Looking for opinions for micro-skid steer build.

[itsmecord]

I am in the design/planning stage of this so it could be awhile before I start so lets call this a desktop build. I want a sit in unit,and I have looked at the name brand units online like the bobcat S70 and the case 1816 and want around that size unit. For starters,what would you guys say the minimum weight I could get away with and it still be usable ? It's a micro so I dont have big plans for it...I recently bought a little condemned house that we have have rebuilt located on about a quarter acre of land.I also own a half acre lot with large shop across the street,and between the two properties I have more than enough work to keep a little unit like this bizzy but cannot justify purchasing such a unit. I build hotrods on the side so I would use this to drag projects in/out of my shop,on/off the trailer,move dirt around,push debris into piles to burn,or haul off.I could also see clearing snow of my property,building a driveway with it as well.My wife is on board with the plan because she wants to use it for yard/garden work hauling mulch and other stuff around.I am a fabricator,welder,and mechanic so I have the skill,and ability to build this no biggie !

 

[mjncad]

Sounds like fun; but by the time you build it, tweak it, etc; I'll bet you could pick up a used unit in decent shape for less money.

There are a number of mini-dozer projects on this site that may help you decide if you're getting in over your head by trying to DIY a micro skid-steer.

 

[Groo]

10 seconds with Google found this page
Mini Skid Steer
I am sure there are other plans out there available too.

Home build skid-steers are nothing new. its basically just a hydraulic pump on an engine with a couple of hydraulic motors and a 4 way valved lift arm. or am I missing something?

 

[swick1]

I would aim for 2000lbs to be able to do anything. Rops is a must. Go for approximately square wheelbase / width. 60 to 70 percent weight on the back

 

[swick1]

Surplus center.com is a good resource for this project. Honestly you'd be time and money ahead to rebuild a non working unit. Scrap the bad parts and buy generic equivalents. Change all of the flexible hoses out as they degrade from uv. You don't want an injury or hydraulic spill.

 

[itsmecord]

10 seconds with Google found this page
Mini Skid Steer
I am sure there are other plans out there available too.

Home build skid-steers are nothing new. its basically just a hydraulic pump on an engine with a couple of hydraulic motors and a 4 way valved lift arm. or am I missing something?

My meaning behind my saying "I am in the design/planning stage" is that I dont want to use somebody else's plans,or design. I also don't recall saying it was a new thing ? I found the link you posted months ago. So I also spent my 10 seconds on google !

As to the other guys that had useful comments I appreciate them ! I had looked into buying,and redoing a used unit but couldn't find the smaller style I am looking for. MY nature a fab guy always says build it rather than by it so I do struggle with that as well.

 

[swick1]

If you are set on building one go to your bobcat dealer and take measurements and pics. The little ones have almost no room inside. If it were me I'd make mine a little bigger inside. You don't need a lot of hp. Go for torque so it will be quieter. Put insulation under your seat and use something like a welders blanket to put next to the motor. Make the belly pan bolt on because you will have to clean it. It would be cool to put a quick attach on the bucket and have the option to run hydro attachments like shears or a grapple. Make sure you have some sort of parking brake if you don't want to get squished. The arms should lift high enough to get into a 1ton dump. Build a set of forks while you are at it and put a lift eye on the machine. It will also need a hitch and counterweight. The cab should be held on with 4 big bolts for easy servicing. A removable rear door and side panels with dzus fasteners are also recommended.

 

[swick1]

Another thing to consider is your valving. If you use 4 motors you need to run each side in series or you will get a front/rear differential effect. Personally I would do this rather than 2 motors and chain drive to make it simpler. I would plumb with hard lines where possible and run the bucket curl lines on the inside of the arms so they don't get torn off. I mentioned a hitch before... a counterweight that plugs into your receiver would very versatile as you could tweak the amount of weight easily and remove it if you wanted to tow a trailer or attach the trailer hitch to it.

 

[itsmecord]

Thanx for all the advice ! I am gunna take some notes,and get some prices on parts,and supplies.

 

[Taylortractornut]

I have a friend that built one similar to what your building, He used some of the wheel motors like a Power Trac from Surplus Center. He used 15 inch tires, He made his a copy of a CHeetah Roofing loader.

http://www.tigerequip.com/images/pdflowcheetah.pdf

He made a seat and a small cage for his, He used Cheetah and the Avant skid loader as an example.

 

[itsmecord]

I have a friend that built one similar to what your building, He used some of the wheel motors like a Power Trac from Surplus Center. He used 15 inch tires, He made his a copy of a CHeetah Roofing loader.

http://www.tigerequip.com/images/pdflowcheetah.pdf

He made a seat and a small cage for his, He used Cheetah and the Avant skid loader as an example.

Now thats what I'm talking about ! I like where you are at with those models.
Thats about the size I have in mind.

From an alternative means of power distribution,could a open deferential with "cutting" brakes be used in said unit instead of hydraulic motors ? Each side would be chained front-back.

