Hello folks, Im in a pickle here... got a Bobcat 463 skid, got it used from someone in exchange for some work i did. they said it occasionally had issues with movement. i figured hydraulic fluid might be low, so it didn't bother me too much. quickly found a pdf online that details the specs of this loader. you can see it here http://locationblais.com/images/products/Bobcat_463.pdf fueled it up with diesel, brought it home on my flatbed, after my buddy drove it up on there. I figured, well, its moving, so all is good right? got flatbed home last weekend, drove it off myself (I should say this is my first skid steer, so please bear with me, no i dont have the manual for it, im sorry) and parked it, thinking nothing of it, or how the sticks/pedals felt. Yesterday went to fire it up so that I could see how it was performing. id consider myself mechanically inclined, have done most repairs to my truck, and wife's car, as well as various two stroke engines. im by no means an expert, but ive done enough work that i could repair several components on a vehicle, save aside something like an automatic transmission, those i wont touch. ointhead it was about 40F degrees, so i warmed the plugs up first like before and turned it over. fired up now. engage the safety lock bar, check BICS lights, all lit up, no blinking, good to go. engage traction lock and now theres no movement. The sticks are nowhere near as stiff as they should be, and the pedals have no resistance. it refuses to move at all now, and the loader bucket attachment isn't working either. promptly, to avoid damaging anything, i shut it off and have let it sit in my yard since then. i don't know what to do here guys. i was going to check fluid levels, but I got home too late tonight, and now theres not enough light to really see what im doing. i can check the fluids tomorrow, if you think it will help, which leads me to my question. what is the cause of my symptoms? having never owned a vehicle with such an extensive hydraulic system, i dont know what the problem is. if its just oil or fluid of some kind, then that is really good, as i can just grab the specified fluids in town tomorrow before i come home. but if something else might be wrong, i would ask of yall if you know what it is. seriously, i feel like this thing is foreign to me. I know, I know... why get something you know nothing about? I had plans of getting it working right to ease some of the jobs around the property. wife and I own livestock and this was supposed to make things easier. I tried googling around, but it seems like info on skid steers, even more so on certain skid steers, is very hard to find on the internet, as all i keep finding are weird websites trying to sell me service manuals. i thought i may as well try the online forums for help before throwing money where it doesnt need it. So basically, the thing doesnt move whatsoever. No power to the loader or axles. fluid has not been checked yet (this is extremely dumb on my part, I know) but will be when I have more light tomorrow. is this just a result of no hydraulic fluid? no oil? and is the drivetrain powered by the hydraulics as well or something else? I cant tell if its not driving because of no fluid... if i have to, i can bleed the system of air if its low. if only it would move on it own like when i got it, then id be a happy camper. Anyone got some ideas? your help would be VERY appreciated, believe me. im lost.:Banghead
i would start with the simple stuff. drain the hydraulic tank and check the pickup screen for any debris. change the hydraulic filter, re fill and try again. could be crap floating in the tank clogging the screen thus not letting the hydraulic pump pick up a prime.
I don't know Bobcats but I would check the seat switch (bypass it).
Start with the simple stuff, as others have said a few good things to check + door switch, safety system, fuses, solenoid control valves, too...
If the problem is only intermitant then its doubtful that the problem is coming from the hydraulic side of machine Simple things to check to be sure tho Is the engine to hydraulic pump belt still there? Is the belt looking good and/or tight ? I would suspect the electrical is not functioning properly for the traction lock/release So as has been mentioned already, check door switch (if it applies) check seat switch for good connection
sorry folks, i meant to reply to you all yesterday! got fluids checked. there is a sideways mounted white bobcat filter that looks like its attached to the engine, so my gues it is for engine oil. was replaced at 1030 hrs, machine now sits at 1189 hrs, according to marker writing on the filter and the hour gauge respectively. hydraulic=empty engine oil=just a tad low, but definitely used up coolant=radiator full, reservoir almost empty anything i might be missing? is hydraulic fluid required to operate the axles? is the crankcase filled with hydraulic fluid, and does a pump somewhere provide it fluid, or is it indpendant of loader hydraulic lines? Got the hydraulic screen off, wasnt a hole lot of stuff but some debris did come out.. lo and behold i could also see it was out of hyrostatic fluid. going to be picking up some more at napa. i know which stuff to get thanks to that pdf but is there any special procedure to filling a dry reservoir? any cycling or flushing or something like that? just want to ask first before i mess something up. since i dont have the owner manual i cant have any reference on proper refill hahaha believe it or not the switch is still good, that was the first thing i checked before any fluids. all good there its seems everything you mentioned looks ok, with the only exception of solenoids, as im not to sure where those are located. but seeing as how the machine is dry on hyrd fluid, maybe the solenoids are still good and my problem is just related to fluid.? it would seem its intermittant, but its like the condition got worse very slowly over time i think. but in order of your questuins= 1 and 2. yes, i did find that belt, as well as another belt on the opposite side of the engine. both are still where they should be it looks like, and thouh they look used obviously, their definitely not in the worst condition ive seen belts in before. i will replace them soon however. 3.traction lock release seems to have been working like it should, as the previous time i had it running (but not moving) it still made a click noise when you engage the button on the instrument bezel. i suppose that leaves me with one final question (hopefully!!) and that is this... is the drive gears/crankcase/parts that make the machine operate its wheelss also hydrostaticly controlled? basically, if i filled it up with more hydraulic fluid into proper reservoir, would doing that be connected to a pump or somethign that will fill the component necessary for restoring wheel movement? obviously if i fill it with hydraulic fluid the loader should be operational again, but will it move again as well or is that a separate part of the system that requires something else? also thank you all so much for your help, i appreciate the time you guys took to help me out with this issue. i wanted to reply yesterday but circumstances wouldnt allow it, so i came back today to reply and let you guys know i didnt just leave. so thank you everyone for your help!
If the hydraulic tank is empty that is most likely your problem. If its that empty get ready to watch for a leak, hose, steel line, filter o ring etc. Ive never seen a tank completely empty before. Top it up and see what happens. id bet dollars to donuts thats your issue.
If the tank is empty, you might have burned up pump(s) or motor(s). Solenoids are usually located on valve banks, generally speaking, behind your calves or ankles, when in the seat. Clicking noise can come from solenoid. Order of work should be to fill the reservoir, then check the solenoids. I burned up a hyd pump, from a leak that was unseen, maybe 4-6hrs operation, of a hay baler, on a hot day... Good luck, hope you don't have pump or motor probs...
if the hyd tank is empty, and you see no external leaks, theres only one place for the oil to go, and thats into the chaincase through the drive motor seals. you need to remove the chaincase level plug from the front of the chaincase and see if it's overfull :drinkup
How do you check Hyd oil on that machine,site glass,dipstick,if you are just looking in tank oil is left low for expansion
dipstick :drinkup
Do not run the engine with an empty hydraulic system. If you get some 46 and fill it be sure you know what you are doing. If there is a high pressure leak that is bleeding off your fluid it could literally pierce your body. Sounds like it would better to have a mobile tech come and do the work. Lots of people get injured or worse on hydraulic systems. Please don't go poking around with your hands and looking with your eyes - whatever is leaking and losing fluid could have enough power to kill you.
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