BOBCAT RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DIG'EM]

Ihave tried case, gehl, jonh deere, and bobcat. I bought a bobcat 773 , with backhoe attachment, auger, pallet forks,and concrete bucket. Ilike the best what about you?

[DIG'EM]

come guys tell me what your favorite is and why you like it.

[paul]

New Holland here, Bobcat just doesn't lift enough, Case nice machine but $6K for 100 lbs of lift sorry, Gehil don't like the controls, John Derre dosn't hold up, Cat can't lift, and the others just not there yet.

[Shack]

New Holland, love the long wheel base.

[DIG'EM]

What do you mean wont lift e-nuff. Mine lifts most everthing iwant to.

[paul]

I would love to see it lift these:)

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1504403&a=11355595&p=41074630&Sequence=0&res=high

[WALT]

I have used Bobcat, New holland, and Case. My prefence was the New Holland becase it had more nuts. Case was smooth and tough and once I got used to the hand controls, it was a joy to operate. Bobcat is a good all around machine, and is what I use now, most often. The skid steers I use are not the most well maintained, so as far as durabillity when they are beat up on,I know first hand in that case. The AIR BOSS wheels on a New Holland skid steer was a great set-up. My .02 cents

[diggerman]

We use have a Case 90xt,reasons

1 only one with air when I ordered it
2 the only one available with ride control and belive me it makes a big diffrence
3 the only machine with hydralic bucket coupler that has its own circut
4 full servo control
5 all of this and a two speed as well

Need I say more,
I also have air boss tires that I ordered new with the last 1845c I bought.They are wonder full for demolition,for increasing lifting capacity,and using around building site.As for dirt work they are fair until the tread wears.The idea of the replacable sections is a myth because of tread wear this is impossible with out major back damage,replacement sections are a fortune,airboss' can not be used for snow.So my opinion unless you fit into the positive categories listed above,foam fill a GOOD set of heavy walled skidsteer tires.

[EarthTech Landscapes]

I hane used Bobcat skidsteers for years, i have tried others but have always came back to bobcat. The main reason is the ease of operation for inexperienced users. I'm actually thinking of buying the new 864 trak machine. It is awesome on soft muddy ground and hills. plus it can lift a whole pallet of blocks or sod.

[Stonehenge]

Paul - Did your new JD die out on you? From reading your post it sounds like it might have.

We've got a Gehl 6635 sxt, and love it. I don't like foot pedals at all, too much opportunity to step on pedal (and then I worry about lockout mechanism failing, even partially, and injuring someone). I've had nothing but good luck with Gehl's, both my own and when I worked elsewhere. We'll likely be buying a Gehl 4000 model sometime this year. I think the controls are the easiest around.

If NH offered a model without pedals for bucket control, I'd give it heavy consideration. I like the low-low center of gravity and Paul's always whispering in my ear about how good they are.

Gehl also offers a 2 speed. I never thought 12.5 mph would feel so fast!!

[paul]

Stonehenge, The John Deere didn't hold up to the abuse of lifting, we unloaded it this winter:) Someone needed it to move snow bad, didn't lose too much on it:(
From what I understand you can now order them with hand controls so might want to give NH a look see.
http://www.newholland.com/construction/products/LS190.asp

[Edited by paul on 02-16-2001 at 11:46 AM]

[cat320]

I alwas liked the NH but Liked the JD more for the service point of veiw but never tried one BUt NH has always been my choice better than BC.

[SLSNursery]

We run a Case 1840 and are very happy with it. I am always thinking about getting another one, and will probably stay with Case. We have a dealer nearby, and I am always in favor of buying something from a local dealer rather than saving a few bucks at purchase price, then relying on a 1/2 hour or 1 hour trip to get parts or service.

[dan deutekom]

I love operating our case 1845c. It just works and works and I love the hand controls. My ankles just arn,t flexible enough for those foot controls.

[Pard]

Stonehenge

We own a New Holland with hand controls. Just tell them that you want them and they will install them for you. The dealer claimed that they were better than Case's hand controls but I disagree. However, in my opionion the overall machine with hand controls beats the tar out of case. Of course that is just my opioin.
Pard

[diggerman]

Trouble with most peoples comparison to Case it is inreguard to the 1840's and 1845's,there is no comparison when talking about the 75xt to 95xt.With full servo hand controls ease of operation is unparalleled.

