Tractor Vs Skid Loader - Which One Do You Need?

Tractor Vs Skid Loader - Which One Do You Need?
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[@RockhillfarmYT]

Check out more of our tractor videos here: kzbin.info/aero/PLmYnhJtNUq7c2n8UTJASTf9qJQXQ_ngFP Check out the Rockhill farm Facebook group here: facebook.com/groups/1270496403596230/ Rockhill Farm is a daily equipment and rural living vlog. We mainly focus on tractors and working outdoors. I really appreciate you taking time to watch this video. If you enjoy this type of content Check out some of the following links to support our channel. If you are interested in a rock Hill Farms T-shirt check out our merch store rockhill-farm.creator-spring.com/listing/rockhill-farm-logo Please subscribe to our channel here: kzbin.info Follow on Facebook at facebook.com/Rock-Hill-Farm-102050688356056/ You can now support the channel by buying us a coffee at the following link: www.buymeacoffee.com/rockhillfarm

[@JCWren]

You need both! And a mini-ex!

[@toddcaskey9984]

Ditto

[@lonewolfFirearms]

Exactly!!

[@daviddunn1923]

Most of us don’t “need” all three. We just want them!

[@ibwaldo]

What I need is a high dollar, winning lottery ticket 👍

[@DaileyWoodworks]

Me too. Obtaining more money would solve many of my problems

[@jimmerrithew453]

Amen.

[@kenebarb5377]

Yeah

[@toddspindler568]

I would say buy a tractor and if need comes up just rent the skid steer when specific project comes up. Great content!

[@danielchambers1958]

Good analysis Sir . . . I have a sub compact tractor and my neighbor has a Bobcat . . . I just need another friend/neighbor to buy an excavator . . . lol. Have a great day!

[@DaileyWoodworks]

Great points. I have a JD 4044r and even with the 2200lbs lift I still find it's not enough sometimes. It comes down to the classic "Jack of all trades" vs a specialist. A modern compact tractor is a mower, backhoe, forklift, grader, grapple, etc, etc, etc. A skid loader can also do a ton of things but not as many as a tractor. A more specialized tool will always do those jobs better than a more general tool. I'd love to have a tractor, skid loader, mini excavator, fork lift, but I can't afford all that so having it all rolled into a tractor works best for me. I also just "play" on the weekends. If I was running a business I'd be getting the specialized tools

[@tomhaire4758]

Good comparison Brock, one other thing is it is much easier to go out and rent a skid loader to move dirt and do some of that work than it is to rent a good tractor.

[@douglasjackson1998]

Josh, the Stoney Ridge Farmer asked a similar question recently, and came up with a slightly different answer. The difference in the answers is certainly due in no small part to the difference in how the question is asked. But still, the different answers are enlightening.

[@jeffshiner6087]

Great video! The easy answer is you need ALL the machines... cause machines are so much fun. That said, real life comes into the equation so... I'd get the tractor first in most scenarios and then a compact excavator second.

[@TomKD0QKK]

You nailed it. For the small farm a tractor, most of the time, makes the most sense. If you're operating to make money go with a skid steer. The only time we used tractors on construction sites was finish grading for sod or to pull a blade to clean streets. However, on my farm, a skid steer is too much; too much cost, too much weight and too much discomfort.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Thanks Brock for the thorough comparison (from a channel I trust to shoot straight). You covered all of my practical considerations. I’m leaning toward the skiddy, since I’m developing raw land (20 acres.) into a homesite. Lots of work. Easily 750 hours, probably more. I’ll rent a mini-ex for a few week-long sessions. I’ll probably sell the skiddy after a year or two, then get a large compact tractor. Thanks for including cost to maintain & resale value estimates. Important considerations for my circumstances. If only I could afford both….

[@marvindiamonjr.9631]

I think I would choose the tractor, a skidloader, and an excavator. Problem solved. Except for the money. I'm still working on that part.

[@daviddunn1923]

I appreciate your comparison and assessment. Great job on this video! Thanks!

[@andrewanderson1436]

I think everyone will say one is better than the other. I look at it like this. You buy a nice tool kit. Has 1/2in, 3/8in and 1/4in drive ratchets. Skidsteer , tractor, mower. The sockets are the implements. Sometimes you need it all or you get a specific one to do what you need

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Good analogy

[@nicholastuttle2445]

I used to just use my tractor but after I got some cash from logging I bought a used Bobcat T870. It does things I could never do before, the grapple lets me pull trees out of the ground. Though it still can't mow large areas, pull balers, and it uses a lot of fuel. Its lift capacity and pushing power is so much higher I could never use my tractor for what it does. But I have over 300 acres to maintain and cleanup from a tornado that will take years to finish.

