Head to head
Gehl R105 against Gehl RT105
The Gehl R105 saves $7,000; only the Gehl RT105 runs tracks, so their advertised capacities are not measured the same way; only the Gehl RT105 runs rubber tracks.
These two are rated differently on purpose. A wheeled skid steer is rated at half its tipping load and a track loader at 35 per cent, because the track machine holds back more reserve. So the capacity rows below are not a like-for-like contest, and the tipping load row is the closer thing to one.
| Spec | Gehl R105 | Gehl RT105 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $35,000 | $42,000 |
| Rated capacity, as advertised | 1,050 lbs | 1,050 lbs |
| Rated at | 50% of tipping load | 35% of tipping load |
| Tipping load | 2,100 lbs | 3,000 lbs |
| Capacity at its class convention | 1,050 lbs | 1,050 lbs |
| Engine power | 35 hp | 35 hp |
| Engine | Yanmar 3TNV88C | Yanmar 3TNV88C |
| Auxiliary flow | 15 GPM | 15 GPM |
| Lift height | 107.5 in | 109 in |
| Operating weight | 4,200 lbs | 4,720 lbs |
| Lift path | Radial Lift | Radial Lift |
| Rubber tracks | No | Yes |
| High flow available | No | No |
| Enclosed cab available | Yes | Yes |
| Two-speed travel available | No | No |
| Self-levelling available | No | Yes |
| A/C and heat available | No | No |
| Warranty | 2 yr / 2,000 hr | 2 yr / 2,000 hr |
What owners say about each
Gehl R105
- At roughly 4,200 lbs it tows behind a half-ton pickup on a modest trailer, which owners call the single biggest reason they bought it.
- The 34.7 hp Yanmar 3TNV88C stays under the emissions threshold that triggers DPF and complex aftertreatment, keeping the engine dead simple to maintain.
- One of the lowest purchase prices of any diesel skid steer, undercutting a Bobcat S450 by a meaningful margin.
- The radial boom digs and scrapes well at ground level, ideal for the manure scraping and stall cleaning it's often bought for.
- Light footprint and turf-friendly tire options do less damage to lawns and finished surfaces than heavier machines.
- Shares parts with the Manitou 1050 R, so components move through both Gehl and Manitou dealer channels.
- A 1,050 lb rated capacity fills up fast, and owners report it struggles with heavier round bales and full pallets of feed.
- The 15 GPM hydraulics limit attachments to light-duty augers, brooms, and grapples - no high-flow tools here.
- The 107.5-inch hinge pin height is too short to load taller trucks and mixers, capping its material-handling usefulness.
- The small operator station is tight for bigger operators, especially entering and exiting past the T-bar controls.
- Gehl's limited dealer network makes service tricky in areas where the brand has little presence.
- Resale value is modest, and the small-frame diesel segment competes against cheap used mid-frames that do more.
Gehl RT105
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.