Mini skid steers tracks versus wheels

climbhightree said:
Looks pretty similar to the Vermeer on dry, maybe yours is slightly better in the long run. As previously stated, I can see how tires would do slightly less damage than tracks on straight runs, and sweeping turns. I just don't think tracks are all that bad if your careful.

The one of the times I used a wheeled unit (and dual sticks for the tracks), I was really annoyed how surface roots threw me all over the place. I was fairly new to mini skids back then.

I did a job today that I feel would have been a nightmare with a wheeled unit.


"Kiss My Axe"
Associate degree in forestry from PSU Mont Alto
Certified Arborist
Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
www.climbhightree.com
https://m.facebook.com/ClimbHighTreeService
https://www.youtube.com/user/climbhightree
https://www.youtube.com/user/2treekiller2
Click to expand...

Wheels may do less damage in the long run but wish I had the pick capacity of some of the tracked units. My wheel machine is great, and I love it... Just wish it could lift a couple hundred more.... And a little higher.
 
ROYCE said:
Tracks are the best. Once you learn how to use them you will never regret having them. You just have to be a wise operator. Do your turning in area's than can get beat up, or lay down plywood.
If you ever get off flat surface or lawns areas and get into woods, you will want the tracks.
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Royce, I'm curious.... what model Dingo do you have? I'm getting serious about shopping for a mini skidsteer, and I want to buy one with enough lifting capacity.
 
treeandland said:
Royce, I'm curious.... what model Dingo do you have? I'm getting serious about shopping for a mini skidsteer, and I want to buy one with enough lifting capacity.
Click to expand...

My Dingo is the TX 425. Great machine, the controls are great for feeding a chipper and grabbing logs. I tried the boxer and hated the controls, terrible for feeding a chipper.
Dingo makes a really good machine and this thing has been bullet proof. We use our Dingo everyday. We use it in rough terrain and use it to carry as much weight as we can manage to lift. I am not sure what it actually lifts, but it is more than the specification of 500 lbs. I would estimate that it can lift about twice that safely and little more than twice that if your a good operator and you have an up hill climb, or throw a buddy on the back with you.
I have the wide tracks. We have worn a set out already. Mine has the kohler engine. They are junk. I have had to replace a head gasket and it cost 1500. Most all that was labor to remove the engine. They did some other stuff at the same time, so it's prob not an extremely accurate price on what the head gasket was, but most of that price was the gasket. They go about every 300 hours. No matter how much you maintain them, they always go. Also, it sucks the gas up like crazy. Like everyday we are filling it up. Now, that's not huge deal , still cheaper than the W/C insurance I would have to pay for another employee. Plus, this thing is like three employees and it makes us $$$, your efficiency is un-believable. I can not do tree work now with out one.
Dingo is coming out with a new one that has a rated lift capacity of 1,000. I image you can life even more than that because they always have a safely factor in with that rating. I would check them out. The new on is the TX1000. Controls are different than mine, but looks really compact.
I would also check out vermeer. They have a built in operator platform and they have joy-stick controls for both the drive function and the loader functions. I would try and demo them if your interested in buying them.

This picture is a 16" hemlock log, approx. 10 feet in length. No problem to lift. How many employees would it take to life this log out of the back yard? How many would then go to the back yard and do it again, and again, and again. Buy one already!!!
 

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ROYCE said:
This picture is a 16" hemlock log, approx. 10 feet in length. No problem to lift. How many employees would it take to life this log out of the back yard? How many would then go to the back yard and do it again, and again, and again. Buy one already!!!
Click to expand...

Just a side note, that you probably know. If you carry the log sideways you can go bigger...least that is how it is for my Vermeer.

"Kiss My Axe"
Associate degree in forestry from PSU Mont Alto
Certified Arborist
Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
www.climbhightree.com
https://m.facebook.com/ClimbHighTreeService
https://www.youtube.com/user/climbhightree
https://www.youtube.com/user/2treekiller2
 
climbhightree said:
Just a side note, that you probably know. If you carry the log sideways you can go bigger...least that is how it is for my Vermeer.

