flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
Mini skid steer shopping
- Thread starter JJM IV
- Start date
tc262
Branched out member
- Location
- SE Wisconsin
I don’t know what is in there for the valve body but there is a motor spool. Most valves have interchangeable spools for either a motor or a cylinder spool. Motor spools are open in neutral where cylinder spools are closed or locked.
- Location
- Hampton
I own both, if the wood pile is right by chipper the mini skid will indeed win, grab spin and stuff. Fun times! If tree is in back yard and chipper on the street, on the giant I’ll be finishing up lunch before your done loading plywood back on trailer. Both are great machines and will not disappoint!
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TopNotchEquipment
New member
- Location
- Plymouth
Any choice you make is better than no machine. We sell Avant, Boxer, Cast, Gehl, Giant and Qtrak Loaders, If you have any questions or want comparison information check out our inventory or feel free to contact our sales team.
http://www.topnotchequipment.com/pr...0&SegmentID=&stocknumber=&s=search&industry=4
http://www.topnotchequipment.com/pr...0&SegmentID=&stocknumber=&s=search&industry=4
monkeylove
Been here much more than a while
- Location
- Roslyn, Pa.
So true. They will all make you money and can be traded in or resold later when it's time to upgrade or downgrade. We all know what good used ones cost.
- Location
- Newtown
I'm selling my sk755 that I bought new 5 years ago. It's has 770 hours and is in very good condition. For a 3000 pound machine, it's an absolute tank.
Get a GIANT Brand Manager edition loader from the boys over at Top Notch Equipment! It is more expensive than a Ditch Witch or Vermeer mini-skid, but the difference is the articulation, you don't leave a mark! I highly recommend the Branch Manager Grapple as well, it makes it so easy to feed the chipper and once again, the articulation makes it that much easier! This picture shows us feeding a top with the loader, we don't have to do hardly any dragging by hand.
Attachments
- Location
- Newtown
One of the biggest advantages of a mini skid steer is the ability to hop on and off which I am constantly doing. I could not imagine sitting in a machine and having to climb in and out all day. A couple strategic sheets of plywood solves the lawn damage dilemma.
Once one guy is in the machine, we don't really have to get out because you can pick any piece up from anywhere in the yard anytime. Depending on the situation, I can see where a mini skid would have the advantage, but it's also not too bad to open the side bar and slip out. I found the mini articulating loaders are more versatile.
TopNotchEquipment
New member
- Location
- Plymouth
Thank You Luke
- Location
- cincinnati
I'm looking at the ditch witch SK 1050 and SK 1550. I was recently advised that the larger machines would be too heavy for residential lawns and I would regret the amount of damage control I'd be doing. Does anyone have experience with heavier units being their only mini skid?
You have to look at the ground pressure spec. The 1550 may have either more or less ground pressure than the 1050. It's not a given like it seems it should be. Also, will you outfit the 1050 with narrow tracks for 36" access, or wide tracks, which affects ground pressure also. Ground pressure is the key spec. Look it up in the info sheet.
You can also get the orange turf tracks from McLaren, if they are available in your make/model.
Most guys with nice lawns prefer the Giant units from branch manager, or the avant if the dealer is nearby. Guys who have chippers or fewer nice lawns prefer the mini skids.
flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
We absolutely love our 1050. The only time it really bothers the lawn is when it has rained or when you go full capacity on the grapple. And that’s only because it puts a lot of extra weight on the front idlers. But when it’s dry it really doesn’t bother at all. We have been planting with it all week last week and the only mats we put down sere at the edge of a brand new driveway. It’s amazing what a backpack blower does to remove the traces of a good operator.
SomethingWitty
Arkansawyer
- Location
- LR
We have always had a little Vermeer with a grapple, but that price might make a few extra trips a day worth it. I had no idea that you could find any machines in this category for less than 20k. I'm thinking about getting one for work around the house now...
- Location
- cincinnati
thank you, I demo'd the 1550 today and was definitely impressed. I also demo'd the giant and loved it but I know Ill get stuck in the mud and be pissed! I'm in every variety of lawn but also wooded areas so I'm leaning towards a tracked machine. The 1550 with BMG grapple is seeming like the ticket.
I bought a 1550 end of last year. I ran the 755 for 5 years and ran her hard every time I took her out. The 755 is an incredible little machine and saved me 10s of thousands in labor.
I should be getting a commission of some sort for saying this, I hate to make your local ditch witch dealer extra money with out getting a cut but the sk1550 is in a completely different leugue of its own. An absolute beast of a machine. It's more than twice as capable of the 755 and it's really not that much bigger. I've been running mine and if you ran the smaller units this thing is just as nimble, and I like the wider tracks for more stability. The 1550 can handle what the 755 would max out on easy. It's hard to describe how incredible this machine is.
I wouldn't even consider the 1050, finance the extra, get the weight kit, brush guards, and the 60 inch bucket (half yard which it handles no problem) and call it a day.
I also drive mine in the back of my f550 with ramps.
- Location
- Wayne
Buy a ditch witch they are the best. I have a 755 and a 850.
Bck56 what does your brush guard look like. We custom made one and Jesco the dealer was so impressed they sent pictures to corporate. When I attended the tcia expo 2 years ago when they first showed the sk1550 the reps new are design and brought it up to me. Here is what we made. This has saved are machine numerous times.
Bck56 what does your brush guard look like. We custom made one and Jesco the dealer was so impressed they sent pictures to corporate. When I attended the tcia expo 2 years ago when they first showed the sk1550 the reps new are design and brought it up to me. Here is what we made. This has saved are machine numerous times.
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flyingsquirrel25
Carpal tunnel level member
- Location
- South East, PA
Love it. I was looking at my 1050 yesterday with a piece of cardboard trying to sketch out a nose guard. Looks plenty heavy duty. What is it 1/2” steel by 1.5”? Have you found the upper one necessary (over the hood)? Would love to see a picture of it after it’s been used a bit to see where extra support needs to be. Nice though thanks
I have to take a picture, you can find them online. Pretty heavy duty, folds out to open the hood. Worth the extra $800.
