Skid loader or Tractor? Which is Best for your Needs? 

Shirts here! Link to New Shirts! www.outdoorswiththemorgans.com/shop

This is my experience. I am in my second house/property and this is where I will live out my days. 1. Buy property. 2. Survey for building and house. 3. Build a building AT LEAST twice the size you want and it will still NOT be big enough. Do NOT make a finished "party" room in it. You may use it in the beginning, but before long it will sit empty costing extremely valuable space especially after the kids are gone. You will see or actually not see that in these videos, too much to do to be having bridge night! Plumb it for water and sewer and put a full bathroom in it and water somewhere for a shop sink. 4. Buy the biggest Skid Steer you can afford, maybe used and use it. 5. Build house. 6. Buy tractor. 7. Buy ZTR. Use skid steer and tractor to put all the finishing touches on the landscape and park the equipment in the building that is now likely overflowing and cut the grass every 5 days. 8. Sit in house and thank God you don't have neighbors right on top of you. Speaking from 40 years of experience.

For anybody considering buying either one of these type machines, the one thing you need to understand and consider is what work you are going to do, and how well you can do it with either machine. One of the BIGGEST differences between bucket work is you can NOT see anything the tractor bucket is doing when on the ground or digging into something at that level.....the nose of the tractor blocks it all. However, on the skid steer you can potentially see EVERYTHING. It makes a huge difference in how quickly you can work, how good of a job you can do, and the amount of mistakes it eliminates. If you are working in tight and/or wooded areas, it also makes a BIG difference in maneuverability and ability to judge whether the corner of an attachment is going to hit something. Skid steer easily wins out in that department. But, with a skid steer you will not be pulling plows, bat wings, discs, etc.

Mike, this answered so many questions. You did an effective job with this analysis! This was very nicely done! Thank you!

A good, honest, comparison of both machines and a good commentary on the pros and cons of both. Thanks for the info Mike!

I think the main thing you need to prepare yourself for when even thinking about either of these two options is the sticker shock!...That skid steer new 90k....that mx 60k. The only thing I did not hear him cover is that the skid is a high flow machine.. meaning you can run attachments with hydrolic motors on them. The tractors are mostly low flow. Great video either way...wish more youtubers that showcase machines would put out there how much they paid for their equipment....or specify why they aren't going to tell you.

Mike I have been a machine operator for 30 years and recently bought my first new tractor for my yard and sawmill. That is the best explanation I have heard comparing the two types of machines. That will likely make it easier for someone who doesn't understand them as much to make a good decision for themselves. well done! Keep up the good work your channel is a joy to watch. The wood yard has inspired me to say the least!

Great info. That’s what makes your site so good, good info and knowledge. Y’all Have a Day!

Very well explained! I have the same three machines as you do. They are all used for specific tasks. My land is the same as yours, very hilly. So with everything you pointed out, I would add that the CTL is a game changer on hills. The stability is so much better and the “pucker” factor is so much more on a tractor! It is literally the difference between doing a job safe and comfortable vs being scared to death trying to do the same job in a tractor! Glad you are enjoying the new CTL. Only downside is the fuel consumption in a CTL. Now go tackle them trails on the hillside!

Your description of tractor to maintain and SS to build is excellent. I would like to add a few things that I think folks need to ask to help their decision… 1) Exiting equipment with loader in the air? 2) What would be a comparable tractor for same price as the SS? 3) PTO(s) 4) operator visibility 5) ground clearance 6) current attachments? 7) distances covered and travel speeds

Great explanation Mike! I have a need for a skidloader, but with my projects that I would like to get done with it, probably in one season, I would really no longer have enough for it to do to justify having it. In my case, I think a lease would be a good option. No feeling rushed like the rental machines, enough time to get everything done and then some, and when time is up, either turn the machine back in, or buy it or the "right sized" machine. This is what I've been thinking of doing, but haven't started the ball rolling on it yet.

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the explanation. Clears up a few questions for me.

Excellent comparison and description to the reasons to have each one.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences! Valuable information!

Thanks for the comparison Mike Have a great day

Great professional, unbiased comments, Mike !! They each have their plus'es !!

