Does any one have a copy of the software for doing the calibrations on the skid steers with the laptop they would be willing to share?I am looking into buying the interface tool .I just a bobcat S185 crape out .One of the actuator on the hydrualic valve went bad and needs to be replace and calibrated as per bobcat dealer.Was hoping to do this in house.Any help would be greatly appreciated. THANK ED
Ed did you ever find the latest service analyzer ?
I found the service analyzer software but dealer said the tool to hook up to machine is dealer only.Any luck on your end up there.
I got the tool. 400 on eBay there was 2 of them and I bought one. What version did you find. I have 79
What is the software needed for? I have changed out probably 6 of the ACS actuators on the valve block and have just plugged them in and the worked. No calibration needed. Latest one was a S250 last week. Am I missing something
I think calibration increases to life of the actuator. I want the software since I've found a few machines that need options installed that I think the dealer forgot to reinstall when they worked on it
So what is the option. If a actuator is erroring out to call the dealer, let them hook up to it and analizing it. Then install actuator and calibrate it?
pretty much the way it goes. i've seen guys spend a week trying to figure out whats going on, dealer connects to it, retireves the stroed fults, runs a calibration test, and has the results within minutes. i can diagnose, replace an actuator, upgrade software, calibrate in 30 -90 minutes depending on what model of machine. your results may be different :drinkup
If need be, the acturators can be feild calibrated without the service software. I don't remember how to do it because I'm a dealer tech and have the software. If you don't have access to passport.com, service anylizer is kinda useless. It is updated almost weekly. If you have say v81 on the laptop and the skidsteer is v82, it woun't work.
i've tried the field calibration, it doesnt work with the newer software, problem started back around v63. :drinkup
You need at least version 65 for any new acutator
So How New is New ??? to you guys at Bcat ??? …… My first linear actuator that failed, the dealer insisted that it had to be dealer installed and calibrated …. so I was forced to haul the machine (a 3-hundred mile round trip and a day shot to hell + fuel) at first what seemed to be a head and ball scratching ceremony … then the painful watching the tech use a wrench, wipe it off and put back in tool chest … repeat as necessary …. OMG ! ….. the outcome was a new actuator Plus a software update that included additional operation set-up features, this was very acceptable, but after returning to home base it appeared that I lost full power to the ground under load ??? ….Hmmm ???? ….. I was and am not prepared to haul again to witness the scratching ritual …. only to have heard "Never seen that problem Before" ……. this would make it chapter 286 in the book I'd like to write about everytime I've heard that phrase before … The second Linear actuator that failed (~about 1100 operating hrs later) the dealer stated that I did not have to bring it down, (they also checked to see of any evident updates, there were none), and it could be calibrated in the field according to the shop manuals instructions (which I did) …..this was on a Friday afternoon, the part was in my hands Saturday Morn 6:00am by bus, the machine was up and running by 8:00am…. no lost time over the weekend where the shop was closed or worse yet they were booked solid and you loose another 2-3 days to get your machine booked in for repair …….. that was ~1400 hrs ago …. I can understand the NEED to protect the OEM software rights, By creating JOB SECURITY for the dealers, that only certified dealers can do the service …. Ford/GM/Chryco all tried and have succeeded in this for certain entities of service "NO PROBLEM" …. But at least you can get a higher end OBD reader to allow the owner of an off warranty vehicle to make the decision to take it to a dealer, or as in most cases do the re&re himself or as We've seen too many times done at the dealer (eg:like the varied error codes that pop-up for an 0xygen sensor, I've done 3 in the last 6 mths, 1 GM, 1 Ford, and last week my daughters Grand Cherokee …..Thanx to the OBD reader) ….. I'd like to think that MOST of us that have Equipment, Can Do and Do Do the Repairs our selves, the need to cut the "Down Time" period shorter … I "CANNOT" understand why Owner operators like myself are not given the opportunity to purchase a single "specific machine" OBD reader program of sort for our Bobcats from the OEM,(not the entire Bcat line-up), as the OP had asked on this Forum, only (I'm Sorry to say) to hear an indirect threat of What Legal repercussions could happen if He was to have such an item in his possession !!! ….. Again Sorry! …. NOT pointing any fingers at crewchief or bobcatdan because you guys that work at dealerships are just stating what I had already heard a hundred times before I found this Thread surprisingly thru a Google search …. must of missed it when it came up last fall … my bad ! … LOL My search is for such an item is because of an issue i'm having what appears to be an ACD fault for the 14-pin boom plug-in, No error codes show in self diagnostics ….. was told by the closer dealer to me , that I may have to haul it to the BIG-BOYS dealership 300 miles away Because of "NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE" …….. Hmmm !!! I AM NOT trying to start any Pissing Match's on the Forum here, just trying to give the View from our side of the picture ……. JMHO !!! :drinkup…..
