Hey I am new to the forum and looking to buy a side steer to build and maintain my motocross track . I al looking at a Bobcat 864 with tracks locally for 9k average condition 3k hours. Also looking at a 2006 Caterpillar 257B with 1,200 hours needs tracks which cost 3k price is 12k okus 1,500 shipping, so turns into 16.5k fast. Anyway any input on these two machiens would be great and advice on what rout to go. Also I figured I needed one with tracks as I live in Seattle and it rains and it will always be in the dirt.
First time buyer. Bobcat 864 or Caterpillar 257B
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Sam French
New member
Hello
This is all I know about the 864. Bobcat's first CTL from all that I have read you do no want to own one. Because of parts that machine was rushed to get into production. I have read plenty of nightmare stories about them. I would say there were used around 2000.
I know nothing about the CAT machine. Out of the two I would get the CAT however to be up front. CAT parts are marked up the HIGHEST of all the makes. There is nothing cheap about any CTL regardless of make and model. Whatever you get be sure to keep an eye on track tension and change oil in the drive motors on a regular basis. A lot of the times drive motors will use their own oil instead of machine hydraulics. Oh do NOT buy aftermarket tracks. Buy OEM mostly made by bridgestone. Aftermarket tracks often do not fit as well and wear out a lot faster.
Most undercarriages will need new rollers and other drive components. I would say
figure around 7k to rebuild a undercarriage.
Hope this helps.
Sam French
This is all I know about the 864. Bobcat's first CTL from all that I have read you do no want to own one. Because of parts that machine was rushed to get into production. I have read plenty of nightmare stories about them. I would say there were used around 2000.
I know nothing about the CAT machine. Out of the two I would get the CAT however to be up front. CAT parts are marked up the HIGHEST of all the makes. There is nothing cheap about any CTL regardless of make and model. Whatever you get be sure to keep an eye on track tension and change oil in the drive motors on a regular basis. A lot of the times drive motors will use their own oil instead of machine hydraulics. Oh do NOT buy aftermarket tracks. Buy OEM mostly made by bridgestone. Aftermarket tracks often do not fit as well and wear out a lot faster.
Most undercarriages will need new rollers and other drive components. I would say
figure around 7k to rebuild a undercarriage.
Hope this helps.
Sam French
Cat_Driver
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2008
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- 2,359
- Location
- Coachella Ca.
- Tractor
- 2016 Kubota 4060, 2017 Tackeuchi excavator TB260
I have a Cat so I'm a bit biased. I bought a Cat for the service and man am I happy. I run it hard in 120 degree plus temps and she goes all day long. I service it per Cat recommendation and they bring a truck to my location full of fluids and filters and do what need to be done then the e-mail me a oil analysis on my fluids.
I've had to do nothing with it but fluids and filters so I'm pretty happy with the reliability. I went form a Kubota to a track loader and I wish I had done it years earlier for what this thing can lift and do.
Call up Cat they will bring one out to you to play with an dyou be the judge.
Here's something to wet your appetite.
YouTube - Cat Skid Steer and Compact Track Loaders: Improve Your Productivity
I've had to do nothing with it but fluids and filters so I'm pretty happy with the reliability. I went form a Kubota to a track loader and I wish I had done it years earlier for what this thing can lift and do.
Call up Cat they will bring one out to you to play with an dyou be the judge.
Here's something to wet your appetite.
YouTube - Cat Skid Steer and Compact Track Loaders: Improve Your Productivity
Terra Firma Scott
Silver Member
CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT CAT....haha. my .02
Welcome to the jungle...
Welcome to the jungle...
baddog201
New member
i would buy the cat over the bobcat myself because of the hours on the bobcat and it was the first ctl i demoed all most all of them cat deere and bobcat when i was buying a new one and i bought the deere but the 287 cat was a nice machine to we run alot of skidloaders so we have a t300, deere 332 and jd 250, a jd 317, jd 325 so i like the deeres better myself after running them and being around them
I agree with the first poster, the 864 was the first tracked Bobcat and had lots of drive motor and running gear problems. However I have owned 2 Bobcats and currently have a 753. If you really need the tracked machine, go for a model that starts with "T"... I do not care for the joystick control on the cat machines.
