Used skidsteer questions

[Birdhunter1]

I'm thinking about buying a used Bobcat, most likely like a 742 (smallest) to 773 (biggest). I'm buying some property out on the farm where I'll have to put a road in about 3/8 mile long and also be building a house and barn in the next few years. I'm looking at a Bobcat because my dad has his MF 135 out there and my uncle has his 2020 JD out there but neither has a loader that I will want when I build my house.

So the reason I'm thinking about the Bobcat is in the size I described I can handle hauling them with my truck and make a few extra bucks occasionally and they are so much more efficient at doing dirt work than a tractor with a loader and a boxblade. Like I said I've already got enough tractor (one is 40-45 hp and the other is about 50 hp) and with the 7' boxblade and 7' rear blade I have plenty of machine to do the road but the bobcat would be better where I have to do some site raising for the barn and well if you've ever been aroudn a Bobcat you know how handy they are. After the house and barn is built I' probably sell the Bobcat and get a tractor with a front end loader (Case/IH DX 55 with ag's or JX55).

I have a buddy who him and his dad have a large concrete business so I'd take him with me when I'd go to buy a machine so he coudl look it over and tell me what he thinks but what all do you need to look over on a Bobcat real well (engine stuff is obvious) but I'm thinking looking for hydraulic leaks, weak hydraulic motors and so on. What are some common tell tale signs of abuse I should look for?

I'll probably only go with a Bobcat bobcat since my buddy and his dad do alot of business with Bobcat and they can help me with parts and service through them, plus their shop is about 4 miles from the farm and the Bobcat reps' and tech's drive by the farm on the way to their shop.

Oh yeah, the road I am needing to build has one hill to go up that I'll try and cut a good section out of and lenghen the approach, when the hill is cut down the valley will be raised. Other than that there is a long slight downhill grade (300 yards dropping maybe 10'). No trees to be removed, one big culvert to put in in a deep ditch, one other 6" to put in in a waterway). The road is going to be in the center of an ag field, the house and barn will be built off the side of the ag field. Mostly the ground at the barn site will just need raised, the house i will build the grade up to it.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I'm thinking about buying a used Bobcat, most likely like a 742 (smallest) to 773 (biggest). I'm buying some property out on the farm where I'll have to put a road in about 3/8 mile long and also be building a house and barn in the next few years. I'm looking at a Bobcat because my dad has his MF 135 out there and my uncle has his 2020 JD out there but neither has a loader that I will want when I build my house.

So the reason I'm thinking about the Bobcat is in the size I described I can handle hauling them with my truck and make a few extra bucks occasionally and they are so much more efficient at doing dirt work than a tractor with a loader and a boxblade. Like I said I've already got enough tractor (one is 40-45 hp and the other is about 50 hp) and with the 7' boxblade and 7' rear blade I have plenty of machine to do the road but the bobcat would be better where I have to do some site raising for the barn and well if you've ever been aroudn a Bobcat you know how handy they are. After the house and barn is built I' probably sell the Bobcat and get a tractor with a front end loader (Case/IH DX 55 with ag's or JX55).

I have a buddy who him and his dad have a large concrete business so I'd take him with me when I'd go to buy a machine so he coudl look it over and tell me what he thinks but what all do you need to look over on a Bobcat real well (engine stuff is obvious) but I'm thinking looking for hydraulic leaks, weak hydraulic motors and so on. What are some common tell tale signs of abuse I should look for?

I'll probably only go with a Bobcat bobcat since my buddy and his dad do alot of business with Bobcat and they can help me with parts and service through them, plus their shop is about 4 miles from the farm and the Bobcat reps' and tech's drive by the farm on the way to their shop.

Oh yeah, the road I am needing to build has one hill to go up that I'll try and cut a good section out of and lenghen the approach, when the hill is cut down the valley will be raised. Other than that there is a long slight downhill grade (300 yards dropping maybe 10'). No trees to be removed, one big culvert to put in in a deep ditch, one other 6" to put in in a waterway). The road is going to be in the center of an ag field, the house and barn will be built off the side of the ag field. Mostly the ground at the barn site will just need raised, the house i will build the grade up to it.