craft, this is reason enough for me to keep using my trusty 2002 case 70xt with no electronics for the drivetrain.
Craft I couldn't agree more. It wouldn't be bad paying $100.00 a hour to have them fix it if the dealer had someone that knew more than I know about fixing it. All they have I don't is the special tool that is needed. I got zero help from Bobcat or the dealer when my orginal battery in my 200 hour 2 year old s-750 blew up and took out the fuel tank and wiring harness. I wasn't going to give them $10,000 to learn how to r and r a engine and wiring harness in a s-750 so I did it my self. This will be the last white machine that set in my shed.
Preaching to the choir. I wish the dealer would check on me and send an email stating that my machine has an update available that may help productivity. It would be nice, too, if I could plug it into a USB port, turn on wifi, log into the manufacturer website where I've purchased $500,000 worth of machinery and get an update like Windows or Android provides. That would be fair and a way to take care of the customer.
YUP-YUP !!! …. couldn't agree with you more !!! I'm Sure WE are NOT the only people with these identical common issues …… They say that "THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE" …… Well …. I think if WE KEEP threads like this one ALIVE , strength in numbers, sooner or later we WILL get a feedback from the higher ups or find an electronic wizard that will create the software reader OBD type or an app we need, Black-market or Not !!! ….. I would Purchase one ….. The OEM's are doing it to them selves to have such animosity amongst people like myself that like/love our machines and are in more remote areas that are NOT a stone throw away from the dealer….. To have us Want such things to happen (Pirating) …. You would think that they (the OEM's) would rather work with us the O/OP's and sell them the required Diag tools ???? …. *** ??? The three "T's", the later 2 being Tires and Tracks "Can" and always "Will" have problems no matter what Product Brand ….. Would just like to be given the opportunity to do at least the Diag Myself !!! …. and NOT have to witness the Ritual "HEAD & BALL" scratching Ceremony JMHO !!! …….. Cheers
300 miles round trip to the dealer? That would suck. The OEM's will never let go of the "key to the Castle". It would take someone like EDGE or Bully Dog to pull that off. I know Bully Dog can program John Deere tractors. I don't think there is enough heavy equipment sold to justify the expense of building a reader. Even if it were OEM specific, say that the same reader could read all CASE equipment (I am guessing however the computers are different from excavators to dozers to skid steers). However if the computer access was common among an entire OEM's line, I could see perhaps EDGE or Bully Dog building something as these machines become more tech driven.
It is frustrating to say the least to spend so much money over an entire career only to be treated like a number. I had to go buy some stump grinder bolts because the OEM was out of stock (no delivery date). 6 bolts, $25. Get a package yesterday, 4 OEM bolts, very late and not needed right now, $45. Same bolts. Why not have an app to update the machines? What's it to the OEM to give an update even if warranty is out? The new machines will have the update why not let us who have a machine out of warranty have the update to the software. I guess I treat my customers better. I'm a micro business but I still have payroll, taxes, insurance, etc., and yet I don't double and triple charge my customers for what something is worth. A $15 mirror at Walmart or Napa is $45 at the equipment dealer. A $15 box of tire plugs at any auto parts store is $50 at the dealer. I know they have to make a living but ripping you off is another story. I once ordered a part that literally cost $1. Vermeer charged me $10 for the part and $20 to ship it. It weighed less than half an ounce and was the size of a Gatorade bottle cap. And I could go on and on. I know there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes and getting production runs of parts is expensive but when I saw Zenith cutter give Bandit the rights to sell $38.50 chipper blades for $70 and I could no longer go factory direct, it was proof that Bandit had no problem ripping me off. I bought those same blades for 10 years from Zenith and when I was told I had to go through Bandit from now on, I said no thanks, I'd rather pay Vermeer.
