HELP!!!! Bobcat 553 interlock problem - HELP!!!!!!

[rodbuilder321]

I just bought a 553 and the darned movement solenoid keeps screwing up. Bobcat calls the stupid thing a "traction" solenoid for some sutid reason, but it has NOTHING to do with traction!!! So tell me this ole' wise Bobcat men - has anyone took a hammer and "disabled" that stupid computer in their skid loader and made their OWN safety switch - like maybe just use a seat switch? The words "Computer" and "skid loader" don't even belong in the same sentence, but in this day of engineer brain lock it doesn't surprise me that they're doing this to us. What the heck - $300 for a stupid Bobcat computer? I have a question for the experienced Bobcat dude: 1. Is that solenoid that controls the release of the boom movement on CONSTANTLY, when it's 1st energized - or does power to it only need to momentary? 2. If I run a wire to the #2 (hold) circuit in the "traction" solenoid and power it with "ignition-ON", then run another wire to the MOMENTARY part of that same solenoid, to a push-button switch, to pull the solenoid in place, will this be enough to release this goofy "traction' lock and get me operational? As far as "safety" goes, if I want to keep the machine from taking off when i get out of the seat whe i get out of it, all i have to do is use a seat switch, LIKE THE MORON "ENGINEERS" AT BOBCAT SHOULD HAVE DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!! Computers on skid loaders that sit outside all the time!!! How stupid can American engineers really get? I'm about to rip out this damn wiring harness and use it to strangle the first Bobcat engineer I meet!!! It's totally amazing to me that Americans can't find a way to control THREE circuits (2 control solenoids and another one to shut down the injection pump) on a skid loader, without using a stupid computer!!! I'll bet ya' I can!!! Has anybody else done this???? Shoot me your answer ASAP to: [email protected]

 

[OldMachinist]

Blame lawyers not the engineers.
Please explain exactly what is happening then maybe someone can diagnose the problem. It could be something as simple as debris under the seat keeping the switch from functioning.

 

[Fishfiles]

Blame lawyers not the engineers.
Please explain exactly what is happening then maybe someone can diagnose the problem. It could be something as simple as debris under the seat keeping the switch from functioning.

I hear your rant , but can't help you cause you didn't really give any informaton on what you got and whats happening ------------- a track is discribed as a long journey , so traction is a long journey that you can't get started on ------------Bobcat tried their hand at a seat sensor switch and that was a total failure , does your BICS box have the word seat and seat bar on it , if so the upgrade will take care of your problem , there was a silent recall on BICS with seat sensors , if you had a problem with it during warranty they would upgrade you to the BICS controller without a seat sensor , if you made it pass the warranty time then you were on your own and had to pay the bucks , if you hae a seat BICS you can lift the seat , take the sensor off the bottom of the seat , put it in the operate positon and tape and strap it up so it tells the controller someone is always in the seat ------------- the brake can be easily gutted , but there will be no brake at all , which is not the safe thing to do ---------- the way that solinoid works is there are three wires going to it , one is a ground , one is called the pull wire , which energizes and pulls the plunger in momentarilly till the second wire which is the hold wire energizes and holds the plunger in and the voltage to the pull is released , if you put voltage to the pull side all the time it will burn up the solinoid fast , what makes it hard to jump out electrically is that they run 9 volts through the saftey sytem and into the controller , which sends a signal to the relay which jumps 12 volt power to the brake solinoid ------------the question is : those green lights by the traction lock , are any of them trying to flash you a morse code of what is going wrong

 

[rodbuilder321]

I hear your rant , but can't help you cause you didn't really give any informaton on what you got and whats happening ------------- a track is discribed as a long journey , so traction is a long journey that you can't get started on ------------Bobcat tried their hand at a seat sensor switch and that was a total failure , does your BICS box have the word seat and seat bar on it , if so the upgrade will take care of your problem , there was a silent recall on BICS with seat sensors , if you had a problem with it during warranty they would upgrade you to the BICS controller without a seat sensor , if you made it pass the warranty time then you were on your own and had to pay the bucks , if you hae a seat BICS you can lift the seat , take the sensor off the bottom of the seat , put it in the operate positon and tape and strap it up so it tells the controller someone is always in the seat ------------- the brake can be easily gutted , but there will be no brake at all , which is not the safe thing to do ---------- the way that solinoid works is there are three wires going to it , one is a ground , one is called the pull wire , which energizes and pulls the plunger in momentarilly till the second wire which is the hold wire energizes and holds the plunger in and the voltage to the pull is released , if you put voltage to the pull side all the time it will burn up the solinoid fast , what makes it hard to jump out electrically is that they run 9 volts through the saftey sytem and into the controller , which sends a signal to the relay which jumps 12 volt power to the brake solinoid ------------the question is : those green lights by the traction lock , are any of them trying to flash you a morse code of what is going wrong

What I asked was; Has anyone rewired one of these monstrosities and eliminated the stupid computer in it? As far as 'safety" goes all one would have to do is put a REAL switch on the safety bar so it would kill the engine when it was lifted. Like I said - computer and skid loader don't even belong in the same sentence. Duhhhh!!!!!!

