skid steer?

[Faron]

It looks like we might have a sizable land clearing job coming up.  We were thinking of getting a skid steer on rubber tracks with a root rake grapple to follow up our dozer.  The skid steer would clean up roots, limbs and small saplings and take them to the pile.  Also we intend to cut some firewood logs, and the skid steer would carry them to a pile.  We have been told we will likely have trouble with puncturing the tracks on roots and stumps. I assume they will then tear. 

Any one using a skid steer under the conditions I am describing?  I know Cedarman  and Okmulch  use them shearing and loading cedar.  Do you find this a major problem?

We have a bidirectional tractor that will work well on a root rake, but I was thinking of using it on our shear to cut the firewood logs rather than having to use a chain saw.

What about a skid steer on rubber tires or metal tracks?  I figured the thing would ride too rough on tires for this kind of work.  Do the metal tracks ride much smoother? 

Any ideas? 

[Norm]

I use our skid steer with rubber tracks for exactly what you are wanting to do. I've not had tons of problems with them although they do get some cuts but no punctures. Biggest problem is the root rake filling up with dirt while using it.

[Cedarman]

Faron, we have a root rake designed for a skid steer.  It works fairly well.  If you want to come over and check it out, that would be fine. We don't use it much, so we could loan it out.  We use tracked skid steers all the time.  Running over stumps and limbs is not a problem.  We also have steel grouser tracks over wheels.  Much rather run the rubber tracks.
Come over for a visit.

[Kansas]

Might be you want to look beyond this job. I don't know what chores you might find for it after the clearing job, but if you never have had a skid steer, you will forever wonder how you got along without one. They do have some different options for tires, including ones you can't puncture. We only run wheeled skid steers just because we spin all the time on concrete in the saw building. But permanent tracks might be better for everything you use it for.  You can also buy metal or rubber tracks to go over the tires. Again, if this is the first time you have owned one, plan on having one for a long time. They grow on you real fast.

The other nice thing is skid steers keep their value at trade off time. Attachments tend to too.

[okmulch]

We are constantly spinning and driving over stumps, limbs and debris. The rubber tracks work great! We get every bit of the life out of the tracks as the manufacture says we should. We finally did away with rubber tires that air up, on our cutting skid steer. Best move and money ever spent. We put a set of Mclaren puncture proof on and with steel grouser tracks over them and it runs great now. We had too much down time popping tires off rims when cutting.

[scsmith42]

I can't speak to the track question, but I have one of these root grapple rake attachments and like it a lot:

http://www.loflinfabrication.com/rootgrapple/

More importantly, earlier this year Loflin provided the most extraordinary customer service to me that I've ever had. 

I bought one of their root grapple's used from the person that had bought it new.  The grapple cylinders were leaking down, so I contacted Loflin and purchased some seal kits for them.  When we went to take the cylinders off the machine, as we removed the guards we discovered that the cylinders were welded, with no easy way to disassemble them for rebuilding.  I contacted the manufacturer to enquire about how to rebuild them, was told that some of their early models had the welded cylinders and that they had made a company decision to warrant the cylinders.  All that I had to do was to removed the old ones and ship them to them, and they would send new ones out at no charge.

That is extraordinary customer service in my book.  About 8 years after the product was made they shipped the second owner about four hundred dollars worth of new, free of charge.

Can't beat that for great service.

[Faron]

Thanks, guys.  Dad was checking on one while picking up some parts.  The salesman told him we would not be happy with rubber tracks.  I kind of thought that ran counter to the way I had seen several here using skid steers. This place sells a lot of construction equipment.  It is hard to tell what some of those outfits might be running over.
Cedarman, I appreciate the invitation. If I can get all this work caught up, I may give you a call and come visit.

[Holmes]

I have a big ASV with tracks, grapple , forks, and 1 yd. bucket and I like it for everything. The tracks do tear up the ground so I do not turn when crossing the lawn. In the woods the only thing I don't like is poor rear visibility. I have been using it lately to reclaim a 3/4 mile long cart path going out to the back of my land. I just push the trees over and pull them out stumps and all , up to 7" hemlocks.

[T Red]

Faron, why did the salesman say he would not be happy with the tracked machine?

[Chris Burchfield]

Tracks are good for when it's wet.  Distributes the weight where just wheels will get stuck.  I don't have one but I've seen both used on construction sites for years.

[Faron]

T Red, his take was while using it in stumps and roots we would puncture the tracks.  I assume he figured they would then tear.  I hope he really believed that, and didn't just have a wheeled machine he wanted to sell us.

No one else I have talked to so far believes we will have that much problem with it .

[250quality]

I had a Cat 257B for 4 years. Rubber tracks are the only way to go. Too many flats and tires off the rim on the old case to count never mind all the times I was stuck.
Only downfall is the when the undercarriage needs rebuild.
Sellit in time like I did and just replace the machine. Way cheaper.