wheels mini skid

[Francois Gagnon]

Hello Guys.
I am looking for input, pros and cons on any of these 3 machines used with the branch manager grapple: toro dingo 323, the zhan r300 and the giant sk211. We are a small business operating in canada where trees are small to medium, so the need for a bigger machine is not an issue. I know that tracks machines are usually preferred but we need more of a turf friendly approach.
Any info wathesoever on them used with the bmg would be greatly appreciated
Thanx
Franck

 

[SuperK]

Hey Franck i have a ramrod 900t with a bmg and its pretty great. The lifting capacity isnt anywhere close to the bigger track ones but it does serve a purpose.

It is wheeled and it does alright on turf you still have to be careful with turns. I know alot of guys run the tracked minis too and can leave little to no damage too but also mats help a lot.

I have run only a 525 toro tracked loader and its okay not my first choice, the controls are weird.

Might not be too helpful but i am sure lots of others will chime in, plus there is a mini skid thread that is pretty good!!

 

[monkeylove]

I own a 323 and can screw up a lawn like it was my job. Lawn damage aka turf friendly is so much more than the choice between wheels or tracks. Now after saying that.... if turf friendly was my #1 goal I would take an Avant or other articulated wheel load.

 

[TCtreeswinger]

We put turf tires on in summer when we had the 323, wide turns are still your friend

 

[monkeylove]

I actually just put 8 ply trailer tires on mine. New tire and rims $200 total. So far they have worked well when plowing snow with the 323 and seam to work well on lawns to.

 

[flyingsquirrel25]

I have a thomas 25G on wheels (since upgraded to a large track buggy). It was a great machine and with a little care lawn damage was not a problem for us. Frank is absolutely correct though turf friendly is not as much the choice of which machine to buy, but a it’s a skill learned by running that machine. It’s setting your jobs up correctly, starting out dressed for success not at a disadvantage. There are a ton of little tricks that guys that make due with wheel mini skids get by with. And in the end I don’t care which machine you buy, tracks, wheels or articulated if you have the weather we have now turf damage is either a given or leave it at home! We can hardly walk on a lawn right now without screwing it up.

 

[Sti2.5ldohc]

I actually just put 8 ply trailer tires on mine. New tire and rims $200 total. So far they have worked well when plowing snow with the 323 and seam to work well on lawns to.

Sounds like a great deal. What size was the tire and rim?

 

[monkeylove]

Sounds like a great deal. What size was the tire and rim?

205/65-10 (20.5 x 8.0 - 10)

Now I should add that I needed spacers also, but I new that going in. Trailer rims have different offsets. However I knew if I ever got OTT tracks I would need spacers anyway. I think the spacers ran me another $100 for the set of 4.