Any advice on buying a used skid-steer?

[Darrell]

I've been giving some serious thought to buying a used tracked skid-steer. From what I've seen so far, it looks like a well-used, but still good, machine is going to cost $20K to $25K. I'm just looking for something to use on my own wooded property, primarily to run a brush cutter to clear between the trees. I have a tractor and brush hog, but it's not as maneuverable as I'd like in the brush. I want a tracked machine because I have some slope to my ground and there are places that can get soft and wet.

I know a little bit about heavy equipment, but not a whole lot. I know one thing for sure, that making a mistake when buying a used machine can be EXPENSIVE, and I want to avoid that. So I know I need to check for smoke at start-up, take a look at the pins to make sure everything is tight, make sure that there's plenty of life left in the tracks, all obvious stuff. I also expect that if I find a machine I like that I'll take an oil sample and have it analyzed. 

Do any of you experienced guys have any specific things I should look for?   Thanks!

[FUJIMO]

Much like a vehicle you're better off spending more money on one where you can get a record of it's history. There are several equipment auctions in TN or at least this part of the county several times a year and some will provide background. Many times to the original owner. As far as what to look in a private sale look for the things that are "wearable" items. Tires or tracks, hydraulics, joystick controls if it has them, engine hours of course, if tracked look at replacing them and the idlers as if the machine your buying needs them immediately. Many neglect the tracks and allow them to bake in the sun and while they look ok sitting still working it in the dirt is a different story. My brother searched for a long time and we looked at enough machines to make your head spin before he said F it and bought new. He got what he wanted down to the extra attachments but he's also sending them a nice check every month. Maintenance cost can really run up there if you are using it as a "hobby" and have nothing to depreciate or write off. Another item I encounter on the farm and commercial mowing routinely is when something goes from being worked day to day to sitting 1/2 the time is parts that leak simply from sitting. Same as valves that get stuck in your old hot rod from not running it enough it can turn into a PITA real quick if you need it to perform a task at the drop of a hat. I just love needing to bale hay, hays cut, tedded, and dry on the ground, and the baler is having a moment and you spend 2 days repairing it only to have it rain and have to start over lol.

[jeff43]

If you do buy one make sure you have a shed/shop /carport to park it out of the weather.I hate to see any kind of tractors or any kind of equipment sit out in the rain and sun.That will ruin tires and hydraulic hoses,seats fast. I try to kept most of my implements in the dry , but can’t store them all.

[Grayfox54]

Most machines are designed so that the cab/driver section can tilt up. You usually have to take out two bolts to do this. This will allow access inside the chassis and behind the engine. This area rarely, if ever, gets cleaned and is usually packed with dirt and mud. Hose it out really good. Check everything you can get to. Hoses, belts, drive gear, chains, etc. Replace anything with any wear at all. Check all hydraulic cylinders for leaks and make sure they hold where ever they stop at without leaking down. Most hydraulic repairs are pretty straight forward. Leaks, blown hoses, bad cylinders etc. However, be aware that getting to the bad part, especially the routing of hoses through the chassis can be a major witch! Especially when its already blown and there's oil sprayed all over everything. 

[pop pop]

We hired a couple men to come and cut about 4 miles of horse trails on my daughter's 89-acre farm.  First guy had a work ethic problem. That might be an option for you if you just need a tad bit of cutting. The last guy we hired did superb work and was fairly reasonable for the amount of money he had tied up in the cutter and tracked skid steer. The last guy we got was out of Lebanon TN. The trails were really grown up and he had the grinder head that ground the trees and brush into chips. Said the cutter cost him 60,000. new and the Skid Steer was about 40,000 used. Plus, he had to have a dully truck and heavy trailer to be mobile with it. We paid him by the hour, and he produced good work. We cut 4 miles of trails, 10 feet wide, up and down hills, and it ended up costing my daughter about 6,000,00. I walked the trails and used surveyors' tape so he could follow it through the brush. Worked out really well for us. 

May be an option for you Darrell. 

[Darrell]

17 minutes ago, pop pop said:

May be an option for you Darrell. 

I checked into that and in the end I think it makes more sense for me to own my own machine and heavy brush cutter. The forestry mulchers that you describe are REALLY expensive. I can rent one on a skid-steer for about $3500 a week, but the machines burn 20 gallons of diesel a day, so add $80 of fuel x 7 days for another $500 plus another $500 for delivery. And then I would have to work at it for 8 hours a day to feel like I'm getting my money's worth on the rental.  And I'd have to go to town every other day for diesel.

You're right, I think, that the rate those guys charge is pretty fair considering the cost of the machines, cost of maintenance, and cost of fuel, plus a fair wage for the operator. I'm one of those who has more time than money, though, and I enjoy working with machinery to boot. I have 20 acres, and I'd like to take the underbrush out of almost all of it, so it's not going to be a job that's done in a day or two.