"Kiss My Axe"
Associate degree in forestry from PSU Mont Alto
Certified Arborist
Owner/operator of Climb High Tree Service established in 2002
www.climbhightree.com
https://m.facebook.com/ClimbHighTreeService
https://www.youtube.com/user/climbhightree
https://www.youtube.com/user/2treekiller2
Click to expand...

Yeah, thanks. Keep the load close and low. I posted that picture to show that it can pick that log up that way which is the most stress on the machine. Yes, if I was going to carry a large log I would grab it in the center of the log and curl it in close.
 
Wrong....(re Menchoffer's post)

Typical thread of unhappy owners who made a mistaken purchase and try to talk themselves out of that fact..

You lose the zero turn radius and time associated with your Austin Powers like manuvering with a wheeled machine.

Dump trailers are the key and simply 1 sheet of 3/4 by 8 foot plyboard...cut in half (2 total halfsheets) ...is all that is needed. One turn by the work and one by the dump trailer is generally all that is needed. Veering well fore planned causes little damage with my 2300 lb. Dingo. Wheels...primitive...relatively stupid.

Yeeehawww...I screwed up (again) ...and want the world to know lol

 
treevet said:
Wrong....(re Menchoffer's post)

Typical thread of unhappy owners who made a mistaken purchase and try to talk themselves out of that fact..

You lose the zero turn radius and time associated with your Austin Powers like manuvering with a wheeled machine.

Dump trailers are the key and simply 1 sheet of 3/4 by 8 foot plyboard...cut in half (2 total halfsheets) ...is all that is needed. One turn by the work and one by the dump trailer is generally all that is needed. Veering well fore planned causes little damage with my 2300 lb. Dingo. Wheels...primitive...relatively stupid.

Yeeehawww...I screwed up (again) ...and want the world to know lol

Click to expand...
Treevet, what model Dingo do you have? There's a good chance I'll buy used, as I don't like big monthly payments too much.
 
ROYCE said:
My Dingo is the TX 425. Great machine, the controls are great for feeding a chipper and grabbing logs. I tried the boxer and hated the controls, terrible for feeding a chipper.
Dingo makes a really good machine and this thing has been bullet proof. We use our Dingo everyday. We use it in rough terrain and use it to carry as much weight as we can manage to lift. I am not sure what it actually lifts, but it is more than the specification of 500 lbs. I would estimate that it can lift about twice that safely and little more than twice that if your a good operator and you have an up hill climb, or throw a buddy on the back with you.
I have the wide tracks. We have worn a set out already. Mine has the kohler engine. They are junk. I have had to replace a head gasket and it cost 1500. Most all that was labor to remove the engine. They did some other stuff at the same time, so it's prob not an extremely accurate price on what the head gasket was, but most of that price was the gasket. They go about every 300 hours. No matter how much you maintain them, they always go. Also, it sucks the gas up like crazy. Like everyday we are filling it up. Now, that's not huge deal , still cheaper than the W/C insurance I would have to pay for another employee. Plus, this thing is like three employees and it makes us $$$, your efficiency is un-believable. I can not do tree work now with out one.
Dingo is coming out with a new one that has a rated lift capacity of 1,000. I image you can life even more than that because they always have a safely factor in with that rating. I would check them out. The new on is the TX1000. Controls are different than mine, but looks really compact.
I would also check out vermeer. They have a built in operator platform and they have joy-stick controls for both the drive function and the loader functions. I would try and demo them if your interested in buying them.

This picture is a 16" hemlock log, approx. 10 feet in length. No problem to lift. How many employees would it take to life this log out of the back yard? How many would then go to the back yard and do it again, and again, and again. Buy one already!!!
Click to expand...

Big grapple! Is that a Branch Manager? Is that the attachment you use the most for logs.....or is a conventional grapple useful too. Also, how do the Bobcat mini's measure up? I've seen their specs, but don't know about their reputation.
 
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treeandland said:
Big grapple! Is that a Branch Manager? Is that the attachment you use the most for logs.....or is a conventional grapple useful too. Also, how do the Bobcat mini's measure up? I've seen their specs, but don't know about their reputation.
Click to expand...

