Yanmar vs. ASV CTLs: What’s the Difference?

A month after ASV and Yanmar finalized their merger, Yanmar rolled out four new compact track loaders at ConExpo, entering a new equipment category for the brand.
With ASV being well-known for CTLs, we wondered how much Yanmar’s new models relied on ASV designs and technology. On this episode of The Dirt, we get the answers.
Buck Storlie, Yanmar and ASV product manager, explains that the new Yanmar CTLs have some significant differences. The Yanmar models are designed more for the construction and utilities industries and the rental market; whereas, ASV’s models have made a name for themselves in the landscaping and forestry sectors.
The biggest change from the ASV machines that customers will notice is the undercarriage on the Yanmar models. But the Yanmar models do borrow some of the design lessons ASV has learned from its decades of producing compact track loaders.
To learn more about Yanmar’s new compact track loaders, how their different from ASV’s and why the brand is entering such a crowded CTL market, check out the latest episode of The Dirt.

In This Episode:
00:00 - Are Yanmar & ASV CTLs Different?
00:29 - Why Is Yanmar Selling CTLs When It Owns ASV?
01:58 - What Markets Are Each Brand Appealing To?
02:44 - What Are the Differences Between Yanmar & ASV CTLs?
06:10 - How Are Yanmar CTLs Different From Their Competitors?
11:00 - Yanmar’s Late Entry Into the CTL Market

Video transcript

Bryan Furnace:
Today we're here to talk about yet another new CTL coming to the market. I know it feels like this is a very established market, but we still have new companies coming out with new products in this space. And today we're here to talk about Yanmar and their new CTLs and how they're different from their sister machines, the ASV.
What was Yanmar's reasoning behind bringing yet another CTL to market when you guys have recently acquired ASV? What was the thought process there about getting another machine that's kind of competing to a degree with what you've got currently?
Buck Storlie:
Well you know, ASV is really a unique brand, 30 years of compact track loader experience. They've got a unique product we've got in that with the Posi-Track undercarriage. We do products like the smallest compact track loader in the industry all the way up to the highest horsepower compact track loader in the industry and the highest flow compact track loader, so really a compact track loader specialist with that wide range and specialized product.
With Yanmar, it's really... From the point of even discussions around the acquisition of ASV, Yanmar... We need a compact track loader, and we need one that plays in that middle range construction, utilities and rental segments that the Yanmar compact equipment plays in. So Yanmar, we want to be.... We view ourselves as a full-line compact equipment provider. And for North America, with compact track loaders being one of or maybe the largest segment in compact equipment, a track loader is a necessary addition. So with ASV we really wanted to lean on that 30 years of compact track loader expertise, but take with that 100-plus years of Yanmar equipment expertise, and combine and make a product that really fits our full compact construction lineup in that construction utilities and rental segment.
Bryan Furnace:
So it kind of sounds like they're very similar products, obviously, because they're both considered CTLs, but you're really appealing to two separate markets there. Am I understanding that correctly?
Buck Storlie:
Yeah, absolutely. ASV has always been the very high performance, very premium, and then the Posi-Track undercarriage of course, so really has excelled in the landscape markets, in the forestry markets. Those are areas where ASV has really grown a reputation and has maybe what could be referred to as kind of a cult following in those segments. With Yanmar, clearly we have strength in our construction, utilities, rental segments today with our mini excavators, with our wheel loaders, with our carriers. With a compact track loader, we expect the same and wanted to design the product specifically to enter those markets and to perform its best in those segments.
Bryan Furnace:
Gotcha. And so if we could kind of at a high level break down some of the things that really differentiate the new Yanmar CTL offering from the ASV product offering.
Buck Storlie:
I think it's easiest on that one, really, to start from the ground up. The first thing that stands out in a differentiator between the two products is the undercarriage. With the Yanmar CTL, we developed an all-new undercarriage, what we would refer to as a steel embed design, so a traditional steel wheel...

[_Ben]

I'm so happy that ASV has finally found an owning partner that is such a good fit...This is a great idea to make the Yanmar CTL with a more conventional undercarriage system...👌

[villageearthwright]

really too bad they went with a swing door instead of a roll up door.

