Track loader opinions

[OldRedFord]

Im looking at buying a track loader. 

What are the pros and cons between front and rear engine loaders? 

Ones with bevel gear drives and ones with hydrulic travel motors? Which of the two is easier to maintain? 

I'm looking at either Cat 955 or 943 or possibly 953 or a IH 175C. 

Would be for farm use and putting logs on my sawmill and general loading/unloading heavy things off my trailer that a skidsteer won't handle. 

[scsmith42]

You may want to consider an articulating wheel loader. The last time I checked track maintenance costs were around 4X what replacement tires cost for a similar service life.

A track is better at digging, but for log and material handling, for heavier loads I'd want a wheel loader every time.

[moodnacreek]

If I had a track loader [actually I do] it would be parked on wood in a shed while I ran a rubber tired machine 90 per cent of the time. To day an excavator is the focus, dirt bucket off - log grapple on and so on.

[OldRedFord]

I guess there's no one machine that will do all the tasks I've got going on. Maybe get a track loader for now and later sell for a lull? 

[Walnut Beast]

My friend has a CAT 953 and it has been really good for him. It had several thousand hours on it years ago when he got it used. And he has  not really had any problems with it or done much at all. The only problem he had was it getting struck by lightning sitting in a field and the little computer or circuit board under the dash needed replaced. They are very handy. Last time I was around it we moved a monster rock out of a pasture to the farmers house down the road five miles away. It was like five by six miles driving the 953 down the road with the rock. No problem!  We were going to use the dozer and chain to the front blade if the track loader wouldn't have done it.

[moodnacreek]

953's are very productive for sure. I have herd they are hard on engines. Crawlers with hours can be terrible money pits . 

[hedgerow]

Im looking at buying a track loader.

What are the pros and cons between front and rear engine loaders?

Ones with bevel gear drives and ones with hydrulic travel motors? Which of the two is easier to maintain?

I'm looking at either Cat 955 or 943 or possibly 953 or a IH 175C.

Would be for farm use and putting logs on my sawmill and general loading/unloading heavy things off my trailer that a skidsteer won't handle.

I have had a 941B track loader for around fifteen years on the farm. There has been years I put 200 hours on it and years I put 50 hours on it. To me its as handy as a pocket on a shirt. I would stay with a Cat you can get parts for the older machines. I had a Cat mechanic tell me to stay away from the ones with the hyd drive motors. Buy one with good rails. I should have spent more money when I bought mine and got one with better rails but its worked for fifteen years and is worth close to what I paid for it. I did put bearings in the torque converter about eight years ago. Starter, Alt and two sets of battery's. Its been a good machine out here on the farm and at less than thirty thousand pounds not bad to move around.