Mini skid steers tracks versus wheels

Ouch! What does 700 hours equate to as far as how long you've owned this thing? Less than a year? It makes it seem like you'd really have to be a gear-head just to be able to afford to stay in business. Kind of frightening.

I guess it all depends on how much revenue such a piece of gear is capable of generating, as to whether it would pay a non-gearhead to own one or not.

Thanks in advance for any answers you choose to provide.

Tim
 
TimBr said:
Ouch! What does 700 hours equate to as far as how long you've owned this thing? Less than a year? It makes it seem like you'd really have to be a gear-head just to be able to afford to stay in business. Kind of frightening.

I guess it all depends on how much revenue such a piece of gear is capable of generating, as to whether it would pay a non-gearhead to own one or not.

Thanks in advance for any answers you choose to provide.

Tim
Click to expand...
I bought my 650tx brand new in August of 2012, and currently I have 1,069 hours on it. Since I carrying it on my truck everyday, I would assume I use it more then most...plus I only run a 2 man crew, use it for all my wood/grindings pick up, and snow work.

I have only replaced the rubber tracks once, and about time to do so again though. Last time I bought Vermeer tracks for about $400 per side. This next time I am going with a aftermarket for about $500 total for both sides. As for the under carriage, I replace 2 of the front wheels...but nothing else yet. Here too, I am probably due to have all the other seals redone, but for now it is working fine.

It is a purchase I have never regretted.

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Hi Tim, my usage of the machine may not be usefully representative; personally I'm ambivalent. I bought it a couple years ago for $9,500 with about 480 hours on it. I don't know how much a gear head would save, as most of the cost in the quote is in parts, which, I suspect, are Vermeer-specific (the labor part is $1,040). Most of the work I've done with it could have been handled by groundies, who need, and would have appreciated, the hours (but over-reliance on groundies creates headaches of a different sort). Unlike a larger skid steer, the mini doesn't help me load log-length pieces suitable for milling. But without other equipment equipment of its kind, I dearly miss it while it's in the shop (it took a week and a half just to get the service quote). I've used it to do a lot of favors for friends and neighbors.
 
Thanks for these answers, climbhightree and Nish. I appreciate your taking the time.

I just did a quick calculation using round numbers for Nish's situation. Calling it $15,000 total investment, 10 for purchase, 5 for maintenance, divided by 220 hours of use, gives a result of around $68.00 per hour of runtime.

Climbhightree never gave an original amount paid for the machine, I don't think, so a calculation isn't possible.

Nish, thanks for the info about the cost of parts vs. labor; that is nice to know.

I understand what you mean about the headaches created by having people doing work instead of machines. I guess it all depends on which approach is appropriate for the kind of work that you do.

Thanks again for the great responses.

Tim
 
TimBr said:
Thanks for these answers, climbhightree and Nish. I appreciate your taking the time.

I just did a quick calculation using round numbers for Nish's situation. Calling it $15,000 total investment, 10 for purchase, 5 for maintenance, divided by 220 hours of use, gives a result of around $68.00 per hour of runtime.

Climbhightree never gave an original amount paid for the machine, I don't think, so a calculation isn't possible.

Nish, thanks for the info about the cost of parts vs. labor; that is nice to know.

I understand what you mean about the headaches created by having people doing work instead of machines. I guess it all depends on which approach is appropriate for the kind of work that you do.

Thanks again for the great responses.

Tim
Click to expand...
Cost brand new was $23,850, not counting forks, bucket, and BMG.

I can load my 11'x7'x4' trailer full of wood in under an hour, and I rarely have to cut the wood up more than what we could lower (4-8' long). To do that by man power, you would have to cut the wood up more and you will spend a lot more time loading...even with mulitiple guys. The same goes for stump grinding clean up. It is also time saving in the chipping operation, especially in any forwarding to the chipper.

No workers comp or wages to pay on a machine the works harder then 2+ men...and doesnt get tired on a long day.


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Wow, great post, climbhightree! I really appreciate all of the great information in the post. It gives a really good feel for how much can be accomplished with the right equipment.

The amount of time that you save just because you don't have to make as many cuts, all by itself, would seem significant, and it reduces the wear and tear on the chainsaws at the same time, it would seem.

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond, it is much appreciated.

Tim
 
TimBr said:
...I just did a quick calculation using round numbers for Nish's situation. Calling it $15,000 total investment, 10 for purchase, 5 for maintenance, divided by 220 hours of use, gives a result of around $68.00 per hour of runtime...
Click to expand...

Don't forget to subtract residual value from the $15k, which I would guess at $12-13k pretty easily. So $3k for 220 hours paints a much more favorable and accurate number. Also, I would think most of the undercarriage wear happened in the previous life, but that offset the purchase price initially.
 
TimBr said:
Wow, great post, climbhightree! I really appreciate all of the great information in the post. It gives a really good feel for how much can be accomplished with the right equipment.

The amount of time that you save just because you don't have to make as many cuts, all by itself, would seem significant, and it reduces the wear and tear on the chainsaws at the same time, it would seem.

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond, it is much appreciated.

Tim
Click to expand...

Tim,
For example doing tree work with a mini, check out my youtube channels below.

Interesting...the signature links don't show up on Tapatalk
 
Also since buying a mini, how many times have you had to take a 2' 400lb piece of wood and cut it in wafers to be able to fight up into the truck by hand. I loved having one but just didn't like the boxer tl224 as much as I did the kanga I had before
 
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