Bobcat 720

[twojcbs]

I am looking at a late 70's 720 Bobcat.Machine has buckets, forks and backhoe attachment. It looks to be well maintained,engine has been replaced. It has an aircooled Wisconsin gas engine. I'm new to the skid steer market and am looking for advice. I need a machine for some landscaping,moving dirt,etc. I also would like to use it around the shop moving pallets of parts,welders and small generators. I would like opinions on this machine,advantages or disadvantages of air-cooled vs. watercooled,etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bobcat_ron]

You kinda remind me of this character: www.kingofobsolete.ca

 

[Tazza]

The only real difference between water and air cooled is noise level. Water cooled engines are generally quieter that air cooled. There are good and bad points of each side.
Air cooled engines you really need to keep the revs up to keep the internal fan running fast enough to kee the engine cool. You need to keep grass etc out of the cooling fins. You don't need to check coolant level though.
Water cooled are quiet running (usually) they do need to keep an eye on temperature and keep an eye on the cooling system and change coolant.
Then you have the diesel vs petrol debate. Diesel engines are louder (usually) use less fuel, have more torque at lower revs. More expensive to repair! more complicated to repair due to their injection system. Hard to start in the cold.
With all that said, you don't want it to run an earthmoving business. If the price was rite, i'd grab it. It may be old but i'm sure it has a lot more life in it. I had a 731 that was a late 70's model, it was a fantastic machine!!! the work i did with it was amazing. I would totally recommend getting it if the price was rite.
I'm sure others will voice their views too.
Good luck with your purchase, you will fine heaps of other jobs to use it for too.

 

[twojcbs]

The only real difference between water and air cooled is noise level. Water cooled engines are generally quieter that air cooled. There are good and bad points of each side.
Air cooled engines you really need to keep the revs up to keep the internal fan running fast enough to kee the engine cool. You need to keep grass etc out of the cooling fins. You don't need to check coolant level though.
Water cooled are quiet running (usually) they do need to keep an eye on temperature and keep an eye on the cooling system and change coolant.
Then you have the diesel vs petrol debate. Diesel engines are louder (usually) use less fuel, have more torque at lower revs. More expensive to repair! more complicated to repair due to their injection system. Hard to start in the cold.
With all that said, you don't want it to run an earthmoving business. If the price was rite, i'd grab it. It may be old but i'm sure it has a lot more life in it. I had a 731 that was a late 70's model, it was a fantastic machine!!! the work i did with it was amazing. I would totally recommend getting it if the price was rite.
I'm sure others will voice their views too.
Good luck with your purchase, you will fine heaps of other jobs to use it for too.

Thanks for the info without wise-cracks. I'm fairly handy mechanically and not afraid of older equipment. Machine will probably only be used a few hours at a time. Price is $6500. I haven't come across a machine with a backhoe for less than $15000.

 

[Tazza]

Thanks for the info without wise-cracks. I'm fairly handy mechanically and not afraid of older equipment. Machine will probably only be used a few hours at a time. Price is $6500. I haven't come across a machine with a backhoe for less than $15000.

$6,500 sounds pretty good to me.
The hoe by its self would be around the 2-3K mark, forks would be 500'ish.
The older machines really are easy to maintain, if you have some mechanical ability you will easily be able to keep it working.

 

[sterlclan]

$6,500 sounds pretty good to me.
The hoe by its self would be around the 2-3K mark, forks would be 500'ish.
The older machines really are easy to maintain, if you have some mechanical ability you will easily be able to keep it working.

buy it....tazza is right the machine alone is worth 5-6 grand hoe 2-3 grand the Wisconsin is a decent motor keep it clean and full of clean oil it'll last a long time. personally I prefer older machines there is less electronic stuff to get stuffed its hard enough to keep the computer in the house going and it stays still,clean,and dry just my 2c .......Jeff

 

[BobCat]

My first Skid Steer was a 720. It didn't have a roll cage and was kind of a safety yellow rust bucket color. It looked like it was ready for the junk heap. It was a gift from my Father In Law and I gladly accepted it. He's a dam good mechanic so I knew it was a sound machine with lots of hours left in him. Boy Howdy!! 23 years later and many many hours of saved back braking labor old Bob has stood the test of time. I recently bought a 763 and gave Bob to my Brother In Law. Still running strong. The only annoying problem were the seals. I had to put down a diaper when I parked it. I will forever be a Bobcat man. Can't go wrong easy to maintain, I'd buy it. Later Bobcat.

 

[old720]

I liked the "king of obselete" comment. I have a 720 that I would like to add auxiliary hydraulics to. It has the third (middle) pedal but nothing else. Is there a source of the steel lines on the arms and other parts to do this? It is a cranky but very useful machine for dirt and snow moving.