"Gehl Wars" Articulating Loaders

[tntree]

I am starting this thread to discuss a comparison of the small sit down Articulating loaders available today (and maybe sell a machine along the way). Basically a comparison of the now unavailable Avants, Multiones, to the new Gehl AL140 **** WARNING TMI ****

You guys know I'm kind of nut when it comes to mini
Loaders (cuz of my grapples) and I think the mini Articulating loaders are the next level up in tree production forwarding machines.
In my opinion the Finnish made Gehl AL20(Avant) was THEE best lightweight sit down articulating machine made for Treework. Weighing in at a meer ~ 2000#s the 20 horse Kubota diesel gave you almost twice the lift capacity, ground speed, and with the telescopic booms almost twice the lifting height as any of the stand on mini skid steers.
Tree guys lucky enough to own one absolutely love this little machine, customers love them for there super low Turf impact.

 

[SkwerI]

I want one. And I'm not even in the hauling business.

 

[tntree]

That said the new American made Gehl machines are almost twice that machine and there list price is within a Grand as the Italian multi ones in the same HP class.

Check this cheesy little self promoting Video out



Funky ? click picture

 

[tntree]

A little history of these baby loaders, some rambling and TMI

For some reason Gehl stopped importing the Avant AL20 in 2006. Too bad, the company is still in business in Finland, and has a really amazing line of products.
The model 200 is a tiny articulating ATV size http://www.youtube.com/user/avanttecno#p/c/CEED0A826C572F42/1/s1qH54teqbw Cute as a bug
Check out this cool little loader/log bunk they make.
http://www.youtube.com/user/avanttecno#p/u/90/Q3PDpKefWmU

Their European machines are pretty spacey state-of-the-art looking machines Sadly for us you can't get these machines in North America
Although someone told me that a company in Canada may start Importing them, lucky Canucks.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Guys with more experience would certainly know better, but wouldn't it be real helpful to have a plate between the wheels that goes on up and down on the front of the machine, to help stabilize when picking up loads when required, and also as an aid in pushing brush, like on a mini. Still, it looks like a very handy device.

 

[tntree]

Sometime around 2001 Avant’s Italian Dealer pretty much copied their machines and came out with a sexy blue machine.
and called it the multi one.
1st pic is the only one I have of the AL20 next to the Italian (yellow)Boxer - clones of each other

Briefly met the owner and toured their factory near Venice Italy in 08. Another fantastically small lightweight
articulating loader with identical specs and features to the Avant.
http://www.multione-csf.com/en/1-home.html
Except the Avant had steel fenders and covers and the multi one has fiberglass. (looks like the Avant has followed that suit now ),. The Multi has gone 3 generations from the multi one to the multi track and then Boxer. They imported 3 models a ~20hp, 30hp and a 50 hp. Last year Boxer dropped the line and now nobody supports these machines. There are more parts at Gehl in Milwaukee for the Avants then parts over here for the multi- ones, a big future problem for owners of the Italian machines. Make sure you have your serial # if you need to contact them.

 

[MasterBlaster]

A most excellent thread, indeed!!!

 

[lumberjack]

Wouldn't a push blade get in the way of the loader? Think of the articulated loaders like a skid steer with better turning and frame occilaton.

 

[tntree]

Now the only small Articulating machines that are available in the US, are the Japanese Kubota, the German made Nueson/Wacker, the American made Gehl, American made Swinger, and the lessor known American made Power Trac.

In the under 4000# Weight Class your only choices are the Wacker, Gehl, and Power Trac. Couldn’t google the Swinger site I believe there smallest loader weighed in at about 5400#s.
I know nothing about Power Trac other than you buy direct, reports I have heard(2) that they are more homeowner quality than Commercial, incredibly Cheap and have a Non Universal attachment plate.

That leaves you with the German Nueson/Wacker or the American made Gehl.
Actually Gehl private labels some Nueson products, Excavators and all wheel steer loaders. You will note that the Gehl is suspiciously similar to the Nueson, infact I would venture that they copied a lot of the german machine and do incorporate some Nueson components. Having Operated the German made Gehl/Nueson all wheel steer and their excavators I know they are very well made machines. I can assume their Articulating machine is also and the Gehl is almost a clone, specifications are pretty much the same in all dimensions, weights and capacities.

 

[tntree]

Wouldn't a push blade get in the way of the loader? Think of the articulated loaders like a skid steer with better turning and frame occilaton.

