npartist
Silver Member
Hi all, first post here. I've lurked and used the info here to help drive decisions on what machine to get next, so here's to giving back. I just bought a 2016 Bobcat Toolcat 5600 with ~2100 hrs that was very clean. It's replacing a 2004 Bobcat S185 that I currently have and use for mowing ~5 miles of trails, ~7 acres of fields, plowing ~20,000 sq ft of driveway and odd jobs around the house (47 acre estate). I really want a 5610 Toolcat but having a hard time finding good shape ones used at any reasonable prices. Regardless I was torn on if I should get a Toolcat or keep the SS so I researched the disadvantages and weighed them for my use and the pros far outweigh the cons. Heres some of those as well as a bunch of pictures to help visualize the differences in size/reach.
The Toolcat disadvantages:
The main advantages in my book:
My Toolcat had a few issues I wanted to address right away, one was the typical paint chipping and corrosion at the door lowers and rockers (was just surface rust that was an easy fix on this one), driver front outside seat corner rip (ordered new seat), touch up spray in bedliner, spray bedliner in floorboards, adjust (aka wack with a mallet) driver door hinges so door doesnt rub on lower corner of door jamb, replace a few non-OE interior screws with factory ones(pet peeve of mine), and a few new stickers to replace ones I removed to paint.
Floorboard/lower door/rocker touch up (rustoleum pro primer and Bobcat touch up spray paint, matches great!):
The 3 yr old was giddy to have a "dump truck" with her own seat (not shown: me with the same expression...ha!):
2015 RZR 900 Trail vs Toolcat 5600:
2004 Bobcat S185 vs Toolcat 5600 including full lift and tilt of boom/bucket:
The Toolcat easily handles my 1500lb brush cutter even with no counter weight:
The Toolcat disadvantages:
- lifting height (about 3ft less, 83.3 to 118in)
- lifting power (1500lbs to 1850lb ROC but both seem to be able to double those figures)
- bucket has less tilt capability on the toolcat, could limit some uses vs SS
- slightly less maneuverable (and having to change FNR lever to change directions is more cumbersome in the Toolcat)
- more expensive (but maybe holding value isnt a bad thing)
- can be harder to see attachments on the toolcat when the boom is down vs a SS
- probably others
The main advantages in my book:
- 2 seats (key for taking the kids out of the house for mom while I plow/mow)
- Steering wheels/pedals/cruise control/etc make for easier driving and maybe even the wife will drive it
- The addition of A/C and radio for me (although newer SS have those too)
- twice as fast as my single speed SS, better for plowing and can actually use it as a property mobile
- Longer wheelbase with suspension for a smoother ride (can potentially replace a need for my RZR for putting around the trails with kids but obviously not nearly as fun)
- Dump bed and hitch added bonuses over a SS
- Uses all my existing SS attachments (toolcat has a little more std flow than my SS and also has high flow where my SS does not)
- One of the coolest farm toys I can think of, close to a "perfect" machine for my needs and nerdy desires!
My Toolcat had a few issues I wanted to address right away, one was the typical paint chipping and corrosion at the door lowers and rockers (was just surface rust that was an easy fix on this one), driver front outside seat corner rip (ordered new seat), touch up spray in bedliner, spray bedliner in floorboards, adjust (aka wack with a mallet) driver door hinges so door doesnt rub on lower corner of door jamb, replace a few non-OE interior screws with factory ones(pet peeve of mine), and a few new stickers to replace ones I removed to paint.
Floorboard/lower door/rocker touch up (rustoleum pro primer and Bobcat touch up spray paint, matches great!):
The 3 yr old was giddy to have a "dump truck" with her own seat (not shown: me with the same expression...ha!):
2015 RZR 900 Trail vs Toolcat 5600:
2004 Bobcat S185 vs Toolcat 5600 including full lift and tilt of boom/bucket:
The Toolcat easily handles my 1500lb brush cutter even with no counter weight:
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