One of the reasons I found your channel it was because of you educating me on zero turn mower’s. I’m glad your still educating people on things we don’t know. I’ve worked construction most all my life and I’ve used skid loader’s before. But there are still things I don’t know about them . Even though Ive worked in construction of many different things I don’t know it all and I never claim to because theres always more to learn . I remember one time I had a guy very nasty educated me on my spelling and the lack of the use of words and on the way I put sentences together. I happily asked him if he could build his own home or wire a house or business or weld two metals together or paint a car or even repair a car or run and repair his plumbing. And can he build furniture for his wife or kids can he trim his and family’s home yes crown molding. Then I noticed total silence. My spelling is ok thanks to spell check when I care to use it . I do very well in math , had to because of pipe fitters union and math for election union 😂 just saying. Let me add my kids always come to me for help and answers on all the above and they to can do almost everything I can my oldest step daughter can trim a house 😂 and my son is good at everything he puts his hands on 😂 . I’m blessed and I love it❤️ all the credit belongs to my lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Excellent comparison Mike!! I hadn’t thought about how or why the skid loader would have more weight to put directly to the bucket. Great words of wisdom. Thank you!

It just depends on what you're doing. Obviously having a skid steer to till ground or bush hog isn't going to work. It is a specialized tool for loader only... a tractor is jack of all trades. A kubota L or MX series loader is more than capable of doing what most people need and it's backhoe works great for most tasks realistically needed. A real comparison is with my tractor, I recently had to use a backhoe to break up sandrock and then used the loader to move it (slowly). I got it done, but it took a good 5-6 hours. A skid steer would just drive in and break it up with loader and move it much faster...wouldn't surprise me if yours did it in a 2 hours. But I hate to own a skid steer just for that one task, as the next day I was doing something else using a skid steer would be out of place. MX5400 with filled tires and backhoe is actually ~7k LBs. Cost is 60k with backhoe and other options. The skidsteer you got is about 100k and 11k LB. I don't think it's entirely a question of skidsteer or tractor. If you had a 15000 LB TLB (aka tractor), you'd be also surprised how much more capable it is than your skid steer. For ground working, the question is weight.

4/13/22; thx Mike for your comparisons between a skidd steer/track loader & a tractor with 4wd & 3rd function/buckets/grapple. Agree, 1st work on new wooded/hilly property is Skidd Steer, after...after...woodsy/ brush have been cut down & grappel-ed off to xyz/ burn pile/logs to friends etc. & roads are roughed-in/graveled-up and have made pad for house/barn, Skidd Steer (with 3ed function) & grapple is #1 tool. Then after gravel road,, house/barn pad is done & you want garden, then zoom to a 3rd party provider- John Deer, or Kubota tractor where maintaining/cutting pasture, grappeling-up branches or fork-lifting building materials are 'next-in-line' for building/constructing buildings & fences...It's like Mike said, skidd steer 1st, then tractor 🚜 with 3rd function for grapple & front end loader, different buckets 4 different issues + 3 point hitch for many pasture & road maintenance issues. So, it's expensive equipment wise, but necessary maintenance wise. Yup, big property means big equipment (+tools, enclosures to store implements out of extreme weather) supplies/grease, filters & yup more tools to install these implements.. none of this stuff is cheap. So we all have our stories of 'should have got bigger xyz tractor, or implements...but we learn & buy in as we can afford. Thx Mike for this comparison of 90Hp Skidd Steer/Track Loader with 50HP 4wd 🚜 tractor w'front end loader & several buckets & 3point attachments. Lot of stuff to cover & you did a great job in just a few minutes of explaining needs & differences in loaded tractor & loaded SkidSteer. 👍👍👍⚙🚜🧑‍🔧

I have 20 acres of woods and I have a tractor and a CTL. I just sold another machine an SVL95 with a fecon head. That machine was awesome for getting the woods cleaned up from 20 plus years of down trees. It’s all about what you need to do in the property..

I totally agree with your take on both machines. Both were made for a different purpose, but at the same time, they complement each other.

