# Will a skidsteer with bucket be able to clear brush?



## oz in SC

We were up on our land for the long weekend and while we cleared about half an acre of land of the unwanted trees and brush that left about 15 more acres to go....SO we came to the conclusion that a small piece of equipment could get a lot more done than us.

We know we could probably hire someone to do it and it would probably be done quicker and all but we want to actually do it ourselves.

So the local equipment rental company has the following for rent:

ER023 Daewoo 601, 1300 lb. rating
ER024 Daewoo 1760 XL, 1700 lb. rating
The skidsteers rent for $175/day and can be delivered to our land for a small fee.

They also have a Kubota L-35, 35 HP Diesel with 24" Bucket and a JCB 214, 80 HP Diesel with 36" Bucket.

We saw the skidsteers and the backhoe and the skidsteers seemed to be a lot more manageable to us...

The largest tree we would be knocking down would be less than 5'' in diameter.

So what do y'all think?


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## moopups

A skid steer will take a much longer time to clear land of brush, compared to a front end loader with a rake. The price of renting is not that much more compared to the machine's ability.

When clearing land, create an open area first, then push the brush to it, stack in windrows for burning or other removal. After uprooting a tree place the rake flat to the surface, back away steering in a 'S' pattern every time you move back wards - this helps re-level the soil. If you spike the rake downward next to the tree and use the hydraulic power rather than the machines weight you usually get better results. Always approach a second attempt to remove a tree from a different direction, this prevents excessive soil disruption.

Hiring an experienced individual to run the machine is less costly than hiring a professional, some of the people that work at temporary labor services have some experiences. In the past I have seen property owners waste a lot of rental time due to inexperience.


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## Cabin Fever

I have seen people clear land with a brush hog mounted on the skidsteer. It left the land looking like a park covered with mulch....very cool!....and fast!


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## tallpaul

Moopups- I say bull poopie! I have both front end loaders and rakes and Bobcats and a decent sized bobcat will outwork about any front end loader there is within reason if you know how to operate it. I have "cleared lots of scrub with just the buckett and my new toy as cabin fever mentioned- the front mount brush hog. Mine is an ammbusher like this







and it is quick. I do agree with gettin someone who knows what they are doin on a machine verses playin with one. I have over 3500 plus hours in skidsteers and have done a bit with them 
Actually I just came back to the shop to pick it up and mow a few lots today with it.


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## Jena

I am NOT an experienced equipment operator, but I have used a skidsteer quite a bit.

It is really scary when those suckers tip...and they like to do so (at least mine did). I never put it over, but when it rocks back and slams forward....well, I lost a lot of time changing my shorts. I don't want to think about a rental place's reaction to "Um....How do I upright your skidsteer?"

I decided that I will not use a skidsteer on anything but nice, level ground. This might be something to keep in mind if you are as inexperienced as I am.

Jena


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## moopups

TallPaul, I was answering the question as asked. 'Skid steer with a bucket' is the key here, not a skid steer with a brush cutter. How well does the brush cutter handle the 5 inch trees mentioned?

My last use of a JD 544 front end loader was 180 acres of frozen out orange grove. Putting in 12 hour days got old in a hurry even back when I was young enough to think I liked doing it.


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## tallpaul

I still say a decent sized skid steer will out-doo a loader I was answering the question and did in the first part if you read it. It will if you know how to run them pull out and push prush. Like anything else in operating equipment opening up that work area at first takes some time... I should add that you need the toothed buckett- the smooth buckett would be a bummer... as far as the cutter- my machine is a s185 turbo and it will do 4 inch trees with that cutter. There are cutters for the bigger machines that will eat those 5 inch trees pretty easy. They are the drum style though and not the disc-blade type though. This thing shines in like multa flora rose and brush... Not tryin to be rude etc but there is a big difference between being able to run a bobcat and use one  same with the tractors really. I should also mention soil conditions play a big role in either a loader or a bobcat bein able to work. If it is wet and loamy you will want a track type or tracks at least on the machine. 

BYW ater re reading your post and seeing you are talking of a 544- the giant articulated loader- I eat my words  the weight and power you had there would easily out do me. I wrongly assumed a loader/backhoe type machine or a farm tractor and a loader buckett. If you really want to eat trees and brush put a brushcutter on that 544 and fly through the woods The bobcats will only outdoo the likes of the 580 case etc... soory about that- I keep forgettin there are bigger toys to play with around here  If you were good on that 544 you were a flyin!


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## oz in SC

This Daewoo skidsteer DOES have a bucket blade with teeth....

If we find it is NOT working well we can simply hire the contractor that put the driveway in.

If we could rent one with one of those bush-hog attachments on it THAT would work VERY well.


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## Ross

As Jena says a lot of skidsteers buck, Bobcats (with out vertical lift) are terrible. No idea about Daewoo, or Kubota. NH and Deere are excellent for stability, the tracked beasts are excellent too, Bobcat T190 and the Cat (Catillac for comfort) are two I've used, and are very different machines compared to wheeled versions. We've dug a lot of brush with our stone fork on the skidsteer, gets the roots and leaves the dirt. Not fast though. Well its faster than a shovel and an axe!


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## oz in SC

Well our other option is to hire out the land clearing...

But that is NOT something we really want to do.

What about one of those DR type brush cutters???


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## skruzich

oz in SC said:


> Well our other option is to hire out the land clearing...
> 
> But that is NOT something we really want to do.
> 
> What about one of those DR type brush cutters???


I'll tell ya if you hire it out, they will destroy the land. it seems that all folks want to do anymore is scrape everything off the top and pile it up in a big burn pile, topsoil and all.

I personally would use a john deer backhoe/loader, the biggest one they make. They have a nice bucket where you can just push over any tree 6 - 8" and get roots and all. Then all you have to do is push the trees into a pile and do whatever you want to do with them. 6" trees, personally i would cut into 10' poles and stack them. Then when you get time skin them and let em dry and dip the ends in a preservative and you have free fence posts.


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## Cabin Fever

In my experience, once you've cleared the land you'll have much less need for a DR mower...unless you let things go and let the brush and small trees grow back.

We have well over a mile of wide trails (~20 feet wide) on our 40 acres. I cleared these trails with a brushcutter for the brush and small trees and a chainsaw for the trees. It took a lot of bending over to remove the cut brush and saplings into piles. Once the trail was cut and cleared, all we've had to do is mow them once a year. I rarely need my brushcutter anymore...unless I'm making a new trail. The trails are park-like and the riding mower is all that is needed to kill any new growth of brush and trees.

I believe you might find the same situation. If you buy a DR mower, you'll use it once to clear the land. Once that is done, you might be able to use your riding mower to maintain it. The DR mower will sit in the shed and collect dust. I would have loved to have used a DR Mower to do my trails....but there was no rental place near me that had them, I never had the opportunity.


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## oz in SC

Cabin Fever,thanks for your reply.

I do believe we will try the Dr brushcutter first and see how that works.


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