Posted: 9/1/2011 7:38:41 AM EDT
| I want a bobcat for use around my shop. Mainly for unloading pallets of supplies on rough ground and to load poles and heavy objects on to trailers, and possibly use to drill post holes and cover open ditches. When buying a used bobcat type loader what would be considered too many hours considering that I will not be using the unit on a day to day basis? There are lots of units available with 1700 to 2000 hours of use on them. |
| Check the condition of everything made of rubber: tires, hoses, seals, etc. Make sure all the safety interlocks work, not because I'm a safety geek, but if the interlocks don't work, it's because some ham-fisted SOB has fucked with the wiring, and God knows what else doesn't work. Make sure the thing drives straight, and has full range of motion the arms. Test all the accessories - most dealers have a lot out back where you can dig holes, move piles of shit around and generally have fun. |
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There are a lot for sale with those hours because it becomes the point at which purchasing a new machine is more cost effective than machine resale and maintenance for the older one. Between 2000 and 2500 hours, most skid steers start needed major system replacements, as well as nickle and diming of smaller stuff like hoses and electronics.
If you plan on one to keep and run in to the ground, buy a new one. If you want something to use a couple times and sell for the same price, buy a high hour used one. I'll be buying another new one in the next week or two. |
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FWIW, in my experience, skid steer loaders suck for using as a forklift...unless your load is low and light. We are electrical contractors and we build a lot of meter poles 16 and 20 foot weight 300 or 400 pounds. I need to be able to pick poles up and set them on customers trailers. I also need to be able to unload pallets of materials that are brought to my shop. We have uneven gravel driveways around our building. So mostly it would be light pallets say 200 to 300 pounds from the backs of flatbeds to set in our building. Occasionally it would be nice to be able to pick up a twenty five foot pole and set it on a flatbed trailer. We have an auger truck to lift and set the big poles just nothing small to handle the small poles in close confines and I didn't want a fork lift that was just a forklift. |
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FWIW, in my experience, skid steer loaders suck for using as a forklift...unless your load is low and light. We are electrical contractors and we build a lot of meter poles 16 and 20 foot weight 300 or 400 pounds. I need to be able to pick poles up and set them on customers trailers. I also need to be able to unload pallets of materials that are brought to my shop. We have uneven gravel driveways around our building. So mostly it would be light pallets say 200 to 300 pounds from the backs of flatbeds to set in our building. Occasionally it would be nice to be able to pick up a twenty five foot pole and set it on a flatbed trailer. We have an auger truck to lift and set the big poles just nothing small to handle the small poles in close confines and I didn't want a fork lift that was just a forklift. Probably not a big deal then. most of our customers were trying to grab heavy loads off our flatbeds (semi trailers) that were way too heavy for the loader. |
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FWIW, in my experience, skid steer loaders suck for using as a forklift...unless your load is low and light. We are electrical contractors and we build a lot of meter poles 16 and 20 foot weight 300 or 400 pounds. I need to be able to pick poles up and set them on customers trailers. I also need to be able to unload pallets of materials that are brought to my shop. We have uneven gravel driveways around our building. So mostly it would be light pallets say 200 to 300 pounds from the backs of flatbeds to set in our building. Occasionally it would be nice to be able to pick up a twenty five foot pole and set it on a flatbed trailer. We have an auger truck to lift and set the big poles just nothing small to handle the small poles in close confines and I didn't want a fork lift that was just a forklift. Probably not a big deal then. most of our customers were trying to grab heavy loads off our flatbeds (semi trailers) that were way too heavy for the loader. My thoughts were a unit the size of an S250 or S185, that would have a little extra gumption. It is possible that I would have to use it for some dirt work from time to time also. |
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My old 610 has a dolly wheel behind it, picks the rear wheals off the ground and makes it work great as a forklift. Pick the wheels up when you need traction for bucket work. It has over 4000 hours and runs great!
We are upgrading to a Gehl diesel model, going to have the dolly wheel attachment switched over too as most hours are spent as a forklift. The bobcat of the right size just had too small of tires to work for us. |
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FWIW, in my experience, skid steer loaders suck for using as a forklift...unless your load is low and light. We are electrical contractors and we build a lot of meter poles 16 and 20 foot weight 300 or 400 pounds. I need to be able to pick poles up and set them on customers trailers. I also need to be able to unload pallets of materials that are brought to my shop. We have uneven gravel driveways around our building. So mostly it would be light pallets say 200 to 300 pounds from the backs of flatbeds to set in our building. Occasionally it would be nice to be able to pick up a twenty five foot pole and set it on a flatbed trailer. We have an auger truck to lift and set the big poles just nothing small to handle the small poles in close confines and I didn't want a fork lift that was just a forklift. Probably not a big deal then. most of our customers were trying to grab heavy loads off our flatbeds (semi trailers) that were way too heavy for the loader. My thoughts were a unit the size of an S250 or S185, that would have a little extra gumption. It is possible that I would have to use it for some dirt work from time to time also. Dad has an S250 that has been great. About 1000hrs on it, no issues. It is his fourth Babcat and by far has been the best. The reason some folks have trouble lifting loads with them is becasuse they are using a machine with "standard lift" arms. Models with verticle lift arms(no radius through its travel) are much better suited to lifting heavy loads. |
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You are not looking hard enough.
There are contractor's here buying equipment from other contractor's going out of business. Equipment ranges from 2000+ hours to just pruchased a 4-6 months ago. Also, if you are willing to travel check ads at out of state. Look to Texas, Nevada, Florida, Illinois, etc. Local dealers are buying used equipment out of state and bringing it in to re-sell. |
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You are not looking hard enough. There are contractor's here buying equipment from other contractor's going out of business. Equipment ranges from 2000+ hours to just pruchased a 4-6 months ago. Also, if you are willing to travel check ads at out of state. Look to Texas, Nevada, Florida, Illinois, etc. Local dealers are buying used equipment out of state and bringing it in to re-sell. Oh I found all the low hour units but I am looking for a unit that will be used maybe 30 minutes a day so I am not interested in paying 28,000 dollars. I would prefer to spend between 16,000 and 20,000 dollars for an 250 size piece of equipment, I won't add 500 hours a year to it. Now if it was a telelect commander or a bucket truck that I use all the time I would not mind paying for 'low hour'. I am simply getting too old to manhandle everything. This unit will not add revenue to the company but might save me a hernia or back operation. Besides our worthless dollar is sending a lot of the surplus and used equipment out of the country. Just look at the jacked up prices on all the well used bobcats in Miami waiting to be exported. |
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I use all Takeuchi TL140's. They are superior to any other machine out there. They are easier to operate and the lower is all one unit, unlike the Bobcats. I wouldnt touch a CAT if you payed me, those undercarriages are extremely expensive. 
Never heard anyone talk good about them. Im sure they cant handle as much weight as a bobcat. |
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Ran most of them either on the farm or plowing snow and I will ONLY reccomend using an actual bobcat. A turbo model with a 2-speed and A/C is about the nicest piece of equipment you'll ever find.
That said, I've seen pictures from back in the day of 4 or 5 guys hanging off the rear case of a skidloader to keep a load of steel from dropping 
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