[goodlucktrying]

I hope they will consider re-designing the door, not a fan of the swing out door. Very pleased with my Yanmar excavator but in the market for a loader and was happy to know they will soon offer one but the door may be a deal breaker

[AdamSmith-uvkr]

Our company runs 3 ASV’s. A 40, 50, and a 65 max cab. We do rough and final grading year round, Landscape, hardscape, and concrete working in some of the crappiest soils in North America. Indiana is known for pot holes, heavy sticky clays, and rock. We have never had any issues without undercarriages nor have we found that they are expensive to maintain. We have over 5000 hours combined on our machines and they work 6 days a week peel season 12-14 hours a day with multiple operators and about 30 hours a week during the winter. I find that in the end they are much cheaper to run than our CAT undercarriages because track wear is almost non existent. These machines are on concrete, asphalt, dirt, and in the forest. The tracks twice as long as steel belted tracks and I have people say the MTL undercarriage on the ASV doesn’t like rocks and stone. Neither do our cat and John Deere ctl’s. Stone eats the boggie wheels and destroys inner steel components on those machines too. And those parts are extremely pricey like the driven sprocket. Our reliability has been strong throughout our experience and we are currently waiting our new yanmar 100 as we trade our cat in. I’m excited to continue our partnership with yanmar/ASV

[treypegues]

next years model give it an overhead door

[shiraz]

They don’t look like a bad machine, not sure how much of it is made in-house. The one thing I noticed is the hydraulics for the track drives seem very exposed to damage and I really hope they have a good cooling package for the high flow system. Glad we’re seeing more players in the CTL space.

[northeasterndirtandpropert]

There's a simple reason why YANMAR went to a solid undercarriage, it's better than ASV's.We can talk in circles all day, ASV undecarriages always needed careful, caring operators in cleaner enviroments.Yanmar just gave ASV the kick in the ass they needed for so long.

[stephencrandellsr]

It would be great if you had ASV parts available at your yanmar

[StefanBacon]

Takeuchi started making compact track loaders in the 80s my guy.

[Jmschnider]

Hopefully cat will come out with a new 299 replacement like the 265. I think that’ll be the best of both worlds

[markhall]

Love my RT-40.. the positrack will climb a wall.. Made for forestry, hilly work, and can go ANYWHERE. careful with side tilt. Never thrown a track.. even my old RC-30 (still in Great shape) is amazing.

[laingen_b]

I really want to try the new 100 in the forestry world. The track system and hopefully a more reasonable price point than the ASV 135 have my interest.

[MitzvosGolem]

I have 1994 Yanmar excavator never broke down once .
Only tracks and a hose .
Amazing quality.

ASV Terex I have is ok but kinda sloppy quality.

[arnoldromppai]

I will be buying a new track loader in the 97hp to 100hp. To bad with so much demand for machines with roll up door they would have filled this market. A swing out door is so dangerest traps you in side. You get a fire your not getting out the back window that is were 99% of fires start. I been trapped. Due to a dam swing out door you can not open when buckets up 10". For a machine over 100hp it sure it light on weight compared to the others on the market at over 12, 000lbs this machine just over 10, 000lbs. I love there excavators. An there no dealers in Thunder bay Ont. There is an ASV DEALER but I would never buy an asv. I'm looking at a bobcat t770, cat 200D an more leaning to the N50 wacker newson. Testing it pushes the other 2 brands an kabota dead right across the job site were the 3 others just dig a hole trying to push the dead n50 wacker . Wacker has 197 lbs of tork hands down to any other. I will be buying this 2024 summer some brand in the 97 to 110hp an 5 skid pro attachments for my farm.

[kowkunt]

Yanmar hands down
You can do it all with Yanmar .
ASV its a golf course machine

[jeffhall]

There are so many onvious problems with that yanmar that its too long to list. I work in a CTL every day and would never ever come close to thinking of buying a yanmar. Love their excavators, theyre top notch. This CTL looks like absolute garbage in nearly every way possible. Just another brittle forestry machine on par with ASV and definitely not a piece of construction equipment.

[berta]

The ASV undercarriage's are very high maintenance and very costly.