Title pretty much explains it all. Looking to get a new (preowned) skidsteer, and having had the 262C and a few bobcats, leaning towards the CAT as the equivalent bobcats don't seem as good, New Holland seems hit or miss these days and I'm not sure if anything else really compares. Am open to other suggestions as well. Thanks for the help.
Case makes some very good wheeled skid steers as does Deere (depending on the model). I personally have never been a fan of the Cat skid steers, but I know many like them.
What makes you like Case or JD more? What comparable sized models would you recommend in the $30-40k range or bigger? Case is new holland and I’ve read they tend to have electrical gremlins
I demoed a 272D in 2018 and I really liked it, probably as close to buying a CAT as I had ever been. I ended up buying a CASE SV340. The wiring harness issue has been resolved for a while, but there was no excuse for having one primary harness that resulted in having to replace the entire harness when there was a problem. I never had one go bad, but it was a known issue. If your interested in a CNH machine, demo a SV340 B series CASE or 300 series NH. This model is comparable to the 272. The camera and instrumentation is much better than the A series Case or 200 series NH.
My worry is I’m buying used and if I get one with a bad harness I’m footing the bill. Looks like the 200 series is more in line with my budget, would you still recommend the CNH from that era? I have an Ls190B which has been great to me overall but I’m not a fan of working on it. Having to have the arms up to work on it is annoying, and I imagine a nightmare in a breakdown. Do the cabs still swing forward on the 200 and 300 series? I imagine they should be easier to work on? How do the EH controls compare to cat? That’s the biggest difference I noticed between cat and bobcat,with cat being far superior.
I am not sure what year that the wiring harness was segmented. Which makes it replaceable in sections rather than the whole harness. I think it was 2016, but I would have to check on that to be sure. The cab swings forward. I like the EH in the CNH machines but I have been running it so long that it is what I am used to. The EH systems of any color are really subjective as far as likes and dislikes. You have to run it and see what your thoughts are. IF your not used to an EH machine, it will take a little time to become used to it over a servo or mechanical machine. My recommendation would be to find a SV340 B series or 300 series or at least demo one. If you can't find one at the price you want to pay, but can find a 272 at the price you want to pay, I would take the 272. The newer A's are solid, but my 2018 is the only A I have, the others are B series and I really like the cab set up on the B. I will replace my SV340 for a B series this Winter or next Spring. The 340 with the 14X17.5 tires is really productive machine. The wheel torque is high, so moving dirt with those tires is really effective. It's not a CTL, but it is productive. I also like the lift capacity. The machine rates a ROC of 3400 pounds. I had a job building a power pole storage facility for DOE. I used the 340 to lift 80' power poles with a grapple bucket that weighed 4500 pounds to full lift height. I couldn't believe it. I thought I would need a wheel loader. All that said, nothing wrong with a 272. I really liked the Decel pedal feature. No doubt the monitor is better in the CAT than an A series machine.
KSSS beat me to it, the SV340B or SR270B (if you want radial lift) would be my choice for a new, large wheeled skid steer. Also, although it doesn't really matter, Case is the actual builder of the machines at their plant in Wichita, KS and NH is rebranding them, not the other way around. Not sure what you'll find in the $30-40K range, might have to go a bit older. For me the age range from roughly 2005-2015 is kind of a no mans land for equipment. A lot of new technology (computer controls, emmissions, etc) was coming out and there were lots of problems regardless of brand. If you want to go pre-emissions the XT series were really good. I ran a 90xt some several years ago and was pretty impressed with it. I've had really good luck with my Case equipment in the past (dozer, backhoe, skid steer) and I think it's really good equipment for the money. As for the Deere machines, I don't have a specific model to recommenced, but the folks I know that have been running the newer Deere stuff are fairly happy with them. I wouldn't own one of the early 2000s Deere models (260, 270, etc), they were a basket of trouble.
FWIW the 2 - 279D's (CTL's not wheeled but similar) have been great machines. 2016 and 2019. 04 what is the dealer situation in your area?
