ASV RT-25 vs Gehl RT105
Quick take: The ASV RT-25 costs $8,000 less; the Gehl RT105 has a higher rated operating capacity (1,050 vs 665 lbs); the Gehl RT105 has more engine power (35 vs 25 hp).
| Spec | ASV RT-25 | Gehl RT105 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $34,000 | $42,000 |
| Rating | 4.3★ (140) | 4.1★ (85) |
| Type | Compact Track Loader | Compact Track Loader |
| Lift Path | Radial Lift | Radial Lift |
| ROC | 665 lbs | 1050 lbs |
| Engine HP | 25 hp | 35 hp |
| Operating Weight | 3755 lbs | 4720 lbs |
| Tipping Load | 1900 lbs | 3000 lbs |
| Lift Height | 101 in | 109 in |
| Hydraulic Flow | 11.3 GPM | 15 GPM |
| Engine | Perkins 403J-17T | Yanmar 3TNV88C |
| Tracks | Yes | Yes |
| Vertical lift | No | No |
| High-flow | No | No |
| Enclosed cab | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed | No | No |
| Self-leveling | No | Yes |
| A/C & heat | Yes | No |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2000 hr | 2 yr / 2000 hr |
Pros & cons
ASV RT-25
- ✓At 48 inches wide it's the only sit-in CTL that fits through a standard residential gate, opening up backyard jobs that otherwise mean wheelbarrows or walk-behinds.
- ✓Riding in a real seat with joysticks beats standing on a walk-behind platform all day - operators are dramatically less fatigued on long jobs.
- ✓The 3,755 lb weight tows behind nearly any half-ton truck or even a large SUV, making it the easiest CTL in the industry to move.
- ✓Ground pressure is minimal, so it crosses finished lawns and irrigation lines leaving marks a rake fixes rather than ruts a crew rebuilds.
- ✓The Posi-Track suspended undercarriage rides smoother and climbs better in mud than the rigid mini-loaders it competes with.
- ✓The 24.7 hp Perkins diesel stays under emissions thresholds that require complex aftertreatment, keeping the machine mechanically simple.
- ✓A 101-inch lift height is remarkable for the size - it genuinely loads landscape dump trailers and small trucks.
- ✓It rents extremely well, and rental operators report strong utilization because nothing else does what it does at the size.
- ✗The 665 lb rated capacity is genuinely tiny - a pallet of sod or wet retaining-wall block is already over its limit.
- ✗The 11.3 GPM auxiliary circuit only runs light attachments; augers and trenchers work, but anything hungrier stalls.
- ✗A 5.1 mph single-speed drive makes any significant ground move feel glacial.
- ✗The small cab is tight for big operators, and all-day comfort trails the larger frames.
- ✗The 1,900 lb tipping load means careful load placement - it gets light in the rear quickly with the arms extended.
- ✗Undercarriage wheels and bearings still need ASV-level maintenance diligence despite the machine's small size and price.
- ✗Dealer coverage for parts is thin in many regions, which stings more on a machine bought for quick-turn rental work.
- ✗Price per pound of capacity is steep - you're paying for access, not lifting power, and buyers who don't need the 48-inch width get more machine elsewhere.
Gehl RT105
- ✓At 4,720 lbs it's genuinely half-ton towable with a modest trailer, saving small operators from buying a heavier truck just to move the machine.
- ✓The 50.8-inch width squeezes through standard backyard gates and double doors, opening up fenced-yard and interior jobs that mid-frame machines simply can't reach.
- ✓IdealTrax automatic track tensioning is standard even on this entry model, protecting tracks and bearings from the under-tensioning neglect that kills small CTL undercarriages.
- ✓The 1,050 lb rating is taken at a conservative 35% of tipping load, so it handles its rated pallet of sod or pavers without feeling ready to nose over.
- ✓The naturally-aspirated Yanmar 3TNV88C is a simple, DEF-free workhorse that mechanically-inclined owners can service themselves with basic tools.
- ✓A 109-inch hinge pin height is tall for the sub-5,000 lb class and comfortably clears dump trailers and one-ton dump beds.
- ✓The 15 GPM auxiliary circuit runs augers, trenchers, and grapples well for the size class, and a second front auxiliary set comes standard.
- ✓It undercuts the Bobcat T450 by thousands and carries the same 2-year/2,000-hour warranty, making it one of the cheapest paths into a new tracked machine.
- ✗There's no two-speed option, so 6 mph is all you get - ground moves across large properties feel painfully slow.
- ✗Air conditioning isn't offered at all, only a heat-and-defrost cab kit, so summer work means running the door open or sweating it out.
- ✗No high-flow option puts hungry attachments like mulchers and cold planers permanently out of reach.
- ✗The 34.7 hp engine works hard with heavy dirt attachments, and operators note it bogs where 50+ hp small-frames push through.
- ✗Gehl's thin dealer network means parts and service can involve a long drive or a shipping wait that Bobcat owners rarely face.
- ✗Resale value trails the big brands, so the low purchase price gives some savings back at trade-in time.
- ✗The 84-inch dump height at full lift won't clear tall dump trucks, capping it at trailers and small truck beds.
- ✗Base machines come with old-school T-bar controls, and the pilot joystick upgrade that most operators now expect costs extra.