Skid Steer shopping for small firewood operation.

[barbender]

I don't know much about the older ASV's, except they had a tendency for the tracks to jump off. A lot of guys around here are still running those. One of my buddies was ASV's factory mechanic for about 8 years so he's a wealth of knowledge on those machines. That may well be high flow.

[danbuendgen]

I just got a email from the owner of that ASV and it has sold. I hate it when people don't take off there adds when the machine sells.....

[danbuendgen]

Here's a few others I want to check out, feel free to give me your thoughts.

Case http://westernmass.craigslist.org/hvo/5690746131.html

Case this one is just out of my price range but looks good. http://nh.craigslist.org/hvd/5749823323.html

Bobcat http://westernmass.craigslist.org/hvo/5784876378.html

Cat http://vermont.craigslist.org/hvo/5799590891.html

Cat http://vermont.craigslist.org/hvo/5799599980.html

JD http://nh.craigslist.org/hvo/5792033177.html

[62oliver]

That Case 1835C has about as solid a reputation as you can get.
The Bobcat is a radial lift version of the 773, with slightly less capacity, another good choice.
I have no experience with Cat.
So you have settled on a radial lift machine? For my purposes that is what I prefer too.

[danbuendgen]

So you have settled on a radial lift machine? For my purposes that is what I prefer too.

To be completely honest I don't know the difference. Or by radial do you mean wheeled?
These are just a few in my price range that don't took totally trashed. I have decided on a wheeled machine for sure.

[62oliver]

http://www.equipmentworld.com/side-by-side-radial-lift-vs-vertical-lift-skid-steers/

here is one article that describes the difference, there is many more out there, just google, they both have their strong points.
It boils down to vertical more suited for lift and carry type work and max height lift. Radial more suited to ground engagement(digging) and mid-height lifting.

[danbuendgen]

Ok, thanks for the info. I had no clue. How can I tell when I look at one if it's radial or vertical??
I guess I don't know what would be better. Maybe the vertical lift for loading split firewood into the truck? But it would be mostly used for moving log length (20' or less) firewood around the yard and snow removal at my place and for a few neighbors. Over all, I guess I don't much care. I guess any one would work just fine.

I just spoke with the guy selling the 98 Case and will be looking at it on Friday.

Anyone know if the 08 Cat has EPA emissions crap at that point??

[Holmes]

 I would be very leery of those 2 cats listed in Vt. Looks like very short money for that new of machines.  The pictures also look like scammers pictures, to good to be true.   Ahearns might work with you some on $. I bought a used Kubota tractor from them and it was as good as they said it would be. It's been excellent .  I have a ASV 4850 , 110 hp tracked 1998 unit I bought used 6 years ago. It has high speed hydraulics , I have not used that yet. Bucket, forks, and grapple bucket. It will move almost anything. I really like it.

[danbuendgen]

Ahearns might work with you some on $. I bought a used Kubota tractor from them and it was as good as they said it would be. It's been excellent.

Thanks for the advice. I agree the Cats seem cheap. I have had come bad run in's with dealers. But if you had good luck with them that makes me feel much better. I think i want to take a look at that one this weekend. My wife is from Mass, and we were going to visit her sister this weekend so I will check it out. THANKS!!!

[62oliver]

When you look from the side at the loader arms there is some kind of a linkage at the back end of the machine that moves the rear pivot point ahead as the bucket is raised. So they also have a few more moving parts/pivot points to grease and wear out.
With the radial lift the bucket starts to go over the cab a bit as it is raised. If you don't have some kind of a bucket levelling system (like that Case 1835C does), you can actually dump something right onto your lap if you're not careful, my neighbour dumped a patio slab on himself with his radial lift bobcat, lucky for him he smashed his glass door!!!
On that Case, the levelling system is those rods you see running on the top of the lift arms.

[danbuendgen]

Ok, now I get it! Thanks.

[Holmes]

 You could call ahearns and ask for the sales man, I use the be honest system, Hi I have $$$$$$ I can spend, I know that is lower than what you are asking , can you put me in that skid steer?

[Ivan49]

Some model of the Cats had electrical problems. I would stay away from the newer BobCats as they are having problems with some of them. If you get a lot of snow and have to run the mach on a side hill hang it up they loose a lot of traction. I have run Bobcats, NH, John Deere, and Cats and Case. Of all of them I liked the cats the best for being able to see what you are doing and for operator comfort. The Case was next in line then the NH. The Bob Cats had a safety bar that if your legs are short and the seat is ahead it will catch you under the ribs and to me it felt like you was running on 2 wheels as it bounced so much. I bought an older NH so I did not have to deal with all the computer stuff

[North River Energy]

Don't recall which models or years, but CAT had a serious problem with premature engine failure on account of oil starvation. That might account for low hour machines with new engines.

The Bobcat and Case machines you posted had long production runs, so they obviously worked well for many users. Both are good options, but it probably comes down to local dealer support, and preference of hand or foot control.

I got a very good deal on my Bobcat partly because the previous owner had spent so much time in a Bell harvester that he didn't want to retrain his feet just to shovel dirt.  :D

No doubt you'll appreciate whatever you buy, but you might want to rent one for a representative job, and consider those hours in the seat as research dollars well spent.
And +1 on bucket leveling. Don't know about the Case, but you can turn it on and off on the Bobcat. That choice comes in handy from time to time.
If you plan on loading splits with a rock/tine bucket, bear in mind that you lose a lot of dump height due to the extended length of the bucket floor.

[danbuendgen]

Thanks for all the info and tips.
At this point I'm leaning towards the newer Case with the over tire tracks. I'm going to check it out, and if I like it, just offer my 15k. If they don't go for it, keep shopping around. I can always come back to it, and look into financing the last few grand for it. With the way the economy is, it's not a good sellers market. So I have that in my favor.