[WALT]

I do remember that, altough it has been some time since I ran that case (5 yrs), that memory of the smoothness of the controls really stands out. I'm sure it was an XT model, but can't remember the specific size. I completly agree with you. I never knew those details you gave, but now I know, and knowing is half the battle!

[Henry]

Paul,

How old was your JD? I bought the 240 back in June and have no problem unloading pallets of sod or block off a truck. I also got the hand controls. wouldn't buy one without them.

[paul]

It was less than a year old:( One of the first 270's with 2 speed trans. problem was the torque tube in the back broke on us twice, JD fixed it both times but we felt it wouldn't hold up.

[concrete man]

Hey DIG'EM you out of date bobcat owner. I finally found you. I like a bobcat 773 just fine it lifts everything I need it to lift. It will haul in 1/2 yard of crete at a time. It's an awesome machine. Is that what you wanted me to say?

[DIG'EM]

You know it really depends on what your use to.Ive owned my bobcat for 5 years and it has done everything Ived asked it to do. That is the whole thing .the main thing is TLB's dont have a clue . The skid steer loader is king on the construction site. Ibuild houses and dig graves when ihave time i do skidloader work. Ienjoy skidloader work the best and can makereally good money at it!Iwant to see everyones skid loader on here . I will get a picture of my and put it on here. NO JOB TOO BIG OR SMALL ME AND MY BOBCAT CAN DO IT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[paul]

As soon as Bobcat can lift those stones then I'll buy one.
Untill then New Holland Rules

[DIG'EM]

pAUL WHAT WAS THE WEIGHT of those stones . I've picked up a whole pallet of 3dimnesional shingles before they weigh about 3400 pounds . Icould only get them about 3 in up. I'll have to get a picture of mine picking up some thing too!!!

[paul]

those pallets weigh about 4000 lbs

[DIG'EM]

PAUL what is the specs on your machine ?

[DIG'EM]

Paul have you seen the 7000 series GEHL? check out their site .They claim to have the strongest, fastest, and lift the highest. It has 110 hp, pickup 3600pd(more if you count tipover),lift 12ft high.

[capital]

Paul,

I need a little help. We rolled our Bobcat 873 on the interstate two weeks ago. Now I have to get a new machince. The 873 will lift 4000 pounds like your New Holland but I was wondering if you had some more spec information on your new holland setup. Also if you could tell me the size of trailer you use and the axle weights on the trailer if you know. I have to get a whole new setup since the insurance company is claiming the trailer, bobcat and attachments for salvage. Thanks much for your time. Phil

[paul]

Phil, here is New Hollands site for there LS190 http://www.newholland.com/construction/products/LS190.asp
as to trailers we use Cronkite trailers don't know if they have a web page will check. all trailers are 14,400 GVW or better.

[captdevo]

New HollandThe only name in skid steer!!!!

[diggerman]

Yes it is,if your a farmer cleaning hog lots,other wise buy a Case,Cat,or Bobcat

[captdevo]

Case.....Rolls over easily, unstable, Cat......lots of maintenance, expensive parts, Bobcat.....all the above!!!! New holland = work horse
Hog confinements are a great testing site, where else are you gonna be knee deep in $h!t.

[Mike Nelson]

:p I use a JD744,has a lot of power,don't have to worry about tipping,and it can out pick any of yours Guaranteed!!!




I can make it Skid and I can make it Steer so this qualifies Right?


Learned a lot from you guys on this thread. Keep up the great discussion.

