Skid Steer vs. Crawler (was Re: [AT] Deere Model 350 Questions

[Rob Gray]

Cecil E Monson wrote:

>> Thanks for all the responses and detailed info! I did not take in 
>
>
> all of what my neighbor said because I was not knowledgeable enough
>
> to absord all of it in one quick conversation. He did mention skid
>
> steers too, but he emphasized that on this place I needed tracks
>
> (he's worked this land before for my grandfather years ago clearing
>
> some land). He said the best combination for me is tracks and a
>
> bucket instead of a blade so I can pick up the rocks instead of just
>
> pushing them with a blade. Did I read it right in an earlier post,
>
> but can you run a skid steer on tracks? Excuse the clueless questions....
>
>>
>> Rob 
>
>
>
>     Yes, you can get tracks for some skidsteers and no you don't
> need a crawler to pick up rocks. Any of the modern skidsteers with
> hydraulic power up front can use a rock picker. It is just a grabber
> and can also be used to pick up and load logs too. When we built my new
> shop a couple years ago, the contractor even had a skidsteer mounted
> rock drill for drilling holes to break up rocks. He drilled holes on
> both side of a rock down in a hole and using two bars and a chain,
> picked a rock out of a hole that had to weigh a ton - all with the
> skidsteer. Most skidsteer don't need tracks unless you are going to
> work in mud.
>
>     You are the one who has to spend his money on whatever you
> decide you want. I have a crawler/loader, a 60 hp dozer, and a JD
> skidsteer. I can only tell you my own experience. I'm not clearing
> land for construction and only have these things to use on 21 wooded
> hillside acres for my own pleasure. You didn't say you were clearing
> land either and if you did, I would have recommended a dozer hands
> down. For chores, I'll take the skidsteer any day.
>
> Cecil
>
Cecil,

Thanks for the info! I really need to prioritize what I want to do most 
and then consider all my options. The responses were very helpful. I 
have several major types of tasks that I need to get done and I will 
need to weigh them before I determine what I need:

1) Clear fields of trees and rocks along stone fence rows
2) Clear rocks from yard areas
3) Remove stumps in a few old overgrown fields after I cut down trees
4) Maybe build a new roadbed for a lane out to my woods

While much of my land is dry, a good portion is damp. It is not swamp 
but if you were running heavy equipment over it for a while it would get 
very muddy.

Rob