Alright I have read a lot of the post comparing new machines and do not mean to be redundant but I have not found anything close to my situation. I am a farmer would mostly be using the machine to load poultry litter out of a dry shed with a concrete floor I would be equipping the machine with a high dump/flip bucket. I would like for the bucket to hold 4,000# the trucks I load run around 12-13 ton a load. Of course with it being on a farm I would also be using it for grading and other misc. chores around the farm. I was originally looking for a ctl but after considering the cost both up front and operating cost and slower traveling speed as sometimes I would be traveling a 100' to load I think a wheeled machine and buying a set of OTT would be better. I like the fact the bobcat and gehl have a lift height of 12' but I also have a DEERE and new holland dealer close by so I am not opposed to other brands. Would also like to hear if anybody has experience with a high dump bucket and a laser level box blade. Thanks,
How much does the poultry litter weigh a yard? And at 12 to 13 tons a load, that sounds like a tandem to me, 12' of lift height is more than plenty to get into a tandem. All the high dump bucket is going to add is weight. If you're shooting for 4k lbs a bucket that would probably be close to a 2 yard bucket, and likely 90" wide or wider, can that much bucket fit in a poultry shed easily?
Litter weight varies considerable depending on moisture content the current bucket I have is 1.75 cubic yards would like to have something in the 3 yd range each yard weighing roughly 1,000# range. Our doors 12' wide on the poultry house themselves and most of the time I will be loading out of a storage shed that does not have doors. The reason I want a a high dump bucket is because to get the yd capacity I want the buckets end up being 3'+ deep when you combine this with a tandem truck and the fact you have to heap the load on the truck you can not do this without shaking the bucket which is time consuming.
I agree with your shaking the bucket statement. I'm partial to Gehl's simplicity but would wonder in your situation if an "A" model (all wheel steer) would make the best sence? Does Bobcat make an A850? The very long wheelbase on both the Gehl and BC are hard on tires and they are they both use the bigger (and more expensive) 14X17.5 tires.
Thats good your not restricted by space. I see what you mean with the bucket. Have you found one that was that size to fit a skid loader? I did just a quick google search and the largest I could find was a 1.5 yd. As for the machines I would run both and see what you think, I think the Bobcat would hold up better and have better resale down the road.
Almost sounds like you need to buy the special bucket (might even be custom made) and then demo on each machine, in your barn, loading your trucks, with your bucket. Seeing how they all run the same universal quick attach these days, should not be a problem.
It probably will be custom bucket but unfortunately the dealers close do not have units like this on their yard so it is hard to find a unit to demo. I did test drive the Bobcat A770 which I think is the only all wheel steer model they make. It was nice but you lose of a foot of lift and I think the all wheel steer could just end up being something to cause problems.
How close are you to Denton? Loflin is there and I have been to their place. They'll make just about anything you want. I was there for a root rake and they had a 9' bucket there, don't know if it was an experiment but I asked about it and bought it cheap. We could dig & load it full with dirt (on a big Gehl) without hurting ithttp://www.loflinfabrication.com There's a guy here that has a A-300 ? I think and it seems that he works the snot out of it and has a bunch of hours with no axle probs. and I think he get's un-imaginable hours out of his tires, IIRC something like 3000+.