If I had the choice of one machine, it would be a track loader, the most versatile machine ever built, for clearing, we use a track loader and excavator, a blade machine hardly ever goes to the job site.
As for wheel loaders, most are in quarries loading trucks, never seen one ever leave hard surfaced or graveled lots, many are used to load manure out of feedlots, silage and have many uses on farms, for the ag industry as a whole, they hardly ever leave the yard, I've never seen one ever out on dirt doing much of anything, come to think of it, never seen one ever do anything period, don't know of anyone who ever has done anything with one, that's just not done in my area. I've run dozens over the years, mostly in quarries loading trucks and have never really found anything else they are really good for.
As for the rubber tracked skid steer thing, those were a fad here years back, most got tired of them and really got fed up with the high upkeep costs to them, they do have their place, but will never take the place of a steel tracked crawler loader, the rubber tracks work fine for in town work and around houses or on concrete or paved roads, but those types of jobs the steel track loader was never really big in anyhow.
It depends on what type of work you do and where you do it, but there are dozens of steel track loaders in my area and they are used a lot and I don't see them leaving anytime soon, mine will be the last thing I sell.
MFowler, if you already have a 690 with a thumb, why not use that, as for using a mini ex for removing boulders, if your dealing on ground that steep, you'd better be digging them out facing downhill or your'll end up with the boulder in your lap, if you dig downhill, you don't have the weight with a mini to handle much of any rock, with a track loader, you can dig them up going uphill, the more you dig and lift the more traction you have, with either machine once over a certain size, your not going to handle any boulder, the rock will out weigh the machine and bad things happen. The next thing you'll find out with any mini is on steep terrain if you have to pull yourself up, excavators don't have much swing power, on the level is where they are best, on steep grades they have to swing the weight of the house and what your picking up, the swing motor isn't large enough to do much, on feller bunchers they run much larger swing motors and have the power do much more, a mini will basically move itself and that's about it. You'll also need a thumb on a mini to do much of anything, you'll also want a blade on it to help with stability somewhat. But your right about the track loader being top heavy and narrow, it is and it depends on what your used to, whatever you decide to buy, I'd practice and get comfortable on much more level ground and work your way up to steep terrain, best of luck.
As for wheel loaders, most are in quarries loading trucks, never seen one ever leave hard surfaced or graveled lots, many are used to load manure out of feedlots, silage and have many uses on farms, for the ag industry as a whole, they hardly ever leave the yard, I've never seen one ever out on dirt doing much of anything, come to think of it, never seen one ever do anything period, don't know of anyone who ever has done anything with one, that's just not done in my area. I've run dozens over the years, mostly in quarries loading trucks and have never really found anything else they are really good for.
As for the rubber tracked skid steer thing, those were a fad here years back, most got tired of them and really got fed up with the high upkeep costs to them, they do have their place, but will never take the place of a steel tracked crawler loader, the rubber tracks work fine for in town work and around houses or on concrete or paved roads, but those types of jobs the steel track loader was never really big in anyhow.
It depends on what type of work you do and where you do it, but there are dozens of steel track loaders in my area and they are used a lot and I don't see them leaving anytime soon, mine will be the last thing I sell.
MFowler, if you already have a 690 with a thumb, why not use that, as for using a mini ex for removing boulders, if your dealing on ground that steep, you'd better be digging them out facing downhill or your'll end up with the boulder in your lap, if you dig downhill, you don't have the weight with a mini to handle much of any rock, with a track loader, you can dig them up going uphill, the more you dig and lift the more traction you have, with either machine once over a certain size, your not going to handle any boulder, the rock will out weigh the machine and bad things happen. The next thing you'll find out with any mini is on steep terrain if you have to pull yourself up, excavators don't have much swing power, on the level is where they are best, on steep grades they have to swing the weight of the house and what your picking up, the swing motor isn't large enough to do much, on feller bunchers they run much larger swing motors and have the power do much more, a mini will basically move itself and that's about it. You'll also need a thumb on a mini to do much of anything, you'll also want a blade on it to help with stability somewhat. But your right about the track loader being top heavy and narrow, it is and it depends on what your used to, whatever you decide to buy, I'd practice and get comfortable on much more level ground and work your way up to steep terrain, best of luck.
