Mini Skid Steers

[rangerdanger]

Alright, once again I've been tasked with looking into different mini skid steers, since I'm the gear head of the company

Right now I think we would prefer tracked, but we're open to wheels also.

As far as going through a 36" gate, what do the current or past owners of minis think. Is it better to go through a 36" gate or do you not encounter it enough that you find it's not a problem to just get the brush or wood to the gate where a wider mini(looking at a Toro 425, but it has wide tracks, so a total 41" track width) can just reach in with the arm and grapple and grab it from there.

What about diesel vs. gas. All our equipment right now runs diesel, but again, we'd most likely be open to gas.

And what about attachments. A BMG is on a list of Need To Get attachments, along with a bucket and forks for the occasional landscape job we do.

 

[rumination]

I've never owned a mini, but the Boxers sure do look really nice and they're having an excellent sale on certain models until the end of the month. The Boxer 320 (tracked) is on sale at $10,000, down from $15,000. This one will fit through a 36" gate, and will lift 1250 lbs to a height of 70". Check their website:

www.boxerequipment.com

You can tell I've been drooling over it, can't you?

 

[Thor's Hammer]

If you can afford it, go for an articulated wheeled Boxer, Basicly a CSF in better colours.
The advantages of a wheel loader are many, just ask Koa man or Dave Norrgard.

 

[SkwerI]

Leon, I had to wipe your drool off the page before I was able to view it.
Yechhhhk!

And I agree with Ed. wheeled loaders work better than tracked on turf. Especially articulating units, by far your best choice for residential work.

 

[rumination]

Sorry about that Brian.

Wheeled loaders are much gentler on turf, for sure. I'm looking for tracks though, as I'll be working on slopes, and in mud and snow. Not much turf in New Mexico. Unless you count hay fields.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And golf courses.. LOL

 

[thattreeguy]

ive been looking at the 500 series tracked loaders, pref diesel , but due to costs may go gas,
i like the option of widening tracks on slopes and sucking em in to get thru a gate( but i can move a panel of fence in a couple minutes)
but that 300 series for 10 grand aint a bad deal
the ground here varys from one extreme to the next so i need a badd ass machine that can go up and down slopes and drags wood like a s.o.b
the day to day ops vary from turf at a fancy estate to nasty rocky/ muddy slopes..maybe old skid roads
so it needs to be versatile, (or youd need 2 machines)

i think a bypass grapple for logs, brush/ root grapple bucket, for slash and a 4 in 1 bucket for demo work
a brush head would be nice as well , might keep it a bit more busy

maybe a cool trailer to keep em on

 

[sawinredneck]

If all the other equipment is deisel, stick with that, why add another fuel can in the mix?
I have not run into an issue with the Thomas not fitting in a gate, but I am not opposed to taking down a section of fence to get it in either!

 

[Koa Man]

What if the gate is bordered by rock walls or is an ornamental metal fence? We have many of those here.

 

[lumberjack]

The gate debate is entirely relevant to the location. Here 42" doesn't matter. I don't remember a job where my Thomas couldn't do the job.

 

[SkwerI]

36" gates are few and far between around here as well. I remember 20 years ago that 36" and even 32" chain link gates were common. These days the 42" gate is standard on most wooden fences if they don't have a big double gate for getting a vehicle through.

 

[Koa Man]

What I can never understand is why people build narrow gates when they have lots of space. It would be a helluva lot cheaper to make the gate 48 inches wide instead of building an extra foot of rock or CMU wall an extra foot.

I have one property that sits on over an acre and we trim 27 coconut palms every 5 months. The gate to the back yard where all the trees are is 32 inches wide, part of an ornamental iron fence 100 ft. long.

 

[SkwerI]

Tell the moron that the cost of widening the gate will be recouped with the lower cost of palm tree trimming (as well as lawn mowing) within 6-8 months.
Or just 'accidentally' break the fence.