 

[5030tinkerer]

Sort of hard to miss this easy stuff, but be sure to get aux hydraulics and a quik tatch, not a pin tatch bucket. Also, check the flow capabilities of whatever you intend to purchase to be sure it can run the auger, etc. that you will want to run. Lastly, be sure to look for those hydraulic leaks, cracked hoses, etc and test drive the machine heavily prior to purchase, ensuring that the motor isn't "tired". Try doing several spins, wheelies, going up relatively significant inclines carrying a load, that sort of thing.

I have an old (70's) IH3200B with no quik tatch and no aux hydraulics. While it starts right up even after sitting for an entire season, I am planning to sell it since it doesn't have these items, though it would be perfect for someone that just wants to move dirt around. Also, I'd opt for a little beefier unit - at 30hp, the Wisconsin gas engine just doesn't seem to have enough omph.

 

[5030tinkerer]

Sort of hard to miss this easy stuff, but be sure to get aux hydraulics and a quik tatch, not a pin tatch bucket. Also, check the flow capabilities of whatever you intend to purchase to be sure it can run the auger, etc. that you will want to run. Lastly, be sure to look for those hydraulic leaks, cracked hoses, etc and test drive the machine heavily prior to purchase, ensuring that the motor isn't "tired". Try doing several spins, wheelies, going up relatively significant inclines carrying a load, that sort of thing.

I have an old (70's) IH3200B with no quik tatch and no aux hydraulics. While it starts right up even after sitting for an entire season, I am planning to sell it since it doesn't have these items, though it would be perfect for someone that just wants to move dirt around. Also, I'd opt for a little beefier unit - at 30hp, the Wisconsin gas engine just doesn't seem to have enough omph.

 

[jgh]

20060605

I bought and sold a 743 (have A300 now) a couple of yrs ago. Big difference with newer machines. It showed (and who knows?) about 3500 hrs when I got it. As I later learned, that is a lot for a SSL.

My advice, watch out for:

1- Bell housing on mine had missing teeth, would not always engage the starter reliably;
2- Machine was very herky-jerky, sometimes acted like it was going to buck like a horse, newer ones are more civilized;
3- Lots of stuff was bent on my 743, to the extent that I had trouble hooking stuff up to it;
4- The attaching plate on mine did not exactly match some newer stuff, part of which could have been due to #3, not sure.

The Kubota engine purred when running, no problem there...or was there...

Oh, and the guy who bought mine reported it blew the engine within a year.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[jgh]

20060605

I bought and sold a 743 (have A300 now) a couple of yrs ago. Big difference with newer machines. It showed (and who knows?) about 3500 hrs when I got it. As I later learned, that is a lot for a SSL.

My advice, watch out for:

1- Bell housing on mine had missing teeth, would not always engage the starter reliably;
2- Machine was very herky-jerky, sometimes acted like it was going to buck like a horse, newer ones are more civilized;
3- Lots of stuff was bent on my 743, to the extent that I had trouble hooking stuff up to it;
4- The attaching plate on mine did not exactly match some newer stuff, part of which could have been due to #3, not sure.

The Kubota engine purred when running, no problem there...or was there...

Oh, and the guy who bought mine reported it blew the engine within a year.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[Birdhunter1]

Thanks guys, if and when I do go to by onefrom someone I'll be taking my buddy who's grown up on the things with me to look it over as a final evaluation.

I'm not planning on running an auger with it, mainly just alot of dirt work and a set of pallet forks. I saw a dozer/grader blade that would do me alot of good, especially once it starts snowing.

 

[Birdhunter1]

Thanks guys, if and when I do go to by onefrom someone I'll be taking my buddy who's grown up on the things with me to look it over as a final evaluation.

I'm not planning on running an auger with it, mainly just alot of dirt work and a set of pallet forks. I saw a dozer/grader blade that would do me alot of good, especially once it starts snowing.

 

[Tigerotor77W]

Hey jgh, don't mean to drag this thread off-topic, but how is that A300 doing for you now? How many hours on it?

 

[Tigerotor77W]

Hey jgh, don't mean to drag this thread off-topic, but how is that A300 doing for you now? How many hours on it?