I want to make sure we are buying the right piece of equipment for our weekend farm. We want it to be able to do a lot of things, like keep 4 wheeler paths clean, clear undergrowth, smooth and level chert roads and the terrain in general, and pull downed logs from deep in the woods. We already have a Ford 555 backhoe and a John Deere 5203. We just sold our Cat 955L loader and now my husband thinks he wants a Skid steer. He thinks a skid steer will be able to keep 4 wheeler paths clean, clear undergrowth, smooth and level chert roads and the terrain in general, load and move stuff, and pull downed logs from deep in the woods when the terrain is clay slippery soil. Can a skid steer do all these things? What else can they do? We are looking at a 2004 cat 257. It has a lot of hours.....4800, but it appears in fairly good condition. And we will only be using it a couple of hours each weekend. This doesn't really scared me because our backhoe had 5200 hours on it (we have put 200 hrs on in the last 3 years) Should 4800 hours scare us? Also I am wondering if this skid steer can "pull" logs out of the woods, and if so how big of logs? Any and all discussion appreciated. Granny DP DP ForumDog
A skid steer is a nice piece to have on the farm. Lots of attachments available, almost anything you can think of. Its very versatile, and can do many jobs. 4800 hours on a skid steer is a fair bit, but it really depends on how everything was maintained. The thing that may add up is the undercarriage. Look at the condition of the tracks. You may be able to get service records from Cat. These machines are not specifically designed for pulling, but will be able to pull logs as needed. A general rule of thumb is it should pull 75% of its lift capacity, but will likely pull more. The tracks will provide better traction and floatation in soft ground than a tired unit.
that style undercarriage is probably the least reliable. i'd only consider it, if everything is new on the undercarriage. otherwise it can turn into a big expense.
you would be better off with another track loader with a 4 way bucket, some of the work you describe would be a bit much for a skid steer..why did he sell the cat loader?..but the skid steer would offer a much greater amount of attachments than the track loader..if you have the cash buy both...