ASV RT-50 vs Gehl RT105
Quick take: The Gehl RT105 costs $5,000 less; the ASV RT-50 has a higher rated operating capacity (1,400 vs 1,050 lbs); the ASV RT-50 has more engine power (54 vs 35 hp).
| Spec | ASV RT-50 | Gehl RT105 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $47,000 | $42,000 |
| Rating | 4.4★ (190) | 4.1★ (85) |
| Type | Compact Track Loader | Compact Track Loader |
| Lift Path | Radial Lift | Radial Lift |
| ROC | 1400 lbs | 1050 lbs |
| Engine HP | 54 hp | 35 hp |
| Operating Weight | 5180 lbs | 4720 lbs |
| Tipping Load | 4000 lbs | 3000 lbs |
| Lift Height | 109.6 in | 109 in |
| Hydraulic Flow | 13.3 GPM | 15 GPM |
| Engine | Yanmar 3TNV86CHT | 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-50
- ✓At 5,180 lbs it's one of the only true CTLs a half-ton pickup and 7,000 lb trailer can legally tow, which saves small operators the cost of a bigger truck.
- ✓The 1,400 lb rated capacity is outstanding for the machine's weight - most competitors need another 1,000 lbs of steel to lift the same load.
- ✓ASV's Posi-Track suspended undercarriage gives a noticeably smoother ride than the rigid-undercarriage mini CTLs it competes with, so operators work faster over rough ground.
- ✓Ground pressure around 3.5 psi lets it cross finished lawns, septic fields, and wet spring ground with minimal turf damage that would sideline heavier machines.
- ✓The 53.8 hp Yanmar turbo-diesel is Tier 4 Final without DEF, keeping fluids simple and running costs low for owner-operators.
- ✓At 58.5 inches wide it slips through gates and between houses where mid-frame machines simply don't fit.
- ✓The open-station ROPS keeps entry price low, and a full cab with heat and A/C is available for year-round work.
- ✓ASV backs it with a 2-year/2,000-hour warranty including the brand's no-derailment track guarantee, which rivals don't match on rubber-track undercarriages.
- ✗The 13.3 GPM auxiliary circuit with no high-flow option rules out hungry attachments like mulchers and cold planers - this is a bucket, auger, and grapple machine.
- ✗There's no two-speed travel, so the 7.1 mph top speed makes long ground moves on big properties feel slow.
- ✗The radial lift path and 109.6-inch hinge pin height make loading over tall dump truck sides a stretch compared to vertical-lift rivals.
- ✗ASV's many-wheeled undercarriage needs disciplined cleaning and bearing maintenance, and neglect gets expensive faster than on steel-embedded track systems.
- ✗Replacement rubber tracks cost more than conventional CTL tracks and wear quickly if you work rock, concrete, or demolition debris.
- ✗The dealer network is far thinner than Bobcat's or Kubota's, so rural owners can face long drives for parts and warranty service.
- ✗Resale value trails the major brands because many used-equipment buyers don't know the Posi-Track system and discount it.
- ✗The small frame gets bouncy with a full bucket at speed, and heavier attachments like pallet forks eat into the modest capacity quickly.
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.