[@PeeksPeakHobbyHomestead]

What's with the clean shirt? You're gonna draw the wrong crowd... 😂

[@T_Humphries]

And a clean hair cut too??, I wasn't sure I was on the right channel

[@jimmerrithew453]

Great video and thorough analysis. One point you didn't mention is that, if you are doing jobs where you are in and out of the cab, the tractor is more accessible. Age is catching up with me. It is very difficult to get up and into the skidsteer seat, safely.

[@T_Humphries]

That's a good point that our buddy won't realize for another 20-25 years

[@TheDumpTrailerGuyLLC]

Tractors are for maintaining personal property, skid steer's are for making money and getting stuff done fast. Tractors are for people who want a hobby.

[@earthbreaker]

I own both and would say tractor can do a lot more different jobs.. Plus tractor doesn't rip the hell out of the yard turning.

[@dustdevl1043]

I don't have a property big enough for a tractor or a skid loader, but I sure have fun watching you play on yours!

[@decline1129]

Wish I could justify/afford a track loader. Always wanted one. I mostly do high end turf management with my tractor (verticutting,etc.) and seasonal brush cleanup so it wouldn’t make sense for me, but I’d still love one.

[@woofy548]

Really the biggest downfall of the skid loader is how bad they tear up the ground. Other than that, they'll work circles around a tractor.

[@lordchaa1598]

Both, the answer is both

[@wesyoung8415]

100% spot on. I have both and I agree with every point you made. The skid loader is a beast and can do lots of severe work but isn’t nearly as comfortable to use. It definitely will depend on what jobs you do regularly. I have lots of grass to cut so I spend much more time on the tractor than the loader. The point you made about knowing where the loader had been made me laugh. No matter how gently you turn the loader it by nature deforms the ground in some way. Great review keep the interesting content coming.

[@Ethan-he9nb]

I think you nailed it. The smaller tractors are like a swiss army knife. My thoughts are, if you want to do mulching, grading or anything that requires constant heavy ground or loader work the skid steer is the obvious choice.

[@ismaelgonzalez3501]

Brock, I think your spot on, I have the John Deere 2038R and love it too. But at times I wish for a skid loader, I just can’t justify the cost & don’t have the work for it. Great video by the way! Thank God he’s blessed you with both. On a different note I love seeing your DAD working with you, he reminds me of mine! 0:01

[@ittybittytractorworks]

Another great video! Always wanted to justify buying a skid loader/ or compact excavator but as of right now compact tractor is all I can afford. Over the last year of ownership my 2022 Massey Ferguson 1825e have generated enough cash flow to cover all of the monthly payments and repair bills as well as made some extra cash for new attachments. At this point in my life having full time sales job and not being able to take on a lot of side jobs compact tractor is the right tool for me.

[@Gzus]

I loved this video! You may have felt like it was all over the place, but it really just nails down that it's not a clearcut decision on "which is better", but very situational. Great video, Brock!

[@PineyGroveHomestead]

Brock, my dear friend, we've had this discussion so many times. Sell the skid steer and buy a mini-excavator. You're welcome. Tractor Hard! 🚜💪!

[@SetitesTechAdventures]

Agreed and great video. You mentioned everything I found doing my research early on. Attachments are much more expensive, gas consumption is much higher, and its just more power than is needed for most things. Skid loaders should not be your first/only purchase for "taking care of a property". It's great to rent/hire when you need to clear a plot or shape a property, or to buy as a second machine. It can be a first machine if you have all the monies but if you have all the monies you can buy all the machines :)

[@curtanderson8655]

Both are great for what they do. We have a BX and it fits what we do which is mostly snow plowing. We do use it in the summer for some projects. If by chance, we can go rent a skid steer. We have learned to rent before buying to see if we need to buy it or is renting good enough.

[@stevenerickson5449]

Both, tractors for brush mowing, rototilling, fork, etc. track or wheeled loader are best for rock and dirt work. I have a JD4052r but want to add a skiddy.

