JPinnell
Bronze Member
OK I've had a Kubota B7800 (30hp, HST, 4WD) that I bought new for the last 13yrs. I bought it with the loader and a 72in Belly Mower. Its been flawless, no complaints, and I've worked it ALOT at 100% capacity. I'm on 10 acres, mow at most 5 of that, rest is woods. We heat with wood, I do some metal fab on the side, and the tractor gets used every weekend, might be 5mins or 5 hrs, but it gets used. The LA402 Loader is rated at 800lbs which was OK at the time, but I find myself using the pallet forks I built most of the time for logs, firewood, etc and I'd like a little more lift capacity.
Friend has a Bobcat T140 they bought new in 2006. He had an excavating Co, but is now retired, and they used this unit mainly for landscaping cleanup. Then it moved to his house for personal use. It is well maintained, but he's not used it much the last few years and is now looking to sell instead of it rotting away. 2200hrs, tracks are new, price is right, etc. The T140 is rated at 1400lbs and 2000lbs tipping so it would be a an upgrade. Its a tracked unit so should be a bit kinder to the yard than a wheeled unit. But also similar overall size for parking, storage in the shop, etc. the T140 is a Kubota engine and seems to have a good rep.
The boy is now 12. Wife Unit sees a rider or zero turn as just a "mower" and while dangerous its not as scary to her as her little baby on a 30hp tractor.
So I'm debating to either replace the Tractor with this small Skid Steer and buy a Zero Turn for mowing? Or get the Skid and keep the Tractor for mowing which will be a harder sell to the wife? That B7800 has been as reliable as a hammer and I hate to part with it. Its not so much the money, but it is a factor. I figure the buy/sell on the tractor/zeroturn leaves me $5K positive which goes towards the skid. Either way I'm out $10K+
We are planning to add on to the house at some point if materials and inflation don't stay crazy. So I've got dirt work cleanup in the future that a skid would do faster, but I could manage with the tractor.
Long Story - so anyone running a small tracked skid steer for home use? Tracks/Rollers are supposed to be good for 1000hrs+ which for my needs would be 10yrs. Fluids and Maintenance I can handle. I've got a 3/4ton and a 10K goose to haul it if needed. I've got a "yard" not a golf course but even the B7800 running around with the loader and ballast is probably 3500lbs and makes a few ruts. I'd be worried that a 6500lbs wheeled skid steer would really tear things up. Tracks seem the way to go but were outside my budget until this T140 deal came up.
Friend has a Bobcat T140 they bought new in 2006. He had an excavating Co, but is now retired, and they used this unit mainly for landscaping cleanup. Then it moved to his house for personal use. It is well maintained, but he's not used it much the last few years and is now looking to sell instead of it rotting away. 2200hrs, tracks are new, price is right, etc. The T140 is rated at 1400lbs and 2000lbs tipping so it would be a an upgrade. Its a tracked unit so should be a bit kinder to the yard than a wheeled unit. But also similar overall size for parking, storage in the shop, etc. the T140 is a Kubota engine and seems to have a good rep.
The boy is now 12. Wife Unit sees a rider or zero turn as just a "mower" and while dangerous its not as scary to her as her little baby on a 30hp tractor.
So I'm debating to either replace the Tractor with this small Skid Steer and buy a Zero Turn for mowing? Or get the Skid and keep the Tractor for mowing which will be a harder sell to the wife? That B7800 has been as reliable as a hammer and I hate to part with it. Its not so much the money, but it is a factor. I figure the buy/sell on the tractor/zeroturn leaves me $5K positive which goes towards the skid. Either way I'm out $10K+
We are planning to add on to the house at some point if materials and inflation don't stay crazy. So I've got dirt work cleanup in the future that a skid would do faster, but I could manage with the tractor.
Long Story - so anyone running a small tracked skid steer for home use? Tracks/Rollers are supposed to be good for 1000hrs+ which for my needs would be 10yrs. Fluids and Maintenance I can handle. I've got a 3/4ton and a 10K goose to haul it if needed. I've got a "yard" not a golf course but even the B7800 running around with the loader and ballast is probably 3500lbs and makes a few ruts. I'd be worried that a 6500lbs wheeled skid steer would really tear things up. Tracks seem the way to go but were outside my budget until this T140 deal came up.
