Skid Steer

[nate379]

What is the normal lift capacity of a skid steer? Would be it be enough to lift most logs onto a live deck? I'm looking at a Case 1825 which is selling for $8500. The specs are saying 885lbs of lift which I find a bit low?

We have two Bobcat models at work and I've used the pallet tines to lift close to 2000lbs before. It gets light on the back but has no trouble to actually lift.

 

[MasterMech]

http://www.colemanequip.com/SpecSheets/1825.pdf

Most skid steers I've used will out lift anything of similar size other than a forklift. The 1825 isn't the biggest machine but it should handle 15" logs without too much trouble.

 

[lukem]

I like Case skid steers. Have used a couple from time to time and like their controls the best. The small one mentioned isn't bad, but I think you'll be pushing it pretty hard moving logs day-in, day-out with it. Something like a 40xt would be better, but more $. I use a 85XT pretty often and it will pick up just about anything, but those are big $$.

 

[curtis]

I would look real hard at a small articulating loader. My father in-law has a blockbuster 22-20 model i think and has a kubota articulating loader that he uses to load the deck with. What i like about the articulating loader is when you are picking up logs you can shift the forks side to side just by turing the wheel, i know you can kinda do that with a skidsteer but they are alot more jerky. Also the articulating loader doesnt tear up the ground like a skidsteer when turning. And another thing is you sit up higher on a loader and can see the deck and log pile better and easier to get on and off.

 

[nate379]

I have been keeping my eyes open but they don't come up for sale very often. We have two Cat IT28s at work and they work great. They are rated to lift 10,000lbs.

There is a 10k warehouse Hyster coming up for sale but I was thinking a skid steer would be more versatile than a dedicated forklift since right now I can only afford one.

I would look real hard at a small articulating loader. My father in-law has a blockbuster 22-20 model i think and has a kubota articulating loader that he uses to load the deck with. What i like about the articulating loader is when you are picking up logs you can shift the forks side to side just by turing the wheel, i know you can kinda do that with a skidsteer but they are alot more jerky. Also the articulating loader doesnt tear up the ground like a skidsteer when turning. And another thing is you sit up higher on a loader and can see the deck and log pile better and easier to get on and off.

 

[salecker]

I'v got a S220 Bobcat
It can lift and move a full tote of used oil without getting light on the rear.It weighs around 8600 lbs,it was a little bigger than i wanted,but the price was right.
Thomas

 

[greg13]

The 1825 was a small skid. It only had a 21 HP motor in it and did have an 800# lift rating. Most of the newer skids are in the 50 - 60 hp area and a 1500 - 1750 lift rating. A 40 xt or the newer 410 would make you a nice machine. should be able to find them in the $6k range.

 

[nate379]

Tractors, skid steers, excavators, etc generally go for pretty high prices around here. I've never seen one at $6k unless it was beat to hell or not running.

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I might end up pulling one up from the L48 all depending on the price.

The 1825 was a small skid. It only had a 21 HP motor in it and did have an 800# lift rating. Most of the newer skids are in the 50 - 60 hp area and a 1500 - 1750 lift rating. A 40 xt or the newer 410 would make you a nice machine. should be able to find them in the $6k range.

 

[bogydave]

Not cheap.
A lot depends on the atachments
Bobcat attachments
One of each would be nice

 

[nate379]

Some of those attachments I have to wonder exactly how bored the engineers were. What next a washing machine/dryer attachment? Carrot Peeler?

We had two of those Brushcat mowers at work and they were horrible to use. Ended up selling them. Very heavy so it makes the Bobcat easy to tip. Also try turning on grass with a Bobcat. Sure it was fields that we cut, but even still it would destroy the ground, leaving foot tall mounts of dirt at the end of each windrow, even when trying not to.

 

[mikefrommaine]

Those backhoe attachments look particularly useless.

 

[nate379]

I agree.

A Bobcat is great with a bucket/grapple, snowplow, snowblower, post hole auger, flail mower, sweeper brush... sorta, and that's really about it. All the other stuff kinda works but there are much better options out there... like an actual backhoe or excavator, tractor with bush hog, etc.

Oh, and the Toolcat is a $50,000 pile of chit! The bucket arms are tiny and weak, it won't even lift one of the snowplows we have that work just fine on the Bobcat!
Used mainly for plowing snow with a fairly light duty plow and it was broken down 5-6 times this winter. The hydraulic pump is belt driven (WTF?!). Smoked the belt 3 times and even when it was working "ok" the belt slips if you load it too hard, like when pushing a mound of snow.

When the belt breaks it completely locks up and you have to either drag it or lift it up with a forklift. To get to the engine you have to dump the box, which runs off hydraulics, so that means you have to unbolt the box to even get to the engine! ARGH!

Also broke the rear steering twice. The machine only has about 700 hours, so it's not like it's worn out. The two Bobcat have about 2000-3000 hours and they have only needed maintenance items like filters, oil, tires, couple cylinder seals, etc

 

[greg13]

I agree.

A Bobcat is great with a bucket/grapple, snowplow, snowblower, post hole auger, flail mower, sweeper brush... sorta, and that's really about it. All the other stuff kinda works but there are much better options out there... like an actual backhoe or excavator, tractor with bush hog, etc.

Oh, and the Toolcat is a $50,000 pile of chit! The bucket arms are tiny and weak, it won't even lift one of the snowplows we have that work just fine on the Bobcat!
Used mainly for plowing snow with a fairly light duty plow and it was broken down 5-6 times this winter. The hydraulic pump is belt driven (WTF?!). Smoked the belt 3 times and even when it was working "ok" the belt slips if you load it too hard, like when pushing a mound of snow.

When the belt breaks it completely locks up and you have to either drag it or lift it up with a forklift. To get to the engine you have to dump the box, which runs off hydraulics, so that means you have to unbolt the box to even get to the engine! ARGH!

Also broke the rear steering twice. The machine only has about 700 hours, so it's not like it's worn out. The two Bobcat have about 2000-3000 hours and they have only needed maintenance items like filters, oil, tires, couple cylinder seals, etc

That's the reason that I'm not a Bobcat fan, plus EVERYTHING has a computer board, even most of the attachments. They make things about impossible to work on, as you said the drive belts are a major PITA. The Case and the old Scat traks were so easy, flip the cab up and you had access to everything from the pedals to the motor.Plus NO belt drive Hydraulic pumps

We have 5 new Bobcats in our rental fleet and all of them have had STUPID warranty issues, brake lock up, steel hydraulic lines breaking, that type of stupid.