[NWP]

I have 4700 hours on my 1845c. Great machine. I wouldn't get anything with a smaller capacity than the 1845 otherwise you'll be disappointed.  Also, get a good grapple for it. I use a Bobcat industrial tine grapple. Virtually indestructible.

[Ivan49]

 Talk to them and they may let you try it out for a few days or a week. When I was looking dealers were bring machines out for me to try for a week at a time.. I still don't know how a couple of them knew I was looking at machines. The salesman stopped by one day and talked next day. One time I had 3 different machines in the yard at one time.

[barbender]

The Case 1845 looks pretty straight. I have a buddy looking for one, if that machine was available locally he'd probably go buy it tomorrow. The 40xt is a decent machine too, a little more complicated but still solid. It basically replaced the 1845 in Case's lineup.  The 1845 has a mechanical auto bucket leveling. The 40xt has an electronic leveling system I think, and it might have been optional. The smaller 1800 series machines lacked any kind of leveling system, so yes, you could put a load in your lap. Vertical lift can be nice, especially if your loading tall trucks (we used to load tandem end dumps all the time, the Cat 287 could really reach across the box of the truck, so you didn't have to push the load to the other side). Cat definitely had some engine failures with the little Perkapillar, ours had the oil pump failure at around 1200 hours I think (caused major engine damage requiring a top end rebuild). Same engine in the RC model ASV machines. Another nick on that engine I have heard is that the turbo costs more than an engine if it goes out. I really liked that Cat machine otherwise.  If money were no object, and I could get a brand new machine tomorrow, it would probably be the Cat 279 or 289. Cat rubber track undercarriage, 279 is radial lift, 289 is vertical lift. Radial lift is generally recommended for machines doing heavy digging, but the 287 had vertical lift and saw some major punishment without any problems, so I don't know that it really matters. Enough skid loader rambling by me tonight ;)

[NWP]

I had a 440 case and its leveling system was controlled hydraulically. I had a spring break inside the valve and tear up the spool valve twice. I traded it on my current SV250 after that.

[danbuendgen]

With the 1845c and the 40XT, how much weight can they lift? Would it have the snot to lift a good size pine or hardwood log? Like I have said, I would be using it for moving around firewood, but I have a buddy that does tree service work and he would hire me here and there to help him on big tree removals. So it would need to be able to move a lot around. So far I'm leaning towards the Case machines, I like the Cummins in them also. I already am very familiar with those engines and have a lot of filters kicking around for them too.
Thanks everyone!

[4x4American]

They say operating load is 1740 and the tipping load is 3500 or so.  The one I run dodnt give me any problems but I mainly ever moved dirt with it. 

I just remembered that there is or maybe was a john deere skidsteer for sale on rt going into whitehall.  Looked fairly clean.  Might be able to find it on craigslist

[Ivan49]

With the 1845c and the 40XT, how much weight can they lift? Would it have the snot to lift a good size pine or hardwood log? Like I have said, I would be using it for moving around firewood, but I have a buddy that does tree service work and he would hire me here and there to help him on big tree removals. So it would need to be able to move a lot around. So far I'm leaning towards the Case machines, I like the Cummins in them also. I already am very familiar with those engines and have a lot of filters kicking around for them too.
Thanks everyone!

I used a 1845 Case on one job I had and I picked up green oak logs that were over 25 inch dia and 10 foot long and put on the sawmill. I would not want to try and load them on a truck with it. Just remember when you are near the tipping point weight wise DO NOT BACK UP. I stood mine on its nose a couple of times. These machines will outlift what the book says it will but you want to do it safely

[62oliver]

My old bobcat is only rated at 1300lbs. so especially when I used it in the bush I was always pushing it beyond it's limits. I would carry whatever the grapple would hold and the back wheels would be up in the air the whole time. Skids can be sketchy/ fun to run, wear your seatbelt, and when you stand it on its nose, remain calm and slowly put your boom down!!! .
  You'll get used to it (ya, I probably need a bigger machine :D)
Something to keep in mind, the Case skid radiators are in the back, and if you use it in the bush you should take measures to protect it from jamming sticks thru, bobcats have a solid door in back, rads are on top.

[hedgerow]

My old bobcat is only rated at 1300lbs. so especially when I used it in the bush I was always pushing it beyond it's limits. I would carry whatever the grapple would hold and the back wheels would be up in the air the whole time. Skids can be sketchy/ fun to run, wear your seatbelt, and when you stand it on its nose, remain calm and slowly put your boom down!!! .
  You'll get used to it (ya, I probably need a bigger machine :D)
Something to keep in mind, the Case skid radiators are in the back, and if you use it in the bush you should take measures to protect it from jamming sticks thru, bobcats have a solid door in back, rads are on top.

You took the words out of my mouth about the radiators. I looked at Case in 2011 when I bought my 750 Bobcat and thought of damaging rad was the reason I stayed away from case and new holland. I knew most of the hours on this machine would be running a tree saw and grapple in the bush.There rad aren't protected enough. I wish the bobcat had a reverse on the hyd fan to clean the rad and coolers out.

[danbuendgen]

Thanks for the tip. But I don't plan on taking it in the woods at all. Just at the wood yard and the occasional tree service job. If I could get a hi-flow machine, maybe I could see renting a forestry mower for it, but that would be a long ways off. And if I do go into the brush, I will need to reinforce the radeator area to keep sticks at bay.

Thanks to everyone for all the comments. I figured a few folks would chime in, but had no idea that this thread would get to be 3 pages long!