[@ejkjr.4694]

Great explanation on both I have a tractor but a skid steer would be very handy

[@jasonpinnix1905]

My smallest tractor is a kubota MX 5100

[@anthonymartin9672]

I don't have allot of land or hard work to do. I really enjoy my JD 1025r. It is actually fun to mow with the mid mower deck. It is fairly maneuverable too.

[@swashington942]

That’s basically a glorified lawn mower.

[@anthonymartin9672]

@@swashington942 You trying to make a point or just being an ass? That is what I could afford and it has served me well. I have a loader, box blade, pallet forks and the belly mower.

[@johngersna3263]

Good morning again Brock. For me the tractor is the answer to my prayers. I have a 2007 John Deere 2305 and it will do anything that I ask of it. That being said I only have a small property and I'm retired so the track loader is a nice machine but for a home owner I believe that the tractor is the way to go. For a small land owner the versatility is amazing and almost limitless. It's like all machines built into one. Is it the best at every job? No, not by a long shot but it can do almost every job. Just my two cents. Do I wish that I had both, you betcha but it wouldn't be feasible. God bless and have a wonderful day. 😊👍👍

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

Both...Skid for building Tractor for maintenance and crops.

[@peteanderson1714]

interesting topic

[@jeremyj612]

Nice job Brock. Only thing I’d add is transportation. You can use a cheaper truck & trailer, and the tractor is much easier to transport. Also, you won’t need a CDL with the tractor, which is a pain and not free. Won’t apply to someone using it on their own property, but for a lot of us it’s a consideration.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Good Point. I meant to talk about that and forgot

[@ArtietheArchon]

don't remember if you touched on this but the tractor will cover distance much faster and more comfortably than the skid steer if that becomes important

[@jasonpinnix1905]

Both and lots of them lol😂

[@duckman5849]

If someone is asking if they need a skid steer for their property they have no business getting one.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Good explanations, Brock.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Thanks Chad

[@genewilliams7497]

Tractors for me……. And my 550H model JD Dozer in lieu of the skid steer. In my experience the hydro coolers are not large enough to run a forestry mulched for very long periods with out the fluid getting too hot…. You need to add the additional cooling package & related equipment to have a real machine for hi flow equipment. You can also road tractors anywhere and you can get a skid loader stuck pretty easy it has almost no ground clearance. Good video and comparisons 👍👍👍🔥🔥🔥

[@genewilliams7497]

The. 325G has almost twice the hp as your compact tractor does so it’s really an apple vs. orange compare to your tractor.. also there will be less ground pressure with the tracks than the tractor tires typically so you would get more dirt compaction using the tractor.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Yeah, it would get more compaction in theory, but in reality, you don’t have a compacted workable area after driving over it with my tractor like you do with the skid loader

[@genewilliams7497]

👍👍

[@frankdrahos8569]

Excellent video. I can do lots of tasks with my Swiss Army knife. Are my individual hand tools better at their separate tasks? Of course, but not a single one of those can do all the things that the Swiss Army knife can. So unless I carry my toolbox everywhere…. The compact tractor is the Swiss Army knife of equipment.

[@jareds6611]

The biggest advantages for me is a skid loader is a natural grading machine. A tractor sucks at grading especially on uneven ground. But I use my tractors more than the skid loader. The other major disadvantage is a tractor is unstable on hills and I have lots of hills.

[@lordchaa1598]

I have a lot of hills as well, but I find they feel just as unstable on the skid steer as it does with our AG tractors. So far the only machine I feel comfortable on our steepest hills is my lx2610 with counter balance. She’s small enough to get to hard to reach places and she’s light enough so she won’t get bogged down on wet hills. No machine is perfect, unless you design it to do a single task, we have a custom old combine that my grandfather fabricated into a 4 wheel independent air and hydraulic suspension and even has hydraulics to self level the machine as you tackle a hill. He swapped out the front attachment and fabricated a multi-directional with float multi blade bush hog/hay cutter/finish mower. We only used it on hills and nothing else, it was truly an amazing machine. Unfortunately, my grandfather was the only one who knew how to fix and maintain it and he recently passed away almost a year ago. So now everyone is afraid to use it because we’re afraid we’ll break it and never get to use it again. We’re still going through his files and haven’t located the schematics and engineering drawings and notes. I can’t wait to be able to use that beast of a machine again, I’m sure I’ll be balling my eyes out on its first run, but it will be a complex mixture of tears of sadness and pure joy. Apologies for rambling, I just like to brag about my grandfather’s machine. Edit: it also could be that I’m not nearly as comfortable in a skid steer as I am on tractors. My brother in law is able to grade and move ground on slopes I’d never use my Lx on, I guess it boils down to getting more hours in a skid steer for me to make an adequate comparison.

