Skid steer fire.

[4570Man]

I think I've used Bobcat, Deere, Cat, Gehl, and Possitrac, oh, and Takucki and I don't think I've ever seen an escape hatch in the roof. They do have back glass, but that's pretty dang small, and would involve kicking it out, and crawling back over everything. I'm guess at most a 12"x24" window? Everyone I've used, the top had a metal grid to protect against falling debris, and not a hinged or blow out kinda hatch. It might be something new, as these are pretty much all 2000-2010 time frame.

My dad’s 75-2 skid steer has a rip cord in the the weather stripping to cut it out if you needed to escape. This 75-3 machine that burned has latches on the back window like the escape windows in a bus. It is a pretty small window.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Some fellas not fitting out a window or hatch

 

[paulsharvey]

Jd newer skid, and that rear window would not be a fast escape

 

[4570Man]

Jd newer skid, and that rear window would not be a fast escape

Even if the machine wasn’t on fire all the steel back there over the engine would be too hot to touch if the machine had been running. His fairly slow escape would’ve been way harder if not impossible if the boom was lower and the machine was hot. And let’s face it if the boom was all the way up like that you’d never be using the back window anyway.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

While flames are licking at your back

 

[4570Man]

So I paid $78,600 after upgrades and loan fees. My insurance coverage itself is capped at $76,000. Which is ok because the bucket amounts for $2200 of the difference. The same machine package cost a touch over 80k today. I went to a different dealer and priced a T8 Takeuchi. They offered to sell the machine for $61,000 without a bucket financed or 48 months or 57,500 cash. I didn’t like the Takeuchi machine when I bought my Kubota and I still don’t like it. Maybe I could learn to deal with it for the price. I think I’m going to track down and buy a nice SVL90 Kubota which was made before the emissions regulations. The insurance company is supposed to be sending an adjuster out. They should write me a check for $76,000 minus the 1k deductible but I’ve not gotten their offer yet.

 

[paulsharvey]

Where do you stand with Gehl these days? They got pretty popular about 15 years ago, with their tracked machines; but I haven't been seeing many around over the last 5 years or so.

 

[4570Man]

Where do you stand with Gehl these days? They got pretty popular about 15 years ago, with their tracked machines; but I haven't been seeing many around over the last 5 years or so.

The local Kubota dealer used to sell them. They stopped a couple years ago and I’ve not seen much about them. I’ll have to say I’ve seen well used Gehls with hours way beyond what is common with other machines.

 

[paulsharvey]

Back in 06/07/08/09 I used to do some skid steer work for hire in between my day job, and rented, as I never had the work to support owning, although I was really stalking several auctions, till things really went to he'll in late 08, and rented Gehl tracked skids more than any other. Now, that's almost 20 years ago now, but they were simple, strong machines, with no frills at the time. At one time, they had the highest horse power and heaviest wheeled skid steer on the market too.

 

[2manyrocks]

Does kubota offer the same very low interest deals for skid steers that they offer for their tractors?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We run a Gehl on the dairy... It gets very abused, and not much love... And it keeps running. The only issue has been my wife is so little she has a tough time engaging the seat safety switch to operate it . That needs a jumper.

 

[2manyrocks]

I have no proof of this, but I wonder if I am seeing more Kubota skid steers compared to other brands these days because of aggressive financing options offered by Kubota, and Kubota being thought of as less expensive than Cat?

The new Kiota TL750 is advertised for $68K in Onedia: 2024 Kioti TL750 Skid Steer With Cab - $68,000 In Oneida TN - LSN

 

[4570Man]

Does kubota offer the same very low interest deals for skid steers that they offer for their tractors?

Kubotas offers no interest for 3 years and 1 percent per year to extend it longer than 3 years. Tackuchi offers no interest for 4 years. Both manufacturers offer a $3500 cash discounts but $3500 interest is really cheap compared to a bank. I’m guessing other manufacturers offer comparable deals but I’ve only talked to those 2.

 

[2manyrocks]

I wonder if Kubota would offer you a better deal on a replacement unit to keep you as a customer? Looks like they'd have some incentive to want to keep you happy.