[diggerman]

Sorry Mike still a Deere,which means weak motors.Buy Cat if you want service and dependability.Not only that but for those of us who construction equipment is our business and not seasonal, we need a company with a full line of equipment not some lame line up that includes things like out dated 850 dozers, no crawler loaders unless you buy a Liebear,skidloaders serviced by farm implement and lawn care dealers,so you can have them JDs.As for Case skidloaders the one nonCat product that I like,if you think they are tippy you need some more experience,I ran 1845s for 20yrs with only one incident and that was my fault.As for the new Case series you are right it most likely not for you,it is really geared more toward serious operators, and those who want speed,dependability,comfort and power in one package.The rest do ok lifting the occational sod pallet,or bucket of landscape rock,maybe even load a truckload of wood chips,but when it comes to digging a basement in a tight spot in the woods and loading it in trucks or digging a pond in someones back yard there is only one the 90 series Case

[John DiMartino]

Mike-I love it.I think you settled the who's can lift more thing.I highly doubt that big 744 JD has a weak motor Dig.

[diggerman]

Not weak in relation to HP but longevity, every Deere I have ever owned has had very few hours on it before a overhaul was needed or started to have alot of blow by.JD wheel loaders are by far their best accomplishment but since they are a small bright spot in a limited product line,it is hard to give much of a glowing overall review of JD as a whole.

[DIGEM]

It doesnt matter, what ever your use to is what is the best!!!Mybobcat is 5 years old I just paid it off,that is the best machine of all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cat320]

that is the best machine a paid one! Unless you rent them all the time or lease.

[DIGEM]

Iworked 5 years digging graves not getting 1 penny. Igave it all to my father and he made the payments. Now the machine,all attachments,trailer, and truck are mine.Been a long 5 years but it was worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[juggernaut]

Diggerman we have a Case 1840 at the golf couse great machine, I thought 1840 and above were servo actuated at least the bucket and lift controls and the 1835 and smaller were direct linkage. You hit the nail on the head though about experience if you are bouncing all over the place you need to practice more. I found that if you run them at 1/2 to three quarter throttle to practice you can get used to it easier because that particular machine will let you kill yourself if your not careful. Not really familiar with other brands.

[04superduty]

My experience has been that New Hollands are a little to low to the ground. I had a lot of problems bottoming them out on rough terrain. That was my only complaint though. With a cat i ran, i had to get use to a whole different control system. The cat, since it has the anti spind crap, got stuck and had to dump the bucket to get out. With a bobcat you push the levers forward fast and the wheels spin fast. Working on a steep muddy hill the cat had a tendancy to want to roll. A couple of times i slid down the hill, trying to not roll through a fence and keep it rubber side down. So, my vote is bobcat. I have no experience with any of the other machines.

[accipiter12]

Skidsteers are good machines for certain purposes. But I hate how bouncy they can get and tippy, and how much they tear up the terrain! Drove me nuts trying to landscape my yard and the machine just making a mess.

Blake
WA

[NAC]

:dizzy: I dont know about you guys seems to be a lot of bashing out there. I just bought a John deere 250 with hand controls and a cab. for me it is the best machine for the deal I got. I have run bobcat, case, gehl,komatsu, skat track,takeuchi, and daewoo. At the time I was looking for something with hand contols and a cab so my operater wont freeze and slow down pushing snow. Now remember I have to pull an 7x14 tandem dump trailer behind my pickup so I am limited to about 8400lbs. I ordered a Komatsu 820 but there was a problem they cant get a cab for atleast 4-6 months, but it was A nice machine very smoth with the pilot controls. I called Cat and I am still waiting for the salesman to call me back its been almost 3 months. Bobcat was the same took the salesman 1 month to call me back. With John Deere the salesman called me back in 5 min. Located me a machine in 2 day with no cab told me he would give ma a plastic cab for free untill the glass cab came in were the will pick up my machine and install and have back in 2 days max. He threw in a set of pallet forks and the stobe light for free and i fianced it for 0.9% the machine is only rated for 1850lbs i unload 2600 of 5' high platform with no problem and the machine only wiegs about 6600lbs.

[accipiter12]

There's a lot of bashing out there because everyone has their personal opinion. Everyone is not going to like every model skidsteer out there, some like me, would rather exhaust all other resources (backhoe, trackhoe etc) before using a skidsteer. I don't "hate" them, I just would rather use another machine first. That's just my opinion. If I were a farmer, I'd buy one, they're come in real handy when in a tight space like dairy farms etc. Anyway, there good machines for certain people.

