Heavy vs. Light Tracked Skid Steers: A Buyer's Story of Both Sides (And Why I Almost Chose Wrong)

The Buyer's Dilemma: Heavy or Light?

When you're an office administrator who manages equipment for a construction company, you get used to people asking for the biggest, baddest machine on the lot. Everyone wants the tracked bobcat skid steer that can rip through anything. But here's the thing: I've learned that 'more machine' isn't always the smart play.

This isn't a technical spec breakdown from a manufacturer's brochure. It's a real-world comparison, born from managing about 60 orders a year across 8 vendors. I'm going to compare the heavy-duty track loaders (like the T870) against the light-to-medium duty models (like the T450 or T590). And I'm going to do it from the perspective of someone who has to buy the parts, manage the invoices, and justify the cost to finance.

Everything I'd read from dealers said you should 'Buy the biggest you can afford.' In practice, I've found the opposite to be true for many of our projects. Let me show you what I mean.

Dimension 1: The Upfront Cost & The Hidden Tax

This is the obvious one, right? A T870 costs more. But the real cost difference isn't just the sticker price. It's the cost of everything attached to it.

The Heavy Option (T870):

• Initial Purchase: Roughly $85,000 (as of mid-2024).
• Key maintenance parts are bigger and more expensive.

The Light Option (T590):

• Initial Purchase: Roughly $55,000.
• Parts are smaller, lighter, and—critically—often interchangeable with other machines in a mixed fleet.

The Insider Knowledge: Here's what most people don't realize. The 'heavy' machine doesn't just cost more to buy. It costs more to own. The tracks are heftier. The undercarriage is more complex. The hydraulic pumps are pricier. When I'm browsing the bobcat parts online catalog looking for a simple hydraulic filter, the price difference between a T870 filter and a T590 filter is often 40-50%. That adds up fast when you're servicing three or four machines a year.

The Verdict: If your primary concern is budget-friendly ownership (not just purchase price), the light-to-medium machine often wins. This was a contrast insight for me.

Dimension 2: Versatility vs. Overkill

Everyone wants attachments. But not every machine needs to run every attachment.

I once made a classic rookie mistake. A project manager demanded the biggest machine to use a giant stump grinder. We bought the heavy machine. Then the project changed. Suddenly, we needed the machine for tight landscaping work—like a Dewalt drill in a confined space. The heavy machine was too wide, too heavy, and it tore up the wet grass. We ended up renting a smaller unit for three weeks.

When I compared the heavy machine and the light machine side-by-side on a daily basis, I finally understood why versatility matters more than brute force.

Key Comparison:

• Heavy: Great for massive excavation, heavy digging, and clearing. Poor for delicate grading or tight corners.
• Light: Acceptable for moderate digging. Excellent for grading, backfilling in tight spots, and—most importantly—it doesn't leave ruts like a sump pump in a muddy basement. It's more precise.

And speaking of parts, the smaller machine shares more components. When a hydraulic hose blew on our T590, I had a replacement in hand from the Bobcat dealer the next day. For the T870? I had to special order it. The bobcat parts online catalog showed it as a 'high demand' item that wasn't stocked locally.

The Verdict: For a general contractor doing a mix of work, the light model is more versatile. The heavy machine is for specialists.

Dimension 3: The 'What Is CTF Loader' Problem (And the Cost of Learning)

One of our newer operators asked me, "What is CTF loader?" This is a common question. CTF often stands for 'Compact Track Loader,' which is a gerneral term, but many use it to mean 'light track loader.' He was confused because the rental yard told him he needed a 'standard' machine for a job, but he didn't know what that meant.

This confusion leads to costly mistakes. The heavy machine (often called a 'Multi-Terrain Loader' by some, or a 'high-flow machine') requires different safety training. It's heavier on the trailer. It needs more fuel.

I assumed that buying the biggest machine would solve all our training and specification problems. Didn't verify. Turned out that the 'standard' loaders were what 80% of our tasks needed. The heavy machine was just a more expensive way to do the same job, with a steeper learning curve for the operators.

The Insider Knowledge: Don't buy a machine based on its theoretical maximum capacity. Buy it based on what you'll be doing 80% of the time. If that's basic excavation, grading, and loading trucks, a T590 is often more efficient than a T870.

The Verdict: For standard construction site duties, the light-to-medium machine is often more practical and easier to train staff on.

So, Which One Should You Buy?

Buy the Light-to-Medium Machine (Like the T590) If:

• You're a general contractor doing a mix of site work.
• You need the machine to be multi-purpose (attachments like digging, grading, sweeping).
• Your parts budget is a major concern.
• You need to move the machine frequently on standard trailers.
• Your operators are not all experts in heavy machinery.

Buy the Heavy Machine (Like the T870) If:

• You primarily do heavy excavation, forestry, or demolition.
• You need the highest hydraulic flow for the biggest attachments.
• You have dedicated, experienced operators who only run that machine.
• The premium on parts and maintenance is justified by the higher potential billing rate.

In my experience, most small to mid-sized contractors buy the heavy machine for the wrong reasons—ego or fear of being underpowered. They end up paying a premium for capability they rarely use. The tracked bobcat skid steer in the T450/T590 class is a workhorse. It's not the flashiest, but it pays the bills. I've learned that lesson the hard way, and it's saved my fleet budget a lot of money.