 

[GE222]

For $$$ comparison, in the mid to late 90's I had a Case 1816B that had been retrofitted with a new 18hp Briggs twin engine. It was a nice small machine, and I seem to recall that I sold it for around $3500 give or take a hundred. If you weren't in a hurry, it worked just fine. Digging wasn't too bad either as I had a bolt on tooth bar.

 

[Groo]

My meaning behind my saying "I am in the design/planning stage" is that I dont want to use somebody else's plans,or design. I also don't recall saying it was a new thing ? I found the link you posted months ago. So I also spent my 10 seconds on google !

As to the other guys that had useful comments I appreciate them ! I had looked into buying,and redoing a used unit but couldn't find the smaller style I am looking for. MY nature a fab guy always says build it rather than by it so I do struggle with that as well.

Well you are obviously willing to copy someone else's idea, or it wouldn't be a skid steer and you wouldn't be here asking for ideas, so why not at least look at some commercially available plans?

Were I to build one from scratch, I would probably buy a couple sets of plans just to see exactly how they did it (and I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering), but I wouldn't copy any of them 100%.

Since you are talking about using it for yard work, I wouldn't do a skid-steer at all. I'd do one that bends in the middle or something like those turf delivery forklifts. The benders also lift more for a given weight since they are longer. If you absolutely have to have the super tight turning radius of a skid steer, the skid brake system of steering you sound eager about won't turn as tight as 2 directional levers. I'd also skip the internal chain drive or the 4 motor systems and go with over the tire track set-up.

As you are probably not going to buying all of your major components new, you have to design the machine around what you find used. Have anything you plan on using yet?

Instead of getting all offended about me suggesting you do some basic steps and look at some plans, how about you start at the beginning. What do you want it to be able to do? Form follows function, but you only seam concerned about the form and not the function.

 

[swick1]

You made some good points about form following function. I like articulated machines better. If he uses a braked differential he will need four arms to use it. I use a Jd 260 and it really tears up the yard whether you want to or not.

 

[itsmecord]

Listen Groo,I think we got off on the wrong foot ! I think maybe I saw more malice in your response than you intended. I apologize for getting worked up,I think thats the issue with the internet ! And possibly the reason for the smilies :thumbsup:
Now as far as copying anothers idea's,I see where you are coming from.
I do like the look,and size of what you linked to and I think I will build mine with it in mind.As far as to do a skid or a pivot steer was decided from the get go for ease of mobility inside my shop,I need to be able to turn in a small space.
Function is a huge concern to me and I never meant to lead anyone otherwise ! I am not here to copy someone else's rig but to see just what you are telling me as far as weather I should go with tire's,tracks,or track over tire-Brake steer,hydraulic differential ect. ect Armed with such info I can design,and start to order/get my parts and supplies. I am thankful for all the help/opinion's posted to date !

 

[Taylortractornut]

I dont know if a differential steered rig will be easily controlled for your application. I built something similar in Highschool shop on year. WIth a differential like that when you broake one side the other will speed up and eventually double. I had trouble with chains popping off. It was a ton of work to get all the sprockets lined up. I robbed it for parts and made a bigger version with set of rearends with the pinions facing each other. The front one flipped over with a drive shaft between them with a sprocket on the rear axle. I had 2 sets of master cylinders. It worked pretty good crazy to operate and almost killed all of us at one time.

My friend made one with a hydrostat mower trans axle and diff. He bought 4 of tires and sprocket sets from Northern Hydraulics. Mounted them on shafts with a chain to each one fro mthe sprockets. It worked but was light duty and he wanted a counter rotation built in. He bought the motors from Surplus Center with the hubs. Most of the Mini skids now run the independent wheel motors for the simplicity.

 

[itsmecord]

What got me to thinking about a differential steering setup was all the tracked vehicles on youtube using a truck rear axle.I was hoping to utilize that kind of setup but if you guys think it wouldn't work then I will keep looking for other idea's/options. To give an idea of the direction I was heading with planning I was hoping to do a braked diff setup to keep cost down,I had thought I could do a mechanical drive/steer and a hydraulic lift/bucket/attachment.
I had been thinking about doing a duel joystick like a zero turn mower,then for lift/bucket do pedals.I had also considered a setup where one stick would do the hydro and the other would be setup with a dual hydro brake for the steering,and drive F-N-R....Just my thoughts prier to joining here.

 

[swick1]

A differential setup will be too hard to control. You will waste your cost savings on house/fence/car repairs and medical bills. Trust me!

 

[itsmecord]

ok swick1 fair enough LOL !

 

[Taylortractornut]

Swick is right on the fence and cars and med bills. My rig almost killed us all lol. Ditch Witch had a model in the 70s that had a pair of narrowed Dana axles. It had 2 hand operated master cylinders. That was for steering in open ground and square trenches. And the whole front axle steered with a pivot over the chunk to make longe curves and turns. It was ahard rig to opperate in close quarters.