Case SR250 skid steer loader Used Review

When you think of skid steers, or compact loaders, construction sites often come to mind. But a growing number of farmers are switching from front-end loader tractor setups to skid steers - and for good reason.

The move makes sense, with skid steers offering improved manoeuvrability, visibility and massive rated operating capacity (ROC) right out of the box. When it comes time to swap the bucket out for forks, or other attachments, it’s quick too, taking all but a few minutes.

Light earthmoving equipment is designed to move dirt all day, every day, making it well suited to tough farm work. In the case of a skid steer, it’s the versatility that is getting farmers over the line.

After switching out a small front-end loader for a late 1990s Bobcat 753, my family saw huge productivity gains and soon realised just how versatile a skid steer can be in a farming application. Before long, a larger Case SR250 was purchased from Constructionsales which proved to be a game changer.

Of course, buying a skid steer to try on your farm is not exactly a cheap exercise, which is why in many cases a used machine makes sense. If you know where to look and what models to go for, a low-hour machine can be found without breaking the bank.

Related: How to choose: Compact-tracked loader vs skid-steer loader

Here, we look at a 2012 Case SR250 which has notched up a few hundred hours in a relatively short time.

Operator of choice on the family property is my brother, Aden, who has surpassed the rest of us both in terms of his skills and willingness to put in the hours.

“I’ve already put about 250 hours on this in a few months, but it’s saved us so much time already compared to how long it would have taken us with a tractor,” Aden said.

Having run tractors with various implements before and now the skid steer, Aden concluded there are two advantages skid steers present over tractors: productivity and versatility.

As skid steers grow in popularity among the farming community, the range of attachments is also widening to cater to the ag sector.

For example, we purchased a Norm Engineering slasher to mount it on the skid steer where a bucket would otherwise go.

“We bought the slasher for it, thinking that if we can use the skid steer as a loader and for other things, it could offer more benefits,” Aden said.

“The skid steer has turned out to be way more compact so you can fit it into tighter spots, visibility is better and it’s even more stable on hills.”

According to Aden, the main benefit of a skid steer and slasher combo like this is manoeuvrability. Previously inaccessible spots like steep hills can be tidied up, and out-of-control bushes can be slashed by positioning the unit at the height or angle needed.

“I’ve slashed a mound of dirt that’s about 1.5m high, and I wouldn’t even think about driving a tractor over that,” Aden said.

“You can even slash trees back if you need to.”

With countless construction and agricultural attachments now available, the skid steer has proven highly versatile, Aden explained, used for everything from spreading road base to digging trenches.

“The amount of attachments that you can get for them now…there’s something for everything you could need,” he said.

“We use the Norm Engineering forks for lifting all the time, things like round bales, and I welded up a spreader we use a bit too.

“We’ve even had a chain digger on the front of it that we borrowed, which saved us buying a dedicated trenching machine.”

When it comes time to swap attachments, Aden said it’s far quicker to do so on a skid steer than a tractor.

“Changing attachments is just heaps easier, within two minutes I can have the bucket off and the slasher on,” he said.

“It takes a fair bit longer to detach and hook up an implement on the tractor.”

While this may sound like an attempt to steer people into buying skid steers instead of tractors, that is not the case. We also run tractors and always will, but for earthmoving duties, a skid steer is our pick.

The Case SR250, in this case, has saved us time and money while condensing the number of attachments and tools needed to keep the property running smoothly.

“The main thing for us is how versatile they are,” Aden said.

“You think you won’t use one that much, but you find yourself using it for so many little jobs and it saves so much time.”

“The only thing I can really fault it on is ground clearance, because there have been a couple of times in wet, soft ground where it bellied out but there’s ways around it,” he said.

The Case SR250 is a radial lift compact loader with an operating weight of 1490kg, aimed at the construction industry but versatile enough to hold its own in an agricultural setting.

A Rated Operating Capacity of 1135kg, or 1225kg with counterweights (at 50 per cent tipping load), far exceeds the lifting capabilities of a front-end loader of similar size making the SR250 a serious workhorse.

Bucket cylinder breakout force is an impressive 33.3kN, and it makes light work of just about anything you might use it for on a farm as Aden is quick to show us.

We have the high flow model, capable of 131l/min for heavy-duty applications and has better productivity over the standard flow model offering 85l/min.

An FPT 3.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine produces 90hp/340Nm, proving both reliable and powerful enough to handle anything thrown at it so far.

Power runs through an electro-hydraulic two-speed (high/low) gearbox, which allows travel around 11km/h in low range and 17km/h in high range, and onto a single-reduction chain drive.

A fully-enclosed and pressurised cab, with air conditioning and heating, keeps dust out while an air suspension seat keeps operators comfortable. The SR250 also features tilt ROPS/FOPS.

If you are thinking about buying a Case SR250, or similar skid steer, then head to Constructionsales to find the right machine for your farm.

When it comes time to buy, it never hurts to ask what type of work the machine has been used for. This will give you an indication of how hard it has been run and in what conditions.

Be sure to check machines for dents and signs of impact, keep an eye out for welds that could indicate a repair, and of course check the usual wear items including cab, engine, hydraulics, bucket and tyres.

While the number of hours logged is often the best indicator of condition, a thorough maintenance schedule and regular greasing are signs of a machine that has been looked after.

If you do decide to hit go on a skid steer for your farm, we don’t think you’ll look back!

Engine: FPT 3.2-litre turbocharged diesel

Power/Torque: 90hp/340Nm

Maximum Travel Speed: 16.9km/h

Hydraulic Flow: 131 LPM

Operating Weight: 3490kg

Rated Operating Capacity: 1135kg

Tipping Load: 2268kg

Bucket Cylinder Breakout Force: 33.3Kn

Fuel Capacity: 96.5l