BX23 FEL Quikattach using Bobcat mini QuikTach?

jim_wilson · Jun 5, 2005

Wondering if anybody out there has any experience with some of the Boboat (or other brands) mini skid steers. For a number of months now I have contemplating modifying my BX23 to make the FEL bucket a quick attach setup somehow. I have run a bunch of ideas thru my head and none of them really seemed the best. Then while cruising the web this weekend I came across one of the Bobcat walk behind style skidsteer loaders and noticed that even these small units had quick attach setup on them. Looking at the load ratings and basic bucket measurements - and also noticing that the smaller skid steers have a center bucket cylinder just like the BX does - I stared thinking, hey that might be just the ticket. I actually took a trip out to two local Bobcat dealers this weekend but nobody has any of the smaller units on the lot - so I can't get any measurements to let me get started thinking this out.

So my question is - does anybody out there have a smaller skid steer with one of these quick tach setups that can maybe take some measurements and some pics also?

hazmat · Jun 7, 2005

The home depot in Methuen rents the toro dingo

Brilliant Idea by the way....

jim_wilson · Jun 7, 2005

Thanks for the info - I think there is a local Taylor Rental here that has a Toro Dingo in their inventory. I am going to stop and look at that. From what I can make in the pictures I have found on the internet the Dingo quick attach and the quick attach on the smaller sized Bobcats are different. If I have the time this week I am going to make a trip to the local Bobcat dealer too and see if I can get a look at an MT50 or one of the smaller wheeled skid steers.

tommu56 · Jun 8, 2005

try this link i was looking at the same thing and called they have a pin system for the bx23

http://www.preseeder.com/

jim_wilson · Jun 9, 2005

I looked at the ATI pin attach a while back and considered but I think that it has one big problem. The way it is constructed it moves the pivot point of the bucket out a few inches. With that already limited capacity of the BX this means a decrease in the capacity even more. By coming up with some form of system like the Bobcat Bob-tach it allows you to keep the bucket in pretty much the same plane as it comes from the factory. If the weight of the quick attach setup is kept down the effect on the loader performance should be negligible. The added weight of the quick attach will only affect the lift capacity of the FEL and not the breakout forces as the ATI system will do.

I actually had a chance today to check out a Toro Dingo and visit a Bobcat dealer. It looks like the Toro Dingo is out as a possible candidate. The quik-attach plate on the loader arms is a cast unit and the attachment points are nowhere near where the attachment points on the BX FEL would come out. I also visited the Bobcat dealer and the quick attach plate for the smaller Bobcat skid steers , the MT50, 463 and 553 is a possible candidate but would need some modification to work on the BX. It is heavy - probably about 65 pounds, and the lower mount points are close to the right place but would need some new mounts welded in. Also the rear face on the BX bucket measures about 11 inches tall vs the Bobcat buckets which is about a foot and a half. So the Bobcat quick tach plate would have to be cut down to work on the BX bucket. Plus the Bobcat plate is about $700.00. This was all very helpful however - I think by using the components from the Bobcat quick tach locking pins and then welding up something myself I might be able to come up with a nice neat solution to this problem. I just need to sit down and do some design work.