I special ordered my sv340 with mechanical controls. I would not have have electric over hydraulic. I can feel my machine work... I had the instrument cluster go out in it. They asked if my machine was hit by lightning. Cost $1200 with 300 hrs on the clock. 3 def system shut down issues back to the dealer each time. Wanted to question the quality of the def. It was from New fresh box's. Nope not the problem. Buying new modern machines with electrical controlled fuel and def makes you and the dealer a partner. You can't fix them yourself. That being said the machine is worth it's weight in gold. If I had it to do all over, would I trade my 440 series 3 for the sv340? The case 440 series 3 was my favorite machine and I could work on it. It was fast. However I would still do the trade. The sv340 has draw backs but the cab and strength are great. It is a boat anchor in mud. But it is a good machine and I would buy another.. not sure they are probably pushing 70k? I have not had a harness issue yet . Mine has 500 hours on it with high flow. It's has done a lot of productive work. I run airless tires and use it to pack building slabs and it does a great job at that. It will let you know where soft spots are. If you come in behind other contractors using dozers, loaders or track machines on dirt that's been built up it will show you how they thought they had it packed but it's not. I am about ready to order a new sv340. Going to sell or trade this one. Need to turn it for taxes.
One manufacturer might do one thing better than another but at the end of the day not one manufacturer builds a decent skid steer IMO. The joys of trying to cram 10 lbs of crap into a 5 lb box.
Question not having anything to do with the thread topic - Did you put any stone on that pad or just red dirt?
No stone. Poor compaction. Not paid for site grading either. I fixed what I could but the grader, "only" moved in one load of fill... lol. More like 3 to 4 feet worth of fill. We have not had rain in almost 5 weeks it was like working in flour. Watered the pad for 4 hours then compacted what I could and set forms. I would have charged 5k to pull it all out and start over with the lifts. Customer did not believe family friend could set it up wrong. Put it on that dirt as is. No crack warranties out of me... From what I have seen. Stone base is somewhat a waste of money. Unless it is a large site and they need the area free of mud to work on. You may know better than me, but having the compaction the same across the pad is better than hard and soft areas. I think a pad needs to settle the same to keep the concrete together. That one was cut because it surely will break. Footings were over 30"s in the back. 2 grade beams. A good many years ago I spoke to a engineer about why they want 2" to 4"s of stone, he stated it is supposed to float to the areas that settle and for a water break under the Slab. On small pads and houses, I would rather have more concrete than stone if i can get the base right. House inspections can require stone. I am guessing because you can't pack dirt too well if there is lots of plumbing and grade beams... My experience on what lasts and works is from tearouts on what has failed. Based on that, good hard compacted red clay that is not too wet or too dry under concrete is the best base. I have removed multiple driveways that were 6"s thick with wire and broken all to pieces due to a poor base material. The heavy Case skid steer loaded up with a bucket of dirt always tells me what's up. Tracks never work. Concrete companies that use track machines are not building good pads unless they have a vibrating packer. And those only work if you can hit it with water. I would almost say you can't build a good pad without water. It is rare that the soil is always right. For less experienced guys.. how to tell if you have packed your dirt right? Here is a clue it is hard to cut good packed material with a tooth bucket. If you sort of slide along on top well you probably got it packed tight. If your skid sinks in it is crap. I have been on so many large job proof rolls with tandem dump trucks. I see them let things go that I would call too wet but they must balance the pours based on weather and timelines , rain may catch it the next day and stop work for weeks. Cracks that let water into concrete allow the base to get wet and soft and it is game over for good long term concrete because now you have soft spots under it. Most all roads and parking areas have a stone base. What are your thoughts on stone? It sure was prutty.
It is more like 500 lbs of crap.... Case has made some good wheeled machines and Takeuchi has the best track machines hands down. 1845c 440 series 3 75 or 90xt sv340. For something you can drag behind a pickup truck they are handy. The new design of boom up in the air to service is a joke. The older designed case machines were better designed. The new design is probably cheaper to make. The buckets are way too close to the front door now, I am sick and tired of dirt, rocks and chunks of concrete hitting the front door when you raise an overloaded bucket. Its got no where else to fall out due to the bucket choked up so close to the cab. They do it to get higher load ratings, but it is a trade off. Of course the sv340 can do what KSSS said. Pick up an insane amount of weight. The Takeuchi is tl12v2 is one heck of a machine. Fast powerful and tuff. They set the standard for CTLs.