snowblower - QA vs bobcat

[Spudgunner]

I have a Bobcat 200, 72" on order. That was the largest (width-wise) that the BC sales dude would recommend. I noticed that when he wrote the sales order, he specified a particular fan motor package that would work with the hi-flow. If you go with the QA, I'd second Rip's recommendation for using the QA controller unless you have several different 14-pin attachments that you want to use.

When I get my BC blower it will be sitting next to my neighbor's 84" QA blower and I'll get to check them out side by side.

I understand your desire to absolutely make the right choice in your purchase but I doubt if you can make a wrong decision here. Both units seem extremely solid.

 

[GitchiGummi]

6K for the Bobcat blower is Approx. 1K higher than my dealer quoted me recently. Negotiate or shop around. It is frustrating that they make the unique 7-pin hook-up. Converting a 14-pin blower means more stuff to go wrong. Dealer "support" can be a double edged sword too. If they are offering you high "retail" pricing, chances are they will chisel you on the service too!

I got the same line about Bobcat's attachments being specifically matched to perform better! Interesting that the blowers use the same hydraulic motors.

 

[Spudgunner]

6K for the Bobcat blower is Approx. 1K higher than my dealer quoted me recently. Negotiate or shop around. It is frustrating that they make the unique 7-pin hook-up. Converting a 14-pin blower means more stuff to go wrong. Dealer "support" can be a double edged sword too. If they are offering you high "retail" pricing, chances are they will chisel you on the service too!

I got the same line about Bobcat's attachments being specifically matched to perform better! Interesting that the blowers use the same hydraulic motors.

Technically, it is not a "line"...although its wonders may be overstated. My blower is identified automatically, through the 7-pin CAN bus, as needing Hi-Flow and I don't have to fiddle with the switch in the cab. What else the Toolcat and the blower talk about I don't know as I don't have a CAN bus analyzer. I would expect other attachment/equipment manufacturers to follow suite if they've haven't already. Also, it appears they use the same make of fan motors (Eaton), but the displacements are customizable at time of ordering. This is true of both BC and QA/Erskine.

In comparing my neighbor's QA blower with my Bobcat, the similarities are very striking. The BC blower has a more "streamlined" product with less wires/hoses to get snagged but it appears harder to work on for exactly the same reason. Again, I don't think a person could go wrong with either.

 

[y3ll0w]

My blower is identified automatically, through the 7-pin CAN bus, as needing Hi-Flow and I don't have to fiddle with the switch in the cab. What else the Toolcat and the blower talk about I don't know as I don't have a CAN bus analyzer.

That is a nice feature but not for $1000 more for the QA which has several advantages specification wise which is really the only important factor when your using the thing.

 

[GitchiGummi]

The Quick-Attach blowers don't appear to be any less expensive than the Bobcat blowers unless you are paying your Bobcat dealer 110% of retail.

Skid Steer Attachments - Quick Attach Attachments, Inc.

It seems that the AFTER MARKET company (QA) should adapt its product to the proper attachment type for the machine if they want to be attractive to buyers. Couldn't QA offer the blower configured for the TC (7-pin)? It just seems backward to adapt the machine to an aftermarket attachment.

I can't even pretend to understand the details given regarding what all the "pins" do or do not do. Could this thing be "adapted" out at the blower and make the Bobcat controls work it?

I decided to order the Bobcat blower (SB200X66" high-flow) to keep it simple for me. Also, while under warranty, I don't want the dealer to blame any problems (it seems this machine can have an occasional problem) on after market attachments. With the machine order the Bobcat blower was SIGNIFICANTLY CHEAPER than the QA is listed for on their web site.

Thanks for all of the good advice re: high-flow and blower width etc.

5 weeks until delivery, TC-D. Hope they don't build it on Jan. 2 all hung over in the plant!

Remember the "Bobcat Attachment Advantage: Bobcat attachments are engineered and manufactured to fit Bobcat loaders for optimum job performance, dependability, and durability." From Bobcat Literature!

 

[mike123]

I have the erskine 2000 in 79 inches on my toolcat "c" turbo with High flow and am very pleased.

The width has very little to do with how much flow you need. Sure you might have to slow down a little in real heavy snow but the most important thing is you have to match up the proper moter with how much flow you have available.
Bobcat couldn't seem to get their story straight. They just wanted to tell me I need to go with a 61" because of my horsepower. You can have the smallest width blower from bobcat and still have poor results if they don't match the moter properly.
This is why I went with the erskine. I gave them my specs and they matched it accordingly. They seem to have way more experience then bobcat.
Mike

 

[y3ll0w]

This is why I went with the erskine. I gave them my specs and they matched it accordingly. They seem to have way more experience then bobcat.
Mike

They do. QA/Erskine has about 70 years of experience with blowers, bobcat has less than a 10th of that.

 

[y3ll0w]

The Quick-Attach blowers don't appear to be any less expensive than the Bobcat blowers unless you are paying your Bobcat dealer 110% of retail.

Thoes prices are not correct the bobcat branded is about 1k more than QA.

Remember the "Bobcat Attachment Advantage: Bobcat attachments are engineered and manufactured to fit Bobcat loaders for optimum job performance, dependability, and durability." From Bobcat Literature!

It's interesting that the same attachments can be used on a half dozen or so skids, the TC, and TTC

 

[Spudgunner]

...
It seems that the AFTER MARKET company (QA) should adapt its product to the proper attachment type for the machine if they want to be attractive to buyers. Couldn't QA offer the blower configured for the TC (7-pin)? It just seems backward to adapt the machine to an aftermarket attachment.
...

I couldn't agree more. From what I can tell the "leap" is having to put some degree of brains on the attachment in order to talk with the Toolcat over the digital bus. The CAN bus has been around for a LONG time and I'm sure Erskine/whomever could design (or have designed for them) the necessary hardware/firmware on their few (?) attachments that need to divert hydraulics.

BTW, score one for Quick-Attach on the chute. I like theirs better than the one on my BC.

 

[theoshin]

They do. QA/Erskine has about 70 years of experience with blowers, bobcat has less than a 10th of that.

i am pretty sure bobcat used erskine blowers yrs back. then they bought erskine. then after ir took over bobcat they wanted to clean house a bit and the erskine employees plus maybe some investor capital bought erskine back from bobcat. at least that is what i have been told. that is why the blowers are so similiar.

btw - matching motors to flow is easy - not sure why manufactures would have any difficulty. picking a hydraulic motor is pretty simple if you live in the world of hydraulics. the new d has a rex roth pump - very high quaility. bobcat use charlin. pumps on my attachments - decents motors. overall a good combo but they are not that expensive if you buy in any kind of bulk like bobact does.

my 2 cents