Hi Mike! I have a John Deere 318D skid loader with solid tires to keep from getting flat tires, small but nice. As far as attachments that I have they are two different buckets, one with teeth, and one without, I also have a 7' grapple bucket, I have a 15" post hole auger, I have a large round bale fork attachment, I have a 7' boom attachment, I have an attachment for moving around trailers with a ball or just using a pin, and I have a tree/ trimmer attachment that will cut up to an 8-inch tree or limb 16 foot in the air. I just thought that I would mention it in case someone isn't familiar with some of the attachments available for a skid loader. I also would like to get a 7' mower attachment to mow pastures and brush, also a snowblower, but that is yet to come for me. I would also like to say that I think your track machine is much better on hills and mud than my narrower solid tires. Just thought I would add to your great presentation. Thanks! J.R.

Perfect! You laid that out perfectly. Tractor, moving piles of loose gravel, which you are very good at! And using the grapple to set logs on the mill, which now the excavator does, but maybe moving the logs from next door w the tractor will impact her land less than the tracks on excavator or skid steer. I've driven a skid steer, it had wheels not tracks, I remember not to move fast w bucket up high or wheels come up off the ground! I drove a small dozer on a big job once like you, filling in for the guy that had to be out. I understand exactly what you mean about digging. I'm just very happy you now have one and can make more videos for us! Nice video Mike, Thanks. Have a day my friend!👍🚜❤

Great presentation. I have the same 3 machines as you....but green/yellow in color....and totally agree. Each machine has its own capability and having the mix is wonderful.

Excellent, honest run down. Plain English that’s easy to remember. Thanks for your experienced opinion. It will help me make better decisions as we develop our new property & homesite. I’ll recommend your video to others in our situation.

Great video and explanation. Keep up the good work and have a productive day.

I'd like to see a comparison video of the skid loader and the tractor doing the same operations just to see the real time and machine effort. Great video as always Mike!

Well said. Stay well, stay safe and yall HAVE A DAY

Excellent analysis and presentation. Appreciated!

Hi Mike, well balanced discussion, thank you

I have about 2 heavily wooded acres, started with a sub-compact tractor, then to utility-sized tractor. Running the brush hog off the PTO, in tight spaces is tough. I decided to go with a skid steer, which was the right decision for me. Easy to maneuver; brush hog, tree sheers, grapple, etc, all easier to handle with a skid steer.

I struggled for several months with what to buy for a new piece of mountain property we are developing into a retirement home. Looked at many skid steers, Mini-exs and tractors. Finally decided on a L47 TLB. The loader is now where near as efficient as a skid steer. The back hoe is no where near as efficient as a Mini-ex but for about 2/3 the price of either one of the more capable machines it can do it all albeit at a slower pace. I also added pallet forks, land plane and rear blade. I Can maintain my roads, dig foundations, dig septic, move fill etc etc all with one machine. I'd love to have all three but on a limited budget for an average acreage owner I think the tractor or TLB makes the most sense. The transport speed also was a factor. Running around the property at 2MPH vs 14MPH played into my decision.

Nice explanation. Due to budget constraints I purchased a 40hp tractor with a front loader and backhoe for my 20 acres of wooded property in Northern Idaho. I will have some one come in and clear 2-3 acres for our home site and shop building. Otherwise the tractor can do everything I will need. Maybe not as fast or as well as a track loader or excavator. My land is flat so terrain is not an issue for me.

Excellent comparison! I think you answered the question about which is better for all time. Like any tool it depends on how you plan to use it! Thank you for your videos & channel! Marcus from Chesapeake VA.

Very good analysis, Mike. It all depends on the primary work at hand.

You have three absolutely incredible pieces of equipment. And the enclosed climate control cabs are super nice. You need to go out and buy a big grapple for the skid loader. Best attachment you will ever buy. Congrats.

I have both a track skidsteer and a JD 4066R. If I could only pick one I'd take the tractor. The main reason is because you can drive it down the road and like Mike said, it doesn't tear up your yard. It's like a Swiss Army knife and the skidsteer is a meat clever. But don't get me wrong, I love the skidsteer. In the woods it's much more maneuverable and productive, not to mention moving dirt. And if you get a skidsteer spring for a power rake also. Best attachment yet.

I only have a tractor. But could use a skid loader and mini in lots of my projects.

