Bobcat 873 won't move

Ihatesnow · Feb 17, 2015

I have Bobcat 873 start, arms move up and down, wants to move doesn't. I replaced brake relay, and brake solenoid. Did not solve problem. Display behind left shoulder shows all green lights. Bobcat stored in unheated garage. Thanks for your help. I have a lot of snow to move.

antfarmer2 · Feb 17, 2015

My gusse is that you have water in your chaincase froze up

antfarmer2 · Feb 17, 2015

antfarmer2 said:
My gusse is that you have water in your chaincase froze up

Have hear some put garbage can lids with charcoal under it to thaw out be real careful not to toats your cat

Bobcatdan · Feb 17, 2015

antfarmer2 said:
Have hear some put garbage can lids with charcoal under it to thaw out be real careful not to toats your cat

I guess ice could be a problem, but there would have to be five gallons on water in there. Check the drive belt for shits and giggles. Next remove the solenoid and remove the wedge. I have seen the plates get real beat and it causes the wedge to hang up. Try moving it then. If no go still, I'm jumping worse case, busted chain that is jammed up.

Tazza · Feb 17, 2015

Bobcatdan said:
I guess ice could be a problem, but there would have to be five gallons on water in there. Check the drive belt for shits and giggles. Next remove the solenoid and remove the wedge. I have seen the plates get real beat and it causes the wedge to hang up. Try moving it then. If no go still, I'm jumping worse case, busted chain that is jammed up.

To test that the solenoid is working, start the machine, keep the brake on, turn it off and listen for the clunk as the brake comes off.
If it makes the noise but still won't move, do as Dan said to ensure the wedge is not stuck.

Ihatesnow · Feb 17, 2015

Tazza said:
To test that the solenoid is working, start the machine, keep the brake on, turn it off and listen for the clunk as the brake comes off.
If it makes the noise but still won't move, do as Dan said to ensure the wedge is not stuck.

I do here a clunk. this problem has happened more than once, also during cold weather. I will bring space heater there tomorrow and heat the machine. If I get it to move, and it appear to be water in crank case how do you drain it and what do i fill it with I do not have manual. If the heat does not work how do you remove the wedge. Thanks

bobcatguy · Feb 17, 2015

Ihatesnow said:
I do here a clunk. this problem has happened more than once, also during cold weather. I will bring space heater there tomorrow and heat the machine. If I get it to move, and it appear to be water in crank case how do you drain it and what do i fill it with I do not have manual. If the heat does not work how do you remove the wedge. Thanks

My guess is it's frozen. I had it happen to an 873. I think there is a drain for the chain case in the back of the machine under a plate in the belly pan. One is fuel and I think the other is the chain case drain. Dan will tell you which is which if I'm right that one is the chain case. To fill it, you remove the plug from the front center of the machine and fill until the oil is at thread level (or slightly running of the hole) You use hydraulic fluid for the chain case. If you're hearing the "clunk" sound when you press the operate button your brake is releasing. Hope this helps.

antfarmer2 · Feb 17, 2015

bobcatguy said:
My guess is it's frozen. I had it happen to an 873. I think there is a drain for the chain case in the back of the machine under a plate in the belly pan. One is fuel and I think the other is the chain case drain. Dan will tell you which is which if I'm right that one is the chain case. To fill it, you remove the plug from the front center of the machine and fill until the oil is at thread level (or slightly running of the hole) You use hydraulic fluid for the chain case. If you're hearing the "clunk" sound when you press the operate button your brake is releasing. Hope this helps.

If it is water it's going to take a while to melt and get it all out

Bobcatdan · Feb 17, 2015

antfarmer2 said:
If it is water it's going to take a while to melt and get it all out

One thing I forgot to mention, there are guild blocks on either side of the brake wedge. The bolts like to loosen up which can cause problems like this. You can hear the clunck, but the wedge is spring loaded. The rod can be pulled up by the solenoid, but the wedge stays down. This can bend its mounting bolt causing it to stick more. This can be a random problem, sometimes it works and sometimes it don't.

Ihatesnow · Feb 17, 2015

Bobcatdan said:
One thing I forgot to mention, there are guild blocks on either side of the brake wedge. The bolts like to loosen up which can cause problems like this. You can hear the clunck, but the wedge is spring loaded. The rod can be pulled up by the solenoid, but the wedge stays down. This can bend its mounting bolt causing it to stick more. This can be a random problem, sometimes it works and sometimes it don't.

