I finally got some free time this morning to work on the Bobcat. I decided it was time to either get these tracks on the machine or turn them into a really cool mailbox post. It took about 4 hours, a floor jack a come along and a few choice words but they are on! :woohoo The hardest part was that the only bushings I could get from the dealer were about 7/16 too long. Too much to grind and too little to cut. Plus they are hardened so using the hack saw was out. A zizz wheel and a grinder solved that problem. I replaced lots of bolts and still need to replace more, and they could be be a little tighter but they will do for now. I tested them out in a place I would normally get stuck (and have been stuck before in) and it went right through there with no problem. It's like having a new machine. The tracks may be an ugly off brand but by gosh they work! (and they didn't break the bank) OK, now what is the next thing I can do to that machine....:idea
Well if it were mine. I would turn the Bobcat into a mailbox and buy a CASE. I would bury the Bobcat into the ground just level with the bottom of the ROPS. Lift the loader arms up to the appropriate height and weld them solid. Fabricate a mail box to be welded to the bottom of the dirt bucket. Weld solid the dump cylinders. The wings of the bucket would protect the mailbox it would protect the mail box and give the Mail guy someplace to put larger items. Probably not what you had in mind, but it was the first thing that came to my mind.:drinkup
Not suprised to see you say that sort of comment. Seriously, let's take a moment for safety. NEVER,EVER work on a skid steer or exit the loader with the arms up like that without putting the cylinder lock in place first. (On the Bobcat the orange piece of metal pinned underneath the loader arm in the first picture). I have seen two deaths in my little area from guys getting caught underneath the loader arms - not a pretty picture. Even if the machine is not running it is just something you don't do. It just takes a minute or two to put the lock in place. Have a helper stand along side while you stay in the cab and raise the arms all the way up. Unhook the lock and rest the end on the hyd cylinder, then lower the arms carefully and slowly until the guard is against the cylinder.
:crazy:umno (Not directed at the SAFETY Comment, only the one before it...)
You know I thought about that this morning. It was one of those "I'll only be under there for a second" type deals. You are 100% correct:notworthy I even told my boy to NOT go anywhere near the bucket when he came out to see what I was doing. Last time I worked on it I DID have the cylinder lock on. Warning acknowledged and appreciated.
I have a story about "I only have to do this, I don't need to do that ". Although rather it was just a case of me being a dumbass.:beatsme Anyway, I was cleaning the Bobtachs out on a 853 many moons ago. The older Bobcats, before power Bobtach ( IMOP, one of the greatest inventions on skidsteers) they had the springs and pins that hold the bucket on enclosed in a metal "box" with some useless rubber flaps on top to keep the dirt out, which never really worked. I was cleaning the springs and pins that are located inside these tubes one day - at the time I rarely swapped attachments, only used a bucket. This particular day I needed to use the forks and the Bobtach was packed with dirt and inoperable. I proceeded to clean them out, which involved raising the loader arms and tilting the bucket all the way down so the any debris I cleaned out of the Bobtach could be raked out. (I did put the safety lock on the arms but keep reading). I had to take a cheeter bar to free the first handle and pin. I cleaned out the "tube", greased everthing and worked the handle and pin back and forth. Also the bucket was still on the machine due to the inability to release the Bobtach to take it off. Now the Bobtach and bucket are at waist level or so to make it easier to work on. Here comes the bad part - after cleaning and greasing the first one, I proceed with the cheeter bar to open the other one. My very serious mistake was I forgot to close the other one, locking that pin back into the bucket. I gave the second one a good heave-hoe and suddenly the bucket drops off the machine, straight down towards my feet - cutting edge and teeth first. I was able to pull my legs and feet back but the cutting edge caught my right shin and took a strip of skin off 1" wide the length from right below my knee to a couple of inches above my foot. I was wearing Red Wing slip on "Cowboy" style boots and to this day I credit the accordian effect of the top of the boots for allowing me to still have a foot today. Luckily my foot was between the teeth or it could have been real nasty. My plumber was inside the building when this happened and ran outside, white as a ghost, since he thought I didn't have a foot either. I was afraid to roll up my jeans and check out the damage. (I'll spare the gory details) Luckily it was only a flesh wound but I still carry a rather nasty scar on that shin to this day. It was a painful lesson that still reminds me to take the little extra time for safety precautions.
:jawdrop Sometimes it is easy to forget that people do get killed or seriously injured around these machines for not following basic safety procedures. Next time, I work on the machine (especially if I post pictures) No short cuts!:nono So, what do you think about the tracks? I need to make a tool out of threaded rod and some hooks to tighten it further. That will be next weekends job.
That little beer smilie, the comment was made in joking fashion.
Glad to see you got them on I am sure you will love them
You need the ratchet binder that goes with it to help put the tracks on, makes life alot easier. Your running the tracks with to much slack in them, need to adjust them.