Anyone using topcon laser with bobcat grader for the automatic grade control? We got a set up late fall last year. I can't nor can the dealer get it set up to run the automatics. When we ordered from them they said it was plug and play but they can't get it to work. Screen says needs additional sensors...♂️ Machine is 23 t76 New 96" grader Topcon lsb-200w receivers cables etc Fairly new dealership.. The solution they are coming up with is to have us put the trimble gcs9000 on the grader. My concern would be using indoors. Most floors I grade for concrete are inside of buildings. Another concern is would I need our surveyor create a file for every project? Or can I just set up grades on the screen? Pretty new to this GPS machine control stuff. Thanks
We have a Trimble GCS 900 dual laser system set up for our Cat grader blade, both our 279D's are fitted to run it. It's laser based and works exceptionally well for what you do - grade flat slabs for concrete. Trimble GCS900 2D for Dozers | SITECH NorCal and SITECH Oregon 2D Grade Control for Dozer sitechnorcal.com GPS will not work inside, close to buildings or under trees with leaves on them as it has to have signal from multiple sat's for accuracy. We run Trimble GPS on our D3 and the accuracy is well within our +/- .10' spec for final grade. A laser will get that accuracy down to 1/2-1/4". If you are going with Trimble I would have SiTech take a look at it.
Thanks I'll have to look into that.
Is anyone versed enough to know what components are needed to to make it work with topcon laser?
You shouldn't have a problem putting 2D on that attachment. I run Trimble as well, so I don't know Topcon, but the concept for 2D is the same for everyone. You shouldn't have to go to 3D to make it work, nor would I want to for the reasons you stated (plus the cost). I believe they have not set up your system correctly. I would request more help from Topcon directly and have them go over the install. I would also say this, if your grading floors inside buildings, the box levelers do a better job, I think than do the graders. Much cleaner and faster in my opinion. Your into the grader attachment so that may not be info that matters at this point. I have a 96" BC grader attachment, but when it comes to putting floors to grade, I use a Smart Grade grader box that is 2D.
Dealer called multiple times today. They think they are getting to the bottom of things. Sounds like a machine issue, missing harness or bad harness. Hopefully they get it resolved before floor grading season sets in. Never ran a box grader. Heard they are slick. Do they angle and or side shift? Most interior floors we do are inside of buildings already roofed. This grader compared to me and a laborer or three skid steer and a box of paint. Did two similar sized floors. One with skid steer with bucket plus three laborers raking checking grade bucketing more etc took around five full days. Next floor two days with the grader and one laborer. Second day was just to make sure. Helper brought ten skid steer buckets in then by the time I was done he took ten more out.
A box blade/grader hooked up to a laser will work circles around a laser, laborers and paint. It's pretty damn amazing. Actually buying the laser box blade is what propelled us into going full 3D GPS on our dozer and trackhoe. Stair step sort of thing. Once we saw the production the laser grader brought we knew we better invest in tech or be left behind.
Right, our company used to have the GPS on machines. That stuff got antiquated along with the machines. We are getting back to that point again with nicer stuff. Grade control ready etc
We have 2021 T 76 using a Trimble dual slope laser to control our bobcat grader. When getting set up we were told that we had to use bobcat receivers and cables on the machine. This set up has worked great for us.
So no help with how it worked to get going? Our dealer sold us the topcon set up telling us it would work with the auto set up...
Your dealer sold it to you why are they not making it right or refund the money?
I would have a real case of the *** if I paid what that 2D system costs and it doesn't work. As CM1995 said, they should be refunding you the cost of the system. This shouldn't be that difficult, that grader is probably the most common grader attachment sold. It's not like this is the first time this has ever been done. If you get your money back, I would take a look at the Sharp Grade grader box.
If I recall correctly when we were purchasing the electronic for the T76 our local bobcat dealer gave us incorrect information. We spoke with several out of area dealers. They informed us we had to use bobcat receiver and cable in order to intrigrate with software on T76. We order receivers and cables from said of of state dealer. Worked great when installed, plug and play.
Send it all back. Get the Bobcat laser system. > https://www.bobcat.com/na/en/attachments/automatic-grade-control-laser
The dealer is making it right. Most of the stuff is in to make it work. the topcon system does work with it. Can find bobcat branded videos with it installed and working. They went off their sales rep info on what to order. New dealership to the bobcat world. Father son, father is across street doing sxs four wheeler powersports stuff. The son is running the bobcat dealer. Once the father got in the loop about the issue things started to get fixed at a much higher rate of speed. Father called me on a Sunday said he heard there was an issue but didn't know it was as bad as it was. He said whatever the cost he was going to make it right for us on their dime.
