Posted by jdemaris on January 22, 2008 at 15:05:40 from (67.142.130.14):
In Reply to: crawler tractors posted by gilroy on January 22, 2008 at 09:01:23:
I agree that in many situations a skid-steer will outwork a crawler. But, not in all cases - and good skid-steers are expensive.
It depends on how you want to use the thing and also what your budget is. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a Deere 1010 crawler if in good shape. 1010 crawler is a much better designed machine than a 1010 wheel tractor. 1010 shares many design features and parts with the later 350s. Engine parts are not always easy since most must come from Deere. Undercarriage parts are easy to get aftermarket. One possible big expense in the 1010 is if it has a hydraulic reverser. Same reverser was used for many years later into the 1980s and is pretty rugged. But . . . if it needs repair it can easily cost you many thousands.
Any crawler is going to be expensive if it needs undercarriage work. And, aftermarket undercarriage parts are becoming scarce for many older small crawlers. Deere and Cat are some of the few that parts will still be made for. To the plus side though - if the undercarriage is in good shape - and you are a part-time user - it can last you a long, long time.
Go try to price some bottom rollers and sprockets for Deere 1010s, 350s, and then look around for IH crawler parts. You might be surprised by what is NOT available. Last I heard, Berco is dropping parts for most older machines except AC, Deere and Cat.
Depending on what you need, a 1010 can be fine. I come across them in good condition in the $4000 price range - but much depends on inside or outside blade, undercarriage, etc. Crawler-loaders tend to go the cheapest and dozers with 6-way blades bring the most. I've got a nice 1960 1010 crawler-loader with a rear ripper and I paid $2200 for it. That was a bargain however.
If you're planning on a backhoe also, you're better off to buy all at once.
By the way, one side-note. I live on the side of a mountain and do a lot of driving around with a wheeled-backhoe. It can be done, but takes planning and constant thinking. I often have to hang the hoe out to the high-side when driving across a side-hill - to act as a counterweight. A crawler is a lot more stabil - but really tends to tear up grassy fields.
Also - about skid-steers. I have five wheeled backhoes here, and several crawler dozers and loaders. That being said, I had a real tight-job to do between two buildings and I borrowed my neighbor's 743 Bobcat with a front loader and hoe. Fantastic machine and very fuel efficient with the Kubota diesel. But - I got into a few messes with it. First - it has low ground clearance and when my fields got muddy, it kept bottoming out and getting stuck. Dry ground it was fine. Also - I took off the front loader bucket on the flattest piece of land I have - which I guess is not flat enough. I got in a mess. Once I took the front loader-bucket off, it kept popping wheelies and I could not drive to the hoe to install it. It took a lot of screwing around. Then later, I took the hoe off - again - on my flattest land - and the hoe fell over. I had a miserable time getting it back up (used my 1010 crawler-loader to do it). I admit, I wasn't used to the skid-steer- but I decided I'd newer buy one unless I lived on flatter land.
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