Blake
WA

[Nfd9606]

NAC,
I too just got my new John Deere 240 skid steer just before christmas. I wanted something a little bigger but my budget wouldn't allow. I got the heated cab with the foot controls. I am now adapting a 8' Diamond plow I just bought for it. Have about 10 hours on it now and am just waiting for the snow just like everybody else. I paid $21,000 for the machine with : base hydraulics, back up alarm, cab enclosure, heater/defroster, and the 66" construction bucket with a bolt on cutting edge. I am going to get the weight kit for it ($499) so it will bring the lift capacity to 1750lbs from 1500lbs and for a little more traction. Maybe in a few years I will upgrade to a 270 with the 2-speed. Good luck with your machine.


Brian

[BobcatS250]

Heard a lot of horror stories with JD's old 200 series... I would assume that they've corrected the issues with the hydrostats by now.

I've heard more and more good stuff about Cat. End of story.

Case appears to be taking over Bobcat's old markets with the entire line of XT machines.

Bobcat... *sighs* they make great machines, but one day they're gonna have to stop relying on the name to bring 'em sales. Even so, I still think they're the best machine out there.

NH -- umm, no. The boom arms seem fragile, the trans is noisy, the cab is outdated. Not too fond of NH at all. But that's just me. From a visual standpoint, I think NH machines look the best.

[Dwan]

I have both BC and NH and both have there place. the NH is faster and more stable for its size but my bobcats can lift more and need less maintenance. only thing I can say that is negative about ether is they don't make the big bob cats any more or I would buy another one. 975, 3700 lb lift, 7400 roll over, 12000 lb machine weight. 9 mph 2 speed, 32 GPM ax.flow 1500X19.5 tires and do they push snow with a 3 yd bucket.

[jegssr]

I have a 453 and I used to use a 753. The 753 ate the pumps and drive motors. My 453 is make a loud cracking noise of undetermined origin. I ain't sold on Bobcat yet!:(

[BobcatS250]

Well... if ya bought the machines used or haven't paid attention to maintenance, no manufacturer can guarantee anything.

If, on the other hand, you have been taking good care of the machines, every once in a while, a dud does come along. Or maybe it's the other way around -- every once in a while, people get lucky with a good machine, and it's their stories we hear about.

[BobcatS250]

Lots of new introductions bound to come along soon. Gehl will be getting rid of its Takeuchi line and replacing it with its own, Deere's 300 series, Cat B-series, and apparently a new Case line is coming out soon.

[bobcat s-160]

bobcat all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Midwest BuildIt Inc]

wow, what an old thread. Was started in 2001:dizzy:

[Tractor Plower]

Cat fan here, with Bobcat a close second. Cat's controls I find are far easier to use. I hate having foot controls for the loader, too many stains in the underpants when it rolls onto it's engine pan 'cause all the while I was reversing, my foot was resting on the pedal enough to raise the loader arms to full height :dizzy: :eek: xysport

-Mike

[pinepointe]

I'm a proud cat owner and would put it up against any machine in it's size class as far as lifting capacity. I'm selling it in the summer and getting a new komatsu with the 2 speed so i can have matching pair

[Midwest BuildIt Inc]

Do any of you realize how old this post is ?

[Mark Oomkes]

Do any of you realize how old this post is ?

BNC, I think we had a troll that knew how to use the Search function.

22 posts in 1 night and I think everyone of them had BOBCAT in them. :dizzy:

[Midwest BuildIt Inc]

BNC, I think we had a troll that knew how to use the Search function.

22 posts in 1 night and I think everyone of them had BOBCAT in them. :dizzy:

Oh. Dam trolls. They like to sneak around and then pop out of know where and wreak havoc..lol:guns:

[Duracutter]

I have 2 2004 John Deere 328 skidsteers. I use the 6' bucket to do snow. Pushes like a champion and the turbo is nice. Nothing has happened yet...:) I did own an older bobcat years ago and it was ok too. It was older so I can't compare it to the new deeres but the deeres work well and I paid one off in one month in Novembers snow so now I'll work on paying off the other one and then, well it's clear money and saving some for futur repairs.

Most skidsteers are pretty good if they are newer as thecnology has improved greatly in last few years.