Bobcat 463 vs other brands

Dozernut · Oct 6, 2003

Your right, they will wear out on concrete. So will tires and metal track. He is looking for a landscaping machine that will run on dirt. Rubber track will not hurt existing sod as bad as metal track or compact the soil like the few small square inches of tire print the skidsteer or tractor have. The rubber tracked units are a niche machine, and landscaping is what they are built for.

dummy · Oct 6, 2003

What about these power-trac ? On their forum, the guys that have one really seem to like them.

RobertN · Oct 6, 2003

They look great, but I am looking at the Bobcat or similar skid steer because it is only 36" wide, designed for tight access in small residential areas. I squeezed one through a barely 36" gate for a job a few weeks ago. Taking out the fence was not a reasonable option on the particular job.

The 463 is a tiny machine, with implements made to fit with the narrow access parameters.

RobertN · Oct 6, 2003

The New Holland web page shows two small skid steers, with either a gas or diesel engine. They are an option, although I have not seen New Holland skid steers sold in the local Sacramento area. If I can find a dealer locally, I would certianly entertain the idea.

Bobcat West has a main office in Sacramento. That is a + for them...

As another poster answered to your post, I'm looking at landscape stuff, and want to minimize turf damage. A $1000 set of tracks over time might be small compared to repairing damaged stuff.

I did not see a Bobcat in the 463 size with permanent tracks.

RobertN · Oct 6, 2003

That looks really nice, but it is 4' wide. I'm back to fitting through gates.

I am trying to figure if that is going to be a huge limiter, or a minor one. We've done jobs where I got my Kubota in with a 5' scraper. Others, like the one a few weeks ago, I needed that 36" wide machine. I could have used on last week too.

One problem I do have with the Kubota that hurts it too, is it is not "square". By this, I mean it has evolved with a 4' loader bucket. The rear R4's are about 4.5' wide overall. The scraper is a 5', so it can smooth past the rear tires a bit. It is, just fine that way for my home use. For work though, it has not been so convienent. Not to mention it can not turn like a skid steer.

40Kchicks · Oct 7, 2003

The tracked loaders are awsome. Much smoother to operate I hear and pretty much go anywhere. I was looking at the Cat version the other day. I was just curious what the price comparision was. I believe they told me the tracks were an extra 6-7K more expensive upfront. I don't think they put these on landscaping size machines yet, at least that I have seen.
Eric

Dozernut · Oct 7, 2003

The RC 30 is their landscaping machine. I have operated one and found it to be too small for my needs, but it is a sweet little machine. The RC 50 would come closer to my needs, but my heart belongs to the RC 100. I would need to hit the lottery to buy that one, if I am not mistaken they run in the neighborhood of 60K. I can buy a real nice, good sized, used dozer for that price.They are nice machines and I would love to have one, but I do not do a lot of landscaping so I think I will stick to my dozers and Kubotas.

yooperdave · Oct 7, 2003

Is there a concern that something this narrow may be prone to tipping over somewhat easily?

Uneven grades or hills & bumps may not be negotiated so easily.

Good luck

Yooper Dave

Dozernut · Oct 7, 2003

Dave
If you are refering to the RC30, no, it is a pretty stable machine. The machine is more stable than a wheeled skid loader. The horse power and loader lift capacity were not big enough for me.

gsganzer · Oct 10, 2003

I disagree. I rented a bobcat with an auger and it works great. You get enough down pressure to lift the bobcat front end. The added benefit is you can move the auger around at different angles when trying to drill rocky soil. It works much, much better then a 3-point auger.