@willie59 or anyone else. What kind of oil does Bobcat use in the finals on the latest model T770? I didn't get the serial number, but it's the newer style with 2 plugs across from each other. Doesn't say in the book, Bobcat says "we have no idea what oil it takes, just that it comes in these little bottles for $30 each". I mean, ***? Never have ran into this before where there isn't a chart in the manual showing what oil for a compartment. TIA.
That’s some great dealer support right there….have you pulled the high level plug to see if it smelled like gear oil?
Yes. It does smell like gear oil, but is very thin, thinner than any 75-90 I've dealt with.
Come on, guys. Nobody has dealt with this before? It certainly seems like this Bobcat drive motor oil is on par with nuclear codes. What the hell gives? I've spent the last hour searching and nothing. Everyone running Bobcat just pay the $160 per gallon for this magic juice?
Everyone says that gear oil is archaic and I personally can’t stand the smell of it, probably because if you’re smelling it, something is coming apart So the last time I changed final drive oil in my excavators and Kubota track skid steer I took Niges advice and used Cat TO-4 50wt.
It wouldn't surprise me if its synthetic oil. It should specify on the machine lube chart.........either on the machine or in your operator's manual.
FFS. No, it does not say. And, no, Bobcat isn't saying **** either.
Their response was this: "We have no idea what it calls for, other than "this" particular 17.5 oz. bottle, of which you need two, one per side. There is the exact amount of oil required for each drive motor in each bottle. They're $29.84 each, we have 5 on the shelf. Should we put them on a ticket for you?" THIS IS PRETTY MUCH A DIRECT QUOTE.
Called 6 different dealers today. Apparently this oil is refined from hopes, dreams, and unicorn ****. Every single man I talked to agreed that it's not motor, hydraulic, gear, or ATF, and, at $6000 per motor, one probably shouldn't risk anything else in it. What a bunch of garbage. Never in 35 years have I seen such a thing. Great job, Bobcat. Now I have another reason to look at a Kubota.
I don't know if it's any help but because of the heat build up in hydraulic driven planetary hubs a good quality synthetic oil is a must especially in worm climates. Apparently mineral oil breaks down quickly and loses its viscosity. I can't remember the grade of oil I used, the machine was sold 3 years ago.
I think I usually pay around $20/bottle for it. It's handy that Bobcat's version is measured at the precise amount you need and comes with a little hose (woohoo... how nice of Bobcat to include a nickel hose ). Since the drive motor doesn't have the middle plug to check the level, getting the correct amount in is somewhat important. I think the manual says replacement at 500 hrs, so at $40 I just use theirs instead of fretting too much. Now, if you're doing multiple machines every three months then I get it! That's gonna add up fast. I know on our JD 35D we just use 80w90 full synthetic gear oil and have had no problems at all... but I was able to cross reference it somewhere.
It's not at all the cost that has me buggered up, it's the fact that we are snowed completely up, have a great Cenex hub here that carries every fluid imaginable, but this stupid Bobcat uses fairy dust infused oil. The machine belongs to a friend of mine, and I asked him when he'd serviced those motors last since we had those issues on ours last spring. He says no idea, hasn't since he's owned it, over 600 hours, no idea when it was serviced before. I dug out the manual, checked both, there might have been 5 oz total left in each. Manual says "Contact your Bobcat dealer for oil". Well, we're in the middle of a blizzard, he had to move snow with it all day today, closest dealer is 50 miles away on no travel advised roads. If the aholes at Bobcat would have just used 75-90 or TDTO, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.
Man, that is a problem. I guess were it me I'd order some online and then measure out some 75w90 full synthetic gear oil and use that until the other arrived. Personally, I'd worry more about running it low (or with old oil) than the incorrect oil. Others here know more about it than I do, so hopefully, they'll chime in now that we know your situation. Good luck and hope it goes well for you.
Problem with doing that is there are wet disc brakes built-in to these finals. Also, the older design without the brakes DID use a synthetic gear oil, and it seems the dealer guys are adamant that you cannot use the old oil in these newer motors. One guy suggested that he thinks it's similar to ATF, but after draining it out, I'm pretty sure it's not. I'm familiar with the TranSyn used in Allisons, and this stuff feels more like a heavier hydraulic oil or drivetrain oil. I found out a little while ago that he managed to get someone over to the dealer and pick up 4 bottles. He changed them both out, and is going to change them again tonight when he shuts down. What a clusterfrick.
Didn't Bobcat do this with their hyd. fluid as well? Not telling anyone what the mix is? I am remembering a thread along those lines, but I could be wrong. I presume wants you to go to BC and buy what they tell you to buy at a price that isn't reduced by easy availability. Maybe these things are proprietary and you couldn't get it anywhere else anyway? I have no idea for certain, but since hyd pumps and drive motors are commercially sourced, I have a hard time thinking that BC devised a particular formula for the hyd or drive motor systems that is particular to BC machines only. Whatever BC's motivation really is, I doubt they are going to share with us what their business plan is on this issue....as much as I would like to know. Mine run 75-90 Hypoid oil. I change it every 300 hours.
Yo I’m about to revive this thread sorry guys. I was too stumped and fear mongered by bobcat into buying this magic fluid but today I found out what the answer is. IT DOESN'T EVEN NEED FLUID! My machine has 1900hrs and it’s been running perfectly fine with no fluid in there since I bought the machine at 1600hrs. Sarcasm ofcourse. One side of my drive motors started leaking recently. I think actually they were both dry and the pressure seal separating the hydraulic fluid from the brake hub oil just busted on one side but not the other yet, which started leaking out and caught my attention. I bought the seal kit for $400 from cr components and rebuilt the leaking final drive. Hydraulic side was good but brake side was nasty full of rust and crud. There is nothing special to the fluid, it’s just metal brake discs lubricated by the oil and that’s it. It might even be trans fluid. The main bearings are lubed by hydraulic fluid. So I bought the bobcat fluid and took the drain bolts off the other side final drive and nothing came out, literally not a drop. Which just reassured me that any normal synthetic fluid would be fine. I’m thinking of putting some atf first to clean the rust and crud out and then refill with the bobcat fluid since I already have it. Only concern is whether the seals will handle the atf.
I like the smell. ATF though, not a fan... smells like knarly hoohaa.
When I got my S250, the chaincase was bone dry. Not sure what happened and how long it was like that. I've put ~2k hrs in it since, so guess it didn't do much damage. It takes AW32 which isn't even a great oil for bearings.. though any oil is probably better than air. As far as the drive oil, seems to be all over 75w90, aw32, T04 30wt, use the Bobcat stuff or puppies will be run over by busloads of nuns.
Lol I also have a 743. I should probably check the chain case. Never serviced that oil.
It's ALOT of oil... like 10 gallons, maybe more.