In my search for a newer skid steer I was kind of surprised to find one the machines for sale at a sod supplier. This is the first time I saw a company where they don't mind when the employees play around with the Bobcats. They did wheelies and donuts to show off. If someone's doing stunts on level ground, with no other objects in the area, or anyone in the way, I wonder what bad things can happen? I have never seen someone pop a wheelie and spin round and round with the bucket down. Maybe they are getting ready for the Bobcat rodeo..LOL?
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Team Craig
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
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- 25
You should go to some of the sites like you tube and run a search on bobcat video's. The best I have seen is one where a guy is spinning around real fast on the front wheels only with the bucket about half raised. It was pretty impressive...
WebbCo
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- Sep 19, 2006
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- 177
I love seeing people do that with their machines! Of course I sell Bobcat parts for a living!!!
So true. It has to be pretty rough on the axles and axle housings when it lands back on all 4's.
I have a machine with the rear 2 axle housings slightly bent up wards. The poor thing fell off the back of a truck. That was 1 drop, not repeated drops like the "stunt" machines get.
I hear they change the gearing too, just to get more speed as they don't need much power for driving around.
Bobcat axles and bearings are tough, can those silly stunts do as much damage as dropping the whole machine? I actually enjoy seeing the bobcat stunts, and may give some a try the next time I get to run a rental machine. It is fairly common to see unloaded bobcats popping wheelies to avoid leaving tire marks or tear up lawns, although an unloaded bobcat doesn't seem to anyway. The only "stunts" I ever did with mine was to pop wheelies to get over landscape logs without disturbing them. DO people actually modify their machines for racing or tricks?
WebbCo
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- Sep 19, 2006
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Bearing and axles are very tough but, when you consider the axle tube...it can be bent and dropping a machine can damage it. Then the parts wear out faster than normal. The wheelies done are not bad due to the balance of the machine, its easy, and its the way it should be. Dropping is another thing...its like the old saying...the fall never hurts, its the sudden stop!
I agree, the axles and bearings are good and yes, the axle housings do bend! I have a machine that has 2 bent rear tubes. Its only a VERY slight bend but its still there.
I keep forgetting that newer machines are different. My Bobcat has the axles going into cast bearing holders bolted directly to the machine. When I rebuilt the 743 I remember the axles came out of tubes sticking out of the frame. Wheelies are fun, and when I get through rebuilding the m610 I am going to see how long I can keep one up in the backyard.
