Anti-Cruising

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The blade/grader put too much weight hanging out on the front of the 553, so when I tried to plow snow, the machine just steered sideways to the path of least resistance. Since the 553 is only four feet wide, the bucket works great as a plow just so long as the snow is no deeper than 18 inches, otherwise I need to turn and dump a bucket load every twenty feet or so.

That's where your advice of talking to a bobcat dealer is spot on. I didn't, I bought my first skid steere at auction
An s175. It was in good shape and a heck of a deal. But... I couldn't use the blade without chains on the tires. It just didn't have the weight to keep traction. I used it for 5 years and sold it for more than I payed. That's what allowed me to upgrade.
I love having tracks vs tires now, but more expensive to repair. I love having a big heavy unit, but a pain to trailer around.
It seems, much like boats, every skid steere is a compromise;-) Yes, found a way to keep it boat related.
It sounds like you have the perfect machine for what you need, hopefully it has a heater too.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Today, we're experiencing what has to be the opposite of cruising the Med.... moving snow in New England.

If it makes you feel any better it is 78 here in the Bahamas but real windy and I had to come into a slip as tomorrow is is forecast to blow in the 40s. we did go play in the "white stuff" yesterday at the beach!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by chris mac

That's where your advice of talking to a bobcat dealer is spot on. I didn't, I bought my first skid steere at auction
An s175. It was in good shape and a heck of a deal. But... I couldn't use the blade without chains on the tires. It just didn't have the weight to keep traction. I used it for 5 years and sold it for more than I payed. That's what allowed me to upgrade.
I love having tracks vs tires now, but more expensive to repair. I love having a big heavy unit, but a pain to trailer around.
It seems, much like boats, every skid steere is a compromise;-) Yes, found a way to keep it boat related.
It sounds like you have the perfect machine for what you need, hopefully it has a heater too.

It has a heater, but it doesn't do much good because the front door needs to be open during operation in snow. Otherwise, it's too difficult to see in traffic and all the windows fog up.

[Kenomac]

Chris,

Can you do this with your machine?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2JGlm91cT6E

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Chris,

Can you do this with your machine?

That was pretty damn sweet!!! Was that you, or pulled of the Internet?
Thankfully mine won't do that because of having tracks. If it did, I would be cleaning the seat constantly.
As for the front window fogging, I found that having the sides open about an inch keeps enough airflow that it doesn't fog the front. But you have a lot more humidity than I do.

[Kenomac]

I pulled it off the internet.

[CaptTom]

Good info guys, I never realized how many bobcat/skidsteers there were! I have a lot of homework to do. And from the looks of the asking prices on Craig's List, a lot of saving, too. Ouch!

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

Good info guys, I never realized how many bobcat/skidsteers there were! I have a lot of homework to do. And from the looks of the asking prices on Craig's List, a lot of saving, too. Ouch!

Take a look at a site called auctiontime. Com
Right now there are quite a few near new machines. When there are multiples up, they tend to go cheap. But it is an auction. "buyer beware"
That's how I got mine. I paid little, got all repairs done and it's still worth more than I put in. BUT, I watched the site for months before I got the right deal.

[LakeSuperior]

You need to look at the upside of cold. Your soul will stagnate without 4 seasons. Here's a picture of some tracks I helped to lay down while heliskiing last week in the Chugach Mts., AK. The scenery was magnificent and that is an understatement.

[a64pilot]

Wondered when the Bobcat videos would start, a talented person can make a Bobcat, Backhoe or Excavator do some amazing things

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doNmniQrhBU

[jtsailjt]

That looks like fun Ken! No video, but up here in Maine I've got a 4WD Kubota lawn tractor with a 4' wide, two stage snowblower that I absolutely love for moving my snow. It wouldn't work for Ken because his neighbors probably wouldn't appreciate him spraying his snow into their yard. But for a locale where there's room to throw your snow beside your driveway, a tractor/snowblower like I use works great. Mine can throw the snow about 30' and you can direct where you want to put it. I was finishing up my driveway today and my new neighbor who had been away over the last week while we got 2'+ of snow came out with his little 18" wide walk behind snowblower. He's got a 150' long straight driveway and it looked terribly tedious, so I offered and he accepted and literally 15 minutes later I had it finished except for him clearing out the curved walkway to his door with a shovel. I like the blower because it doesn't result in making a snowbank and you don't usually tear up your lawn like a plow can. I'd love to have a bobcat or even a bucket loader/backhoe for landscaping, etc. but to be honest, our neighbors have been known to remark that we have a pretty good looking yard....for a sailor. So, if I had a Bobcat it would probably mostly collect dust all summer.

[Fence Man]

I've had several skid steers over the years, and I'm not sure that I could function without one. We run Cat machines now, but we never had bad luck with Bobcat. I've got some good video of my 8 year old daughter laying the final grade on the pad for our new warehouse while I run the laser for her....If I was only tech savvy enough to post it.
I guess winter never bothered me much. I sure do enjoy warm weather and sandy beaches, but I don't mind cold weather boating or drilling a hole in the ice to catch a few for dinner. The after affects of cheap Mexican street vendor tacos are much less pleasant than a little bit of snow, in my humble opinion.