Hello all! My name is Mark Tomcho and I live in Dawsonville GA. Looks like there is a lot of knowledge on this site, so I would like to tap in. I just sold my Kubota L2900 tractor and am on the verge of purchasing a Bobcat 863 (1999?) from a co-worker. It has a little over 2000 hours on it and is very solid. Could use new paint but runs excellent. He says he only wants what he has in it which is $8,000. I need it to clear running and biking trails around my property and gravel driveway maintenance, and anything else I can think of. I loved the tractor, and thought of getting another, but think this is an exceptional deal that I should go ahead and get. I drove it for the first time last week and thought is was the coolest outdoor machine that I have ever driven. Your thoughts and advive is appreciated! Thank you
Welcome to HEF! It sounds to me like you cant turn down the deal you are being offered. The price is great,as long as it is in good condition,I dont see how you can go wrong for that money.I went from a tractor to a skid steer,and the ability to see the cutting edge of the bucket on a SS is a huge advantage in grading,and anything else to do with the bucket.
Agreed! If you have been using a tractor you will be amazed at the production of a Skid Steer. 863 are good strong loaders, the only thing to think about is hauling, they are much denser than a tractor (an 863 is aproximately 7500 lbs). Good luck! Enjoy....
The price is on the high end for an older machine, unless it is in really good shape. The Deutz engine is a pain in the butt to find parts for, and watch out for that timing belt. Generally a Bobcat 863 over 10 years old will sell for between 4,000-8,000.00 depending on hours, use etc. That being said the Bobcat 863 is a beast! The engine has double the power of the Kubota you had, and being a radial lift skid steer it has a lot more digging power. Other than checking the machine's condition and negotiating the price for defects, you are going to love the difference between a Bobcat 863 and a small tractor. As mentioned above it is a lot heavier than you think!
Thanks for the advice Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and told the guy that I would take the 863. He is supposed to deliver it today if all goes right.:yup Hey, I will post pictures when I can, and I'm sure I will have a few more questions for you guys in the next few days! Thanks again!
Congratulations on your purchase. Hope all works out well and pictures would be great! I need to post pictures of my Bobcat project as soon as I get it together. Of course that depends on when I finally get the timing belt and starter ring gear for my engine.
replace the timing belt now not later now hundred dollars for the kit and a few hours at the dealer cause you need alot of expensive tools to put it on money well spent now rather than later when its 10 hrs labor to pull the broken belt out remove the muffler and valve cover replace all 8 push rods and run the overhead also being as its an 863 be ready for the control valve to leak at some point being 10 or more years old the seals are getting brittle and brown they start off green unless it has already been resealed then dont worry about it also g series triangle head lights or square f series look the back of the engine over for oil washing down the back for the head gasket to leak known problem fan drive belt under the cab left side make sure its not laying against the drive belt spring if it is it probably needs a fan drive belt idler puller and possibly the fan drive pulley also 1000 hr service good thing to get done also about a grand for the dealer to do parts and labor at least in missouri just things to look at and be aware of not saying that thats whats wrong or going to be wrong but its pretty common to see on them
Around here the Bobcat dealer will charge you 180.00 for the timing belt and idler, and doesn't even stock the timing pins to do the job. I forgot about the control valve, that's another thing to check. Definately take the time to pressure clean the machine and look for oil leaks. I also replaced the drive belt idler bearing and greased it because the old one was going bad. Can only imagine the headache associated with locating a Deutz 1011f head gasket. Still amazes me that a Diesel engine would be built so cheap as to have a timing BELT. Every other one I have worked on has steel gears.
It's here! My 863 was delivered last night! I didn't get too much time to play but I did find time to push a few trees down. I was very impressed! I think it will be a much better machine than my Kubota tractor was, at least for my intended use. Now it's time to follow all the advice given and start looking for problems! I looked for the basics before purchase, obvious leaks, cracks and so forth and found none. It needs some cosmetic work but seems very solid. Starts and runs smooth and quiet. Planning to pressure wash today and buy a few cans of paint for the exterrior. Pictures will be posted soon. Thanks again for the info!
i dont see how you guys have so much problems with finding parts for the deutz in a bobcat all the dealerships around us have no problem getting them head gaskets heads turbos blocks oil pans what ever you need the dealership has or can order unless you guys don't want to spend money and are looking for the cheap remade parts by a diffrent company that will work not saying that all parts are made poorly but that a little time each week or once a month to look it over and find problems before they arrise to a large expensive problem and alot more down time
863 series? So far so good on my purchase. I ran it all day with no problems. I was wondering about all the 863 series. Bobcatmechanic was telling some of the differences between a "G" and "F" series with the lights, but I am still not sure about this one. I found a half torn off sticker that either had C or G on it. The serial # is 514413313* I suspect this is a "C" series machine. Any way to tell for sure short of calling the dealer? It is a turbo and has rectangle front and rear lights. It's still an awesome machine even if it is a little older that I first thought, I just want to know exactly what I have.
before pics http://s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/marktomcho/?action=view¤t=wrestlinggymBobcat066.jpg Before... Look for the chickens in the cab! After... Looks much better after a cleaning and a few coats of paint. http://s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/marktomcho/?action=view¤t=wrestlinggymBobcat068.jpg Hope these pictures post OK.
If it's got rectangular lights, it's not a G-series machine. G-series machines have triangular headlights. I can't tell if it's a C-series or F-series without seeing the tailgate. If the tailgate looks like this: http://www.machinerytrader.com/list...6653950&GUID=a00284e350d244e5bcd39b04450fe780 it's a C-series. If it looks like this: http://www.machinerytrader.com/list...6767526&GUID=a00284e350d244e5bcd39b04450fe780 it's the F-series.
