Another Newb with Questions Thread

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Spur45

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Apr 7, 2011
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Great forum, but I wish there were some stickies for us newbs. Don't like bothering y'all with these kind of questions that you've probably answered a million times. But here goes. I'm looking to buy a skidsteer. I own a ranch in the Texas Panhandle. Contrary to popular belief, not all of the panhandle is flat. My ranch is rough country, with lots of canyons, creeks, rocks, and hills, so a wheeled skidsteer is probably what I'll be looking for. I'd like a skidsteer because I could use it in places where my big JD tractor is a pain to operate. I imagine running a grubber, auger, bucket, and blade. Small road repairs, fixing fence, small-scale mesquite clearing, etc. Looking to spend about 10k for a used machine plus extra for the attachments. Want something simple and easy to work on. I like doing my own maintenance. Any advice on what models I should be looking for? I'd like to arm myself with some knowledge before I make the rounds at the dealers. Thanks for any help.
 

skidsteer.ca

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1st how small of a places does it have to fit in and does you intend to trailer it and with what size truck?
For working on hilly ground I recomend you stay away from machines like the Bobcat 553, and even the 753 models that have a shorter wheel base as they are less stabile on hills
The 763 or s150 and larger have a 4" longer wheelbase 40" versus 36" and it makes quite a difference. Also Deere, and Nh tend to have longer wheelbases and more weight in a given frame size so that may be a option to consider.
Ken
 
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Spur45

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Apr 7, 2011
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4
1st how small of a places does it have to fit in and does you intend to trailer it and with what size truck?
For working on hilly ground I recomend you stay away from machines like the Bobcat 553, and even the 753 models that have a shorter wheel base as they are less stabile on hills
The 763 or s150 and larger have a 4" longer wheelbase 40" versus 36" and it makes quite a difference. Also Deere, and Nh tend to have longer wheelbases and more weight in a given frame size so that may be a option to consider.
Ken
Thanks for the reply. Not sure how to answer the question about how tight of an area. Getting in and out of corrals would probably be the tightest quarters. I have some dirt work I'd like to do in some of the corrals. Definitely will be trailering it. One of the reasons I want one is the increased mobility as opposed to a big tractor. Towing with a 1 ton flat bed diesel so weight isn't much of an issue. Thanks, Jake
 

skidsteer.ca

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Thanks for the reply. Not sure how to answer the question about how tight of an area. Getting in and out of corrals would probably be the tightest quarters. I have some dirt work I'd like to do in some of the corrals. Definitely will be trailering it. One of the reasons I want one is the increased mobility as opposed to a big tractor. Towing with a 1 ton flat bed diesel so weight isn't much of an issue. Thanks, Jake
In that case most any machine would fit, I though perhaps you needed to go into a 3 or 4 ft opening, which would limit you to a small frame machine. If you have 6 ft, most medium frame machines S150 s185 etc will fit, and 7 ft will acommodate many of the large frame loaders.
In that case I recomend nothing smaller then a S150 or 1500 lb rated lift class and you may even want to look at the large frame machines if you anticipate lifting of 2500 lbs
Machines 1500 lb ROC and up have the most attachments available. Although 10k for a machine is at the low end of getting something decent in the 1500 to 2000 lb ROC
Ken
 
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Spur45

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In that case most any machine would fit, I though perhaps you needed to go into a 3 or 4 ft opening, which would limit you to a small frame machine. If you have 6 ft, most medium frame machines S150 s185 etc will fit, and 7 ft will acommodate many of the large frame loaders.
In that case I recomend nothing smaller then a S150 or 1500 lb rated lift class and you may even want to look at the large frame machines if you anticipate lifting of 2500 lbs
Machines 1500 lb ROC and up have the most attachments available. Although 10k for a machine is at the low end of getting something decent in the 1500 to 2000 lb ROC
Ken
Thank you. That's very helpful. I guess I'll start by looking at the medium frames. I don't anticipate lifting a lot of weight, but I need to make sure it will run the attachments I want. I assume the grubber is going to be the most power hungry attachment I will use, but maybe I'm wrong?
Not sure what kind of grubber I'm going to get, but here are a couple examples. Maybe someone could comment on what I would need to run an attachment like this? Keep in mind, the mesquite don't grow very large around here.
http://www.treeterminator.com/attachments/53-tree-grubbert.html
http://www.starhilljawz.com/specs.html
I knew 10k would be a stretch, but I'm hoping. Also, about what year did Bobcats start to fill up with electronics? There is a 2003 S185 here locally for 14k. I might go take a look at it, but I want something simple to work on and reliable. From what I've been reading, Bobcats are too electronically controlled now. Thanks, Jake
 

