Anyone ever use a disc on a skid steer

[John D]

They don't make any discs for skid steers but I seen you can buy a 3 point hitch plate on a skid steer and can use a disc off of a tractor. Was wondering if anyone has done this? Looks like you'll have to disc in reverse but I don't see that as a problem. Here's a youtube video of a guy using a pulveriser with one of these plates. I don't think a pulverizer does as good as a job as a disc though.

 

[Zeek]

How about a Harley rake?

 

[John D]

I've used a harley rake. They're just pricey to own. Can buy a used disc for cheap

 

[bowhunt160bucks]

I bought a plate off eBay for about $200. I use all my 3 point equipment including my seed drill on my case 1840. The old 6 ' disc probably does the best as I can put a ton of down pressure on it. But like you said the only down side is you have to go backwards. If you'd like to see some pictures feel free to pm a number I'll text them

 

[John D]

I'm glad I found someone that's done this. So you're happy with it? Have you ever run a disc on a tractor? Is it comparable?

 

[bowhunt160bucks]

Actually for my little tractor (no down pressur on 3 point) the skid works much better. I can put enough down pressure to cut sod. I can put more pressure on the back gang or front by tilting it. Normally it takes me a few passes to really get it cut up.

 

[Mennoniteman]

If that's the equipment you've got, it's better than doing it by hand for a very small area, but there's reasons why hardly anyone else is doing it. Backing up a skidloader to till a larger field is going to get really old in a hurry. Not to mention dangerous. It's a sad fact, but Amish and Mennonite farm children get killed all the time by skidloaders going in reverse, I hear of at least one or two every year. A skidloader in reverse is mostly impossible to see where you are going, if anybody else is around there make sure that they understand that and don't operate it if there's any children on site. I'd put on a dust mask and go forward for the first pass, and only go in reverse for the last pass to cover the tire tracks. For small wildlife food plots, to get started the equipment doesn't have to be perfect, just something to get the soil loosened and leveled, and the seeds will grow. And once you are hooked on planting stuff for deer you can pick up a cheap tractor to pull the disc. Good luck with that plot.

 

[bowhunt160bucks]

I agree. What the above poster speaks of worry's me to death! I have a 5 yo son and when he is around I watch him like a hawk and must force myself to run it slower.I am serious when I speak to him around machinery. We have an understanding that when he approaches my area he is to wave his arms from a distance until I see him and wave back.
One of my many dirt work projects with mine is a pond. I am having to move about 500-1000 yards of dirt to build the dike. Often I get to the farm at 8-9pm on a Friday night. I just climb on my machine and go to work for 3-4 hours with the lights on. This frees up the daylight time for other projects. The skid has been one of the best investments I have made for my farm.

 

[LetThemGrow]

If that's the equipment you've got, it's better than doing it by hand for a very small area, but there's reasons why hardly anyone else is doing it. Backing up a skidloader to till a larger field is going to get really old in a hurry. Not to mention dangerous. It's a sad fact, but Amish and Mennonite farm children get killed all the time by skidloaders going in reverse, I hear of at least one or two every year. A skidloader in reverse is mostly impossible to see where you are going, if anybody else is around there make sure that they understand that and don't operate it if there's any children on site. I'd put on a dust mask and go forward for the first pass, and only go in reverse for the last pass to cover the tire tracks. For small wildlife food plots, to get started the equipment doesn't have to be perfect, just something to get the soil loosened and leveled, and the seeds will grow. And once you are hooked on planting stuff for deer you can pick up a cheap tractor to pull the disc. Good luck with that plot.

Amen! Why a backup camera is not STANDARD equipment on EVERY skid steer is beyond me.

 

[John D]

I use one for my excavating business for at least 25 years. My employees tell me I drive it better in reverse than forward. Not sure if it's a compliment or insult. Lol

 

[Prelude8626]

you can get a tiller though

 

[Mennoniteman]

I use one for my excavating business for at least 25 years. My employees tell me I drive it better in reverse than forward. Not sure if it's a compliment or insult. Lol

One of my friends is a career excavator and dozer operator and when he sees someone "back dragging" to grade something he'll always say "professionals are taught not to excavate in reverse"

 

[John D]

I get into some pretty tight jobs in the city where there's no room to turn around. Sometimes working your way out in reverse is the only way. Usually have a spotter guiding me though and keeping it safe.

