Hi guys:notworthy ,here is the link to the news about the new cat c-series skid-steer and multi terrain loader.Information and pictures are featured.ENJOY!!! http://www.catnewsinfo.cat.com/cda/components/fullArticle?m=50269&x=7&id=457779
like the addition of the 297, wish they made the smaller skids C series too though, probably with time they will be I suppose, like everything else.
An old thread that I wanted to dig up because of this [recently posted] video. It's actually quite impressive. I'd like to note that the microphone is ON Kent -- he's in the cab of the machine, but it's still almost silent and you can hear him perfectly well! http://www.forconstructionpros.com/v...?showid=728567
I'll gladly take a 277 on demo anyday!!
what is the hp on the new bobcat? is it over 100HP i have 287b tons of pushing power, but hard to turn with a full load i hope the C is better
Tigerotor77W, Do you know Pellewinnie.....I mean Pellegrini? He kills me!! :lmao Good guy from Morris IL. He has some pretty darn funny stories from his college football days. Looks like a pretty powerfull and quite machine. Nice video!
Dealer told me just a few days it will be at least 2 years until we will see a C series in the smaller models. I am looking at a 226BII at the moment......the only real difference between a B and BII being increased sump capacity on the engine.
We have a 297C. Biggest waste of yellow paint Cat ever made. Absolute dog, most uncomfortable, small and akward cab I've ever been in. Don't even start me on the mechanical aspects of it. Give me an old worn out 1845C and I'll run circles around it. Of course, this is my opinion. I had to learn to not hate our 287 also, just had to learn how to live with it.
I've heard that they've also fixed the problem they had with the tracks on the "B" series. Does anyone know for sure??
I haven't met him personally... the first time I worked at Cat, I called him up to ask about some information I had come across, and he got really suspicious due to the nature of questions I was asking.
And the sealed and pressuized cabs on the EROPS, that was taken from the C series.
To answer jazak's question, they have changed the undcarriage alot. It"s more open for cleaning. Looks to be easyer to work on don't think you have to pull the tracks to change a roller. Looks to be a much better design im sure it is cuz cat lost lots due to warranty claims on the B series undercarriage. I have not had to work on one so I don't know that for sure we have sold tons of them and I have not seen one back yet.
Yeah they really stay clean, it only took me 10 minutes to wash the mud & gravel out of mine the other day, it was packed in there pretty good, but the squirrel cage was always high and dry.
That doesn't surprise me at all If you get a chance to know him he is a great guy!
Hey fellas, i have logged a couple hundred hours between our new C series MTL's (3 277C's and 1 297C). Overall they are great machines I only have 2 complaints when comparing them to the 277B's. The joysticks in the C series are very unresponsive and also miss the 277B track design. We had lots of issues with the 277B series track, but when they were working they were great for running up and down slopes and fine grading. Other than that they are a great machine, love the factory radio option. Also great in the snow can sit in them with shorts and a t shirt and still have to have a window open.
Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums IowaCat08! :drinkup
Hmm... that's really interesting. Do you have AMICS on your machines or can you shed light on why they're unresponsive?
And I always thought the 277B's tracks were the worst?
Im not sure what AMICS is? They went electric over hydraulic for the controls, there is a delay from when you move the controls to when the bucket/boom actually reacts to it. It isnt a major delay, but going from the B's which were very responsive to a slight delay is a hard adjustment. Bobcat Ron, our company sticks to mainly dirtwork. The 277B were treated like mini dozers more than MTLs. Pushing piles up and down slopes, and fine grading. (not running side slopes you would throw a track very easily) With all that track on the ground you could feel your highs and lows underneath the machine. Just cant get that same feel out of the much shorter C series track. If you were carrying any load in the 277B it was very hard to turn the machine, many times unable to turn at all. The B's tracks had many issues when it came to durablility and self cleaning, but overall i would rather see them on the new C series.
how is the power do the Cs push and turn better? are the track still asv
No and no. Much better track design, but that is the only improvement. Went backwards from the B series I think.
Backwards??!?!?! Hell NO! The AMICS set up is a reall asset to have, and only offered on Cat.
