Tractor vs. Skid Steer

Soundguy · Apr 1, 2004

( A skid steer is.. probably more rugged )

My 50 and 60 year old ford tractors that still pull mowers and plows on original engine with no rebuild might dispute that fact.

One thing I'll say... If they last to the ages that many antique tractors get to, while still being usefull. ( 50-60-70ys ) you will probably find that they will eat you alive on hydraulic repairs. as those machines are a big mass of pumps, hoses, and rams, bolted to a frame with a seat, and tires and engine..

Not knocking the skid steer. It fills an important role that a tractor is obviously only 2nd best at. Tractors are great all-around machines.. and really only specialized at a couple things ( traction engine. )

Soundguy

Soundguy · Apr 1, 2004

( A skid steer has a world of attachments that a CUT would not have the Hydraulic capacity to use )

I think you will find that 3pt implements easilly outnumber the amount of available skidsteer atatchments.. There are easilly over 400 attatchments that were designed around the pre-cat 1 specs the ford N series had... add to that the other category specs...
That is the tractor nitch.. general purpose utility... and they are good at it. They do fall behgind is specific areas where specialized machinery takes first place...

As for capacity.. that is a non issue... front/engine mounted stinger pumps are cheap, and easy to install.. as are pto powered pumps... A good 3X-4X hp tractor can turn out quite a large hyd psi/flow rate on either ( or both ) types of pumps and still have hp left over to work..

Again.. not knocking the skidsteer. It nudges the tractor over to 2nd place for many specialized tasks, and while the skidsteer is really getting into the utility area.. I feel the tractor has the upper hand at general utility. I just don't see to many farmers bushhogging their pastures with skid steers and front rotary mowers... A mid size tractor is probably going to have better ground clearance and perform better in a boggy environment.. there are exceptions to everything though. The track kits really kick up skidsteer traction.. But then.. track kits for tractors doo to!

Soundguy

cedarman · Apr 3, 2004

Owning both would be best of all worlds. I've got many hours on each. It really depends on the type of work you will be doing the majority of the time. If you are in the builder/contractor/landscaper world then a skid steer is the most productive for daily needs on the job. However, if you are talking about all around needs of a land owner then it's a tractor/loader/mower setup and rent a skid loader when specific needs come up. The skid loader definately tears up the yard no matter how careful you try to be and anyone who has ever put a bush hog on the front of one of them knows that is a once in a lifetime bad experience.

CRJCaptain · Apr 3, 2004

Or, you could get one of these...

Bobcat Toolcat

yooperdave · Apr 3, 2004

That is not toooo diferent than a power trac

Yooper Dave

gray · Apr 17, 2004

OK, so now I have experience with this issue.

I offered to do some yard and field work for my brother in law this week and could only get my hands on a NH 170 skid steer to do it. I used forks to move old timbers and metal to a burn and bury pile. I used the loader bucket to cut out some small sapplings and load debris into piles. I also power raked about 20000 sf of old lawn. I tried to dig a hole to bury the burn ash, but the unit would not handle the Wisconsin heavy soil. When trying to move around in the field, any damp spot meant risk of getting the low clearance unit stuck. A yard turn was not possible unless I wanted to run a hand rake for each one later. Get the idea? I sure did. After 8 hours of this, I had to call around and get an L48 tractor to use. What a relief. No worry of getting stuck. Loader digging even in the heavy soil was no problem. The back hoe worked great.

To sum it up: skid steer-- excellent vission and tight motion.
Nothing else about it beat the L48. Nothing!
I was tired, dirty, deaf, and felt unsafeon the SS.

The tractor: Strong, safer, cleaner, quieter, and I was not wor
out after hours of use. It dug better, handled moving through soft soil
without a problem and did not tear up the yard.

In the field or yard , a tractor is a better choice!!!!

On hard surfaces and some construction, a skid steer may win out?

The newer- track loader skid steers offer many advantages over the wheeled units but you may still suffer from safety issues and look out for the dirt.

When I got off that skid steer, I set my mind to posting a message. Done?

RobertN · Apr 17, 2004

Not sure what safety issues the newer track loaders might have. I have used a small ans a large one(30hp, 48", 3000lbs and 50hp, 60" 6000lbs machines). They were very stable. They were very tractive in damp conditions, but did not tear things up like a regular skid steer.

And, some of the tracked units have suspension now. The ASV units have thier track system isolated from the main tractor unit bar a twin torsion bar suspension. Smoothest tractor I have ever used!

gray · Apr 17, 2004

RobertN.

I did mean that the track loader type may be much better than the wheeled type. I have not used the track type. They still may be less able to handle grades as well as most tractors? While loading on and off the trailer, the regular SS was at it's limits and more. The tractor did not even notice it. Also, while moving and dumping onto the trash pile the SS was on a slight angle and was not as safe.

Dirt? When using the power rake on the SS, I was lucky it was a bit damp or even my cloths would not have been washable. Don't pick up roots or you will have a mouth full. You can get an inclosed cab but you are already in a small spot for a big guy and more enclosure would have been less liked.

I just did not like the thing for yard or field work.

Gray.

SCDolphin · Apr 18, 2004

I just finished renting a Dae-Woo skid steer trying to level and work some land I own. Never again! It will take a week to get my hearing back, and several weeks to get my fillings fixed. That was the roughest most jolting I have had to endure in a long time.....get me back on a tractor!

Gatorboy · Apr 19, 2004

( I just finished renting a Dae-Woo skid steer trying to level and work some land I own. Never again! It will take a week to get my hearing back, and several weeks to get my fillings fixed. That was the roughest most jolting I have had to endure in a long time.....get me back on a tractor! )

Why didn't you use your tractor to do this work -- was it because the skidsteer could do what your tractor couldn't?

Because my tractor is twice as loud as my skidsteer (no cab vs. cab), I usually always wear earplugs when running either machine. But if you expected a luxury ride -- that will never happen on a skidsteer.

I would have to guess that Dae-Woo was a small machine with a very short wheelbase. That is a tough ride if you are not on smooth ground.