Bobcat 743 is Great, Simple Machine
Model Year: 1986
The 743DS was my first tractor, bought it used for $6,000 at 1750 hours and it came with a snow plow, dirt bucket (smooth edged), pallet forks. I added a stump bucket and a hydraulic grapple, box blade, trailer hitch receiver to my set of implements. Some of the stuff I have used it for: - tree uprooting and removal (using stump bucket to break roots) - firewood log handling (grapple) - raw land grading (box blade) - excavated 500 ft of driveway - barn construction (large auger for poles) - building destruction ----------- - The air filled tires are a weak point. Have had to reset them on the rim after running with low air. - The 36HP engine delivers enough power to get plenty of work done. I was amazed at how much I could handle with such a small machine. - The size is perfect for selective work thinning trees in a woods lot. It can squeeze through the trees without damaging the ones I need to leave. - At under 5,000lbs it is easy to haul with a pickup. - The machine sips fuel - very low fuel use. - Auxiliary hydraulics, at 11gpm, are sufficient to run large auger and the grapple that I use with no difficulty. - Parts are cheap and the Bobcat dealer is always helpful in spite of the fact that I do all my own repairs.
Pros: Power/weight ratio; ease of repairs.
Cons: Age.