Why do you think they went backwards? Does the machine your running have a cab and the AMIC system in it they are talking about? :usa
local dealer said $80,000 for a new 297C... who the heck is buying these things? Most big companies like PCL and Kiewit don't bother buying them since most tasks (bridge jobs, building jobs) are more suited for skid steers. Medium sized companies also want skid steers to go with concrete crews and asphalt mills for small spots... landscaping companies are usually pretty darn small (at least around here) big companies stay away from CTL kinda work you can get a used 320CL hoe for less! I know what I'd buy if I had the choice. http://www.machinerytrader.com/list...5956949&GUID=6B7C82A80CF94E7FB4D6CD8AC36C04B3 or a 966F series 2!! http://www.machinerytrader.com/list...6213334&GUID=6B7C82A80CF94E7FB4D6CD8AC36C04B3
Yes, it has a cab. Can you even get one without one? It's so small there is no room to store your jacket if you take it off, and it's a struggle to turn around in to try to see where your rear corners are if you're working it tight quarters, which you can't see anyway. Flimsy all glass door that's just waiting to break with a door latch bolted directly to the glass which already broke with less than 100 hrs on the machine. Replaced the single pull down bar which was nice to lean on when trying to see the front corners of your bucket with two little flimsy lap bars. So now you pull one down with one hand then you have to pull the other one down, instead of yanking it down with one hand while turning the key with the other and going. Very clumsy especially this time of year when you're wearing lots of clothes. In general, just very uncomfortable to operate. As for that AMIC system, what a joke. Why do I need all of those different control settings. I tried to use the creeper gear to do some fine grading, but it was just to dang slow. I couldn't get the hydraulic speed adjusted right either. I'm usually multi-tasking with it. A side dump will dump a load. I knock that pile down, I need full flow hydraulics and lots of power. I then load some concrete rubble on that truck. Then I'll fine grade the rock that was dumped. So every different job I do I have to change the settings? Nope, just wide open all the time. That's because I just can't get the performance out of it at the lower rpms, either the tracks or the hydraulics stall out. Controls are very unresponsive at lower rpms. But the thing that really frosts me the most is no bucket float control. Even my 1975 Hydra-Mac 8C that I have at home has float. I got into the bad habit of using it a lot to backdrag with the tooth bucket to clean up debris and scarify topsoil. I could go on and on but what's the point? I had complaints when we traded our 1845C for the 287B, we just learned to live with it. But dang, for 75K you expect better.
pushcat, you have to push right stick all the way down and hit the index finger trigger to get float. :beatsmenot sure about why they changed that?
do your homework No you cant get anything out of low rpms. Thats why you run it full out all the time at full hydraulic flow(3 bars).you have to be good in every situation at full rpms. The low gearing is a joke. Just dont use it. Just learn to control it in the joystick. Oh yeah, and after 100hrs, how in the heck did you not figure out the float? Youre all mad cause there isnt a float! There is one. Learn how to operate your machine.:Banghead
Your crazy! never had them loosen up in 700hrs. Olny machine that you can ride a 2 to 1 without throwing tracks off.
Okay, where is it? It's not in the left hand joystick like every other machine. I can't believe it's an option, it has every other bell and whistle on it. You shouldn't have to run 100% power all the time. That's the purpose behind the AMIC system, to save fuel and wear on the components.
that sounds like something a manufacturer would say to compensate for a poorly tuned machine. With the endless amount of adjustments that EH controls have there should be no reason for an operator to have to "just learn to control it". It sounds like that the dealer hasn't done everything possible to tune the machine to a specifc operating style.
Just now saw this thread for the first time. A few months ago I had the opportunity to demo the first 297C to hit the state of KY. Had 38 hours on it when I got in, if I remember right. My impressions... I loved it. Controls were very easy to use, cab seemed roomy, with incredible visibility, power was awesome. The one I demo'd had the quick multi-speed option... which I really liked.. it allowed me to slow the machine down for big power and close quarters manueverabiltiy, or speed it up for material transport.
I agree. The 277b track was much better for grading and for steep slopes. I really miss the longer track. The worst part about the tracks on the C model is that they get loose very fast. We have had to tighten them several times in just a few hundred hrs.
A good operator will learn the controls and learn them well. And thats all there is to it.
The float is on the right hand joystick if you are sitting in the machine. To engage the float, push the right joystick all the way forward untill it stops. Then hit the trigger on that joystick. It will olny engage when the joystick is all the way forward as you click the trigger.
I ran a Bobcat years ago that had a slight pause in the controls, it is frustrating. I don't understand why Cat is tweaking there controls? From the machines we have tried, the controls would be the last thing to mess with.:beatsme
Ahh..No A BII has the same cab....least ways the one I was driving today was the same.
