Repower for M600/610

[mitchash]

Anyone ever repower a Bobcat M600 or M610 skid steer? They have a 30hp Wisconsin gas V4 engine standard. I found one with a bad engine and was wondering if it was worth buying and fixing up?

 

[6brnorma]

The M-600 came with a vf4d which is 25 hp, the M-610 comes with the vh4d which is 30 hp (provided it has a wisconsin engine). I repower all the time but only use the vh4d and it will drop into either model. Plan on + - $3000.00 for the engine. There is also a 35hp Briggs engine they claim is drop in.....I have no experience with it. $2982.95 with free shipping, e-bay. Condition of the machine itself would determine whether it is worth the cost of repower or not.....other parts can run into a considerable sum.

 

[valencleo]

My 600 is repowered with a kohler command 22hp needed a different drive pulley and I moved the pump made a custom engine mount had to fabricate the exhaust and change the main hydraulic lines and you need to add some weight the kohler only weighs 100 lbs. I think the engine is around 1500.00.

 

[mitchash]

How is the power of the Kohler for driving the wheels when turning and running the hydraulics?

 

[valencleo]

It seems ok I dont know how the original engine was I bought this partially complete with the newer engine (It was a mess) I just use it around the house for snow removal and whatever .I plan on adapting a backhoe I got off a ditchwitch and bring it up north to clear some land of ours. That will be the real test. They are cool little machines that are very basic and simple to repair ,tons of parts are available.if you could get it cheap they are worth fixing unless you are going to use it professionally then you should get something bigger.

 

[6brnorma]

The M610 had an original option of a Deutz 85.2cid or a Petter 70cid, I've owned both and both were under powered imo. Bobcat went from the vf4d (25hp) to the vh4d (30hp) for the same reason. Any savings made by going to a Kohler would be chewed up in time/money making adaption changes. Additionally, I would assume you would lose the 'variable speed' function by changing the pulley along with the 20% reduction in HP. You would lose additional power should you choose to go to 'Floatation tires' or change the "final drive" sprocket to increase speed.

A couple of things to consider:
*A hair line crack in the frame involving the fuel tank is very difficult/impossible to repair.
*A new 'variable speed drive sheave' is 628.00 (last one I bought). The shaft alone is now $208.00. Yes you can find sheaves used for about half price but you MUST know what you are looking at....an 'unmatched' pair (I see them on e-bay fairly often) can take out a crankshaft.
*If the pins have worn through the bushings on the 'driven sheave'/jackshaft sheave into the sheave halves themselves (often the case with poorly maintained machines) you are looking at another costly repair... just a few examples.

As valencleo indicated, it is not a particularly complicated machine but there are things you need to be aware of.

 

[mitchash]

I had two Bobcat M610's that had 30HP Wisconsin VH4D. They were fussy runners, over heating and vapor locking. I got them both running pretty good after some time but they never seemed big power houses.

 

[jimbojones1]

The M610 had an original option of a Deutz 85.2cid or a Petter 70cid, I've owned both and both were under powered imo. Bobcat went from the vf4d (25hp) to the vh4d (30hp) for the same reason. Any savings made by going to a Kohler would be chewed up in time/money making adaption changes. Additionally, I would assume you would lose the 'variable speed' function by changing the pulley along with the 20% reduction in HP. You would lose additional power should you choose to go to 'Floatation tires' or change the "final drive" sprocket to increase speed.

A couple of things to consider:
*A hair line crack in the frame involving the fuel tank is very difficult/impossible to repair.
*A new 'variable speed drive sheave' is 628.00 (last one I bought). The shaft alone is now $208.00. Yes you can find sheaves used for about half price but you MUST know what you are looking at....an 'unmatched' pair (I see them on e-bay fairly often) can take out a crankshaft.
*If the pins have worn through the bushings on the 'driven sheave'/jackshaft sheave into the sheave halves themselves (often the case with poorly maintained machines) you are looking at another costly repair... just a few examples.

As valencleo indicated, it is not a particularly complicated machine but there are things you need to be aware of.

hello, you talk about the drive sheaves being a matched pair, today i took mine apart to replace the o rings and when assembling the manual says to line up the arrow to the chisel mark on the fixed half. my question is i cant find a mark on the fixed half at all, i can see the caution arrow on the moving half, are you able to explain what im looking for, there is a small piece broken off the edge of the fixed sheave around 1/2" x 1/4" but it doesnt line up with the splines?
is the mark similar to the driven sheaves or is it something else?
i hope i havent confused you too much, thanks jim.

 

[6brnorma]

Jim,
There are two styles of marks (that I know of), both are on the very outside circumference of the sheave halves.....one is a straight line across the entire edge (chisel mark) the other is a 'v' shaped mark on the very back edge of the circumference. A matched pair will have the same style of mark.

I'm not understanding where the broken piece is but if it is on the edge of the sheave it is cause for concern for two reasons. One is that it will wear the belt if you raise it to the height of the missing part and secondly, a missing piece would have the potential to throw the sheave halves out of balance and possibly cause damage to the crank.

 

[jimbojones1]

Thanks for that, i know what the chisel mark looks like it's on the driven sheave halves. I'll have another look for the V shape on the back of the fixed sheave but im wondering how youre supposed to see it when its tight up against the flywheel?
What size do you think the V is?
thanks Jim