# Skid Steer Loader advice



## TX Rancher (Oct 31, 2010)

I am currently looking at adding a skid steer loader to our ranch equipment. It would be used for general ranch work and hay baling, both square and round, loading on a trailer and unloading in the barn.

I like our local new Holland dealer and will probably be doing business with them. The loader I am currently looking at is an L223.

I would like to ask for any suggestions on equipment and options to get with his loader. In particular I will like to get opinions on wheel versus track. As previously stated it will be used in a hay operation and I've heard conflicting opinions on track versus wheel in the fields.

Thanks for any help!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Tracks will be much easier on grasslands, get the auxilliary hydraulic hook-up (for third function) on the front so that you can operate a grapple or whatever and in TX I would say A/C will be much appreciated just like it is in TN.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Rubber tracks hands down. I'm not talking the addon aftermarket ones either, ran a neighbors Case skid steer ( i feel so dirty now) in a hay field today, even with his add on rubber tracks, it still tore the field up a lot more than our rubber tracked Bobcat would have.


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## glodal134 (May 20, 2012)

I have had a BobCat for about 18 years, Tracks - 2 buckets - forks - back hoe - Bale spear - and an attachment taht allows us to put our shaver post driver on the loader. The tracks are necessary here in north central ohio the winters get nasty and muddy. we feed beef and goats round and square bales and would not be able to get around in the feed lots. Moving equipment around is a breeze. I blew a hole in the front center of a bucket.. place it in a clevis drop in a pin pick it up and go. We build fence - move snow - move gravel - clean manure out of barns and everything we have is on a pallet ( we don't lift anything ) One more thing I would reccomend rubber tracks steel will really tear up the turf.

Good luck on your purchase


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

The most used attachment we use on the BobCat is the grapple (not hay grapple). If I had known how handy a skid steer was I would have owned one years ago.
My hay barn is a large pole barn.
I can maneuver between the sections with the skid steer to stack rolls of hay. When we have to bale away from here and haul home, we leave the skis steer to unload. It is so much more handy than unloading with a tractor.
During the winter I often feed hay with the grapple.
I have tires and like them. The tracks do make for a smoother ride, less tilting.


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## TessiersFarm (Aug 30, 2009)

We just got a skid steer about a year ago. I have never run a tracked machine much but I love the tires. I don't bring it to the fields at all, not sure how it would be there, but around the farm yard it is awsome. My loader tractor is a JD quick attach and I built an adapter plate to use my JD attachments on the skid steer. I use the bale speer a lot and the skid steer can un-load bales 2 to 1 over a loader tractor on a flat gravel pad. We handle all the squares by hand so no insight there. I got a light materials bucket and it is awsome for cleaning out the barn. We feed out on a small concrete pad during the winter and with the loader tractor we had to turn on the gravel driveway and it was always torn up and had shit ground into the gravel. With the skid steer I back the trailer (either spreader or dump) right up to the pad and the skid steer never leaves the concrete. The other attachment I really like is a rock bucket. It works great for breaking up and loading the pads of hay left behind under the round bale feeders. I use it for firewood and also for moving brush. It has a simple 2 tined grapple which I could take or leave but I do like the bucket. I can load manure 2 to 1 over the loader tractor as well. Actually I haven't even started the loader tractor in 3 weeks or more, now that I think about it. I will use the tractor in the field mostly because it will already be there and I can't see hauling another piece of equipment. The 2 pieces I like the best are the light materials bucket and the rock bucket.

Sorry to be so long winded but it is the best time saver I have bought hands down. I highly recommend one.


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## Hand&Hand Farms (Feb 5, 2011)

Got a JD240 and use it for everything. Clean out chicken houses, load round bales, accumulate and load square bales, clear brush and what ever else rolls around. Get the heavyest grapple you can afford because you wil turn it into a D5 dozer.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

While on the topic of skid steers and attachments, I highly suggest one of these, unless of course you don't have a single tree on your property.






Here is the link to the homepage. http://www.limbhog.com/ We bought one over the winter and you don't realize how far your fencerows are actually encroaching on your fields until you can actually trim those limbs back at the touch of a button, I've probably done three miles of fencerows already in my "spare time".


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

I think it is a given that tracks have an advantage on dirt and turf. What about if the machine is used a good percentage on concrete and pavement? I'm thinking that tires might win out there - if nothing else besides the replacement costs of tires vs. tracks.

I've been wanting a skid steer for quite some time now and have looked at a few used machines. Since we're talking about a piece of machinery that is used in construction and also rental companies, you really have to do your due diligence on anything used.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I still think tracks have an advantage even on hard surfaces. The weight is spread out over more surface so actually each square inch has less weight when turning so erduced skuffing is the result. Besides, I've never seen a tracked skid steer sitting around with a flat track


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## shortrow (Feb 21, 2012)

Bought a used NH lx665 in 2007 for 8000$. Been a good machine for what I've got in it. 10.00 / 16 tires on it, unless it's an absolute mud pit, I can get the work done.


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