New here and great site! I recently picked up an old Bobcat 843 that I'm rebuilding for snow removal/yard use and have a few noob questions: 1) Left of seat (near some aux. hyd. fittings) is a lever that looks like a pull choke. What does it do? 2) I have rear mounted stabilizers which I was told are actuated via the right stick (pull towards seat to raise- push away from seat to lower). These are chained in the up position. Are the chains required? It would seem the rams could just snap the chains if actuauted? 3) I plan on adding heat. Any suggestions on where to tap the block for the coolant loop? the engine is a Perkins 4-154.200. 4) Enclosing the cab- how bad do things fog up in snow? Thanks in advance. John
usually that pull choke is to shut it down or i cant remember if they have a lift lock bypass which basically just allows you to lower the lift arms in the case of the motor loseing power. The chains are probaly there for the cylinders to not drift down while running it bad seals in the cylinders probably. or they are unhooked and chained up to keep from drifting also. as far as heat goes there is probably a plug on the cooling system by the thermostat for the out to the heater core and find a plug or splice in with a adapter to the main return hose for a return. You probably can still by a heater kit from bobcat its not gonna be cheep but you can just splice in on the pressure side and the return and you have heat then make sure you put a shut off valve in there somewhere for summer use. A ball valve works awsome for that. as far as a cab goes either order a glass cab kit from bobcat or a soft vinyl cab or plexi glass the problems with the plexi and soft cabs is they bet clowdy and you can't see out of them after about the first or second year the vinyl cabs get brittle over time but the plexi and vinyl soft cabs are the best way to go as far as price glass by it once and your done.
The red square "choke" is the emergency stop control. Just pull up to stop the engine. As for the rest, I can't help much as I am in So Cal and I do not have a cap enclosure or heat, but some cold mornings I do wish I had both. It can get down to the high 20s at night here in the high desert.
I am new to this website and cannot post a question until I reply to three posts. I really don't know anything about this equipment and I hope I am doing this correctly and not taking up space that someone could use to post a reply to your answer. I do apologize
Thanks for the responses- I got the Bobcat in pieces...with the shop manuals which are helpful but there are some gaps. On the choke lever (for lack of a better term)- I don't think it's an engine shut-off because the fuel shut-off on the deisel pump is electronic only (Perkins 4-154.200)- there is no provision for a mechanical cut-off. There's no flap on the intake either (like old Detroits). Also- there's nothing on the Hydraulic schematic showing a bypass- and I looked hard sincing moving this thing is a bear without an engine. I had to loosen the wheel motor lines and mop up the oil. The lever is boken and had no cable so I'm juts trying to figure out what it does so I can figure out how to repair it. Makes sense on the chains- although I hope there are no leaks. On the heating circuit- the block has a single tube (about 1" ) near the bypass that I can't figure out where it goes? If there were 2, I say it was setup for heat... but with just one, I'm confused. I see where the 2 large diameter radiator hoses ago but nothing else has a 1" hoset? Am I missing something like perhaps an overflow bottle??? I suppose I could use that tube for the heat return and pop off a freeze plug for the supply? On the cab- I hear you on the glass. I agree it's probably the way I'll go BUT- I've heard glass on the door is a bad idea due to location/breakage/and frequent damage?? BTW- if anyone has any "while your in there" suggestions on the 843- please share. The thing's in pieces now and while it seems like one of the more simple designs- I'd love to address any known weeknesses in the shop as opposed to in the snow. thanks again
If it has rear stabs the left steering lever is probably used to control them, and the right one for the front aux.? Or maybe your 'choke lever' went to a selector valve for front/rear aux? I can't remember ever seeing a 'choke' lever on an 843, only on the kubota engines. Before you put it together make sure your chaincase/axles is ok...not contaminated, not leaking, as you'll need it apart to make repairs there. Also see if you can tell if the control valve is leaking....pretty easy to reseal when the engine is out.