Thanks Mike we all know more now great review and info 👍👋🇨🇦

All of the differences Mike refers to, are spot on. For the general homeowner(s) on a piece of property 5 acres and up…, at minimum a 30-horse power (or bigger) rubber tire, four-wheel-drive tractor, with loader will be the winner winner chicken dinner. The tractor owner could then be looking out for a used or after market “2-in-one” bucket, similar in design to what is on Mike’s skid steer (long bottom for grading, toothed for scratching those rough roads for maintenance). Depending on the homeowner(s) location/climate, a cab or no cab tractor would be of concern…. As Mike’s says look at renting a specific piece of equipment (skid steer, excavator, dozer, etc.,) for those projects.

Another issue is working around low hanging branches and vines. I can't count how many mirrors and turn signals I've torn off my tractor, don't have to worry about that with the loader. The loader is also lower so it fits under things better, including getting into the garage. A cab on an MX requires a taller door to get inside. If they could just solve the issue of those tracks tearing up the grass...

You have the right tools for the job,good investment on the skid steer Mike!

In the right hands 7 to 10 times faster is a conservative guess for sure Mike. You are spot on with that.

I have two tractors… both Kubota a L4701 and a BX2680. The BX is for working in the orchard, the L is too big. The L is not big enough for my small property (6acres) due to the nature of the land (big slopes and ground so rocky it’s amazing how well things grow in it). I’m thinking hire out pounding this rock pile into submission, sell the two tractors, and buy a Ventrac for maintenance. If I was starting over, I think I would buy a miniX, and may yet, planting trees pretty much requires one and I could do most everything that needs done with it. A skid steer would work but need a different type of digging, and it would lose utility when the project is done. To give you an idea, about 1/3 of the property was cleared and contoured over 2 months with a D9. Rough going!

I love the old blue Ford, just sitting in the background looking pretty, kinda like a Norman Rockwell painting at a doctor's office. It's not the purpose of the video, but it sure does have a pretty contrast against that Kubota orange.

Old school vid. Love it!

Like Mike said: simple summary: Track loader--construction & heavy lifting. Tractor--grounds maintenance.

Mike sometimes the tractor isn’t the best on a wet lawn the tires sink in and creating lots of resistance when trying to get it out the skid loader the ground pressure is distributed better let’s the machine float on the lawn if the mx5400 gets sunk it’s going to take the excavator or the skid loader to pull the tractor out because the skid loader and excavator are closer in weight put a tire skid steer vs the tracked skid loader the tire skid will sink in the ground within 15 feet as a example the track skid can go 2 or 3 times farther before getting stuck

Really appreciate this video Dan from Alaska

Good video Mike. I understand why you have both. I like this type of video because it shows us what went into the decision making on your part. It's always interesting to me to watch you use the different machines and their attachments on the different jobs around your property. Stay safe.

Got my new tractor mike !! Super stoked

Should've parked the bx in between for size comparison. I finally trailered mine this weekend to a friend's house to fix up their driveway with the grader blade. Worked well. I have nothing to compare it to, but it's very impressive

Very well said, and I 100% agree

Thanks , sums it up very well, skid steer is sorta like a dozer, you don’t do dozer work with a tractor. Awesome job.

Good, fair job identifying the pros and cons of each machine, Mike.

This helped a lot, thanks!

great explanation, I think to add to that is if you are buying something for only loader work and picking things then a skid loader is great. Yes you can get almost every 3pt attachment in a skid loader variant but the are typically 4x the price as a 3 pt pto driven machine. Also another point you didnt mention is fuel consumption. those skid loaders use alot more fuel per hour than a tractor.

Another consideration is the cost of attachments. If you have ever priced brush cutters for skid steers vs a tractor there is a 10x price difference.

Very interesting. Thanks for all the information!!

I enjoy your videos of felling trees and cutting them up for firewood and lumber, but videos like these are priceless. You can have someone explain what each one does, but your statement about "This one is design around the bucket vs this one is designed around the tractor" really hits home. You should do sales! LOL

Well done. I debated between a tractor and skid steer before we bought our 4066R. I need the tractor for maintenance of the horse arena and bush hog. A skid steer is too heavy to groom and drag our arena and round pen. I do see a skid steer in our future to maintain (and create new ones) our trails on the hills of our property.