It's a "C" series Thanks Tigerotor77W. The upright looks jut like the one on the link. It's got to be a "C" series. :notworthy
Be sure and check for cracks around the pin bosses where the bucket dump cylinder attaches to loader frame right in front of operator. Also check the engine oil cooling hoses, heat tends to make them get hard and brittle over time.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this; if your going to use the machine for clearing trees and brush, one of the attachments you should look into buying is a root grapple. You'll find it's one of the handiest tools to do the job. I work on machines for tree cutters and they all say they wouldn't work without one.
Better pictures of 863 OK, I just read the instructions on how to post pics. Before: She looks cosmetically rough but is mechanically sound. Runs great ans I have found no cracks anywhere, and no leaks. Notice the chikens in the cab! After a good pressure washing, some wire wheeling, sanding and a few cans of paint.
Looks good to me. And it seems the yard trotter's are pleased with it!
yardtrotters:lmao
My 863 C will not start and I haven't had time to get it going. Cranks like it should just will not go.
Get the gussetts welded to the boom arms to prevent cracking. the G series came with the gussets from the factory but the C and F series needed them as a dealer add-on. Won't cost much and you could do it yourself if you are a good welder. Look at a G series machine's lift arms (the front) and you'll see what I'm talking about. I had a C series and G series and put about 3500 hours on the two. Good machines. C series is prone to hydro leaks (o rings) and be sure to replace that timing belt now! The c series leaked all over the place but most of it was easy to fix. Check your chaincase oil while you are at it. You have a great machine for pushing and digging. the power to weight is good with the 863's..
Good advice. I have one of those Lincoln welders that plugs into a 110 outlet, I wonder if that would do a good enough job welding? I works well on the buckets and car frames that I have welded on. As far as the timing belt, the person I bought the machine said it had been changed, its hard to be absoulutely sure of it. There is no real way to tell is there?
I would use a 220 volt welder with at least 100 amps for those welds. As for the timing belt, you have to remove the alternator, crank pulley (do NOT loosen the big bolt!!!) and remove the covers to examine the belt fully. As a shortcut you can remove the one side of the cover closest to the back of the machine and crank the starter to check belt condition. If you do not see fraying or cracks your belt is most likely good. Any imperfections and change it NOW!
Thanks TallRick. I have lots to add to my to do list! All advice is appreciated and noted.
Does oil wash down back of eng def mean H Gask blown or ??... Hey BCMech, waiting for correct comp test bit for 1011f to check cylinders...have cracked inj lines 1 by 1 with eng running to get a feel for compression and seems even across cyclinders but no real test yet...Can one do a T belt without eng removal??? Mine done 4000hrs and i dont kno more than 500hrs ago of history except that rig was council owned and over here they generally keep maintenance up...thanks mate.
I have had an 873 for 4 years now. Bought at an auction as my first skid steer ever. I have a horse farm and use it for chore work, snow plowing, and construction around the farm. I don't want to start a bantering on manufacturers, but if I were to do it today or trade in, I would look at a CAT, ASV, or New Holland and weigh a track vehicle versus tire machine and go with nothing less than 2500lb lift capacity. It really depends on what your primary uses are and how much time you put on it a year, but i have not been impressed with the long-term survivability of the bobcat hydraulic system. The engine is rock solid. $8k does sound a little high for a 863 though. negotiate him down a bit.
yes the belt can be done without removing the engine with the proper tools timing pins and cam wrench and a five point tamper proof torx bit normal ones have six on a torx bit if you need more info let me know it takes about an hour or so to do
Thanks BC Mech. !!!!
As you guys are talking about 863's, I have a odd problem. The float control on the foot pedal has gotten stuck, it won't pop out of float. I have lifted the cab and found that the problem is that the valve will not pop out to go to normal operations. I have gently tried to pry the valve back out but with no movement at all, what to do now??
Welcome! This is a good question. I recomend that you get your 3 posts in then start a new thread about your problem. You will get more responses that way. I would also like to learn more about the float control.
It really depends on what's going on inside. Getting a manual is a first good start. Debris in the system can cause spool valves to stick and trying to force it loose can score up the housing or the valves. If you cannot get it loose by the pedal and the linkage looks good you need to disassemble the control valve assembly. Usually you can do it right in the loader. If the spool will still not come out, gently rotate it while pulling it out. Either way you need to take it out to check for o-ring fragments, dirt or metal in the system.
Thanks for the info. I have decided that the valve is over my abilities and am taking it to the dealer to look at it. Bobcat said on the phone the repair would be around $400, that seems worth saving the frustration and time it would take me to maybe or maybe not get it fixed without causing more damage in the process. Thanks again.
Sometimes it is worth paying to have work like that done by a qualified mechanic.
The hard part is finding or having to make parts. I do not trust mechanics, so I fix all my own stuff. However, if you do not have the confidence to do it, and need it fixed now, the qualified mechanic is the way to go. Hopefully the final cost does not go beyond the initial quote. When I quote someone a price to repair equipment it is only an estimate and the final price could be more, only after getting approval from the owner of course.
You appear very sharp with these machines. I need your help. I have an 863G Bobcat and it stopped running suddenly. The instrument panel illuminated with the general hydro/engine light trouble which is ( ! ). Now it cranks over for a couple seconds and locks out everytime on the insrument panel. I did the self diagnastic and nothing came up. I have read some of your advice on fuel problems. Do you think it is the pick-up tube or bulb? Please feel free to e-mail me back at [email protected] Any help would be greatly appeciated.