I have the same problem. Parts costs are crazy and so is dealer labor rates. I would be good with the price of labor if they would get it done in reasonable time frame. They charge like this because simply we are a captive audience. They set the rate, everyone that touches a part gets 100% mark up rights. I paid $300 for a silly hydraulic filter on a Vibromax roller. Once JCB bought them out, the price more than doubled for a stupid filter. I sold the roller and it goes on and on. Then you have customers trying to beat down your price or question why things cost what they do. You just want to say "walk a mile in my shoes" and see what you would charge to do work.
Okay, time to rant. It is tough. I often ask myself why I keep doing what I do. I follow the rules. Always have from licenses to taxes to inspections to safety to following state burning regulations but my competitors and subs won't. When I get raped on parts, I work for free. Being a small company, I can't make up the volume to take $1000 hits several times a month but that happens. From trucks crapping out even though I do all scheduled maintenance to machinery parts failing, it never ends and it's real hard to get ahead when you follow the rules. We just took delivery of a brand new machine and it had loose hoses and a loose bolts that took time to repair. Had I not caught the bolt, it could have been more serious. So when we ask for a little help from the OEM's on software and other stuff that changes frequently, why can't we get a little help? If I did $60k worth of work for a single customer or over a twenty year period did half a million or some other big number, I think they would earn a little extra love from me. Heck, I help people out and don't make a dime a lot of the time..just being helpful but why big business won't be more understanding, I just don't get it. They didn't get a following by being unresponsive to customer's needs but I think they get too big and lose their souls. Ask me about my call to AT&T today. I might as well have called Mars because what passed for a customer service rep was definitely alien life. Long story short. It got comical. I got transferred from home phone tech support after 30 minutes of trying to explain something simple to dial up internet tech support and it took them 10 minutes to figure out that I had a problem they couldn't help with SINCE I WASN'T CALLING ABOUT DIAL UP INTERNET WHICH I DON'T EVEN HAVE. WHO STILL HAS DIAL UP? When I got transferred from that unhelp desk, they disconnected me and I pressed 1 for ENGLISH!
I was reading everyone's post about software and linking to their bobcats. I feel the same way, even if they charged an annual fees for access I would pay it. It burns my butt I have to call the dealer all the time for assistance. But, one difference, imagine being a rental company with a vast array of equipment from Bobcat, to Case to Vermeer to morbark to komatsu to, you get the picture. It is killing the small rental businesses. One tier at a time, no pun intended
problem is not evereybody is willing to pay an annual fee, somebody will "steal" the software, and start selling it at a discounted price on ebay, or CL, ect, corrupted or not. the OEM that i'm familiar with prosecutes piracy of their diagnostic software. every OEM has a different software, we as a dealer have to pay a certain engine OEM every year for the use of their diagnostic software, to the tune of $1000 or so for EACH copy. every service truck, and every shop has the interface and a copy of the software. within our product line we have some basic service software, and a troubleshooting program that runs in conjunction with it, as well as 3 different OEM "black boxes" & software for efi diagostics. most of the smaller rental houses are keeping their older equipment, ie: anything thats NOT common rail EFI.... even as a dealer for another line of eq, were not allowed to touch any of the engines, no matter what is wrong, WE have to call the engine OEM out to fix anything.
To talk about mark up, I had an older auto crane on one of my trucks, the winch motor from auto crane was 1200.00 plus, bought it. Found same exact ( Dumore ) motor online for 500.00 and change and it had the update brush holder, that was some markup.
Looks like cat is one of the few that offer customer version. Jd and case will not sell anything. That's ok it's very easy to get and much cheaper on the Internet.
Went to the dealer to buy a Hyd. filter for my New Holland tractor a while back.....I don't like to make them look something up so I can get a part number and purchase it elsewhere. Parts guy looked it up..."Ed, you don't want to buy that from me" He gave me the part number so I could have it cross-referenced, politely asked if I would call and give it to him so he could pass it on to the next guy that needed one. Ed
I hope you can find one to cross seems like trans and hyd filters can be hard to cross. Sometimes filter company's like wix don't make one in there label. I have had trouble crossing cat and bobcat ones. Parts guy at JD said to me one day you never buy engine oil, engine filters or fuel filters why? Answer you guys think yours is gold.