# skid steers



## haydaddy97 (Jan 27, 2015)

i have a john deere 250 has had some problems going to update to bigger and newer machine but which brand?


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I liked the John Deere 328. I like how you can easily check and take care of fluids and easier to do repairs. I didn't like twisting the handle to engage the function so I would go joystick. I don't care for the air condition condensation drops on the back but she sure blew cold. Overall my favorite skid steer.

I've operated every Bobcat, old and new, they are the best ergonomically but a pain to fix and lube checks. I know the regen is needed excessively on the new 750 and you have to remove the top panels to check coolant. I would have to say the old 863 is my favorite Bobcat.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Have a 864 Bobcat, didn't think the fluids are that hard to check, but tracked instead of tires.

Engine wasn't even that bad to change a few years ago, have worked on a few cars/pickups that were a lot worse.


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

New Holland hands down. One word of caution, DO NOT BUY a model 323. A few dairies I deal with have had nothing but fits , even dealer calls them a joke . L and LS series were very reliable.


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## Bob M (Feb 11, 2012)

We have a New Holland 223 and had enough problems early with it, seems to be better now. we have about 6000hrs on it. I agree the L and LS were good machines. We can usually get close to 10,000 hours out of a New Holland Skidloader, not sure these newer ones will achieve that.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Brother just bought a Cat 226D for the dairy. Very nice machine to run. Doesn't look too bad to service. Engine is a tier 4 cooled egr/dpf. Time will tell how reliable it is. My personal preference for a skid steer is the 18 and XT series Cases. 400s and 400-3s didn't seem too bad either.


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## snowball (Feb 7, 2015)

Gearclash said:


> Brother just bought a Cat 226D for the dairy. Very nice machine to run. Doesn't look too bad to service. Engine is a tier 4 cooled egr/dpf. Time will tell how reliable it is. My personal preference for a skid steer is the 18 and XT series Cases. 400s and 400-3s didn't seem too bad either.


the cat and the xt or 35 series case would be my choice too.. the NH seem to have alot of boom and pins and bushing issues.. always seem to see 1 at the welding shop here getting the pins and bushings replaced or the boom getting welded


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

I have a small Case skid steer, I belive its a 2011 model. The SR series. It has been a great machine so far. Easy to do maintenance and see out of.


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## gearhartfarms82 (May 10, 2015)

How new? We run case but were looking at changing. Right now we have 3 machines and now looking for the 4th.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Current Case and New Holland skid steers are pretty much the same machine, different color paint and options maybe. They seem to have had some problems when they first came out.


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## Lewis Ranch (Jul 15, 2013)

Got a 14' 333e Deere here and it runs smooth. We've only put a little over 100hrs on it but everything is easy to get to and it handles nicely, nice quite cab.


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

steve IN said:


> New Holland hands down. One word of caution, DO NOT BUY a model 323. A few dairies I deal with have had nothing but fits , even dealer calls them a joke . L and LS series were very reliable.


Owned an LX 665 for 8 years. All it needed was routine maintenance. Wish I still had it.


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## bbos2 (Mar 20, 2015)

Case has been good for us. Have an sv modle now. Not much experience with other machines.


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## bhamrick (Jan 4, 2013)

While having only owned Cat and Bobcat tracked machines I can honestly say once we switched to Bobcat we never looked back. Just have proven to be really nice well built and strong machines. I've ran a few other brands of machines and they just didn't compare. We run a half dozen attachments that may have 3 different hydraulic functions and that's where the Bobcat seems to shine for us. The integrated joysticks make it a breeze to run. Doesn't hurt that they seem to be built like a tank. Our dealer over the years has really stood behind their product and gone the extra mile in the occasion that something did go wrong. At the end of the day that matters more to our operation than anything else. Regardless of brand.


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## haydaddy97 (Jan 27, 2015)

thanks everybody for imputs bought a new bobcat s 650 like it a lot so far


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Im curious to your problems as we have a 250 as well


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## Widairy (Jan 1, 2016)

I had a 250 John Deere, started giving me hydraulic problems. I traded it in on a S650 bobcat two years ago. I wish I would have kept the Deere. The bobcat has been mechanically sound but it is sluggish in the boom operation compared to the Deere or my neighbors old 773 bobcat. My S650 has the standard hand and foot control. I hope yours treats you right.


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