Skid steer or compact tractor?

[SpaceBus]

As to cost, my CTL ran almost double what my CTL cost two years earlier.. the CTL is a mid sized machine, 74 ho and 8400 lbs . The CUT is a 40 hp Kioti, both with cabs, heat, and air.

Kioti is five minutes from my house, and sells a couple hundred tractors annually. Deere dealer is a half hour away, and a hole in the wall with one mechanic.

Kubota is two hours away.

I wish my local Kioti dealer moved that kind of volume. They sold several units in 2018-2019 but then dropped off.

 

[Ashful]

I think the consensus opinion here is to weigh local dealer support heavily into your brand purchase decision, as it’s tough to have a tractor out of commission when you need a part for a repair or modification. Around here, Deere pretty much owns the market, everything else is rare by comparison. As I mentioned previously, Kubota was king where I lived previously, and I’d have no issue buying from them if I still lived where their dealer support was stronger.

If Kioti were the dominant brand in our area, I guess I’d even have to consider them, although I haven’t been impressed by the few examples I’ve seen. I also see a lot of Mahindra commercials, and understand they’re actually the biggest of the bunch in most other parts of the world, but I’ve never seen one in the flesh.

We also have a TON of old Ford tractors used by homeowners and land owners, the 3000’s and adjacent CUT’s, and even a lot of old 8N/9N stuff still hanging around. We have a few local dealers who still service them and carry parts.

The one that surprises me is New Holland. Great old brand, and I live within spitting distance of New Holland, PA... but it’s rare to see a newer New Holland tractor around here. I think the local Deere dealership network has just forced them out of the local market.

 

[Gearhead660]

I have Deere and Kubota dealers a few minutes away and Kioti, LS, and Mahindra dealers all roughly an hour away. Will have to do some comparison shopping.

 

[velvetfoot]

When I was shopping, I noticed that the SCUT Kubota I was looking at had a treadle type of forward/reverse pedal. I got it in my head that I'd like the JD's two separate pedals better. Also, the drive over mid mount mower on the Deere seems like it'd be easier/quicker. What mostly convinced me was the JD salesman-came up with a quote that basically required no dickering, and was considerably lower than the Kubota salesman's who was also less than responsive. Machine wise, it's probably a wash. Don't kid yourself that you're buying American though. A look at the big "China" cast into the FEL supports will disavow you of that. My Deere was assembled in GA, I think; not sure about Kubota.

 

[Ashful]

If you’re shopping tractors, you could literally lose yourself for a month of evenings in videos from this one guy at Good Works Tractors. Since the conversation has been a lot of Deere and Kubota, you could start with these two he made about two years ago. He has no horse in this race, he sells both brands.

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I see he posted a more recent follow-up, as well.

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The real trouble with most of the Kubota vs Deere videos you see online is they’re mostly amateurs that already bleed green or orange, reviewing their own machines that are at the bottom of the heap in a manufacturers line-up.

 

[SpaceBus]

If you’re shopping tractors, you could literally lose yourself for a month of evenings in videos from this one guy at Good Works Tractors. Since the conversation has been a lot of Deere and Kubota, you could start with these two he made about two years ago. He has no horse in this race, he sells both brands.

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I see he posted a more recent follow-up, as well.

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The real trouble with most of the Kubota vs Deere videos you see online is they’re mostly amateurs that already bleed green or orange, reviewing their own machines that are at the bottom of the heap in a manufacturers line-up.

He definitely has a horse in this race

Edit: just saw your "bottom of the heap" comment

 

[bholler]

Part of the reason I am not a fan of deer is we live in a heavy agricultural area and the deer dealers seem annoyed by homeowners coming in for smaller stuff. I am sure that would be very different in other areas.

 

[lsucet]

Well, i will vote for skid steer or CTL. Now saying so, the tractor has its place and attachment are cheaper. At some point i had the three options, two kubota tractors, one skid steer cat 252b ( belongs to my cousin but it is always here till he needs it again), plus my CTL that it is a Case TR340 loaded with enclose cab, heater and A/C etc etc etc. Over the years i saw me myself using the tractors less and less to the point that i sold awhile back one due to not be using it at all.

The other kubota tractor, the oldest, was sold to one of the family members crossing the street from me a few months ago. He wants it for long time and finally i made the decision, decision was made due to the same reason. The cost of the attachment for SSs/CTLs are expensive. That is for sure, but once you have them life is simple, easy and fast. I can scrape manure and everything back there in 20 minutes with my CTL. With the tractor takes 2 hrs. Tractors around the fences when mowing and in corners are a pain. with the CTL i can put the brush cutter right at the corner and along the fence. Mud/dry/snowing/raining/ hot/cold etc is not an issue with the CTL. Any attachment available for a tractor is also available for a SS/CTL but at higher prices. I deal sometimes and very often with 2000 pound bales and the CTL with the bale spears just grab them like nothing and lets go. No ballast box or anything else plus maneuver in tight spaces is a plus.

For what i do the SS/CTL are better choice, for somebody else miles can vary.

 

[Ashful]

Part of the reason I am not a fan of deer is we live in a heavy agricultural area and the deer dealers seem annoyed by homeowners coming in for smaller stuff. I am sure that would be very different in other areas.

Sounds like my area, 30 years ago. That all started to change pretty quickly in the 1990’s, to the point where our local Deere dealership, a big business with five locations, has now lost their contract to sell (or at least keep in stock) Deere’s AG products. They’re entirely commercial (big yellow quarry machines) and landscape products, now. They love homeowners with some discretionary cash, buying new CUT toys, now.

