How do I move a non-running Skidsteer?

[lonnieramey]

Good evening, My Father had a friend who died this last Friday. This fellow had what I believe is an early 80's Farmboy? It is a very small Bobcat skidsteer with a bucket but I'm not sure the model. My Dad thought it had a Wisconsin engine. Anyway my Dad bought the bobcat from his friend's son for $50.00... yes, $50.00! It hasn't ran for a couple years now but the son said it ran just fine when his Dad parked it. Right now the bucket is in the air holding up a corner of the roof that it is sitting under which to me is amazing that the bucket would stay up that long! This coming weekend my Dad & I are going with my trailer to pick the thing up & I'm not sure we will be able to get it running nor am I sure we want to try without cleaning the carb & changing the oil first but we're going to try & winch it up on my trailer. So my question is... (being I know little or nothing about a bobcat) will we be able to pull it up on the trailer without it running? Does it have a neutral or free wheeling gear? Thanks in advance for any help. Lonnie

 

[Tazza]

As far as i was aware, its a mechanical drive machine and not hydrostatic. If it is indeed mechanical it should free spin and should roll onto the truck. Hydrostatic machines when full of oil will not budge as the motors are essentially fluid locked.
Nice buy!!!

 

[lonnieramey]

As far as i was aware, its a mechanical drive machine and not hydrostatic. If it is indeed mechanical it should free spin and should roll onto the truck. Hydrostatic machines when full of oil will not budge as the motors are essentially fluid locked.
Nice buy!!!

Thanks for the info! My Dad came home with a couple pict's of his friend operating the bobcat. So this evening I looked around the web & found a 1979 310 & it looked just like the one we bought so I'm thinking that is what we have. Neither one of us really have any use for it as my Dad lives in town & I have a Bolens Diesel with a johnson loader that does all I need around my acre. So right now the plan is to get it running & then sell it. But who knows, I may like it so much I'll be inclined keep it! I know this will sound like a woman... but it's kind of cute! My bolens is hydrostatic drive but it has a park, netural, & engaged drive selector. I've used a couple different bobcat skidsteer's in my life and they were both hydrostatic drive. Must have been newer models. Thanks again for the info. Lonnie

 

[Tazza]

Thanks for the info! My Dad came home with a couple pict's of his friend operating the bobcat. So this evening I looked around the web & found a 1979 310 & it looked just like the one we bought so I'm thinking that is what we have. Neither one of us really have any use for it as my Dad lives in town & I have a Bolens Diesel with a johnson loader that does all I need around my acre. So right now the plan is to get it running & then sell it. But who knows, I may like it so much I'll be inclined keep it! I know this will sound like a woman... but it's kind of cute! My bolens is hydrostatic drive but it has a park, netural, & engaged drive selector. I've used a couple different bobcat skidsteer's in my life and they were both hydrostatic drive. Must have been newer models. Thanks again for the info. Lonnie

Its bad when you get attached, i was the same!
It was really hard for me to sell my first skid steer, i spent so much time working in it and it did some amazing work. But in the end it was like a child, you have to say good buy to them eventually!
Every hydrostatic skid steer i have seen does not have any way to disengage the drive.

 

[Bandit1047]

Its bad when you get attached, i was the same!
It was really hard for me to sell my first skid steer, i spent so much time working in it and it did some amazing work. But in the end it was like a child, you have to say good buy to them eventually!
Every hydrostatic skid steer i have seen does not have any way to disengage the drive.