[@ThriftyGarage]

I'd rather have a CTL and Compact Excavator than a tractor. But at 3x the price for the pair that's a hard choice. $$$ is definitely a consideration!

[@soulis1000]

What about a wheeled skidloader, what your thought about that comparison?

[@jimmcknight3021]

I think a tractor is the best all-around equipment. A middle ground approach could be the small Bobcat articulated wheel loader. More hydraulic capability and lift capacity like a skid steer, but a lighter footprint like a compact tractor. I would still want the compact tractor even with a small loader.

[@jasonpinnix1905]

Oh and a few excavators

[@lefthandedleprechaun8702]

Tractor ... easy

[@charlesperry1051]

Interesting video. I have just over 5 acres, 2 cleared, and have a subcompact tractor. The things I can do with it is amazing with all of my attachments BUT when it comes to thinking about clearing the other 3 acres and making them accessible, it is not the right tool. I am in east Tennessee so level ground is not an option. I need to install culverts, cut roads, etc; on top of clearing all of the growth below a certain size. Definitely a job for a skid loader. Will a I buy a skid loader? Probably not. I will likely pay someone to do the work and then my tractor will suffice for day to day tasks.

[@nlynch55]

Lift capacity was a big factor for me choosing the Branson (now TYM) 2515H. 25hp with 2000 lbs lift capacity. I would love to have a skid steer but i can’t justify the cost right now.

[@RockhillfarmYT]

As I look at the tractor market and kind of try to determine where the values are, I’m blown away by that 2515. I’m looking for a drawback on it and don’t see a lot.

[@kipcudd7253]

Cost of attachments a Lot $$$$$ skid steer.

[@timsimon6595]

If you had a 4 series that could be the compromise. You can make that work in your application. Has the list height, good lift weight. Machine loaded up close to 6,000lbs. Small enough to do anything your small machine can do but some big boy power

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Exactly. If I could only have one machine, it would be a 60 hp hydrostatic tractor.

[@johnpope4464]

Pros an cons to both of them

[@kdegraa]

If it’s raw land, bush, a skid steer would be best. A tractor is better than nothing but a tractor can be more easily damaged and is more cumbersome in the bush. If the land is cleared and needs to be maintained, a tractor would be best as it’s designed around the three point and PTO.

[@jackvance6025]

The two tractors used in this example are really an apple and an orange. It’s hard to compare the two of them. I would definitely pick the track loader over the tractor because it’s a heavily built industrial/construction machine The tractor is light duty and not as heavily built as the track loader so you’re going to have a lot more problems and a shorter lifetime than the track loader. If the comparison was between a Deere 210 or Case 570 Skiploader with hydraulic remotes front and rear and a quick attach hitch. The comparison to the track loader would be more close and difficult to decide. I have had a lot of equipment through the decades I’ve been on this planet and I have decided that the construction/industrial class of equipment is the way to go for production, durability, and all the other things that matter to me

[@BrightRaven777]

3 easy reasons why a tractor is better for a property owner: P, T, O

[@jackvance6025]

PTOs are nice but hydraulic motors are nice too. I think you need both. If I only had one choice, I would take the rig that has hi flow hydraulics any day

[@chris2884]

I’m really struggling with this decision. I could really use a skid steer for a lot of work I would like to do, but I have 4 acres that I need to mow and maintain regularly as well. I feel it to be a huge waste to do that with a skid steer. Any thoughts?

[@cyumadbrosummit3534]

Neither. A mini excavator with a thumb is soooo much more useful. It pulls stumps, digs ditches, fells huge trees, cuts foundations, runs utilities, tends massive burn piles, dig ponds, acts as a crane, engine hoist boom lift, acts as a small bulldozer, places culverts, pulls out tractors skidsteers and trucks when stuck. I own a skid steer and a tractor too btw but the Mini is next level.

[@nickc7320]

Mini are great but driving across a yard 40 times carrying branches and trunks to a burn pit or firewood processing location would be maddening. A tractor, skid, and mini would be the holy trinity of outdoor work.

[@williamfenner9915]

If you operate any piece of equipment you can get hurt. So you have to operate any kind of equipment with common sense not being a dumbbell.

[@kipcudd7253]

Depends what wife will let's me have! Currently nothing!