# good small skid steer to unload truck



## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

what is a good small and light skid steer to unload a international 4600-4700 or ford 650 low pro. i want the smallest one/ lightest


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

What are you unloading?


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## exmark1 (Nov 30, 2005)

westernboy16 said:


> what is a good small and light skid steer to unload a international 4600-4700 or ford 650 low pro. i want the smallest one/ lightest


He's Back! LOL It was way too good to be true!


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

How about a "Tonka"


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## Sawboy (Dec 18, 2005)

Too funny!! 

I am just gonna prsport


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## ICindrich (Dec 21, 2005)

I'll humor you western boy, it will be a hell of a lot cheaper to buy and install a dump piston, hydrolic pump and hinge than it would be to buy a skid steer. Plus, how would you even unload material out of the truck?

Ivan


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

i would be unloading pallets of rocks (retaning wall bricks) and sod rolls


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

how much do those pallets wiegh? about 1800 to 2000 lbs? if so then there is your answer...got to the websites of skid manufactures and look at the loaders that have working loads of 2000 lbs and find the lightest one. I would think you are looking at bobcats 873 (s190s), new holland 180s, gehl 5640's, john deere 260's Depends on the vintage, there are alot out there but they are not cheap.


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

I assume the 16 boy part is serious.

But, to humor you. Skidsteers are not good for pallet work. Most of them don't self level. They are poorly balanced, especially for heavy overhead lifting, and they don't have a high lift capacity.

I would buy a used fork lift for 1/2 the price and unload with that. However, if you are doing rock work, you might need the skid steer bucket aswell.

That said. Why not just have the rocks delivered. Unless you are moving 10+ skids of rocks a day, everyday. It will take a long time to pay off equipment for it. Your supplier will be more than happy to deliver them and unload using a boom crane/offroad fork lift


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

all i would do is load the truck and unload the pallets just to the ground and get another one im not hauling them around the yard maybe 20-30 feet at max actually not that 10-15 feet


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## fordplowdude (Feb 1, 2005)

You need at least a skid steer that have a ROC ( Rated Operating Capacity) of more that 2,000 Lbs. but even thats light for what your saying you want to use it for. Pallets of block weigh more than that. For these size skid steers your looking at a weight of between 6,000 to 8,000 Lbs.


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## dirt digger (Feb 27, 2005)

assuming hes actually going to end up doing this...and just to humor myself, I think he would be better off with a verticle lift over a radial lift if pallet work will take up most of his time.


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

so what bobcat would you guys recommend but i wont just be doing landscape i want to also do some yard waste removel like dirt, dead fall misc. things in the yard and other yard waste things like chips and gravel.


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

so what bobcat would you guys recommend but i wont just be doing landscape i want to also do some yard waste removel like dirt, dead fall misc. things in the yard and other yard waste things like chips and gravel. i want a skid steer that wont tear up the grass to much because i dont want to 
resod it all.


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

then you need a skidsteer with all wheel steer. And even then with a heavy load you will probably tear up the sod.

And unless you are going into business unloading pallets. Have someone take them off for you. It will be cheaper than buying or even renting a skid steer.


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

i want to start landscape and yard waste removel so i need a skid steer to load and unload bricks and sod rolls and chips and dirt but it also needs to load dirt and yard waste in to a truck. it will be used on grass and dirt but 50/50 on both


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## ICindrich (Dec 21, 2005)

Get a pallet jack and a tommy gate for the truck, save your money up and get the skid steer. Forks suck on a tractor or skid steer because, as some one mentioned, they don't self level. If you are a little bit out of wack, you will be busting pallets all day. 

Ivan


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## Bodgit2 (Dec 6, 2005)

Most pallets of stone, pavers or retaining wall blocks sold in this area are about 3000-4000 lbs. Dangerous on a lift gate!  You would need a huge skidsteer for that task.
Have them delivered with a boom truck, it's cheaper. A forklift is superior for that weight but most are poor on turf. The Skidsteer is very hard on the sod.


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

you could also look into a used small wheel loader like the kubota's or yanmar's. they have higher capacities because they are longer and will tare up lawns less, but will sill tare them up with a load. or even the small backhoes like the l48 by kubota or jd 110.


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

my uncle was in the lanscape buisness for 2 seasons and he rented a bobcat s-250 to do all his work which i thought he had it just fine for unloading them


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## 04superduty (Jan 9, 2004)

nothing beats the pucker factor of moving a real heavy load of rock/bricks with a skidsteer, especially when it starts to bounce and you think you are going to tip. that is one of the big down sides of a skid steer, the bouncing when turning. they also will tear up the lawn, even if you take huge wide turns. its the weight of the machine that does damage too, you skink in soft lawn and dirt, been there done that.
try looking for a small loader like someone mentioned.


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

actually i would probably be doing yard waste removel then landscape so i was looking at the compact track loaders like bobcat mt55 or the 553 or something small but i know they cant load a truck


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

so i was thinking of those small ones because i really dont want to do landscape cause there is a lot of compines her and very few yard waste removel companies so i was thinking of that so i want somthing small so i wont tear up grass cause the (MT52) i dont think they tear it up


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

westernboy16 said:


> so i was thinking of those small ones because i really dont want to do landscape cause there is a lot of compines her and very few yard waste removel companies so i was thinking of that so i want somthing small so i wont tear up grass cause the (MT52) i dont think they tear it up


If you are moving yard waste (leafs, etc...), then do it by hand.

You could get a tracked skid steer, but they still tear up grass. And they run around $30,000. A tracked vehicle is still a "skid steer". It uses skidding to steer.

The toolcat uses all wheel steer but doens't lift high or enough.

If you are serious about this you could get a large skid steer and a roll off truck.


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

i was thinking of getting the MT55 which is a very small walk behind bobcat and getting a dump trailer to fill


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## salopez (Apr 11, 2004)

How are you going to lift a pallet of stone with a walk behind? Secondly are going to plow with it? Got to look at all year...or atleast a good hunting/skiing suit!


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

like i said i wouldnt be doing landscape so scratch the pallet work just moving yard waste and i would probably use it as a side walk machine


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## crazymike (Oct 22, 2004)

well, considering that they cost $15,000 used.  I can't see where you will get the money.

As for a sidewalk machine... they average 4mph. A good snowblower can do 5+ at 1/3 the price brand new.

If all you are doing is loading yard waste, buy a shovel. They run around $15 new. For $100 you can purchase a state of the art wheel barrow.

And your dump trailer will cost you about $1600+ used for a decent one. Then, do you even have a vehicle to tow it?


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

i dont have a viechicle but i am looking at a 1998 chevy or gmc 2500 club cab


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## grandview (Oct 9, 2005)

Go with the Dakota!

See Ya, I'am going for a prsport


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## westernboy16 (Nov 2, 2005)

ya grandview go for your walk and no screw the dakota there are nothing but problems. thats what my dad says he owned a 91 and had alsorts of problems


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## Charles (Dec 21, 1999)

This needs to go to Lawnsite--thanks

http://www.lawnsite.com/


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