 

[4570Man]

I wonder if Kubota would offer you a better deal on a replacement unit to keep you as a customer? Looks like they'd have some incentive to want to keep you happy.

I’ve not talked to anyone at Kubota just the local dealer. But I have very little confidence that they do anything. If the telematics unit wasn’t damaged and could prove the origin of the fire maybe I’d get more help from them. The local dealer said the best offer he could make was to remove the undamaged demolition door that was a $3,000 upgrade and put it in the new machine. That would get it back to the same price it was in December, actually a little cheaper. That plan does involve I bought another -3 because the door is unique to that model.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd think about making clear photographs of what you suspect to be the point of origin of the fire and also photograph the engine bay to show it was clean as best you can.

 

[4570Man]

I'd think about making clear photographs of what you suspect to be the point of origin of the fire and also photograph the engine bay to show it was clean as best you can.

It’s unfortunately a little late for that. You can tell the fire started at the top of the motor since the top is roached but the bottom still has paint on it. Not much else can be found. I don’t expect any help from Kubota. The possibility exists that a mouse or bird did build a nest on top of the exhaust manifold. I can’t disprove that theory and I’m sure that’s what Kubota will say happened.

 

[paulsharvey]

My assumption is a very minor fuel leak, and that wasn't noticed, turning into a more significant leak, during an emissions burn; but regardless, you can't say yes or no, and even if you could, you wouldn't be able to prove it's a factory defect.

There isn't a chance of vandalism, is there? Do you leave machine onsite? It wouldn't be the first time a mad neighbor or "concerned citizen" tampered with equipment.

Heck, it could be anything, and unfortunately fires happen, but what I've seen 95% of the time, it's either leaves/debris, or feeding a burn pile. Doesn't take much to start a fire with some leaves or pine needles in an oily/fuel area; or a couple old oily shop rags. Normally general vandalism isn't very sophisticated; although I've heard of a unpaid subcontractor putting lacquer thinner in fuel tanks, and allegedly leading to engine problems (overheating? maybe leaking past rings and stripping oil, basically making it like a no oil run? maybe it's 100% myth?)

 

[2manyrocks]

I think that the insurance company would have the burden of proof to establish facts, not speculation, necessary to deny a claim.

 

[4570Man]

My assumption is a very minor fuel leak, and that wasn't noticed, turning into a more significant leak, during an emissions burn; but regardless, you can't say yes or no, and even if you could, you wouldn't be able to prove it's a factory defect.

There isn't a chance of vandalism, is there? Do you leave machine onsite? It wouldn't be the first time a mad neighbor or "concerned citizen" tampered with equipment.

Heck, it could be anything, and unfortunately fires happen, but what I've seen 95% of the time, it's either leaves/debris, or feeding a burn pile. Doesn't take much to start a fire with some leaves or pine needles in an oily/fuel area; or a couple old oily shop rags. Normally general vandalism isn't very sophisticated; although I've heard of a unpaid subcontractor putting lacquer thinner in fuel tanks, and allegedly leading to engine problems (overheating? maybe leaking past rings and stripping oil, basically making it like a no oil run? maybe it's 100% myth?)

I wouldn’t consider myself and the neighbors as buddies to say the least and it’s visible from the road so vandalism could be a possibility. But nothing in the cab was visibly messed up and my 2 dozers are on the same job and they haven’t been messed with so I don’t think that’s a likely cause. I don’t think this machine has ever done a burnout and my dad said it wasn’t when it caught on fire. I’ve been on vacation for 10 days and I’ve not used that machine for another 10 days or so after we got back. So the machine had sat outside unoccupied for probably 20 days. I did start it for like 5 minutes to dislodge a stump that got stuck in the dozer rake but it wouldn’t have gotten hot enough to ignite in that time. I’m rating either a mouse or bird nest over the exhaust or a fuel leak as the most likely causes. My dad said he didn’t see a nest when he first noticed the fire but I doubt he was doing a careful inspection so it can’t be ruled out that he missed it. Ultimately I think insurance needs to cut a check and they can play fire investigators if they want to.