If the unit is small, take a bottle of soap and water and winch it onto a trailer while squirting the soap solution under the tires. Fill the tires with air for less drag. The bucket can be lowered by cracking the hydraulic hoses, however this is a risky operation and you need to prevent it from comming all the way to the ground or comming down on someones arm or leg. Also prop the roof up B-4 doing this. If you can lift one end of the unit off the ground and drive the ramp under the first set of wheels, you have the problem half solved. Wash any dirt and gravel off the tires while it is up, this will also help it slide easier. If you try and start it, make sure all the fluids are up and prop that roof. If the unit starts, you don't know what a stuck hydraulic valve will do. Remember, "SAFETY FIRST" Joe

 

[lonnieramey]

If the unit is small, take a bottle of soap and water and winch it onto a trailer while squirting the soap solution under the tires. Fill the tires with air for less drag. The bucket can be lowered by cracking the hydraulic hoses, however this is a risky operation and you need to prevent it from comming all the way to the ground or comming down on someones arm or leg. Also prop the roof up B-4 doing this. If you can lift one end of the unit off the ground and drive the ramp under the first set of wheels, you have the problem half solved. Wash any dirt and gravel off the tires while it is up, this will also help it slide easier. If you try and start it, make sure all the fluids are up and prop that roof. If the unit starts, you don't know what a stuck hydraulic valve will do. Remember, "SAFETY FIRST" Joe

Went & picked it up today. Turns out it's an M371. I have no idea how old it is. Tires are all up & in fairly good shape. So I backed the trailer up to it unhooked the trailer & pulled my pickup in front of the trailer, put my home made ATV ramps on the back, hooked my winch to the Bobcat & pulled it right up on the trailer. Took about 15 minutes! I have it home now & plan on taking the power wash to it soon. The motor turns free & the oil in the motor looks new. So I plan on taking the carb off & cleaning it, make sure there is no old gas in the tank, replace the battery, plug & oil & then see if she'll fire up. Being it's not hydrostatic I haven't a clue how to opperate the thing. I've searched the web but can't find anything that would tell me how. Does it work like it's hydro cousin's? I did see somewhere that said that you have to move the drive belt to change from high to low but other then that ??? Does anyone have a website that would cover this? Thanks in advance! Lonnie

 

[mllud]

Went & picked it up today. Turns out it's an M371. I have no idea how old it is. Tires are all up & in fairly good shape. So I backed the trailer up to it unhooked the trailer & pulled my pickup in front of the trailer, put my home made ATV ramps on the back, hooked my winch to the Bobcat & pulled it right up on the trailer. Took about 15 minutes! I have it home now & plan on taking the power wash to it soon. The motor turns free & the oil in the motor looks new. So I plan on taking the carb off & cleaning it, make sure there is no old gas in the tank, replace the battery, plug & oil & then see if she'll fire up. Being it's not hydrostatic I haven't a clue how to opperate the thing. I've searched the web but can't find anything that would tell me how. Does it work like it's hydro cousin's? I did see somewhere that said that you have to move the drive belt to change from high to low but other then that ??? Does anyone have a website that would cover this? Thanks in advance! Lonnie

Lonnie Here's a start.. Mike

http://skidsteerhistory.com/How it began.htm Here is a paragraph from this web site, It sounds like its a clutch drive.
All the Melroe models mentioned had the same patented clutch design drive. With the exception of specialty models (electric motors, propane engines, etc.) only one more model utilized the same drive system. This was the M371 Bobcat, which was nicknamed the Mini Bob. The first two prototypes were designed and fabricated in Louis Keller's shop at his home 5 miles north of Cogswell, ND. Leland Erickson and Roger Albertson helped in the design and fabrication. The M371 entered the market in 1971 (see photo). This was the first model designed to fit through a 36" wide opening. It was also the first model to have the drive compartments, previously located on the sides, integrated into one compartment located in the lower center of the machine