 

[Touch0Gray]

I originally had a Farmall C, with field chains. it was great for skidding logs but not much else, I moved on to an old Masssey 35 with a 6 foot bucket up front and a blade in the rear, chains and fluid filled tires. Parts go impossible to find and getting bits custom made was not cost efficient, and in 20 below weather stuuff breaks...a LOT. If you have EVER been elbow deep in 20 below hydro fluid you understand all too well. My son in law is a used implement dealer and located me a '94 Bobcat 773 C series, with heated cab. I have a 1200 foot driveway that can get drifted if the wind is coming from the NE. all the sudden I can go ANYWHERE, turn in my owwn footprint and can get to places that were inaccessible before. I needed a 1/4 acre to turn the Massey around!

I spend 70 bucks on a backup camera on Amazon and I can go anywhere essentially, and back out if necessary on my own tracks from coming in.

 

[Ashful]

I originally had a Farmall C, with field chains. it was great for skidding logs but not much else, I moved on to an old Masssey 35 with a 6 foot bucket up front and a blade in the rear, chains and fluid filled tires. Parts go impossible to find and getting bits custom made was not cost efficient, and in 20 below weather stuuff breaks...a LOT. If you have EVER been elbow deep in 20 below hydro fluid you understand all too well. My son in law is a used implement dealer and located me a '94 Bobcat 773 C series, with heated cab. I have a 1200 foot driveway that can get drifted if the wind is coming from the NE. all the sudden I can go ANYWHERE, turn in my owwn footprint and can get to places that were inaccessible before. I needed a 1/4 acre to turn the Massey around!

I spend 70 bucks on a backup camera on Amazon and I can go anywhere essentially, and back out if necessary on my own tracks from coming in.

You’re basing your opinion on comparing a modern 1994 skid steer to one tractor that was designed in the mid-1940’s, and hasn’t been produced since 1951, and a second designed in the early 1950’s!

I’ve also owned old tractors, and they’re fun and easy to work on, but always less reliable, higher maintenance, and far less capable than anything modern. They weren’t even 4wd!

Heck, my 1986 Deere was better than its 1984 predecessor in multiple ways, and both are garbage compared to the capabilities of any comparably-size machine today.

 

[lsucet]

Tractors for agriculture are unmatchable as long there is good space. They travel faster, that sometimes can be a plus. Many farmers now a days are buying SS and CTL to work around the barn, feed, move things quick, digging etc due to their capabilities.
Visibility, control and precision are way superior compare to a tractor. It is good to have both if you have the room and space to maneuver. They all have their own use and in certain jobs one can be better than the other depending your needs and what you do. If room is not an issue, a tractor can be the way to go for an all around equipment. Cheaper, more economical attachment wise etc. But, once you get used to a SS or CTL and how quick and accurate you can work with it, I am sure your tractor will sit alot.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I have run newer skid steers and tractors as well as old stuff. I want to disagree with ashful a bit and say that a tractor is a tractor and a skid steer is a skid steer. Let's leave age out of it because the way they work doesn't really change with age. They still maneuver the same way.

I used a tractor loader to clear brush and logs this summer. It was nice to not tear up the grass with the tractor wheels, but the lack of visibility caused the forks to do just as much damage as a skid steer. The tractor was also more difficult to move around and line up on the brush/logs. The payload was not great, causing lawn damage again by skidding, dragging, and pushing logs.

A skid steer would have been great on that job and would have made it way faster with less overall lawn damage, and the logs could have been stacked neatly instead of pushed into rows.

I have been trying to get a hold of one or the other, just something to move bales and logs, and I finally settled on a skid steer because it was available and I can fix it. (It started on fire, see the new thread) it should be cheaper in the long run to fix than to buy a used machine and still have to fix it. Anything used needs work. I don't want a big tractor, and the skidsteer is rated at ~1400lbs with ~2600 lbs tip capacity. It takes a big tractor to do that and I don't have the room for one. Skid steers are pretty simple to work on and fit in smaller places. I'm not a fan of the stinky exhaust and noise, but maybe I can install some sound deadening and a better muffler.

If you need a tractor, get a tractor. If you need a skid steer, keep it. We had both on the farm at one time, but dad sold the skid steer and that was a mistake. He still kicks himself for getting rid of it.

 

[walhondingnashua]

Maybe a little new to the conversation, but look into Yanmar. I don't know all the details, but I do not think they make John Deeres little diesels anymore. Because all have such similar prices and similar features, I agree on the dealership location/ support. I am very close to all 3 lashley kubota locations, but an ICR rental just went in Cambridge. They are also a dealer for yanmar. The fact they have been making engines for a long time and now the location, I am seriously considering one now. (And they have a teacher/ military discount)

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I have 2 Kubota tractors, 5 bobcat skid steers 2 bobcat trac machines. Out of all of this equipment when Im in the woods on the scrounge Its the trac machine every time. Highly maneuverable, you need to work to get the thing stuck, will easily go where any wheel machine cant go. Its visibility is way better in front vs a tractor. The attachments that are for the machine is great and best of all you dont have to constantly look behind you like with a tractor. If you can find one in good condition that you can afford.. get the one with the wide rubber tracs.. Dont get me wrong I use my tractors also. I mainly use it to transport the log length back to the house when I scrounging locally its ground speed is definitely faster or just take a loan from the bank and stock up on the toys.. you get many hours of enjoyment out of them. I enjoy my tractor.. driving down the road, having it snow lightly, in the heated cab sipping on a beer, hauling logs..

 

[Isaac Carlson]

One thing to consider is the balance of each machine. A tractor is usually intended to have weight on either end while a skid steer is only meant to have weight added to the front and has most of the weight on the rear so it can lift as much as possible. Skid steers are work horses when it comes to lifting. Tractors are primarily pulling machines with loader functions being secondary.