stump grinder

[PTS]

Turf Tires on Skid loader

Has anyone ever used a skidloader with turf tires. I am considering changing the tires on ours to turf becase we are mainly in urban areas and usually on someones lawn. I would think that it would do less damage to the grass....

Looking for advise.

 

[mikecross23]

Don't know about turf tires but mine are bald and they do a little less damage. If I was a thinker, I would have bought an articulating machine instead of a skid the whole yard to smitherines machine. It is a beast though.

Has anyone tried the tracks that wrap around existing tires? My local tractor dealer says they distribute the weight over a larger space, therefore less ground disturbance. I say he just wants to make a $2,000 sale.

-Mike-

 

[PTS]

skid with tracks

I have talked to guys who have them and they agree that they distribute the weight which is good in muddy or soft ground situations, however when you turn you are still going to make a mess of the yard.

A dealer around here said I should go to a rubber track skid. not the added tracks but an actual track skid.

I would like to know more about the articulating ones.

 

[redprospector]

Mike,
I run over the tire tracks on my Bobcat 863. If your looking for less ground damage, forget it. If your looking for more traction they are great. I can take my Bobcat places most people wouldn't cary a quart of oil, but you can sure tell where I've been.

 

[mikecross23]

True! Skidders are bad to the bone. Almost got mine stuck today though. That would be the bald tires.

 

[PTS]

does anyone know how to change the title of this thread? I thought I had erased and changed it but I obviously not.

 

[alanarbor]

I have talked to guys who have them and they agree that they distribute the weight which is good in muddy or soft ground situations, however when you turn you are still going to make a mess of the yard.

A dealer around here said I should go to a rubber track skid. not the added tracks but an actual track skid.

I would like to know more about the articulating ones.

The rubber track skid steers will still trash the grass pretty bad, but they will leave very little impression when travelling straight. Bob cat now makes a 4 wheel steering model with turf tires. That would be the ticket for sensitive yard jobs, and it can be locked into skid mode, when you can rip and tear!

 

[tnttreeman]

I have turf tires on mine. Better than regular ones in a straight line, but ditto what everyone else says about turning- still going to rip up the yard, less only if you do the back up, pull up, back up, pull up method of turning around. However, if you work in any type of mud, you'll hate them. They load up and do not clean themselves. They are great for skidding around on pavement, none of that jarring bounce on a quick turn. As for the over the tire tracks, it's like having a different machine- especially in mud. Two of my friends have them on their machine and you wouldn't believe the difference they make.

 

[Lumberjack]

Think about a small, compact tractor, a Bobcat 5600 Turbo, or an articulated loader. Also think about the little machines that dig graves, they can life a decent amount.


This is what I am thinking about, I know a skid steer will not work for me though.

 

[Koa Man]

I wanted to get a Bobcat 453 skidsteer for hauling out brush and logs from back yards, but was worried about ripping up the lawns. Most yards here have narrow access and I needed something that will go through a 36" gate. I am about to buy the Boxer variable track mini skid steer. Tracks are adjustable from 34" to 43". With the added counterweights it will be able to lift 750 lbs. 5 ft. high. Not a huge amount of weight, but far more than we could wheel barrow out, plus I would not need to cut the big logs small enough for 2 guys to lift. A guy I know who has the Toro Dingo track machine says it does not rip up the lawn as long as you do not make a dime turn. I was going to buy this machine this week. Glad this thread popped up. Anyone make a mini wheeled loader? I would need something that can use all the attachments that the mini skid does.

 

[tnttreeman]

Koa, I'm pretty sure that TORO makes a mini loader that has tires rather than tracks. I think one of our local rental places has two of therm.
I have personally used Bobcat's mini loader and it doesn't track the yard up unless you turn. We had pallet forks on and filled them as full as we could with 5' ash logs, varying diameters, no problem lifting it up into my 5 ton dump.

 

[Koa Man]

tnttreeman,
I know the Dingo has a wheeled loader, but that is a skid steer design. I was thinking more along the lines of an articulating machine like the Swinger, but in a mini size.
Anyway, I signed the sales contract for the Boxer today.

 

[tree108]

Just the thing...........

Just the thing...........easy to get around and a workhorse for it's size.

tree108

 

[DDM]

Has anyone ever used a skidloader with turf tires. I am considering changing the tires on ours to turf becase we are mainly in urban areas and usually on someones lawn. I would think that it would do less damage to the grass....

Looking for advise.

I have tracks both for my 763 & S-250 Theres no way to turn with tracks on and not tear up grass. I TRaded my T-190 for this reason. If i make long slow turns without tracks i can do it without tearing up turf with Tires. Turf tires do not seem to matter much.....

 

[Menchhofer]

Has anyone ever used a skidloader with turf tires. I am considering changing the tires on ours to turf becase we are mainly in urban areas and usually on someones lawn. I would think that it would do less damage to the grass....

I have been through this area long ago. Turf tires on a skidloader will not make enough difference to cover the costs of the tires. As others have stated, they do not do well in mud or wet conditions either.

You are tearing up the lawn because of the movement of the wheels/weight of the machine. Tracks are not lawn friendly either. You need articulation, wide tires, and less weight.

As I have mentioned so many times here, power-trac.com has solved all my problems.

 

[Koa Man]

Today, I saw the City operating a New Holland skid steer on the park's grass moving dirt. No damage to the lawn, but of course they had acres to make a wide turn.