More Information. http://www.bobcat.com/historical_specs/skid_steer

M-371
Engine Cooling	Air
Emissions Tier (EPA)	N/A
Engine Fuel	Gasoline
Horsepower	14 HP
Turbocharged Engine	N/A
Rated Operating Capacity (SAE)	500 lbs
ROC with Counterweight Option	N/A
Tipping Load	900 lbs
Operating Weight	1900 lbs
Travel Speed	N/A
Travel Speed (2-speed option)	N/A
Fuel Tank	N/A
Pump Capacity	4.4 GPM
Auxiliary Std Flow	N/A
Auxiliary High Flow	4.4 GPM
Length	92 in
Length with Standard Bucket	N/A
Width	36 in
Width (with bucket)	N/A
Height	72 in
Height with Operator Cab	N/A
Height to Bucket Hinge Pin	89 in
Reach @ Maximum Height	13 in
Turning Radius	N/A
Wheelbase	28 in
Joystick Control	N/A
Air Conditioning	N/A
Backup Alarm	N/A
BICS System (Interlock)	n/a
Cab Enclosure	N/A
Cab Heater	N/A
Suspension Seat	N/A
Deluxe Instrumentation	N/A
Engine Shutdown	N/A
Hydraulic Bucket Positioning	N/A
High Flow Option	N/A
Auxiliary Hydraulics	opt
Bob-Tach Attachment System	std
Power Bob-Tach	N/A
Ride Control	N/A
Chain Size Final	N/A

 

[mllud]

Lonnie Here's a start.. Mike

http://skidsteerhistory.com/How%20it%20began.htm Here is a paragraph from this web site, It sounds like its a clutch drive.
All the Melroe models mentioned had the same patented clutch design drive. With the exception of specialty models (electric motors, propane engines, etc.) only one more model utilized the same drive system. This was the M371 Bobcat, which was nicknamed the Mini Bob. The first two prototypes were designed and fabricated in Louis Keller's shop at his home 5 miles north of Cogswell, ND. Leland Erickson and Roger Albertson helped in the design and fabrication. The M371 entered the market in 1971 (see photo). This was the first model designed to fit through a 36" wide opening. It was also the first model to have the drive compartments, previously located on the sides, integrated into one compartment located in the lower center of the machine

More Information. http://www.bobcat.com/historical_specs/skid_steer


M-371


Engine Cooling
Air


Emissions Tier (EPA)
N/A


Engine Fuel
Gasoline


Horsepower
14 HP


Turbocharged Engine
N/A


Rated Operating Capacity (SAE)
500 lbs


ROC with Counterweight Option
N/A


Tipping Load
900 lbs


Operating Weight
1900 lbs


Travel Speed
N/A


Travel Speed (2-speed option)
N/A


Fuel Tank
N/A


Pump Capacity
4.4 GPM


Auxiliary Std Flow
N/A


Auxiliary High Flow
4.4 GPM


Length
92 in


Length with Standard Bucket
N/A


Width
36 in


Width (with bucket)
N/A


Height
72 in


Height with Operator Cab
N/A


Height to Bucket Hinge Pin
89 in


Reach @ Maximum Height
13 in


Turning Radius
N/A


Wheelbase
28 in


Joystick Control
N/A


Air Conditioning
N/A


Backup Alarm
N/A


BICS System (Interlock)
n/a


Cab Enclosure
N/A


Cab Heater
N/A


Suspension Seat
N/A


Deluxe Instrumentation
N/A


Engine Shutdown
N/A


Hydraulic Bucket Positioning
N/A


High Flow Option
N/A


Auxiliary Hydraulics
opt


Bob-Tach Attachment System
std


Power Bob-Tach
N/A


Ride Control
N/A


Chain Size Final
N/A

Lonnie I should have read one more paragraph. It could be hydrostatic drive depending when built. Mike
In the later years of M610 and M371 production early hydrostatic models were being developed and sold. The hydrostatic models have been very successful and have given the modern Bobcat skid-steer loader (see photo) the market share it has today. Many models were introduced between the M610 and this one. This is just one example of the progress that has been made by the Kellers, Melroe, and Bobcat since Eddie Velo made his request for a light, highly maneuverable, inexpensive, and easily maintained loader to clean his turkey barns.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

