you're moving wood around. A machine with tires will save you some money up front and help with the $30k or less price tag. The newer Case wheeled skid loaders, like the SV300 are super nice and can be had for around the $30K price range used. Also if you are set on tracks for the $30k or less, I would look for the 2008 or so case tracked skid loaders. The 277C that you are asking about is a good machine, however I am not a fan of that ASV track system that they use. We have had multiple skid loaders with the ASV track system and they always seem to jump lugs no matter how tight you have the tracks. This leads to tearing lugs completely off. If you are dead set on a Cat track skidloader, I would go with a 279C. We have been through three 279Cs, and have had good luck with them.

I am not set on anything as far as brand.
We had a few early Bobcats in the late 70's. We also had a early John Deere before that that we called the T- racker
It had a Tee handle steering. ......ouch
We also had a Case in the fertilizer mix plant.
But it didn't stay maybe a year. The fertilizer was to hard on it. When my brother passed away in 08 He/they had
4 Cat skid loaders 3 tracked 1 wheeled

Dobbada said:

I am not set on anything as far as brand.
We had a few early Bobcats in the late 70's. We also had a early John Deere before that that we called the T- racker
It had a Tee handle steering. ......ouch
We also had a Case in the fertilizer mix plant.
But it didn't stay maybe a year. The fertilizer was to hard on it. When my brother passed away in 08 He/they had
4 Cat skid loaders 3 tracked 1 wheeled

Click to expand...

You mentioned the 277c so I just said you should go with a 279c if you are set on Cat. Really the two brands I would go with are Cat or Case. Deere has gotten better over the years but they are still so damn noisy in my opinion. 70% of it is based on personal opinion. BTW I loved our Gehls with the T-handle controls. For a lot of years that's all we had haha

Thanks for all the info.
I live in a rural farming area.
JCB & Case dealer about a 1½ miles John Deere ag dealer 2 miles Cat 12 miles Bobcat 20 miles

Just MHO based on my experience over the last 20 years or so; both have their places. On paved surfaces or hardpan ground, I prefer a machine on tires. If things get sloppy, I add over the tire steel tracks. However, those tracks suck on pavement and really mark up expensive driveways. Other than that, I like a tracked machine and, after using several different tracks over the years, have become somewhat partial to the Camoplast tracks. I have a beach for volleyball and just convenience of getting in and out of our lake. I have run my Takeuchi machine into the lake to drag my sand back for years. A friend tried to help with his machine on tires and he immediately got stuck. I also hardly leave any marks on lawns, if I'm careful, even though my Tak weighs a tad over 11,000 pounds. When it comes to work on hills or in muddy conditions, there is no comparison. So, I'd like to have both, but since I can only have one I opted for a tracked machine and am very satisfied with it.

tracks better flotation, traction and stability

If you plan to work where it's wet, then either machine will make mud. Only difference is tracks are unstoppable in mud, wheels will not work. Changing tracks is a the man job, about $1000 per. Drive motor blowing can be a $5000 job.
I use my track to dig into 6ft x70ft windows of compost. Track machine is a precision weapon. Wheel machine is like riding a mustang. Gotta team the pile with difficulty aiming the bucket, so the ground gets dug up.

Er three man job. Prices I said are just parts.