We have a 1 1/2 acre lot. Our house is on one side of it and we intend to build a three-car garage/shop on the other side. We hired an excavation company to do a lot of digging and leveling as there is a ton of shale after you get down a few feet and they did go down about three feet to get things level.

Now we are trying to decide on a used skid steer versus a used 4x4 tractor to lay down gravel where the garage and turn-around will sit, to move back fill behind the house, and to do some landscaping including small boulders. About 40 tons crushed rock and then fill dirt.

I have rented small backhoes and skid steers in the past, but do not have enough experience to make an informed choice.

I went to an equipment auction yesterday and several pieces of equipment did not sell and are still available for purchase. They are:

1. New Holland skid steer, new bucket and tires, can't remember model, not the biggest or smallest. clean, no rips, not trashed, 2000 hours, used limited to farm work, asking price $9,000 firm, talked to owner.

2. John Deere 4x4 model 855 bucket on front, 3-point, no other accessories, diesel, 851 hours, roll-over protection, starts right up, runs great, steers fine, clean, doesn't look like it has had heavy use. Not a big tractor, but I can't go super big where I have to get back fill in behind house, hydraulics good, no leaks, $8,500 firm.

3. Kubota 4x4 L2500 bucket on front, diesel, 561 hours, roll-over protection, same descriptors and price as John Deere above.

I intend to use it for about one year and then sell it. I do not anticipate heavy use in a day-to-day work environment. I talked with several folks and have been told to go tractor as the skid-steers require so much maintenance with hydraulics being their weakness. I want to buy as it is so hard to rent on spur of the moment and then I have to take the time to go get it, etc. I am thinking if I make a good choice it will cost me less to own and resell than rent.

Sorry for long post,

Steve

 

FWIW, I like a tractor vs. the skid steer.

I rented two tractors and a backhoe for some stuff here. It was easy as the rental place was less than a mile a way & I drove the tractor here. I can see how renting would be a pita if you have to wait for delivery etc.

The loader is real handy for a lot of stuff. But, you are going to need a rear blade to do any leveling etc, so add that to the price.

You could probably knock this stuff out in a few days with a rental and be money ahead. BUT, work like this doesn't come up all at once in a few days as I recall. You are probably right in your decision to buy and resell after you're all done. IIRC, I paid about $250 for a day (or was it two?) for the backhoe.

As for the actual units themselves, stand by for more posts.

 

I stopped by the rental place today as I know the guys. They get $800 for a seven day week for a skid steer, provided they have one on hand. They will sell me a Bobcat treaded with bucket with 2,500 hours on the clock for $10,000. It has new treads and a new main drive, but I worry about purchasing anything that has been rented as I know how some folks treat equipment, even when they own it.

Thanks,

Steve

 

Having worked in the rental business, I would go with a skid steer. It's designed to take a hit in the front with the bucket, while the tractor's bucket is an add-on (especially the Deere, they look like an afterthought), the skid steer is built around it. I have seen lots of damage to loader frames from ramming into less than loose dirt.
As a bonus, once you have the skid steer, you can rent attachments like chisel breakers, augers, and other great stuff for landscaping work.

 

What do you think about resale? I was thinking for what it costs to rent, I could use it for year and resell it for about the same as it would cost me to rent for two weeks.

Thanks,

Steve

 

On further thought:

The skid steer is much easier to get into tight spots etc, so you'll be lest apt to take a chunk off the side of the house. I saw a fellow with a lot of time in one do a leveling job on a driveway after demo of the concrete and asphalt. He got it smooth, even and also put most of the correct slope into it. IIRC he had put almost the entire 2000 hours showing on the meter on it.

And Ford_Six is right about all the goodies.

I think we have a trend in recommendations going.....

 

Thanks for the input. Now I have to think about tread versus tires. I know the tread is much easier on the lawn, but also know the treads wear out much more quickly on any hard surface and I will also be spending a good bit of time moving around on crushed rock.

Steve

 

If you have to turn very tight a lot, it is possible to rip the tracks off. I haven't had enough time around one to see how the tracks wear, but I know the mini excavators get about 1500hours on the tracks in rental use. Usually by that point they aren't worn out treadwise, but the cords are broken and they won't stay on reliably.

 

tracks shouldn't really be a huge issue unless you plan to work on asphalt or cement. myself as long as the hydraulic oil looks good and it isn't weeping out of the fittings it should be ok. take a look at what guys who are doing what you intend to do are using. I would almost bet that in most cases its a skid steer, because it does the work so much more quickly. A friend of mine worked for a landscaper back when we got out of high school. His boss seemed to think a skid steer landscaped just fine. also knew an old timer who ran a D4 size bulldozer, all he left behind the machine was two tracks no dips or ridges. he did it all from landscaping to digging basements, all with just a blade. either you know how to run it, or you are just a joystick holder(an don't get no dirty ideas)

 

Keep in mind that the size tractors you are talking about even if they have a loader may not be able to reliably lift a full bucket of sand, gravel, or what have you. Their hydraulics sometimes are simply not rated for that kind of service. Even skid steers of a decent size have trouble. Our NH is about 70hp and it feels squirrely with a full bucket of sand or gravel.

 

Our yard is a bit over 2 acres. I have a 1968 Ford 3000 diesel (Brit built). with power steering and a bucket.

OK I was raised on a rice/cow farm and the 3000 was the smallest tractor on the farm. However with a box blade you can drag gravel, shell dirt to where ever you need. Use the bucket to move over and through places you do not want to tear up. If you are worried about the grass get turf tires. You can add items as turning plow, disk, middle buster, rotor tiller, sub soiler, mower deck. post hold digger, hay fork. ditcher T pole driver, Just to name a few that I have. I have rebuilt the motor 2 times as a winter project..

I have owned a bobcat and as far as an all round unit the tractor wins hand down ...I have been through mud with the tractor that I would be sitting in mud with the bobcat, and when it rains on the Gulf Coast, I have gotten my feet wet going through water on the tractor and the fan kicking spray into my face.

With the bucket I have filled it with gravel, Wet sand and cow *****. I have moved round bales all over the place and never have had a problem. I know for a fact when moving the sand I had it over loaded....nothing has broken yet and it is over 27 years old (added at a later date then when the tractor was bought by my Granddad)

 

If you do not have a good bit of experiance with a skid steer you can tear up more ground/grass and make a mess outa gravel, they are not for a novice and a grass yard for sure. lol

I am all about a 4x4 tractor, plus you get the ability to have 2 lifting points.

But my X brother in law is a bobcat driving fool and that thing is like a extension of his arms. But he has YEARS on it and is impressive to say the least.

I am like a idiot having a seizure when I try to drive it, LMAO at myself. We go neck and neck unloading 1000 lb round bales double stacked off his hay trailer.

But I can haul 2 faster to the hay lot, ha ha and I have a 8 speed trans, catch me it ya can, one gear with a hand throttle.

And its his tractor to boot, anyway I think a tractor would be cheaper and you can use the bucket on the front and then the angle blade on the back at the same time.

Ha ha #2