Went & picked it up today. Turns out it's an M371. I have no idea how old it is. Tires are all up & in fairly good shape. So I backed the trailer up to it unhooked the trailer & pulled my pickup in front of the trailer, put my home made ATV ramps on the back, hooked my winch to the Bobcat & pulled it right up on the trailer. Took about 15 minutes! I have it home now & plan on taking the power wash to it soon. The motor turns free & the oil in the motor looks new. So I plan on taking the carb off & cleaning it, make sure there is no old gas in the tank, replace the battery, plug & oil & then see if she'll fire up. Being it's not hydrostatic I haven't a clue how to opperate the thing. I've searched the web but can't find anything that would tell me how. Does it work like it's hydro cousin's? I did see somewhere that said that you have to move the drive belt to change from high to low but other then that ??? Does anyone have a website that would cover this? Thanks in advance! Lonnie

The 371 should have a Kohler K series engine. The steering sticks work the same, kinda....
Push forward for forward, one stick for each side and back for reverse of course. Where they differ is on a hyd drive if you center the sticks the unit will stop. Where on a clutch drive centering the sticks disenguages the wheels from the drivetrain. So if your on flat ground you will stop. If your on a hill you will freewheel to the bottom at an alarming speed.
To make the unit turn you often must pull one steering lever into reverse as a means of "braking" the wheels on the inside of the corner, otherwise they just coast along while the other side drives and the machine won't turn
Also there is no variable speed. You only have clutch in or out and slipping as a method of varying speed, and of course the engine rpm. Thats why they have a 2 ratio belt drive one is low 2.5 mph and high is 5 mph. Problem is if you need low for tough going, once you get out of the tough spot you still only have 2.5 mph max, unless you kill the engine and flip the belt over to high. For this reason, if you ever use a hyd drive loader you will find the clutch drive horribly slow. High does work ok for plowng snow though or other light duty tasks. Despite these short coming these unit regularly sell for 3 to 4k in good working condition.
I had one of these but quickly let it go for a 553. Diesel, aux hyd, standard quick attach and variable speed hyd drive, made for a much more usable machine.
Ken

 

[lonnieramey]

The 371 should have a Kohler K series engine. The steering sticks work the same, kinda....
Push forward for forward, one stick for each side and back for reverse of course. Where they differ is on a hyd drive if you center the sticks the unit will stop. Where on a clutch drive centering the sticks disenguages the wheels from the drivetrain. So if your on flat ground you will stop. If your on a hill you will freewheel to the bottom at an alarming speed.
To make the unit turn you often must pull one steering lever into reverse as a means of "braking" the wheels on the inside of the corner, otherwise they just coast along while the other side drives and the machine won't turn
Also there is no variable speed. You only have clutch in or out and slipping as a method of varying speed, and of course the engine rpm. Thats why they have a 2 ratio belt drive one is low 2.5 mph and high is 5 mph. Problem is if you need low for tough going, once you get out of the tough spot you still only have 2.5 mph max, unless you kill the engine and flip the belt over to high. For this reason, if you ever use a hyd drive loader you will find the clutch drive horribly slow. High does work ok for plowng snow though or other light duty tasks. Despite these short coming these unit regularly sell for 3 to 4k in good working condition.
I had one of these but quickly let it go for a 553. Diesel, aux hyd, standard quick attach and variable speed hyd drive, made for a much more usable machine.
Ken

Mike, I can tell it's not a Hydro drive & so what Ken is saying makes sense. But WOW, no brakes!?? That just might take some getting used to. Thankfully I don't live on a steep hill!!! It begs the question... how do you park on a hill & get off the thing? Park sideways to the hill? Not having a brake or Hydro to contend with sure made it nice to winch up on my trailer but otherwise I'm not so sure I like that feature! Anyway, I have a project on my hands & I love projects. (they keep me out of trouble... mostly!) I'm going to be in Florida over the next couple weeks on business (tough duty!) so won't have a chance to do anything with it any time soon but when I get back...it'll be fun! Surprisingly enough it appears to be all there (unlike it's new owner ) & in not bad shape. I don't know where it all came from but it's covered in oil & dirt so it will be happy to have a good power washing. I can't really see anywhere that it was obviously leaking but siting that long...who knows. Just some surface rust here & there but I think it will clean up nice. Thanks again for the info & if anyone comes across a manual I'd be happy to buy it. Lonnie