2002 763 QUESTIONS

[GILL]

I've found a 2002 763 a few hours away from me. The owner has used it in a landscaping business and has some newer machines coming. They have plowed snow in the winter but it stays away from salt. It has 3000 hrs a cab w/heat and manual bobtach. It has the BICS system and the triangular headlights and thats about all. From the pic's I've seen it seems to be in decent shape. I hope to see it in person this weekend. They have done the oil changes etc. themselves with anything bigger than that it went to the dealer. It has a toothed bucket that I'm not wild about. Maybe I can remove the teeth? What is there about these machines to watch out for? Any problems that plague them? I'm not sure if he has an engine block heater on it or not so if I get it that may be something to add. All opinions are welcome. Thanks, Greg

 

[Tazza]

It will be a G series machine.
You can remove the teeth or even sell the tooth bucket and buy a smooth one if you want. Teeth are good for digging though, so if you plan on digging in dirt, you may want to hold on to it.
3,000 hours isn't much, the only possible issue is wear points. You really need to see the machine in person to check for slack in the pivot points.

 

[Hotrod1830]

It will be a G series machine.
You can remove the teeth or even sell the tooth bucket and buy a smooth one if you want. Teeth are good for digging though, so if you plan on digging in dirt, you may want to hold on to it.
3,000 hours isn't much, the only possible issue is wear points. You really need to see the machine in person to check for slack in the pivot points.

I have always used toothed buckets. One machine I had came with both a smooth and tooth bucket. I never changed buckets, just left the toothed bucket on. The ability to dig is worth the effort of working around the teeth, IMO. You can do anything with a toothed bucket that you can with a smooth bucket, but not the other way around.

 

[7LBSSMALLIE]

I have always used toothed buckets. One machine I had came with both a smooth and tooth bucket. I never changed buckets, just left the toothed bucket on. The ability to dig is worth the effort of working around the teeth, IMO. You can do anything with a toothed bucket that you can with a smooth bucket, but not the other way around.

first rattle out o the box is obtain down loaded code history.( g series onboard computer.wiill tel the tale) pay the price to have dealership look at service and down load codes prior to purchase. might lose a couple hundred might gain peace of mind. specific examples are low charge pressure codes and more important dirty air filter codes.irty air filter codes don't lie.

 

[GILL]

first rattle out o the box is obtain down loaded code history.( g series onboard computer.wiill tel the tale) pay the price to have dealership look at service and down load codes prior to purchase. might lose a couple hundred might gain peace of mind. specific examples are low charge pressure codes and more important dirty air filter codes.irty air filter codes don't lie.

Thanks for the advice so far. Tazza, how would you check for loose wear points? I can look and see if something is egg shaped or raise the loader arms and jerk the joysticks back and forth to see if they aooears to be play in them. They do appear to have been greased, in person I can see more. 7lbs, is there a way to get codes or, to get them displayed so I can write them down and ask questions at a dealership? I doubt that the dealer is at all close by and I have no way of hauling this thing around. I'm not wild about electronic stuff at all. Thanks Greg

 

[banewolf]

Thanks for the advice so far. Tazza, how would you check for loose wear points? I can look and see if something is egg shaped or raise the loader arms and jerk the joysticks back and forth to see if they aooears to be play in them. They do appear to have been greased, in person I can see more. 7lbs, is there a way to get codes or, to get them displayed so I can write them down and ask questions at a dealership? I doubt that the dealer is at all close by and I have no way of hauling this thing around. I'm not wild about electronic stuff at all. Thanks Greg

depends on the type of display you have on the machine.. if you want to email me I can tell you how to do so

 

[Tazza]

depends on the type of display you have on the machine.. if you want to email me I can tell you how to do so

The way i do it is when the lift arms are lowered, rock the lift pedal a little and look at the ram pivot points. You will soon see if something is loose.
You can do the same sort of thing with the bobtach, tilt the bucket forward enough so the front starts to touch the ground, then use the lift function only and push down, see how much it moves. This will show how bad the wear is in the bobtach pins and the tilt ram pivot points.
Hopefully some of tht makes sense.

 

[mmsllc]

The way i do it is when the lift arms are lowered, rock the lift pedal a little and look at the ram pivot points. You will soon see if something is loose.
You can do the same sort of thing with the bobtach, tilt the bucket forward enough so the front starts to touch the ground, then use the lift function only and push down, see how much it moves. This will show how bad the wear is in the bobtach pins and the tilt ram pivot points.
Hopefully some of tht makes sense.

Check it out for CREEPING while sitting still just idling. I have bought FIVE (2 were 863's, 2 more 763's & 1 was a 773) of these machines in the last year, that need the drive pump levers replaced due to them vibrating loose & then becoming damaged. It is a relatively simple repair on non-high flow machines, but even easier to detect. If it creeps at all, it will most likely need TWO new lever arms & bushings, totaling around $135 from BOBCAT. ASSUMING that you get that machine, service it thoroughly before trying to make a dollar with it. You will be EXTREMELY Glad that you did. GREASE it everyday that you work it, too. It might seem over kill, but those pins, bushings & sloppy fit repairs are even more of a pain in the @ss to pay for / do at all.

