Purchased a 463f yesterday... delivery monday!

[Orgnoi1]

From a dealer... it was a rental and the upkeep has all been done on it... 725 hours... cant wait to get it in monday afternoon and start moving some stone...

 

[Tazza]

Nice, let us know how it performs for you.

 

[Orgnoi1]

Nice, let us know how it performs for you.

Thanks Tazza... I actually had to run back to the dealer yesterday... and it was done being checked over so I took delivery yesterday as well...
The machine is great... I started working on my driveway last night and even without a cutting edge it did fantastic moving crusher run and dirt around to fix holes and gullys left by the almost 30" of rain this summer we have had... washed it up and drove it right inside my very low garage...
So far I am really impressed!

 

[Orgnoi1]

Nice, let us know how it performs for you.

Tazza I have now had a couple days to play around so heres a quick down and dirty....
This is my first skid steer so it took a little to get used to it... it IS certainly tippy and you absolutely have to pay attention to what and where you are doing something...
In two days we fixed our driveway with the stone we had available (more coming) and recreated a drainage that has slowly overtime got filled in... I say all in all for two days its earning its keep around here...
Sizewise I am pretty sure we got the right machine... its sitting in my garage right now (low ceilings) with no problems, it fits on our driveway sideways to drop stone (a longer machine would be tough to fit) and since it doesnt weigh that much it doesnt tear up the existing harder parts of the driveway as I make the tight turns...
Now for the downside... without the teeth for the bucket they do certainly have a hard time cutting down under the layer of clay and grass we have here... doing the drainage was a bit of a chore and we will have to follow up with shovels to get a couple small areas that the bucket wouldnt catch... but I expected as much so it was no surprise... I am sure as I learn how to manuever it better this will all change... the project was also on a fairly large incline bordering our properties so a green operator such as myself had to take more time and effort as I didnt really have a comfort level on the limitations of the machine... all in time...
All inclusive in a nutshell this thing came ready to work and work it is doing... next two days will be some more paint to its rear door and then moving 80 patio stones up to our new shed location and then 16cu of crusher run that should be here late tuesday.... imagine all that shoveling if we hadnt had it!!!

 

[soutthpaw]

Tazza I have now had a couple days to play around so heres a quick down and dirty....
This is my first skid steer so it took a little to get used to it... it IS certainly tippy and you absolutely have to pay attention to what and where you are doing something...
In two days we fixed our driveway with the stone we had available (more coming) and recreated a drainage that has slowly overtime got filled in... I say all in all for two days its earning its keep around here...
Sizewise I am pretty sure we got the right machine... its sitting in my garage right now (low ceilings) with no problems, it fits on our driveway sideways to drop stone (a longer machine would be tough to fit) and since it doesnt weigh that much it doesnt tear up the existing harder parts of the driveway as I make the tight turns...
Now for the downside... without the teeth for the bucket they do certainly have a hard time cutting down under the layer of clay and grass we have here... doing the drainage was a bit of a chore and we will have to follow up with shovels to get a couple small areas that the bucket wouldnt catch... but I expected as much so it was no surprise... I am sure as I learn how to manuever it better this will all change... the project was also on a fairly large incline bordering our properties so a green operator such as myself had to take more time and effort as I didnt really have a comfort level on the limitations of the machine... all in time...
All inclusive in a nutshell this thing came ready to work and work it is doing... next two days will be some more paint to its rear door and then moving 80 patio stones up to our new shed location and then 16cu of crusher run that should be here late tuesday.... imagine all that shoveling if we hadnt had it!!!

They used to actually make a 3rd tag wheel for the rear of the old machines that you could pop the machine up onto its rear wheels and the 3 wheel behind the rear of the machine and turn around on 3 wheels... Glad the machine is working out for you... it looks like you still have the bolt holes on the front of the bucket so you can add individual teeth or a toothed bar. consider looking around for a nice 2nd bucket so you can have one toothed and one smooth bucket. a grapple bucket may also be useful to you as a second bucket..

 

[Orgnoi1]

They used to actually make a 3rd tag wheel for the rear of the old machines that you could pop the machine up onto its rear wheels and the 3 wheel behind the rear of the machine and turn around on 3 wheels... Glad the machine is working out for you... it looks like you still have the bolt holes on the front of the bucket so you can add individual teeth or a toothed bar. consider looking around for a nice 2nd bucket so you can have one toothed and one smooth bucket. a grapple bucket may also be useful to you as a second bucket..

I was actually thinking about getting a 36" smooth bucket for doing the stone work and putting teeth on this 44" I have now for regular work... definately in the works but will just take time...

 

[OldMachinist]

I was actually thinking about getting a 36" smooth bucket for doing the stone work and putting teeth on this 44" I have now for regular work... definately in the works but will just take time...

You have the optional wider tires on your machine so a 36" bucket would be narrower than the width of the tires. Unless your planning on getting a set of the standard tires and wheels I stick with looking for another 44" bucket.

 

[Orgnoi1]

You have the optional wider tires on your machine so a 36" bucket would be narrower than the width of the tires. Unless your planning on getting a set of the standard tires and wheels I stick with looking for another 44" bucket.

so for a bucket that I would only use for stone or backdragging you wouldnt use a less wide bucket? I am just curious because it seems like if you are already working on a level surface that it wouldnt make a huge difference... I hope you can enlighten me on it (not that I can afford a bucket yet but I cant wait till I can!)

 

[skidsteer.ca]

so for a bucket that I would only use for stone or backdragging you wouldnt use a less wide bucket? I am just curious because it seems like if you are already working on a level surface that it wouldnt make a huge difference... I hope you can enlighten me on it (not that I can afford a bucket yet but I cant wait till I can!)

Actually I prefer my wider bucket for smoothing and working with loose material and use a narrower bucket with teeth on it to improve the digging ability with more weight per tooth for penetration and to maximize the breakout force I have available on a smaller area.
Just my .02
Ken

 

[stevem610]

Actually I prefer my wider bucket for smoothing and working with loose material and use a narrower bucket with teeth on it to improve the digging ability with more weight per tooth for penetration and to maximize the breakout force I have available on a smaller area.
Just my .02
Ken

you would want a wider clean up bucket for finishing and cleaning up so you can cover your tracks thats what i would go for and a narrower toothed bucket for digging to maximize your machines potential my 2 cents also

 

[skidsteerman]

Congrats on the purchase! Glad it is working out for you.

 

[coreya3212]

Congrats on the purchase! Glad it is working out for you.

I think everyone is saying the same thing. I think OM was warning you that since you have tires that are 44 inches outside to outside, and you bought a 36 inch bucket, then if you dig a 36 inch wide hole, the bobcat cant follow into the excavation if required.