 

[simplypete]

I choose to get a Boxer 732DT. Helluva machine. It shines with the bypass grapple doing any sort of wood hauling. Large estates and lot clearing is reduced to just burning a little fuel. I also have the stump grinder attachment from Dave at TNT. The grapple is the eager beaver. I think it opens to 60 inches. Perfect for piles of brush. The machine will pick up about 3000 lb. log and lift it into the back of my truck with the top off and set it down "gently". Using this machine in town is slow and sometimes difficult to maneuver it about.

 

[simplypete]

I have also to say about the articulated machine. It is 4 wheel drive and you can "lock it up" so to speak. It has four separate hydraulic motors at each wheel. Help me out here, I know there is a name for a hydraulic motor? It has not failed to go where I point it. And I got the foam in the tires so I have no need to worry about a flat. It is really silly the places this machine will go and the things that it will pick.

 

[No_Bivy]

if a gate is 42......a 42 inch machine is tight...I would go with a 36-42" track machine. 1200 hrs of flight time here. Wheels would be good if you are a flat lander. BOXER 526...or the older427

 

[devil dog]

I choose to get a Boxer 732DT. Helluva machine. It shines with the bypass grapple doing any sort of wood hauling. Large estates and lot clearing is reduced to just burning a little fuel. I also have the stump grinder attachment from Dave at TNT. The grapple is the eager beaver. I think it opens to 60 inches. Perfect for piles of brush. The machine will pick up about 3000 lb. log and lift it into the back of my truck with the top off and set it down "gently". Using this machine in town is slow and sometimes difficult to maneuver it about.

looks like a nice machine. we tried one of those out before going with the larger model. Have you had any problems with it yet? Here is ours.

 

[Tucker943]

I may buy one of these machines...they've been on my mind lately and my math says they do the work of an extra groundman. I doubt it will be soon but I am considering buying one late next winter.

 

[simplypete]

looks like a nice machine. we tried one of those out before going with the larger model. Have you had any problems with it yet? Here is ours.

The only problem was I spun one of the hubs off the axle. Sheared the key. Didn't know it untill it eventually spun the castle nut off. Not sure how exactly it happened but prob happened in the first few hours I had the thing trying to figure out the limitations Boxer was fast to respond with a whole new motor. I had to pay for the over night though. I only have just under 100 hrs. on my machine with nothing but good to say about it. I did take the roll over protection off due to some issues with access.

 

[sawinredneck]

I may buy one of these machines...they've been on my mind lately and my math says they do the work of an extra groundman. I doubt it will be soon but I am considering buying one late next winter.

It does the work of TWO extra groundmen!

 

[arborworks1]

My groundie and myself outworked a five man crew last week. Side by side at the neighbors. We where able to keep a neat and clean jobsite, while the guys next to us where having to stack and hand drag because the big skid steer could not get to the brush.

 

[simplypete]

That is a good post. Too much is sometimes worse than not enough.

 

[squisher]

I've been really happy with my ramrod 950(wheeled mini skid) so far. I'm sure one of those articulating machines would be nice, but I'm also sure that they cost more and I like the ability to step on and off easily vs sitting down in a seat. The universal stumpgrinder as pictured earlier on the boxer is a nice attachment too.

 

[thattreeguy]

that reminds me of our old black lab....cool dog man

 

[tntree]

This is the best deal on Minis I have seen since I sold Thomas's.
Boxer wants to clear out there old inventory, the machines are new 08's and 07's full warranty.
The 320 in this sale is priced $1250 below my dealer cost! you cannot go wrong at 10 grand for this little 34.5" powerhouse.

http://www.swiftpage8.com/SpeClicks.aspx?X=300TJ13UHQQTOHH40BZCWN

These prices are only good till April 31st, so if you ever wanted one now is the time to act. I have said this before if you don't have all the cash FINANCE it!
you will not be sorry these machines will change your business for the better in so many ways.

I can set up the deal any where if you do not have a dealer near you, I will throw free shipping on my BMG grapple to help sweeten the deal a little.

Use My email tnttreeman@aol.com if you want to get the ball rolling. this is the best pricing I have seen in years an it is only good till the 31st or they sell out there inventory.

Dave