I have a Deere 323 now it is very basic hand and foot controls. Works great for most everything I do. I wish it had power attachment connect. The thing I really wish it had was a cab and air. Since I have decided to trade may current machine in I have decided bigger should be better. On the spec sheets the T870 looks to be the machine to beat. I have demo T870 machine right now. It is loaded just like I want it. Sadly the door swinging out really seems to bother me. The boom must be all the way down to get out. There are times when you need to chain a load down with the boom up a little. I was expecting the 11 mph very high speed transport to blow me away as well. I leave my attachments all over the woods and need to run get the grapple or the stump bucket from time to time. I expected that high speed transport to really make the trips shorter. Sadly you must have some really smooth flat trail for it to move very fast at all. Not for sure but I think my 6 mph Deere will keep up with it point to point in the woods. This all brings me to my question. I have sat in a Tak TL10 at a trade show (they did not have a TL12). It seems to be nice and roomy in the cab and the design is great. I like that it will load on a tilt bed trailer (the T870 is to wide for any trailer I have 83") I love that the door on the Tak opens up and into the cab and stays there out of the way unless you want it down. Might be silly but this seems to matter to me. I think I would want the TL12 which is similar weight and power wise to the T870 sorta. Difficult to decide whose specs are right vs whose are inflated? Dealer support is about the same both are 15 minutes from my land. I kinda hate to buy a Japanese machine but Bobcat is not really American anymore I guess? Anyone have a TL12 with some hours on it? It has not been out long? I am mainly clearing trails, pushing trees down with a stump bucket, using a grapple to move the downed trees, some dirt work with a 4 in1 bucket, some dirt work with a tooth bucket, and I use a 6 way 8' blade to put grade on the trails for drainage. Thoughts input? I have a good Kubota dealer in town as well.
I kinda hate to buy a Japanese machine but Bobcat is not really American anymore I guess? bobcats are still made in north dakota. :drinkup
Welcome to the Forums oldsoapman!:drinkup Bobcat skids and most mini's are still made in the US but the parent company is Korean. From what you have stated it seems you have in mind the machine you want, which is the Tak. If that is the machine you are most comfortable with - go for it. The Tak's are good machines, I haven't heard anything bad about them other than the normal things folks gripe about on every machine. I'm a Bobcat guy that has a "love/hate" relationship with the brand but it's just what I am comfortable with and have good dealer support. The "love" part is operating them and the "hate" part is working on them.
The roll up door on the Tak is nice but if you want to run it with the door open , it will rattle , ALOT ! I prefer to keep the door closed anyway. The Tak / Gehl 's are good machines and powerful. The controls on the Tak's are sensitive at first but ,once you get used to it ,you'll love it. That's my experience / opinion. Good luck. P.S. Welcome to the forum !:waving
Gehl and Takeuchi are no longer associated. For the last two years Gehl has had their own design which can also be bought under Yanmar badging
I dont have my mind made up for sure. I really love that super fast transport speed on the T870. 11 mph will get me from the back 100 acres back home in hurry if I need a different bucket or tool. I may have to get over the door issue to get the speed.
Made in the USA My comment about made in the USA thought comes from the use of Kubota engines and components from around the world. The Takuechi is completely Japanese not sure if that is not better sorta. My Deere has a John Deere engine in it that they claimed was made in the USA not sure if that was true but it made me feel better.
i have a tak and a new deere 333d loaded, to be honest with you, the tak is the all around better machine, might not have all the bells and whistles, but i promise you it will get the job done.