Hi PhilD
I would say this. Don't kid yourself the steel undercarriage will cost every bit as much as the ASV undercarriage. There might be a couple less parts but the labor on the Taks etc is much higher, it takes quite a long time just to get at it.
I did look at the Taks, I looked at the Tl140 as well. Biggest problem I ran into is this. The stock tracks are simply not suitable for snow use, Winter is a big revenue time for skid steers (around here anyway) and those tracks are useless, you are looking at getting polar tracks most likely in that situation. Those will run you 6k
Talking to my local dealer, he said expect about 4-5k a year on undercarriage on taks and case machines. I am not saying this is worse than cat, but I am saying, it's no better.
The Track prices I got quoted are higher than that from my local Tak dealer...quite a bit, at any rate, those tracks wear out faster than the asv.
Factor in poor snow performance and shorter life and you can see how things are not nearly as they seem. A careful operator on an ASV undercarriage can get up to 2k hours. Now to be up front, that is beyond best case. Expect as an owner operator operating on the proper surface to get 1500 hours. if you are just the owner and not the operator you can expect closer to 1000 hours. If you are a jackhole with your machine you will get 600hrs. The machine I bought has 400+ hours on it, and roller and tracks are 90%. it's been used right. so I plan to get some good time from them.
Do not forget the cost (for any of these machines) to actually put the track on the machine, it's not just the cost to purchase the tracks but labor also.
Only a tak salesman could convince you that an absolutely ROCK hard ride is a good thing. It's nice that they are solidly attached to the machine, but the ASV torsion system is a VERY reliable part of the undercarriage with few problems reported. it will significantly improve ride.
I looked at every machine on the planet before settling for this one. I chose the 247b not because it's the most powerful, or has the best ride (but it's easily in the 90th percentile for ride quality) but because it's the minimum machine to do anything that I will need to do with it short of backfilling large basements and foundations. It's the lightest machine Cat makes on the ASV undercarriage, as a result people are getting longer life from idlers etc. It's a wide open design that's easy to clean and I can replace boggies on my own, which is nice.
I think the Taks are amazing machines, they have such a huge cab it's almost hilarious...great for me since I am 6'4" and none to light. but I simply did not need it's absolute power, lack of ride quality and the need to change between very expensive tracks.
I was going to buy an almost new 246C wheeled machine and passed it up for the tracked machine for it's floatation and most of all it's ride quality, I just couldn't stand the balanced on a beachball feeling from a wheeled machine. The 247b is just 66" wide has a great cabin and ac/heat with vents pointed at the floor for winter.....sweet mother that's nice.
The bobcat's suffer from all the same probems in terms of cost of tracks and undercarriage etc. It's funny because you look at those steel undercarriages and think oh yeah that will be WAAAAYYYY cheaper to run.....hehehehe, not even close.
Re those track prices, I would grab the set and sell them on ebay regardless if you buy the machine, that is a fantastic price. I have seen 4k at the absolute least. plus they wear out in half the time....add labor and you can see how this is far from a savings.....add winter tracks...and it just doesn't make sense, you can buy a lot of ASV undercarriage repair for that money.
Anyhow I hope this helps. I have been through the exact same thing and looked at the exact machines.....it's a tough decision and perhaps my choices won't jive with yours but I just don't want you to be surprised by anything. Those salesmen make it sound really simple and easy....and they love it when you return as a paying customer for track work etc.
Here are a couple machines I found, the 257b is heavier on the tracks, but offers vertical lift, I hear the 247b is still the way to go because it moves less weight and seems to be easy on the undercarriage
http://www.trader.ca/Search/Details...ubcategory=-1&CAT=8&ADID=7534883&ADS=7534883|
I would take a good hard look at this one.....the new engine doesn't hurt. the 05's had an issue that cat fixed in amendments and later engines, but the new engine in this machine will have all the updates.....nice means you can turn up the injector pumps, I guess it makes them animals.
http://www.trader.ca/Search/Details...ubcategory=-1&CAT=8&ADID=7511070&ADS=7511070|
That's right, that price includes a backhoe.....NICE
I should say that I really just enjoyed driving the 247b, it's a nice medium size machine with some spunk, it's float and pushing power is impressive.