Thanks Dan Do you have a diagram showing where the brake wedge is located. Is it something simple like replacing the brake solenoid, I don't have a repair manual. also do you have diagram showing drain plug for crank case

OldMachinist · Feb 17, 2015

Ihatesnow said:
Thanks Dan Do you have a diagram showing where the brake wedge is located. Is it something simple like replacing the brake solenoid, I don't have a repair manual. also do you have diagram showing drain plug for crank case

Pull the fill plug on the front of the chain case, if oil starts gushing out and you haven't been losing hydraulic fluid then its very likely got water in it.

photo Chaincase_oil_fill_zps0890d73e.jpg

Drain plug is under rear behind a plate, make sure you only pull the one on the left. The other one is fuel tank drain.

Brake solenoid(traction lock) is on top of the chain case.

Ihatesnow · Feb 18, 2015

OldMachinist said:
Pull the fill plug on the front of the chain case, if oil starts gushing out and you haven't been losing hydraulic fluid then its very likely got water in it.

Drain plug is under rear behind a plate, make sure you only pull the one on the left. The other one is fuel tank drain.

Brake solenoid(traction lock) is on top of the chain case.

Thanks to everyone. I am heading over there today. Your responses are greatly appreciated. I let you know how I make out

Ihatesnow · Feb 18, 2015

Ihatesnow said:
Thanks to everyone. I am heading over there today. Your responses are greatly appreciated. I let you know how I make out

I put tarp over bobcat and started a propane heater under the tarp. This ran for a few hrs. I got in the bobcat and was able to get it to move, did a 180 and backed up to move my taprs and turn of the heater. got back in the Bobcat and it wouldn't move ( I am not the luckiest guy on the internet). I then opened the front oil fill plug and watered down hydraulic fluid came pouring out. I decided to drain the entire crank case. over 25 gallons of watered down hydraulic fluid. ( Tried to move machine once after drained fluid would not move) Tomorrow I will add new fluid. (any idea how much an 873 will take. I will also remove and inspect the wedges. Any other ideas or suggestions. Thanks for everyone assistance so far.

Ihatesnow · Feb 18, 2015

Ihatesnow said:
I put tarp over bobcat and started a propane heater under the tarp. This ran for a few hrs. I got in the bobcat and was able to get it to move, did a 180 and backed up to move my taprs and turn of the heater. got back in the Bobcat and it wouldn't move ( I am not the luckiest guy on the internet). I then opened the front oil fill plug and watered down hydraulic fluid came pouring out. I decided to drain the entire crank case. over 25 gallons of watered down hydraulic fluid. ( Tried to move machine once after drained fluid would not move) Tomorrow I will add new fluid. (any idea how much an 873 will take. I will also remove and inspect the wedges. Any other ideas or suggestions. Thanks for everyone assistance so far.

I found out Bobcat crank case takes 10 gallons of hydraulic fluid. I pick that up tomorrow and hopefully some luck.

antfarmer2 · Feb 18, 2015

Ihatesnow said:
I found out Bobcat crank case takes 10 gallons of hydraulic fluid. I pick that up tomorrow and hopefully some luck.

Make sure you heat it up good don't want any ice blocks left

OldMachinist · Feb 18, 2015

antfarmer2 said:
Make sure you heat it up good don't want any ice blocks left

I would go ahead and pull the top front cover off the chaincase. A couple of reasons for this would be, 1) to make sure you got all the frozen stuff out, 2) to make sure nothing is damaged, 3) to replace the cover gasket which most likely how the water got in and 4) it is so much easier to refill the case from the cover opening than trying to get 10 gals. thru that little front plug hole.

bobcatguy · Feb 18, 2015

OldMachinist said:
I would go ahead and pull the top front cover off the chaincase. A couple of reasons for this would be, 1) to make sure you got all the frozen stuff out, 2) to make sure nothing is damaged, 3) to replace the cover gasket which most likely how the water got in and 4) it is so much easier to refill the case from the cover opening than trying to get 10 gals. thru that little front plug hole.

I think I'd go with what O.M. wrote and remove the top cover and make sure everything is good and clean. You don't want to drop 10 gallons of oil and find out you still had some water/ice in there. If you go the route of heating and then filling, I'd see if you can raise the front of the machine to make whatever is remaining in the chain case drain back to the drain hole. Sounds like you're on the right track.

Ihatesnow · Feb 18, 2015

bobcatguy said:
I think I'd go with what O.M. wrote and remove the top cover and make sure everything is good and clean. You don't want to drop 10 gallons of oil and find out you still had some water/ice in there. If you go the route of heating and then filling, I'd see if you can raise the front of the machine to make whatever is remaining in the chain case drain back to the drain hole. Sounds like you're on the right track.

The top cover to the chain drive is the metal plate between the foot pedals and the seat. Correct?

Ihatesnow · Feb 18, 2015

Ihatesnow said:
The top cover to the chain drive is the metal plate between the foot pedals and the seat. Correct?

I should probable down load a service manual does anyone have a link on line. You guys have been great

Bobcat 873 won't move

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