Grapple is a BMG. They are pretty good. It has held up really good for me so far with one year use on it. We use that grapple for everything.
 
"No big deal when you have a helper to load / move them, but I'm often the dummy by myself trying to get stuff loaded up in the evening for the next day. "
i know setting it all up takes its own time, but one can move a ridiculous amount of alturnamats or plywood with an arbor trolley
 
Lumberjack said:
I use and sell the BMG, even have a 30 day money back guarantee on them.

http://compactequipmentstore.com/products/branch-manager-grapple

Here are some videos I've shot at work of the BMG.


[/QUOTE


Lumberjack, have you gotten good feedback from people using the BMG on the Bobcat MT55? Is the BMG custom made for that machine because of it's different attachment plate, or do you sell an adapter for it? I'm asking because there's a Bobcat dealer near me in Portland. No Dingo dealers that I know of near me.
Click to expand...
 
I sold a Bobcat MT BMG two weeks ago. We have hangers just for the MT so no adapter is required/it's made for it.

No reason I know of that the BMG won't be just as awesome on the Bobcat minis!
 
Lumberjack said:
I sold a Bobcat MT BMG two weeks ago. We have hangers just for the MT so no adapter is required/it's made for it.

No reason I know of that the BMG won't be just as awesome on the Bobcat minis!
Click to expand...

Carl, thanks for that info. I'm planning to demo one of their mini's this fall. I'll get back to you with more questions I'm sure.
 
treeandland said:
Carl, thanks for that info. I'm planning to demo one of their mini's this fall. I'll get back to you with more questions I'm sure.
Click to expand...

They are built pretty stout the Bob Cat's. A rental company close to me just bought a brand new one. I am very interested in renting it to try it out and see how it operates. I was pretty impressed with it. One dis-advantage is the ride on platform. I find the style that just hangs off the machine really takes a beaten. Where we are very often we use then in the woods. They get caught while backing up on rocks, stumps, and other things and it dents them a lot.
 
ROYCE said:
My Dingo is the TX 425. Great machine, the controls are great for feeding a chipper and grabbing logs. I tried the boxer and hated the controls, terrible for feeding a chipper.
Dingo makes a really good machine and this thing has been bullet proof. We use our Dingo everyday. We use it in rough terrain and use it to carry as much weight as we can manage to lift. I am not sure what it actually lifts, but it is more than the specification of 500 lbs. I would estimate that it can lift about twice that safely and little more than twice that if your a good operator and you have an up hill climb, or throw a buddy on the back with you.
I have the wide tracks. We have worn a set out already. Mine has the kohler engine. They are junk. I have had to replace a head gasket and it cost 1500. Most all that was labor to remove the engine. They did some other stuff at the same time, so it's prob not an extremely accurate price on what the head gasket was, but most of that price was the gasket. They go about every 300 hours. No matter how much you maintain them, they always go. Also, it sucks the gas up like crazy. Like everyday we are filling it up. Now, that's not huge deal , still cheaper than the W/C insurance I would have to pay for another employee. Plus, this thing is like three employees and it makes us $$$, your efficiency is un-believable. I can not do tree work now with out one.
Dingo is coming out with a new one that has a rated lift capacity of 1,000. I image you can life even more than that because they always have a safely factor in with that rating. I would check them out. The new on is the TX1000. Controls are different than mine, but looks really compact.
I would also check out vermeer. They have a built in operator platform and they have joy-stick controls for both the drive function and the loader functions. I would try and demo them if your interested in buying them.

This picture is a 16" hemlock log, approx. 10 feet in length. No problem to lift. How many employees would it take to life this log out of the back yard? How many would then go to the back yard and do it again, and again, and again. Buy one already!!!
Click to expand...
Well said Royce,I feel the same way about our ditch witch sk650. That things a beast and unstoppable. Has a turbo diesel Kubota and a bullet proof pump to go with it. Controls are awesome as well. Try out a ditch witch if you haven't already, they're worth a shot. I've demo'd the dingo tx1000. I was impressed except with the controls, not as user friendly as ditch witch. Salesman said the 1000 lbs was tipping point witch is 33% of lifting cap. Sorry for derail
 
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