Thinking about buying a skidsteer

[andydodgegeek]

I bought a bobcat 853 this summer and took Heavyfuel and Grandpa tractor's advise on the grapple. I bought the same unit, it works very good. Well built and functional. Makes dealing with firewood much easier. I then bought an old dump truck to haul logs home from the woods. I am now ####ing in tall cotton. Sounds like a good deal on that skidsteer, a bit on the small side for a grapple like mine but still alot easier on your back. Here are some pics of my wood getting equiptment.

 

[Trx250r180]

ive got an old beater ford skidsteer gas about that size ,real handy machine ,i got an old set of forks off a forklift ,and made a couple mounts to attach em ,2 pins the buckets off and its a forklift ,great for moving logs ,not a grapple by no means but on a 3000 or so lb machile they work good ,have the little wisconsin v-4 in mine



you got a real nice one there andy ,im envious ,love the brush rake grapples

 

[reaperman]

A bobcat is as important as a chainsaw for making wood in my opinion. But just make sure the unit checks out mechanically. There are a lot of moving parts on a bobcat other than the engine. There are drive pumps, the main hydro pump, squash plates, bearings/axles,drive chains and sprockets, etc. One thing to do check the wheels for side to side play by lifting the front wheels up by tipping the bucket down. Then jack up the rear of the machine and check for side to side play. If there is any side to side play that means bearings need to be replaced. The hydro pump can be checked by putting the bucket against something solid and by curling the bucket backwards to see if it can lift the rear of the machine off of the ground. The ford engine is a decent engine with fussy points. Anytime the engine runs rough, chances are the gap in the points is off a bit. The proper gap for that motor is .020. Another trouble area on that style machine is the u-joint between the motor and the hydro pump. The u-joint can only be accessed by jacking the cab up and reaching way behind the drivers seat. You must feel for the 3 grease zerks and use an extended length hose on a grease gun to get the u-joint greased. The zerks are not visible making it the most ignored part of the machine. If the u-joint goes out, and they do, the engine must be pulled out to replace it. They have been known to take out the main hydro pump shaft if they fly apart. Then it can get real expensive. Do a search of greasing u- joints on bobcats so your familiar with the process. It always pays to find someone familiar with these machines to check it over before buying. Good luck

 

[Arbonaut]

You'll be glad you got gas powered when it gets cold. Mine has a 188D Case and takes a jump start when it's cold. Get 'em stuck too unless she's froze. You can not beat the control layout on those old Melroes.

 

[Steve NW WI]

You can not beat the control layout on those old Melroes.

Matter of opinion. My ankles get sore in a hurry running one with foot controls. I much prefer hand controls personally.

 

[Rio_Grande]

I have a ghel CTL 70 the smaller machines just wouldn't do what we needed. This and as asv 100 are the only ones I have ever cared for.View attachment 263650View attachment 263652View attachment 263653
But compared to loading it by hand I would definitely consider an older smaller unit. For that price would be hard to beat.

 

[owbguy]

compact track loader with grapple makes life easy(ier):

 

[Rudolf73]

compact track loader with grapple makes life easy(ier):

asv rc60?

 

[owbguy]

asv rc60?

asv pt80

 

[Rudolf73]

asv pt80

I was close haha, and probably one of the best skid steers on the market.

 

[mikereynolds]

You will be surprized with it's uses

I bought one five years ago on the cheep and it was worn out. I then rebuilt the Kubota motor and went through it completely... I am so pleased with it and am amazed by how I ever got along without it. The grapple bucket is a must (I have an extra for sale $800 if you want to come to Joshua Tree to pick it up). The fork lift attachment I could not go without either.

 

[Jakers]

any news? did you buy the little guy skidsteer?

 

[cre10]

Looks like a good machine for the price.

If you are thinking about bucking logs over the trailer then I would suggest a log grapple like this. Would make the job a lot easier than forks or a regular grapple bucket.

Nice, is that your Terex?

 

[OakBuster]

any news? did you buy the little guy skidsteer?

Actually I had to pass. After the wife's cold shoulder and the upcoming overseas assignment, I think i will just wait until I get back. that way i can buy something i really like, such as a 50hp+ cummins, kubota with high flow hydro. I am selling everything that way I will be debt free too =P so 15k loan when i get back

 

[cre10]

I have a ghel CTL 70 the smaller machines just wouldn't do what we needed. This and as asv 100 are the only ones I have ever cared for.View attachment 263650View attachment 263652View attachment 263653
But compared to loading it by hand I would definitely consider an older smaller unit. For that price would be hard to beat.

How do you like your CID cutter? Is it low flow? I have the mid flow and that thing will eat some brush. Is your grapple CID too? The CID grapples are nice. I have the extreme duty for my Cat and the lighter duty on my Bobcat 773. We welded in some plates to beef it up a little and protect my quick attach cylinders on it too.

Life without skid steers wouldn't be worth living

 

[Rio_Grande]

I like it for brush. It could have more power but for a low flow machine I am impressed. My grapple is a extreme duty from markham welding. I noticed that CID stuff comes from the same area in NC so I wonder if they just got bigger. I would love to have a tree saw and a mulching head, but for at least the mulcher I would need a high flow machine. Bit more than I have the money for with business so slow at the moment. You have some nice looking machine.

 

[Rudolf73]

Nice, is that your Terex?

Unfortunately not, but I used to operate one just like it.

 

[mckenzie355]

I use a Kubota r-400 articulating loader with a grapple rake. weighs in at 7800 lbs and pick up 3500 lbs 4x4 diesel . sucks at yard work , but it`s the cat`s meow in tree removal

 

[tla100]

I bought my first skid steer a old 1976 Lahman little dipper with trailer, 44" bucket, and homemade grapple for $900 a few years ago. Did some mods to the grapple but it was only rated for 600 pounds or so but handy enough. Could move a lot of branches n great for cleanup. Ended up selling for double plus a little. Bought a little bigger Gehl 4400 with a 40 hp ford gas shortly after. Sold that for a little profit and saved to get the Hydra Mac 1850 I currently have.

Forks are great and cost a lot less, also they don't have he extra weight of the grapple. I can move some of the biggest logs, with forks, I have cut with the HydraMac. No grapple for it yet but when the right one comes will jump on it.

Have not run gasser Bobcats but have run older 843 diesel and 763 kubota diesel. Great heavy duty skidsteers. Foot controls are what I grew up on, but love the T-handle and level hand controls of the Mac.

Will add, I would take a skidsteer over a tractor and loader any day of the week, better maneuverability and can see what your working on.

 

[SWI Don]

My brother and I ended up getting a New Holland C185 last fall. The jobs we have had it on it has been pretty handy. It has dug out numerous trees with a stump bucket, tore down a building and loaded it in the dump trailer with at grapple, and had done a fair amount of bucket work pushing snow, grading the yard etc. As long as you don't get too greedy, you should get along fine with that unit for firewood. A grapple or forks will be in your future if you want to load and handle logs.