Anyone ever use one, and if so do they work well? Doing concrete pads and its for compaction of the roadbase, I dont have one but was thinkin of using one if they work well.
To high priced for what little you can do with them. It would be cheaper and better to rent a full sized roller and do it right. I would rather use bomag walk behind.
I have a Bobcat 48" roller and it has more than paid for itself through the years, it was $6800 in 2003. It has the pad foot with a smooth drum shell kit that I have never put on. It came in pretty handy backfilling around town house foundations. 2 Bobcats one with bucket and one with the roller did the majority of the backfill. The backfill needed to be compacted well to support the Lulls for the framing crew that followed behind rather quickly. They have their place, like I mentioned above but a high production compactor they are not. If you are working in tight places and small jobs they work well. I prefer to use attachments when feasible, since you are not adding another motor into the mix that requires more maintenance. You can bring one machine to the job instead of two. Now I would not by a Bobcat model unless they have changed a few things. The bearings on the main shaft of the roller are the weak points. I have replaced them twice and one is shot now, in need of replacement. The way the one I have is designed, there are 2 grease fittings per bearing on either side. To reach the inner side you either need to be a spider monkey or have 3 people to do it. 1 in the Bobcat to raise the roller off the ground, one to spin the drum to align and hold it still and one to grease the inner fitting. Amazing the bearings have went out so much.
I've got an Allied skid compactor. It works very well and pounds like nothing else. Takes a little to figure how to run it best but it compacts better than the 2000 lb walk behinds. If you get one just keep an eye on the bolts the hold the hydro motor they will vibrate loose over time.