The brand of laser head will not matter. But the receivers and cables need to be bobcat As a side note. When I switched from a T870 to T86 my dealer informed me that the T86 might not communicate with my grader blade. (grader needing update in worst case) But luckily everything seemed to work
Update. Long time coming I guess... Got the grader back Friday everything appears to work. Ground is frozen still snowing nothing set up to grade. I did a rough test run and it seems like it is doing something by itself. Dealer purchased and installed themselves at no cost to us Trimble Main fall slope sensor, blade slope, and blade angle sensors. Machine seems to interface well with all systems. One thing I found odd while they gave me the dime tour was that the blade angle sensor will need to be manually calibrated on each new job site. Something about the sensor is spinning during transport? ♂️ sounds od to me. The grader book makes mention of this but didn't say each time it's trailered... Dealer also suggested getting a cover for blade and it sensors as they don't do well with moisture? I'm kind of calling bs on that. I can't store it indoors or under a cover when not in use... I also work in all weather. Let me know thoughts if you guys have any on this. Thanks
So you have a combination of Topcon and Trimble components? That seems really odd. There should be no issue with moisture. As you stated, its impossible to keep an attachment out of the weather, I have never heard of this being necessary.
That sounds like bs. All we have to do it put the receivers on the mast, plug it up to a 279, bench the blade and start work. Our blade sits outside on the yard 24/7/365. Cat blade with Trimble system.
Was told by Benchmark Tool that is a Top con Dealer out of Raleigh, NC that the Topcon receiver will not work with a Bobcat. I have a 2023 Bobcat T770 with a 2021 96" grader using the Bobcat BLR2 receiver and the owners manual has instructions to use a jumper cable as a connection on the left side of the receiver. Unit will not go into auto grade using the jumper cable, but will go into auto grade without the jumper cable. Would like to use the Topcon receiver because of the adjustable deadband. All sub-grading doesn’t need to be as tight of a tolerance. YouTube has a video with the Topcon receiver working, but the control cable to the receiver appears to have been modified and spliced. @:31 seconds. My setup works good with the exception of the laser line on the receiver will not stabilize and continually bounces up and down alot. This happens whether auto grade is off or on. The position of the receiver to the laser seems to impact the issue. Had the stability issue with the Bobcat BLR2 and LR410 receiver.
LS did you get running yet I run a topcon system 5 with 2 recievers on a deere and levels best works pretty good we get close to 20,000 sq ft a day to within 1/4 inch with a guy that has about 8 months experience fine grading so that's a huge win.
Is this the GB124 that you mentioned in your thread CM? If so, how are you finding it?
I think it's the BB124. It's not the newer "smart" blade. Bought it back in 2018 for a warehouse expansion job. This blade works fantastic for fine grading pads. Once you bench the blade and account for the compaction loss in the material being graded that blade can keep 1/2" or better tolerance depending on material as fast as a 279D will go. That blade is what pushed into GPS on our D3 and then 325. The production gains of that little box blade fine grading a 50K SF pad and placing DGB for the slab was impressive to say the least. It's for sale as we've outgrown it but I'd imagine shipping would be a bugger to Down Under. What's next on the list is a smart grader blade with GPS and new CTL. That will allow us to use a CTL to fine grade parking lots without having to mob in the D3.
We’re pricing one at the moment, along with the new 255 CTL. We have Topcon 2D on our graders, so hoping we can use those receivers on the new blade.
What do you plan on using it for? We have Trimble/Cat branded receivers and dual plane laser.
Just shed pads, around feedlots, cattle yards, house hold driveways etc. Basically, areas that are too tight for a full size grader. No need for 3D at this stage. They have blades in stock now but the loaders are two months away….at least.
The 2018 model box blade we have now works great for that type of work. It can be set up for flat plane, single slope or dual slope depending on the laser's capability. Cat dealer has a demo day for the new CTL's May 9th. I'd like to go but I'll be 3 hrs away on a project we are about to start and not ready to swap either 279D at the moment.
I guess the main reason we are looking at the GB is that we are coming from a grader background. It does have those little wings that swing forward to help carry material something like a box blade.
I think you will be happier with the grader blade rather than the box blade coming from a full size grader. The box blade is nice for spreading stone on pads but has very little side to side articulation. A grader blade would work better for us clipping final grade on small parking lots and such. The new 265 Cat's look interesting.
I just brought one of these home. We are putting 3D on it, Topcon according to the OEM seems to have the best system for this, so that is what we are going with, using a total station. We will put it on the Minitour.
Congrats! Let us know how it goes.
Update, I had forgotten about this, after the last update I did. System still didn’t work, we toned both harnesses and turns out both were pinned wrong, they gave us new harnesses and all is right with the world now, good setup. I like the adjustability, can set it high before compaction.
Good deal. Glad you got it worked out. The most time consuming part is figuring how much a specific material will compact. The dense grade base we usually get will compact .15' when putting it down 6-8" thick.
Cut to finish - always a balancing act!