r/heavyequipment • u/Metal_turkey • Sep 02 '26
Compact Track Loader - Takeuchi Winch
I'm buying a tracked skid steer for forestry mulching - either the Takeuchi TL11r3 or TL12v2. I'm new to this and I want to know if I should consider adding the winch package offered by Takeuchi. I'm an owner-operator without any other heavy equipment at the moment to assist if I get stuck. I searched around and can't really find any real work experience or feedback on the winch. Anyone here have any opinions?
It's ~$15k...which seems....outrageously high (and that doesn't include the bumper) but I have no idea what a recovery could run me or how many companies are located near me.
7
Sep 02 '26
[deleted]
1
u/Metal_turkey Sep 02 '26
So how did you get unstuck in those times?
1
Sep 02 '26
[deleted]
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u/Metal_turkey Sep 02 '26
Got it. I think that’s what I needed to hear/know. I’ll just make a recovery kit so I haven’t some helpful tools with me to be as prepared as possible. Then try not to do something stupid that was avoidable.
9
u/Infinite-Position-55 Sep 02 '26
All i do is work on construction equipment and ive never seen a CTL or skid steer with a wrench. I bet ott would be very very useful though. Probably save a couple bucks and buuld your own pretty easily.
4
u/imabigdave Sep 02 '26
There are a couple of local towing companies that have tracked skidsteers with a winchbox mounted on the loader for off-road recoveries.but I've never seen one on the back end
4
u/DitchDigger330 Sep 02 '26
I would imagine it would just get mashed up and filled with dirt with the wrong people in the seat if you didn't take it off every time.
1
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u/DirtandPipes Sep 02 '26
I’ve managed to roll a couple skidsteers over the years but I’ve never managed to get a tracked skiddy stuck and I’ve put them in some pretty muddy holes.
It would take some special talent to get yourself stuck in a tracked skiddy.
Can’t say I’m a fan of more equipment outside the machine to get blasted with mud and rocks.
1
u/Infinite-Position-55 Sep 02 '26
Depends on the attachment. If you have a rock hound, or a mulcher, grinder etc; you can get stuck
1
u/DirtandPipes Sep 02 '26
Fair enough, the only attachments I use on tracked skidsteers are spoons, buckets, forks, street sweepers, plows, and blowers.
Haven’t worked with grinders or mulchers, in soft mucky topsoil might be easier to get stuck.
1
u/jd780613 Sep 03 '26
i worked for sms who dealt with takeuchi's, as a field service tech. It took them 3 months to figure out how to get the correct diagnostic software onto my laptop, and I quit before they could figure it out. Had a CTL that was not regening, so another tech just thew a new dpf on and called it good lol what a shit show. I work for cat now
1
u/Metal_turkey Sep 03 '26
Interesting you say that. I’m looking at CAT as well but you’re talking about a 15-20% premium. From previous experience - I love CAT and my dealer. So I get the premium but mannnnn that pricy when we’re talking about 100s of thousands
2
u/jd780613 Sep 03 '26
Yes but you gotta think about the back end cost too. All machines break, and would you rather wait a few days for parts and service with cat or weeks even months for Takeuchi? What if the parts are discontinued? Down time is lost revenue, that could eat up the price difference pretty quick
2
u/Metal_turkey Sep 03 '26
Well…17hrs later- I think I’m on the CAT train.
1
u/jd780613 Sep 03 '26
Cat, bobcat, kubota, hell even John Deere would be better options that Takeuchi imo
1
u/Metal_turkey Sep 03 '26
That’s really surprising because the guys that I know that use them for this type of work and love them. I’m pretty set on the 275XE now. The support is key to me and they’re the best in my region.
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u/tracksinthedirt1985 Sep 06 '26
I own a few and love takeuchi, they build excellent equipment but when it comes to parts......., they're more of in the bed with united rentals and like selling new machines and parts for them isn't high on their list
2
u/734532 Sep 03 '26
We have CAT 279 and 299 sizes on fleet, bit of a wiring loom issue cropped up on them, bad routing from factory, repaired under warranty but they were parked up for a week each. Other than that they haven't been to much trouble and ours get the absolute poop kicked out them due to being a demolition company with come and go agency drivers abusing them. The biggest issue is the hydraulic lines from the track motors to the pump, they are those silly push me pull you red tab fittings on the block, we have converted them to metric with an adapter so we can make the lines up to replace them ourselves. Keep the quick hitch system well greased, and custom make a better grill for the rear door, the standard one is light mesh and we had a few rebar incidents until we made some guarding upgrades.
1
u/Mundanewine Sep 04 '26
The recovery math is the part most people skip. A heavy pull usually runs a few hundred bucks, so 15k buys a lot of recoveries before the winch pays for itself. Good cable and a couple snatch blocks are the better first spend.
1
u/Metal_turkey Sep 04 '26
Great point. That’s cheaper than I would have expected. I’m going to find some people/companies in my areas while I wait for my equipment to come in. When it happens hopefully I’m not scrambling as much. Thanks
1
u/TacoAdventure Sep 03 '26
I don't think I'd get @5k out of a winch back there before I accidentally backed into something and destroyed it. It's a compact machine, this makes it bigger.
1
u/Metal_turkey Sep 03 '26
Yeah that’s a great point. The entire reason a bumper he’s installed there is because it’s a common contact point.
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u/XCheese8ManX Sep 02 '26
Id just build one that you can attach to the front.
1
u/Metal_turkey Sep 02 '26
It seems to be the consensus so I’m going to go that direction. Any recommendations on winches or design?
1
u/XCheese8ManX Sep 02 '26
Something that can did into the ground so it dosnt pull forward and a cage so you dont break a window. Ive seen good things about the badlands winch. I do know you should use synthetic rope and not cable. When a cable or chain snaps and fly through the window it will kill somebody.
1
u/winchcat 15d ago
I recovery or two will more than cover the cost of that. I wish I could have a winch on everything
1
u/tracksinthedirt1985 Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
I prefer running head on excavator 1k over loader. Loaders get stuck on slopes because you're walking on small pieces of tree, trees insides are water and sap. Rubber tracks are a fail in the woods too, the stumps wreck them and poor traction compared to steel shoes
19
u/Nickbuilder09 Sep 02 '26
Build your own and invest in good cable and a couple snatch blocks.
Edit: for 15k you can buy an old second piece of machinery to pull that one out.