 

[GILL]

Check it out for CREEPING while sitting still just idling. I have bought FIVE (2 were 863's, 2 more 763's & 1 was a 773) of these machines in the last year, that need the drive pump levers replaced due to them vibrating loose & then becoming damaged. It is a relatively simple repair on non-high flow machines, but even easier to detect. If it creeps at all, it will most likely need TWO new lever arms & bushings, totaling around $135 from BOBCAT. ASSUMING that you get that machine, service it thoroughly before trying to make a dollar with it. You will be EXTREMELY Glad that you did. GREASE it everyday that you work it, too. It might seem over kill, but those pins, bushings & sloppy fit repairs are even more of a pain in the @ss to pay for / do at all.

I saw the machine in person yesterday. It does not creep, the pivot points appear tight, tire good etc. There are a few problems though. The cab must be twisted a little since the door does not seal at all on the top r/h corner. There is about a 3/8" gap at the corner. I can't see that its bent but something is wrong with that. The toothed bucket is junk. Holes worn in it etc. Looks like it may have been from another machine that was used in manure or something. The rest of the machine is pretty decent. Runs good, no apparent leaks that I could see looking past the engine with a bright flashlight. Battery is not that old. Door is a couple of years old since the original was stolen from a jobsight a few years back. That's all I can tell you about it for now. I turned the serial number over another member by pm yesterday and we'll see what he can tell us from that. Greg

 

[banewolf]

I saw the machine in person yesterday. It does not creep, the pivot points appear tight, tire good etc. There are a few problems though. The cab must be twisted a little since the door does not seal at all on the top r/h corner. There is about a 3/8" gap at the corner. I can't see that its bent but something is wrong with that. The toothed bucket is junk. Holes worn in it etc. Looks like it may have been from another machine that was used in manure or something. The rest of the machine is pretty decent. Runs good, no apparent leaks that I could see looking past the engine with a bright flashlight. Battery is not that old. Door is a couple of years old since the original was stolen from a jobsight a few years back. That's all I can tell you about it for now. I turned the serial number over another member by pm yesterday and we'll see what he can tell us from that. Greg

it looks like that s/n has had the following parts ordered... both seat pans gas helper springs (that help lift the cab) side glass x2 cyl replacements on lift arms has a problem in the hyd side that has been looked at a few times new axel rear left new left side panel seat bar sensor etc etc but the service wasn't done at a bobcat dealer so don't know about that

 

[GILL]

it looks like that s/n has had the following parts ordered... both seat pans gas helper springs (that help lift the cab) side glass x2 cyl replacements on lift arms has a problem in the hyd side that has been looked at a few times new axel rear left new left side panel seat bar sensor etc etc but the service wasn't done at a bobcat dealer so don't know about that

Well that's interesting. I wonder if the cab was damaged and wrecked the side windows, seat bar sensor, gas helper springs, etc. That may explain the door not fitting well. The top of the cab did have some dents towards the rear and the inside padding/upholstery or whatever you call it seemed a little loose in places. The l/h panel, is that the BICS read out that has the hour meter and gauges? If so, there may be more hours on it than it shows. Banewolf, thanks for your help. I think I'll pass. Thanks to everyone else too. Greg

 

[mmsllc]

Well that's interesting. I wonder if the cab was damaged and wrecked the side windows, seat bar sensor, gas helper springs, etc. That may explain the door not fitting well. The top of the cab did have some dents towards the rear and the inside padding/upholstery or whatever you call it seemed a little loose in places. The l/h panel, is that the BICS read out that has the hour meter and gauges? If so, there may be more hours on it than it shows. Banewolf, thanks for your help. I think I'll pass. Thanks to everyone else too. Greg

how much was the guy asking for the 763? What city / state was it in?

 

[GILL]

how much was the guy asking for the 763? What city / state was it in?

$13,500 Its in East Dundee, Illinois.

 

[mmsllc]

$13,500 Its in East Dundee, Illinois.

Yeah, that is a high price for a machine that is not close to perfect. Walking away is probably the best thing that you could have done. Another machine will come up for sale. Before you know it, you will find the best one for you. I have a machine (763) that looks bad (due to black paint overspray), needs cab / seat pan repair (due to rusting out), new seat ($120) & the rear door upper hinge welded in place. Once I get all of that done, I'm looking to sell it for no more than $12,000. This one has a REMAN KUBOTA engine in it & it runs PERFECT!! Let me know if you are looking for a small project machine. If you are up to save money / repair the machine I have, I will take around $10,000. If you want it perfect, you can fix it up as you see fit.