"Gehl Wars" Articulating Loaders

[sawinredneck]

The artic's are nice machines, I can appreciate the higher lift capacity, but I still attest, with Carl, it's the driver. I can tear the hell out of yard, or you can not even tell I've been there on the Thomas, depends on the job.
I also like the smaller size of the skid steer, in a lot, seemingly more and more, of the new residential neighborhoods, even getting the mini in was a chore in a few places.
Then the price really sets one back a bit Dave!
What are the lift capacities of these, compared to a competitive priced full sized skid steer?
Sorry to be the sole detractor Dave, I like them, I understand a lot of the great points, the higher lift being a huge one! But right now, you can have my mini when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

 

[tntree]

The artic's are nice machines, I can appreciate the higher lift capacity, but I still attest, with Carl, it's the driver. I can tear the hell out of yard, or you can not even tell I've been there on the Thomas, depends on the job.
I also like the smaller size of the skid steer, in a lot, seemingly more and more, of the new residential neighborhoods, even getting the mini in was a chore in a few places.
Then the price really sets one back a bit Dave!
What are the lift capacities of these, compared to a competitive priced full sized skid steer?
Sorry to be the sole detractor Dave, I like them, I understand a lot of the great points, the higher lift being a huge one! But right now, you can have my mini when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

Andy not knocking the minis one bit. these are just the next level up of tree forwarding. It is just as wide as your Thomas mini !! (crap now I have to put one side by side and take pics) the boxer mini skid weighs ~2200#s only 1600#s less.

$$$ to $$$ you get about ~30 - 40% less machine then a conventional full size skid. You really can't compare them to a skid - like apples and oranges

 

[squisher]

For sure. How's the getting on and off? To me that's a huge advantage that I enjoy about the mini. I mean I see the numbers, awesome lifting and no turf damage are nice. A good operator on a mini-skid can produce and not wreck turf, but a crappy operator can chew it up quick. It'd be nice not to have to worry about for sure, I can see that upping production.

 

[sawinredneck]

Andy not knocking the minis one bit. these are just the next level up of tree forwarding. It is just as wide as your Thomas mini !! (crap now I have to put one side by side and take pics) the boxer mini skid weighs ~2200#s only 1600#s less.

$$$ to $$$ you get about ~30 - 40% less machine then a conventional full size skid. You really can't compare them to a skid - like apples and oranges

I understand Dave, not knocking the artic's either, just having sticker shock!
I know it's not apples to apples, just thinking of it from a financial perspective. I think it might be a hard sell for a lot of people thinking of a skid steer and looking at numbers. That's all.

 

[arborworks1]

It's easy to hop on and off. The ground speed was my selling point. Figuring it's not that much stronger than the boxer 532. But the time factor on longer drags made this a practical machine for me. Plus it's nice not to be on your feet all day!

 

[lumberjack]

On the vast majority of my jobs the articulated loaders kick the mini's butt. Rutting is one form of turf damage caused by soil compaction or displacement. On pneumatic tires, that is a function of psi and tread design. Machine weight has an exceedingly minimal effect on it.

I'm planning on getting either an articulated loader from Dave, or a Bobcat A30 in the near future.

 

[DTW902]

If I were in the market for a loader, I would buy a Gehl hands down. Either older version or a new one. Wesley (Koa Man) uses his AL-20 on some extremely high dollar yards and has never had any problem. I was very impressed with the little machine, I helped him on a back yard job with very limited access and it worked great.

 

[lumberjack]

I ran his for 2 days in shorts, burnt the piddle out of my exposed knee/lower thigh.

 

[DTW902]

I remember that job! I have some pictures someplace around here.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

The MultiOne is the dogs bollocks. I went round the Italian foctory in '06.
Their story is that they used to build the avant loaders for Avant, as Avant didnt have enough production facilities.

My S23 is an awesome little machine

 

[lumberjack]

The controls on the new Gehls are many shades of awesome for doing tree work. The loader arm, direction, and aux hydro controls are all done without having to move your hand from the right joystick.

 

[PCTREE]

I cannt offer an opinion on the new small loaders but I can tell you I charge a LOT more for jobs where there is no loader access. We have been known to push the limits making access to.... I love my loader

 

[SkwerI]

Paul, is that a Yanmar? I know two companies with Yanmars and they both say their machine is the same as the Kubota. Yours looks very similar.

 

[PCTREE]

Mine is a TCM 804, I think it is the same as the yanmars, mine has a 27hp yanmar diesel. Will run 12 hours on 5 gallons, I will cry when it dies... then quit tree work

 

[SkwerI]

That might be the same as the Yanmar and Kubota, damn nice machines.

Like I said earlier though, I'd love to have one of those mini articulating Gehls even though I have no idea what I'd do with it.

 

[sawinredneck]

Yet again, I seem to have been misunderstood!
I see and understand the benefits of these machines! I am just pointing out that we need to find a better way to sell them. People will say "I can buy a full size skid steer for that price and I can do this and that with it........"
This is true, but what can they do with this that they can't with a full sized unit?
Much like the mini, I can do anything a full size unit can do, but it takes longer and is more work. But it can do it.
I'm sorry if I came off like a "doubting Thomas", that was not my intent at all!

 

[SkwerI]

I don't see where you were misunderstood, Andy. I for one agree completely. If a big machine can get to it without destroying the customer's yard then you don't need it. The minis are amazing in that they give mechanized assistance in areas previously inaccessible by machines. Which is why an articulating mini would be my absolute first choice as a forwarder.

 

[arborworks1]

Tranport was one thing I considered when starting to look at options for loaders. The mini and the gehl will easily fit in the chip box. Allowing my other truck to carry the stump grinder. As far as the full size skid being the same price as the gehl, it may be the case but overall advantage goes to the gehl hands down. The gehl will get into a very small area and turn around. Or worst case it's so easy to back up as you have zero blind spots. Your back is practically the rear of the machine.

If the mini replaces 1 poor soul. Then the gehl is an easy 3 person replacement.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Which is why an articulating mini would be my absolute first choice as a forwarder.

+100!

 

[sawinredneck]

I disagree, the mini replaces two, no idea what the artic's replace!
Again, I'm not trying to sell them short, I certainly can't afford or justify one, but trying to come up with a way to get "Joe six pack" (the main buyer) to understand why it's so much better than a full size skid steer.
See my argument now?
Better yet, you want to sell one of these to Murphy, what's the pitch line? Why is this better than the ASV he has already? I'm not picking on anyone, that was just a simple analogy to use.

 

[Peter]

The choice in the UK seems a bit limited.

We get the full range of Avant, including the new 430.

We also get the full CSF Multione range, but Avant have by far the largest market penetration.

The GT950TD

We dont seem to be able to get the American Gehl machines, or the Boxers, or the German Nueman/Wacker/Kramer, or the German Gehls, even though all of these manufacturers have UK dealers, they only deal in the skid steers, and not the articulated loaders.

 

[Mr. Sir]

That might be the same as the Yanmar and Kubota, damn nice machines.

Like I said earlier though, I'd love to have one of those mini articulating Gehls even though I have no idea what I'd do with it.

You buy it and I'll lease it from you.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

Lots of rivalry between yanmar and kubota. I doubt they are the same machine. Yanmar is very good stuff though - my tiny loader has a 25hp yanmar diesel, and has masses of Oomph.

 

[SkwerI]

Ed, I know three people with those machines. Two are yellow and green with a Yanmar name and one is orange with a Kubota name. One of them repainted his machine Kubota orange.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

You could be right mate, I just know that Yanmar and Kubota are big rivals for many similar markets. convergent evolution perhaps?