Something like that, the B2 cabs are indeed the same as the B models, only they are now better sealed and pressurized like the C seies.
They may be a slight bit better sealed but the aircon system, ducting, fan is exactly the same. Like I said, I was running a BII yesterday in temperatures getting close to 100 F.......and I've had B series for the past 6 years. The amount of available recirc and fresh air inlet is exactly the same. I'll leave it at that.
About 18 months ago Cat re-signed a 5 year deal for the MTL undercarriages to be supplied by ASV. It has been suggested Cat may have had more input to the new undercarriage design but it is made by ASV for sure.
we have close to 100 cat pieces( all types of machines, not just skidsteers) and after buying one takeuchi, we will never get another cat track/skidsteer again. Unless of course they come out with something amazing. I say this owning 4 287Bs and a 268BII we still have the cat machines but have added 2 TL150s and a TL130. I would compare them to small dozers as far as pushng goes. I will say the new C series is very pretty but that doesn't make money. I have to agree 100% with pushcat about the cab size. the cats have to be the smallest out of all the brands. the takeuchi is almost 1 and a half times the size and the roll up door is the greatest thing ever. but as we know too each his own. you guys can disagree all day, in the end you like what you have and thats it.
I would have gone with the Takeuchi too, but their cab height was almost 6 inches taller than the standard 78" height that I required and no matter what type of track you use, they were very rough riding, but they are a true tank, the very first "ground up" CTL ever made.
oh without a doubt probably the hardest riding track machine, but like you said its a tank.
here are a few pic of some C Series Cat skid steers, and a 236B series 2
Reminds me of the day I bought my Cat.
The C series is looking to be a great machine here in Denmark. We have gotten only good feedback and serviceabilty is much than the B series.
Ohh by the way. I am new to this forum. I am a Caterpillar shop service technician for Pon Equipment Denmark (The danish Caterpillar dealer.
Finally found your way here!
Yep. Now I am just waiting to get allowed to post my own threads
Hi, just signed up, great hearing all the comments. Have done 5000 hrs on 247B's, 2000hrs on 277b ( still on original tracks ) boss made me operate the 277c ( under protest ) for 40 hrs. Absolutely hate the "C" gave it to the new guy and kept the old B. Have seen photos of the new undercarriage system for the 278c
welcome to HEF
I agree with you the new track systems are nothing compared to the old 267 and 277 style. They could almost walk on water and gave a level of suspension that no other machine could ever give. None of the new Cats or ASVs have as good of flotation or smooth ride like the older models did.
Anyone seen the new Deere SkidSteer Smackdown page?
i just wanted to complain about the 277c i got approx 1 year ago. It has been nothing but problems from day one. within 20 hours the rubber was gone on the front and rear bogies and the rest were getting chunked badly. they said it was a defective rubber compound. they replaced them and gave me steel bogies, which work fine other than the fact that they destroy the inside of the track where they ride. [which i found out later] from then it worked fine for approx 600 hrs with little problems. then the front lift cylinders went bad. since then there is a system error light that seems to go off about 1 time per month or so requiring me to take it in and have them reflash the computer[they say now that the wiring harness needs replaced]. so now it is in the shop for the harness and to replace the tracks that have warn out from the inside out[a whole strip of lugs ripped out in one piece!] the outside rubber is in exelent shape oddly enough. we'll see if it gets covered under warrenty. for the record it now has 1450 hrs I am the only one operating it and take very good care of my equipment also it is used only for light residential grading. I do like the design of the machine,and the cab is very comfortable but they have alot issues to work out. or mabey i just got a lemon.....
also have to say that being an owner operator this machine has costed me a great deal of lost time and money.
Are they standing behind the machine or are you footing the bill? I demoed a 256C and came away unimpressed. The cab is much nicer than my older CASE machines, but when it came time to move material it does not compare. I found the E/H to have a mind of its own. This machine did not have AMICS so I tried to be objective. I was expecting much more from this C series than what CAT delivered.
ksss i got a 3000 hr warrenty with it so they pd for everything so far but i dont know what they are going to do about the track, i told people at the shop about the wear on the undersides of the tracks before it broke and the guy told me that "with the steel rollers i would loose some life on the tracks" what a joke, rollers are cheap compared to the tracks. also yes the new E/H is a disappointment it took me a long time to get use to it, in fact when i first got it i wanted to take it back for that reason alone but i liked the cab too much. plus my salesman kept telling me for so long how great this new model was supposed to be.
the c series controls are terrible, the only way it is tollerable is with the hydraulic flow on level 3 and full throttle at all times. they are designing these for people who dont know how to run them. it is not a finnesse machine any more.
