Posts
4205
Joined
3/8/2009
Location
Marion, OH
US
Edited Date/Time
9/25/2021 7:04am
Anyone own one or have experience with one? People say they are much more versatile than skid steers. And about half the price....and a third of the price of a compact track loader.
You can buy a new one with a front loader and box blade for about 22,000. Seems like it would be great for light track prep.
You can buy a new one with a front loader and box blade for about 22,000. Seems like it would be great for light track prep.
We have an old 100 horse Massey that I use to chisel and disk our place.
I purchased a cat d3b to built it but sold it and bought a cat 277c track skid steer to maintain.
I also have an old 1986 International s1900 that we custom built the watering system on, works great.
The Shop
Current conditions.
I used a JD 6420 and a Case MX100 (100HP units) to build my track and while I made do, a dozer would have probably been an even better choice for some of it. But these tractors are big enough to shuttle loader buckets of material if you need that. I had some good clay soil on-site but not right by where I wanted some of my jumps, so I had to do a fair bit of digging and shuttling of material. With a full bucket of material they've got enough weight on the front axle to pack in the jumps so they're not loose and breaking down quickly. A rear blade has little value except for the counterbalancing weight they can add and can hinder your ability to form jump ramps as they can dig into the ground behind you. I use a chisel plow and culti-mulcher to break up and re-level the surface.
I have a construction company and also have a compact track loader but find limited use for it at my track. It's pretty good for trimming out jumps as their bucket can be a little easier to control than a tractor loader bucket but a tractor with good hydraulics and a good loader control is almost as good and more versatile all around. My track sits on a hillside so I'm sometimes faced with erosion problems which often require substantial track rework. This requires time that takes away from riding time, so is another reason to consider a higher end machine.
If you start hammering that bucket into unripped soil the fatigue cracks will start appearing because it bends the arms and twists then.
But,my rip and scoop method works,i can move a lot of dirt quickly.
The hydro top link lets you raise it up to a steep angle for clearance.
I've got a Kioti CK20 with loader. 20hp diesel 4x4 tractor. Great for jobs around my 5 ac property. Hydrostatic transmission makes it fun to drive. Bulletproof so far. Had it since about 2005. Make great mtn bike trails and jumps in my woods. Also used the box blade to drag woods courses for the 50cc mini bikes. Not even close to what is needed for a real track.
Minimum in my opinion for maintenance would be at least a Takeuchi TL180 class track skidsteer. 100+ hp.
If you do get one - put Calcium in the tires to add weight.
I had a home track for over 20 years. Had one of these and it only ever pulled a harrow around the track.
Went from a pony motor start dozer to a high track D6 and a skid steer with tracks
You do gotta know how to carry your weight though.
Mine is a international 795 or 695,cant recall,its pretty big,4wd.
Pit Row
I'll let pirate answer your question though.
Anyone have any advice for buying a used bobcat with tracks? Hours, price, best years, features, what to look for?
Maybe not a bobcat but a CAT or....?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEjdIP8UECA
Try this with that toy tractor...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IyydHlUUrQ
This is why a long wheel base heavy wheeled machine with metal tracks sounds desirable.
I had a bobcat 751 that was basically a big shovel. No much power, traction or stability.
After about $1200 of work on the pumps (involved machine work on the servo cylinder, and I knew what I was doing...not all people can do this), the main pump is like new, and I have a beast of a skid steer for less than $20K that will do about anything and will run for another 3000 hours. Oil analysis has been perfect after a few hundred hours.
If you really want to do something trick, build one of these for your tracked steer...oh my....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb2IMq1sKeQ
I been working on my home track with my 32hp kubota
Obviously with a tractor this small anything "big' i try to do takes a long time cause i have to take really really small bites. I would never suggest what i have for a full sized public track. . . But for me at the house it is perfect and affordable. Mow the yard then go build a jump . . .
My tiny slice of heaven
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