Good explanation , in my opinion go with the tractor all the attachments are cheaper than the same attachments for the skid loader . also with the tractor you have a far better view of what's around you than the skid loader . I have run all three as a business , and I prefer a TLB , get yourself a Kubota B26 it has a quick detach backhoe and is strong and powerful .

Pretty sweet old ford back there! Great video. Love some orange power either way

Great comparison Mike! Keep up the great videos!

That was an excellent explanation!!!! All I need now is the land (ha,ha)

Excellent presentation and very informative video explaining the difference between a “purpose built machine and a utility built” sort of like a steak knife compared to a Swiss Army knife thanks Mike it made a lot of good sense.

Mike Very Well Said!! And Very Well Explained!! The Skidsteer and Tractor Are Very Nice Equipment!! And They Both Kinda Have There Own Purpose!! Keep Smiling On !!😊👍👊

Both are nice pieces of equipment. The tractor is mostly used for ranch or farm work. The skidder is a piece of construction equipment. The skidder to me is a small bulldozer. I wonder do you ever plant any trees, or even Christmas trees , folks still need Christmas trees, Cheers

A tractor excels at one thing. Dragging stuff behind it. Everything else is a compromise and other machines are faster and more efficient. Same goes for a backhoe, it can do a lot but at about a quarter of the pace of a tracked loader and excavator. If you can only afford one machine and your living doesn't depend on it (time is money), it is still a backhoe is still a viable choice.

Thank you for this video. I didn't realize the large differences between these two machines - now I know and understand.

I agree in all of what you are saying

Thanks for the review Mike Keep up the great work HELLOOOO Hunter!!! Have a Day

The tractor also has way more versatile attachments it can use. But the skid steer not so much attachments can be used.

Great comparison!

Now you can fix all those trails, nice machine!

I agree with you skid loader the way to go

Men , and our machines !👍👍❤❤

Looks like you gotta add the SVL to the equipment listing in the description

Great use review Mike 👍 I think you have every piece of machinery you need now but I would not be surprised if another machine popped up eventually 😉 But that's just a part of uour channel that's fun and exciting to watch. Can't wait till the gravel is dumped and your spreading it too.

Great video Mike 🇺🇲 I agree with you 💯

Good morning Mike! This was a great video. Your explanation was perfect and helpful. Thank you! I look forward to your videos each time they are published.

HLA makes a PTO Three Point Hitch adapter. I would like to see you get one even to try, see if it's of any use at all. Have a good one

The first video I watched of yours was that video. Been watching ever sense. Skid loader guy myself. there isn't much you cant do with it. I've had a tractor just don't like them. All the rocks around my house live down the road from a quarry tractor is worthless . had to put in a water line and had a heck of a time finding a company that would do it. most of them once they found out were i live said find someone else ended up renting a track hoe and doing it myself.

I agree we are all getting older, have you taken a look at the JCB Teleskid machine range with side entry cabin. It reduces a lot of the generic risks associated with conventional skidsteers!,

Many attachments are available for a skid steer. I will guess that tracks are relatively high maintenance compared to wheels.

Skid loader for me. Tight space

Very nice equipment👍

Ever use a forest mulcher attachment on a skid loader with a high flow hydraulic package? They look fun. =]

Great video. Have a great day be safe.

I really enjoy your channel! I'm looking for a small tractor and wondering weather a back hoe is a good option? I've only needed one twice in 30 years. The tractor is my best option because of the versatility...being raised on a farm. It will probably be a used Massy 35!

Then again a backhoe like a JCB might be more versatile and get rid of the need for a loader and excavator. You pay your money and take your choice. Personally, I’d just hire one for a few days and save a load of cash ! Great vids though 😀👍

Correct, a tractor isn't a bulldozer. A skid steer can be used as one.

Great video. Reminds me of your videos when you first started. More equipment based and straight forward!

Great….now you made me want to buy a skid steer too😮

The dump truck seems to be the attentive audience. Haha

nice machines!...skid loader bucket looks too low near your door?.....thanks 4 video. be kind.

Great video

Mike, Great video

great suffffff again,,, thank you,,, again,,,