 

[JCSBOBCAT553]

What I asked was; Has anyone rewired one of these monstrosities and eliminated the stupid computer in it? As far as 'safety" goes all one would have to do is put a REAL switch on the safety bar so it would kill the engine when it was lifted. Like I said - computer and skid loader don't even belong in the same sentence. Duhhhh!!!!!!

hi guys!! just joined up becuase my 553 has the same problem this am!! started ok and drove to woodpile and filled bucket, hopped back in the pulled bar down and pressed green button and no click!!!!!! what?!?!?! well i shut it off and restarted and pressed button alot and no go. so heres the deal i can get the bucket to go up and down but no forward/backweards or i can go foreward/backwards but no bucket action, in fact the pedals seems like they are locked/welded and will not move, then when i lift bar and set down and press button bucket is ok but will not move, had for a couple of years and this is first problem. any ideas?????

 

[JCSBOBCAT553]

hi guys!! just joined up becuase my 553 has the same problem this am!! started ok and drove to woodpile and filled bucket, hopped back in the pulled bar down and pressed green button and no click!!!!!! what?!?!?! well i shut it off and restarted and pressed button alot and no go. so heres the deal i can get the bucket to go up and down but no forward/backweards or i can go foreward/backwards but no bucket action, in fact the pedals seems like they are locked/welded and will not move, then when i lift bar and set down and press button bucket is ok but will not move, had for a couple of years and this is first problem. any ideas?????

just an update that I am an idiot! Called dealer and described problem and got price on lock selniod. Lifted cab and started tracing wires and found out the PARKING BRAKE was ON!!! unlocked and pressed green button and IT WORKS!!!! Wish all my problems were this easy to fix!!! I never use brake and must have bumped it with foot, STUPID!!!!

 

[Tazza]

just an update that I am an idiot! Called dealer and described problem and got price on lock selniod. Lifted cab and started tracing wires and found out the PARKING BRAKE was ON!!! unlocked and pressed green button and IT WORKS!!!! Wish all my problems were this easy to fix!!! I never use brake and must have bumped it with foot, STUPID!!!!

At least its now fixed

 

[RonAus]

At least its now fixed

Hi JCSBOBCAT553, had the same thing happen to me once, it is embarrassing when it takes 5 minutes to figure it out whilst you cuss and curse your machine lol

 

[rodbuilder]

I hear your rant , but can't help you cause you didn't really give any informaton on what you got and whats happening ------------- a track is discribed as a long journey , so traction is a long journey that you can't get started on ------------Bobcat tried their hand at a seat sensor switch and that was a total failure , does your BICS box have the word seat and seat bar on it , if so the upgrade will take care of your problem , there was a silent recall on BICS with seat sensors , if you had a problem with it during warranty they would upgrade you to the BICS controller without a seat sensor , if you made it pass the warranty time then you were on your own and had to pay the bucks , if you hae a seat BICS you can lift the seat , take the sensor off the bottom of the seat , put it in the operate positon and tape and strap it up so it tells the controller someone is always in the seat ------------- the brake can be easily gutted , but there will be no brake at all , which is not the safe thing to do ---------- the way that solinoid works is there are three wires going to it , one is a ground , one is called the pull wire , which energizes and pulls the plunger in momentarilly till the second wire which is the hold wire energizes and holds the plunger in and the voltage to the pull is released , if you put voltage to the pull side all the time it will burn up the solinoid fast , what makes it hard to jump out electrically is that they run 9 volts through the saftey sytem and into the controller , which sends a signal to the relay which jumps 12 volt power to the brake solinoid ------------the question is : those green lights by the traction lock , are any of them trying to flash you a morse code of what is going wrong

Fishfile ................ You responded to a post of mine back in 2011 regarding the Bobcat 553 magnetic seat switch and told me then, " if you hae a seat BICS you can lift the seat , take the sensor off the bottom of the seat , put it in the operate positon and tape and strap it up so it tells the controller someone is always in the seat". We found a corroded terminal on that machine, but I'm having the same problem with another 553. PLEASE tell me what you meant by this because it means nothing to me as you wrote it. How do we put it in the operate position??? HELP!!!