 

[OkieKubota]

One of my friends is a career excavator and dozer operator and when he sees someone "back dragging" to grade something he'll always say "professionals are taught not to excavate in reverse"

You can see behind a dozer (especially one like mine) though so back grading is not a huge deal.

 

[Drycreek]

As a dozer operator for most of my life, I’ve heard the “backdragging” comment many times, usually spoken by someone who’s heard it from someone else. There’s a time and place for backdragging if you’re a “shur-nuff” operator. It not only removes your grouser marks, it somewhat compacts the ground, which the tracks on a dozer DO NOT do.

After all, if they wanted it to compact, they wouldn’t have put tracks on it. Tracked machines are partly for traction, but mostly for “flotation”. A wheeled machine doesn’t deliver the hp to the ground like a track machine does because inevitably one or two wheels will be in a softer spot and lose traction.

That’s why LGP, (Low Ground Pressure), tracks were invented. Simply put, they “float” better in soft, muddy ground. When you first get on a tractor with 36” pads, and you’ve been used to 22” or 24” pads, you think it will walk on water, but alas, you’ll soon find out that it does not !

Back to the going in reverse part, I can’t agree more with MM and Okie, that backing up thing is gonna get old quickly and you really can’t see well on a skid steer in reverse. I’ve only been on a skid steer twice, but the last time was a couple weeks ago when we rented one that I could haul just to pull my friend’s stuck Bobcat away from a fence. We got it done, but I couldn’t see worth a crap backing up !

 

[Letmgrow]

You would want to be sure you are backing straight up and not trying to turn at all with the discs in the ground. A Skid steer can turn quickly and if it did with the discs in the ground it would exert a tremendous side force on the discs. Even a tractor pulling a set of discs can exert a lot of side pressure if someone makes too tight a turn without lifting the discs.
Looking behind you can be dangerous too. Especially if the side shields aren't in place or are missing. You don't want to stick your head out when dropping the loader or you will lose your head.
I wouldn't even consider doing this unless I had a working back up alarm on the machine and everyone around knew what the alarm was for.
Lynn

 

[Mennoniteman]

You would want to be sure you are backing straight up and not trying to turn at all with the discs in the ground. A Skid steer can turn quickly and if it did with the discs in the ground it would exert a tremendous side force on the discs. Even a tractor pulling a set of discs can exert a lot of side pressure if someone makes too tight a turn without lifting the discs.
Looking behind you can be dangerous too. Especially if the side shields aren't in place or are missing. You don't want to stick your head out when dropping the loader or you will lose your head.
I wouldn't even consider doing this unless I had a working back up alarm on the machine and everyone around knew what the alarm was for.
Lynn

Side shields on a skid loader?

 

[Letmgrow]

Side shields on a skid loader?

What I was referring to are the guards next to the seat which protect the operator from getting caught up in the bucket lift mechanism.
Lynn

 

[Mennoniteman]

What I was referring to are the guards next to the seat which protect the operator from getting caught up in the bucket lift mechanism.
Lynn

Any skidloader made since 1980 has the cab welded in 1 piece. There's no removable side panels. Someone could remove the entire cab, but it wouldn't run anymore, there's a lot of wiring and switches in them.

 

[Letmgrow]

Any skidloader made since 1980 has the cab welded in 1 piece. There's no removable side panels. Someone could remove the entire cab, but it wouldn't run anymore, there's a lot of wiring and switches in them.

I certainly don't want to disagree with you but this gentleman was killed when he had the guard removed for repair in his Bobcat.
He was cleaning a calf stall, looked out the side and dropped the bucket. I was a first responder on the scene.
https://vineyardgazette.com/obituaries/2008/05/02/dr-j-blair-harff-46-dies-his-farm
Lynn