Who builds the best Skid Steer and Why

[ken birkin]

JD MAKES 204k wheel loader or similar, w quick change, i see hitachi loaders are available now/

 

[KSSS]

I have similar question, im old school excavator, op. but a job ill be doing in future requires lots of forklift unloading, some grading. Excavator is clumsy with forks, so track skidstear would be better ?

A vertical lift machine would likely be a plus if your doing a lot of pallet work. Wheels or tires? If your on solid ground the majority of the time a large frame wheeled machine with 14X17.5 tires is a nice compromise. If your frequently working in muddy or soft conditions like I envision Vancover to be, than the tracked machine would likely be a better investment.

 

[ken birkin]

blasted rock rubble and gravel

 

[KSSS]

That's easy then I would go with the 14X17.5 tires on a large frame skid steer. Make sure it has the Galaxy Hulk tires. Best tire investment you will make. I have been running this tire on SV300 and SV340. They hook up well in those types of conditions, wear like iron and expensive of course but buy them on Simpletire.com or similar site and they are more reasonable.

 

[ken birkin]

thanks

 

[apetad]

The support matters more than the brand

 

[gwhammy]

I'd have to say the bobcat 743's and 753's. I've owned thirty or so of them. Had some go 2500 hrs. and never replaced a belt or hose. That is about all the hours I've ever kept a machine. The later 863 bobcats were probably my favorite machine although not quite as dependable as the 700 series machines. 42 years on skid steers and on my 41 machine you kind of learn ins and outs of them.

 

[John_8791]

My brother Tore out concrete for quite a few years And broke the boom on different Bobcats. I believe it was 873 and a 963. T190 had electrical issues the dealer could never figure out. He has had caterpillar, 4-5 case machines, Takeuchi, and John Deere is what I can recall. They all had different things break but we’re all repairable but no broken booms except bobcats. Only bobcats had overheat issues with a concrete Planer also. Over the Years Case has been the most reliable. None of these machines were purchased new but there’s been enough of them I believe it’s telling me Case.

 

[gwhammy]

The 700 series bobcats cracked where the tilt cylinder hooked to the boom. I've chased cracks up and down the machines. Get one part stronger and it just moves to the next weakest link. The case didn't have as much ground clearance as bobcats and I've seen many a wheel bearing go out of them as they are greased and not run in oil.

Every machine has it's up and downs, some of the early 863's were crap. I turned one back in on the lemon law. It seems like the last of the series are the best right before the change them then all go threw problems again. I also never liked the vertical lift booms, to much rattling and most of my work was rock or dirt.

Everyone has their favorites it's just what you get used to and can tolerate the bad stuff. I actually started on a 722 with the little ford gas motor and my brother started his business with a 600 clutch machine with a wisconsin motor. The first hydrostat machine he had was a wisconsin and he swapped a 2300 pinto motor into it. Bobcat sent someone out to take a picture of it and low and behold the next year 4 cylinder ford motors were offered. We cut the cages off because they were so small and keep a rebuilt motor for them all the time. Usually burned one up almost every year they ran so hot.