Mini Skid | Tracks or Tyres???

TrevMcRev

Narrowing down a decision on a mini skid i have some questions.

What are peoples opinions on tracks vs tyres?

I'd want least ground damage possible.

Other option is a mini articulated loader...like this one

Morbark - RSA

I know that all my customers in Victoria use wheelled machines as they are cheaper to buy, run and do far less ground damage.

I've never looked into them at all but thats the impression I get with everyone I work with.

Drouin Tree Service

Wheels for less damage by a long long way.

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Drouin Tree Services | Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland | Landclearing Melbourne

TrevMcRev

See i'm also being told tracks are lower impact

We work in some nice yards that i wouldnt want to chew up, so i dont know...

Most the wheeled units seem to be wider too, over 1m. I'd want to get through gates as much as possible. Tracked units come in 850mm.

Drouin Tree Service

Depends on how much turning your doing,with trees theres always multiple trips and tracks chew up more turning.Unless you want to carry around a decent mat for the tracked machine to turn on.I wouldnt consider a track machine but get a demo.

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Drouin Tree Services | Excavator Hire - Drouin and SE Gippsland | Landclearing Melbourne

Willard Holmen

From my research on mini skids when you have a 230 KG [500 lb] log in the grapple tyres will rut more even in a straight line of travel. Tracks for sure would do less rutting in this situation, especially on those beautiful landscaped lawns. If the owner only operates it I'm sure with his attention and care turning can be done with no damage with those tracked machines.

Eric Frei

I run turf tyres, tracks chew the shit out of lawn even in a straight line.

You can even get some fancy tyres that are like street radial pattern not chunky off road, mine are a little inbetween.

Sometimes I do like a 15 point turn to turn around so I dont chew grass, but tracks will chew it.

In the wet or sandy/boggy tracks are better as less weight PSI on grass, however the latest news is we are now going back to drought conditions with an El Nino here, we copped 26C here today and I got a lil burned.

SO consider your weather too, for some rainy bog hole like Ballarat tracks could be best.

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TrevMcRev

What about this new Kanga remote control one!



And are these kanga tracks removable? Like can you easily swap back & forth to suit the job?

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TrevMcRev

i know Treevet works in some nice yards & uses a track machine w grapple.

Like to know your feedback on this one TV, other than painting it orange of course

rick

A couple of fencing contractors around here (T/bred stud and farm work) have gone to tracks and wish they'd stayed with tyred ones.
The rubber tracks wear out a lot faster and are much more exxy to replace apparently.

TrevMcRev

Good point rick, another serious consideration there. I bet new tracks cost a bomb. Good to know what people who have run both say too.

Eric Frei

Trev, they are removable but they're sort of hard plastic not forgive-able rubber, they dont climb rocks/stairs that well.

Forget the remote bullshit, you need man space on the back for counterweight, remote will be slow, cumbersome, frustrating and limiting your capacity I assure you.

Be aware Kanga do make a larger machine than mine, similar to the one in your picture, check the widths, mine is 1000mm widest point. Access is everything, as you get bigger the opportunity to get into yards decreases. You can get small bobcats at 1200mm wide these days.

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Apocalypsse

Those small bobcats, are they the Toyota ones you see @ Kennards Hire? I know someone who worked there, said they were the worst machines ever, they bounce big time when turning and have a tendancy to rollover.

Willard Holmen

You fellows Down Under invented the mini skid steer, and I think the Muck Truck too.
You don't have to go too far for good advice.

Willard Holmen

I have 5 pages of all the different mini-skids on the market. If you do your research you can end up with the one best for your application. ASV RC-30 Turf Edition looks like a good one.
But as the old saying goes a machine is only as good as its operator. In my work application I work on alot of lawns, I still believe the track unit is the best for not rutting up an expensive lawn or park.
If you enter a work area over lawn for example travelling straight in pick up your load and back straight out you would then have less or no turf damage done.
If you have to turn on turf then throw some mats down. If you think about it , a little torn grass is alot cheaper to repair then 2 deep ruts the entire length of the jobsite.

Eric Frei

I avoid driving in the same wheel rut, I try to drive like ya mamma rolling pastry!

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kimtree

For no or limited ground damage id go articulated.the avant 200 looks to small though,how about a schaffer 2026

TrevMcRev

Your one looks great dave, but we work in a lot of tighter yards too, so i'm torn between small enough to fit in & big enough to load what we need....

I dont want to go too big & find we still cant use it 1/2 the time due to access but i also dont want a piddler that cant cut it when you do have the room.

I agree though that artic. is the way to go

I think avant do a narrower wheel for the next size up from the 200, which does look a bit like a toy.

kimtree

You can get the 2026[now2027]in widths 855mm-1240mm or a slightly smaller 2021 790mm.id imagine youd have to be more careful going around corners though.

TrevMcRev

Thanks dave, i'll check them out. Any idea on price ranges?

kimtree

i think i paid about $46000 for mine a 15 months ago.you'd maybe get a better deal now times being tough and all that.
mine come with forks 4in 1 big mulch bucket and a spreader bar
the bmg i got later

Eric Frei

Big advantage miniloaders have is low height, I often get mine under houses, stairs, fences etc. If it was a full height I wouldn't get under a lot of stuff, we have many high set queenlanders here.

Many times I have to hop off the back and walk behind the machine whilst it just goes under something. Just another thing for you to consider.

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kimtree

Just about every loader will be a bit of a compremise,but for minimal ground damage articulated with turf tyres cannot be beaten.ASV would proberly disagree.
my machine is taller than a dingo but the rops can be temperally dropped not that we have ever had to do it

danm

Some photos of Ekka's machine squeezing through a tight space (with a little digging required), doing the job and the aftermath..

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treevet

We are just really happy with our 525tx Dingo (narrow). We also have a Bobcat MT50 with the BMG. The Dingo has the Toro grapple. The Dingo is very refined and precise on movement and lighter than most. Cannot imagine the wheeled unit being easier on lawn than this one. It gets in less than 35 inch opening. It will probably pick up 1500lbs. but you have to figure that in the lawn impact with those lifts.

If you can make sure you have a few dry days prior to the job and even ask the client to keep off the sprinkler system this makes a big dif. Lay a sheet of plywood in strategic places. A lot of this is common sense and operator skill like Eric mentioned. Finesse is part of the job.

I vote tracked. Orange you happy I replied Trev?

TrevMcRev

Thanks treevet

Good to know. See the narrow track unit opens up access through smaller gates that the others cant get to. The 525 is a kubota diesel right???

Ok... so another aspect of desicion would be.......

Diesel or Petrol

treevet

Yes on the Kubota diesel Trev and I think it gives more torque and longevity.

Had a service tech by my place last week and he also said the wide track (non narrow) is more apt to throws tracks than the narrow.

As for the grapples. We really like the Dingo one for picking up logs as it is stationary and horizontal so easier to grab, but the BMG is better for dragging brush and inserting into the chipper chute. We actually have to get off and choke the brush with the Dingo.

Either way....wouldn't suggest getting a unit with out any grapple. It makes the machine come alive in usefulness.

Eric Frei

Diesel loader stuffs it up when you have a petrol stump grinder attachment.

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rick

Further to my original comments, it sounds like a straight turf situation would be fine with the tracks, the local fella's say it's rocks that give them grief and tear up the tracks.

Therrin

I know nothing about this topic.
(that having been said...)

Tracked!!! Cuz it looks cool! You want to look cool dont you???

And while I'm at it, go for the bigger model. Just get a crane too, for dropping it in and out of yards with narrow access.