WTF? oops missed that part in my haste to post this

Thanks Boss

 

[SkwerI]

That AL20 in the first post would just blow away anything used around here, considering most guys are still using Bobcat skid steers. The worst part about those is fixing whatever you happen to back into because you have almost zero visibility. Then you get to deal with homeowner complaints about black tire marks ground into the driveway and street as well as the torn up turf.

A couple guys I work for have the Kubota articulating loaders and they are sweet, but a bit large for some tighter areas. That little one could roll right across a pristine lawn just like a lawn mower.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Good point, Carl, to be effective as both a stabilizer and a push blade, it would probably have to be in front of the wheels. Might very well get in the way. I sometimes work with a guy who has been operating an excavator and loader for many many years, he helps us out on the mini. He uses the push blade a lot as a stabilizer, especially on uneven ground, raising it up and down when lifting loads, say then bringing them in closer to the machine where he can get a better balance. It is real helpful I have observed.

 

[tntree]

Being a Gehl and a Boxer dealer I can speak to the quality of these new AL140(albeit they have had some minor issues on their first machines)
So how do they compare size wise to the good ole Avant AL20 and the Multione SD20?Boxer726.

In a Nutshell the Gehl 140 is
Same width, a hair longer, lot taller, ~1800#s heavier, bigger Tires, little higher lift, you seen the video of comparing lift, oscillating axles, all the controls on one joystick.
really nice machines

Side by side next to the Italian ~20 HP

 

[tophopper]

. Couldn’t google the Swinger site

HAhahahahaha..... I bet google gave you some interesting results with that query!

 

[arborworks1]

I absolutely love my 140. Zero and I mean zero turf damage. I'm still getting used to it, after putting 1100 hours on a boxer 532. I can say this is a great upgrade. A plus is full size skid attachments fit just fine. Which makes it a lot easier to incorporate if you have a skid and need a smaller machine as well.

 

[tntree]

Side by side to my old favorite the Finnish made AL20,

 

[SkwerI]

I think for tighter areas and residential turf the Boxer or the smaller Gehl look like they might be more advantageous. The new Gehl is almost twice as heavy. For that much weight how does it compare to the big Kubota articulating loader?

 

[Burnham]

I want one. And I'm not even in the hauling business.

Ditto. Badly, too. And I'm not even in business at all!

 

[tntree]

Thanks Scott

BOTTOM LINE,

The new AL140 is American made backed by a big company. It and the Wacker are THEE smallest/lightest "NEW" Commercial Grade articulating loaders available on the market.
They base List for ~ $28,800. They have a universal skidsteer plate that picks up fullsize attachments. Parts should not be an issue being they are made in South Dakota.

The Multi 1, Trac, Boxer 726 Italian made no more support and limited parts, reports from the field mixed 50/50 some guys having great luck with them, some having multiple torque motor issues. The Boxer 726 listed for ~$29,000 with telescopic arms. Parts in the US are few, are and can be a Big PIA. Cross references between the 3 generations does not exist, at least in this country. You can get a hold of Italy - make sure you have your serial #s.
I would take a chance and buy one if it was cheap and not beat to hell.

The Finnish made Gehl AL20, Have heard more positive about these little beauty's than Bad (can't think of one actually, oh yeah weird mt plate, first Gen had some wheel issues), parts are dwindling in Milwaukee probably still more than Boxer has, I would definitely snap up a low hour machine and pay up for it. I would be a leary of the 1st gen chain driven ones, but a freind of mine has 1500 hours of tree work on his and it is still going strong. I think they listed for around $21000 back in 06 (depending on options)

 

[tntree]

yeah google swinger and you get very few articulating loaders

The smallest Kubota weighs about 7400#s - no comparison (very nice but spendy machines)

Burny
every tree man should have a loader in there garage

 

[arborworks1]

3800 pounds is not bad for putting on a lawn. I would suffice to say unless it's a swamp there will be no ruts or marks in the yard. If there are, blame it on the lawn jockey and his 15 mph mower!

 

[tntree]

Thanks Butch for letting me Post this ,

If I have had this conversation once I have had it a hundred times :what:


sorry Carl good answer

 

[Dave Shepard]

Rough neighborhood?

 

[arborworks1]

Thats the new hovercraft version Dave has been working on!

 

[lumberjack]

When it comes to rutting a yard from the machine's weight, tire pressure and tread pattern is literally all that matters. Put turf tires on both and that just leaves psi.