I made nearly the same remark in reference to my demo machine. The machine seemed to be programmed to accomplished a preset amount of work and not one bit more. I am used to being able to really push a machine to its mech. limits. You wont do that with these CATs. On paper the 256C looked very good. I actually thought it would out produce my 440 which I was comparing it to. On paper it has slightly more gross hp and more lift, it seemed a better match to a CASE 450. I was really looking forward to running this machine, if it performed like a CASE 450 only lighter, I was interested. Unfortunately the machine would not lift a bucket out out of a pile of pit run. You had to back the machine out of the pile before it would lift. The CAT machines are low torque producing machines, and you could tell especially in available wheel torque (CAT makes about 217 foot pounds, Deere is about 250 foot pounds, and CASE is 288). If not for the destroking pump it would be much worse than it is. The one bright spot (besides the comfort of the cab) was that the bucket breakout was good, but again the short lipped bucket may have had a lot to do with that. We had one on a good sized dirt job this Spring. I left the job came back at the end of the day and noticed the CAT was parked. I was alittle miffed as its a free machine to use and why not use it. My lead guy said I parked it because I needed to get something done. I couldn't argue the point.
I feel your pain...
I'm dissapointed nobodys talking about the NEW 279 289 and the 299. Already demoed the 279 and I love it! Undercarriage is completely different and not ASV.
Thanks...I guess I missed that thread.
My 200 hr experiance @200hrs drive motors have come loose twice. Ac compressor quit, blowws fuses, But it has the best Cab in the buisnness
Which machine?
Would you believe he lives about 5 miles from me and bought a 272c from Holt? Yep. We spoke about his issues. A/C, loose drive motors (I had the same rattle under the floor but the dealer never noticed), This poor guy is suffering because his machine has been in the shop more than on site and the dealer can't resolve his issues. He was getting his A/C (part under floor) clogged in just a few hours doing exactly what I do (brush mulching). Now that's scary. Two guy, same dealer, same machine set up, similar mulcher, same business in same conditions and both of us had lemons.
You would certainly think that has to be getting someones attention in Product Support at Holt Cat.
Not yet
279c CTL I'm with you CM1995, there must be some one out there who has spent some time in the 279C CTL, or it's bigger brothers. As far as I can tell it's still just a "C" with mostly steel undercarriage. Can someone tell me why CAT changed from pilot controls to EH ? Is the computer that interfares with the message you send it via the joysticks just not grunty enough? not smart enough ? can it be reprogrammed to allow some feel? The boss has ordered one to replace the 277B, could really do with some feedback here !
I have ran all of them, and my Favorite is the 279C with a 4/1 bucket. It is the most balanced machine between the three. The new u/c is all Cat and is no replacement for the ASV u/c. Just used in different applications. As far as the EH controls, get use to it this just the beginning. The have incorporated an option called AMICS, it can allow you to adjust the speed of your bucket, for instance you want to load truck set it on 3 for fast cycle times. Set it on 1 for finish grading and set it on 2 for everyday use. Lets take a mulching or milling application, where you struggle to try and keep the Bobcat's from stalling. Cat has made it so you hold the directional control all the way forward and adjust the speed through The AMICS system. Basically it allows you to hold a consistent speed with full hyd power. i know it is confusing but another great benefit of these machines in many applications. I think the EH controls have more to do with resistance than feel. But from Cats position if you are in this machine for 8-10hrs wouldn't you want to make it easier to control... just something to think about..
Hey guys I'm doing a research project regarding skid steers and i'm collecting data on some brands. My team and I have put together a quick survey at the link below. It would be great if some of you wouldn't mind checking it out. The comments on the forums have been very helpful as well. Thanks for the help.
Before I respond... are you doing this for a specific company (as in is this a company-sponsored project)? And is this for marketing or engineering purposes?
I have the same concern Tigerotor. skidsteernewb, I'd like to know a little more about you and your crew before you ask our members to participate in your survey. I've disabled the links to your survey and can restore them once you explain just what this survey is about. thanks.