skidsteer.ca

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Thank you. That's very helpful. I guess I'll start by looking at the medium frames. I don't anticipate lifting a lot of weight, but I need to make sure it will run the attachments I want. I assume the grubber is going to be the most power hungry attachment I will use, but maybe I'm wrong?
Not sure what kind of grubber I'm going to get, but here are a couple examples. Maybe someone could comment on what I would need to run an attachment like this? Keep in mind, the mesquite don't grow very large around here.
http://www.treeterminator.com/attachments/53-tree-grubbert.html
http://www.starhilljawz.com/specs.html
I knew 10k would be a stretch, but I'm hoping. Also, about what year did Bobcats start to fill up with electronics? There is a 2003 S185 here locally for 14k. I might go take a look at it, but I want something simple to work on and reliable. From what I've been reading, Bobcats are too electronically controlled now. Thanks, Jake
The F series 1998 and older Bobcat had less electronics provided they did not have the "BOSS" engine protection system, Boss equiped machines had a bar graph guage package. Where the non boss had 3 round 2" guages. Most of these machines will be under 10 K now but they are getting older and finding one with resonable hours will be getting harder.
The G series loader (those with Triangle shaped head lights) started in 1999 and all these machines have the engine protection system (formerly know as Boss in the older C and F series) as standard equipment) I picked up a 2003 S150 open cab with 1700 hrs for under 10k last fall at auction but that is still a fairly good buy imo.
The worst offenders in the G series and up machines is those with hand controls to run the loader instead of foot pedals, know as SJC controls (selectable joystick controls) and the other version where you can switch from hand to foot pedals by flipping a switch. My advise is to stay away from those machines as the hand controls is expensive for parts and a dealer only repair.
For the most part the g series loader have been pretty reliable with only sensor failers in the 3000 hour range, those are not too expensive and can be changed by most home mechanics.
Even my older 95 853 non boss had a box of electronic voodoo to control the porportional electric 3rd or aux hydraulic valve. It went goofy and i feared the worst, but in the end the problem was a broken wire coming from the steering lever where the wire harness always bend. In the end I did not need a new $800 box. Fortunately in this case I had a freind who lent me his controler and it had the same problem as mine. So I then knew to go digging into the wires harder.
Thats one thing I like about my NH loader is that, worst case I could rewire it without the electronics because it has a manual 3rd valve.
But the electric system that Bobcat uses is sure easier to run and the flow can be locked on in either dirrection, which is nice on the tiller where I can run it either in forward or reverse.
As for running the grubbers discuss the machine size needed with the attachment maker. I have never used one so I'm no help there.
As use the search feature to find old threads on this topic.
Ken
 
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Spur45

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Apr 7, 2011
Messages
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The F series 1998 and older Bobcat had less electronics provided they did not have the "BOSS" engine protection system, Boss equiped machines had a bar graph guage package. Where the non boss had 3 round 2" guages. Most of these machines will be under 10 K now but they are getting older and finding one with resonable hours will be getting harder.
The G series loader (those with Triangle shaped head lights) started in 1999 and all these machines have the engine protection system (formerly know as Boss in the older C and F series) as standard equipment) I picked up a 2003 S150 open cab with 1700 hrs for under 10k last fall at auction but that is still a fairly good buy imo.
The worst offenders in the G series and up machines is those with hand controls to run the loader instead of foot pedals, know as SJC controls (selectable joystick controls) and the other version where you can switch from hand to foot pedals by flipping a switch. My advise is to stay away from those machines as the hand controls is expensive for parts and a dealer only repair.
For the most part the g series loader have been pretty reliable with only sensor failers in the 3000 hour range, those are not too expensive and can be changed by most home mechanics.
Even my older 95 853 non boss had a box of electronic voodoo to control the porportional electric 3rd or aux hydraulic valve. It went goofy and i feared the worst, but in the end the problem was a broken wire coming from the steering lever where the wire harness always bend. In the end I did not need a new $800 box. Fortunately in this case I had a freind who lent me his controler and it had the same problem as mine. So I then knew to go digging into the wires harder.
Thats one thing I like about my NH loader is that, worst case I could rewire it without the electronics because it has a manual 3rd valve.
But the electric system that Bobcat uses is sure easier to run and the flow can be locked on in either dirrection, which is nice on the tiller where I can run it either in forward or reverse.
As for running the grubbers discuss the machine size needed with the attachment maker. I have never used one so I'm no help there.
As use the search feature to find old threads on this topic.
Ken
Thanks so much! Very educational! I'll take your advice and work backwards from the grubber specs. I'll need to decide on what I want first. Did a search and there weren't any threads on grubbers.
 

skidsteer.ca

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Jan 20, 2006
Messages
3,853
Thanks so much! Very educational! I'll take your advice and work backwards from the grubber specs. I'll need to decide on what I want first. Did a search and there weren't any threads on grubbers.
Yes, I don't believe we ever discussed grubbers around here,
I meant to search on skidsteers, there is quite a bit written here on which Bobcat models have the most electric gizmos to fail and what to avoid as far as Bobcat machines. Less so on other brands.
I'm not sure they are more failure prone or have more wires and sensors then other machines that have build in engine/hydraulic protection (aka BOSS in Bobcats case) but they are the most discussed brand around here. Of course people tend to come here when they have trouble not when all is well. I think because Bobcat has a lot of machines on themarket that are 10 plus years old is why we see the most talk, usually trying to solve problems, about Bobcats.
In the last 10 years the other brands have become very competive for the skidsteer market, which was not the case 10 years back or so.
Also for working on hilly ground you may want to consider some of the other brands, as Bobcat always made a pretty light machine for a given lifting class (very little weight on the front when not lifting something), where Deere NH, I think Cat machine weighed several hundred or a 1000 lbs more.
They could be driven forward up a hill without something in the bucket to hold the front down. This is the very reason I suggest staying away from the short wheelbase Bobcat like the 853, 753, S130, older 742, 743 etc models.
Ken
 
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