Skid Steers

[rknight111]

I decided to make a tread about them rather than derailing my own storage shelter thread.

My stepfather picked up a nice buy at the Richie bros auction. A John Deere 323E with a few accessories. He will use on his acredege and I can trailer to my house and get some much needed work done. I currently have a Bobcat 463 which is one of there smallest units, which I am quite impressed at those little things am looking forward to trying out this unit.

He is upgrading the tracks for better winter use and on the grass as well, the current ones we can sell. I tried it out for a few minutes yesterday and its seems to be fairly easy to use. Currently its in ISO mode, which I guess is the most common for skid steer operators. So many buttons and features to figure out.
It came with forks and a snow blade too. I cant believe how pricy these things are. Any tips?
What do you operate.

 

[pfi572]

Looks like a clean machine . Just under 2000 hrs ?
Unless he’s going to get a decent dollar for tracks ? I would just keep them in case you ever need machine for a bunch gravel work ?
If original tracks and good shape the machine has been used lightly as have seen tracks screwed in 500 hrs in gravel . Lol
Tracks are easy to switch and gravel kills the tracks .
Nice little machine for what he paid . IMO and market value .

 

[Rene G]

Looks like a nice unit. My new work has a wheeled Deer, I can’t believe how much tech they put in then compared to the old units I’ve run before.

 

[catmando]

I have a spade and a wheel Barrel ! I will get way better fuel Milage than you!

 

[ducati]

Nice unit. When I was shopping last year I wanted a CTL but found I had to go much higher hours or much older versus a wheel unit so I ended up with a 2015 S590.

Absolutely love the 590 versus my old 763. The one I picked up had the basic controls with either H Pattern or Hand/Foot being switchable. I really didn’t mind because I can run H pattern much more comfortably than my Dads 246D Cat in ISO.

 

[TylerG]

Nice unit. When I was shopping last year I wanted a CTL but found I had to go much higher hours or much older versus a wheel unit so I ended up with a 2015 S590.

Absolutely love the 590 versus my old 763. The one I picked up had the basic controls with either H Pattern or Hand/Foot being switchable. I really didn’t mind because I can run H pattern much more comfortably than my Dads 246D Cat in ISO.

you can get a pattern changer on the D series Cat's that with the flip of a switch changes from ISO to H Pattern.

 

[rknight111]

you can get a pattern changer on the D series Cat's that with the flip of a switch changes from ISO to H Pattern.

I see that there is some switches on the upper console to switch two three different modes, tried the H as well. I tried to find some YouTube videos on these if you know of any good instructional videos post them.

 

[Zrock]

When we had teh skid steer we went to this style of track (top track on the pallet) https://www.everythingattachments.c...nt-Tracks-p/sol-tracks-ssload-sd-40074725.htm
Best most durable track we purchased, we were going through tracks yearly and these ones were still going strong when we sold it 3 years later. They had so much traction they would stall the machine out if you were digging out of a pile and had great grip in the winter. We were on everything from hard pack to grass great all around track and they were about $1000 cheaper than anything else we were looking at. If i remember correctly we bought them through great west equipment

 

[rknight111]

The prices on the skid steers was nuts at Ritchie Bros in Nisku. There was a 1998 Bobcat that the hydraulics were not working it was 22K plus fees, tire units. The best pricing on a older Bobcat was 15500 that had 6000+ hours and was a 1997. This deer unit was 42500 plus fees. I was looking at a few bobcats, some Caterpillars and a few Case units, even with the higher hours they were still bringing in a good dollar.

 

[rknight111]

When we had teh skid steer we went to this style of track (top track on the pallet) https://www.everythingattachments.c...nt-Tracks-p/sol-tracks-ssload-sd-40074725.htm
Best most durable track we purchased, we were going through tracks yearly and these ones were still going strong when we sold it 3 years later. They had so much traction they would stall the machine out if you were digging out of a pile and had great grip in the winter. We were on everything from hard pack to grass great all around track and they were about $1000 cheaper than anything else we were looking at. If i remember correctly we bought them through great west equipment

My stepfather is getting his tracks through is excavation contractor who he has great trust in and has been dealing with for over 25 years, he gets from Tirecraft on 184 street in Edmonton. Approx. 1 K per side installed.

 

[TylerG]

My stepfather is getting his tracks through is excavation contractor who he has great trust in and has been dealing with for over 25 years, he gets from Tirecraft on 184 street in Edmonton. Approx. 1 K per side installed.

Zig Zag Tracks?

 

[rknight111]

Zig Zag Tracks?

Not sure, Its going in next week to get them done though.

 

[rknight111]

Found a video series on YouTube that shows a couple of tips. Any more that you know of post them or tips.

 

[rknight111]

 

[Tchetek]

I’m sure the vids have good pointers but really it’s all about being use to the machine so your hands just move without thinking about the details!

When you bump something your don’t want to it usually smashes up good!

 

[rknight111]

I’m sure the vids have good pointers but really it’s all about being use to the machine so your hands just move without thinking about the details!

When you bump something your don’t want to it usually smashes up good!

Agreed, when I first got the 463 I totally sucked, choppy and I was pretty rough, after a dozen uses was dancing with the thing. Tipped it once just like the video above, and panicked too, so that was good learning. With these thinks I see you more learn as you go. When I get in the 463 now you don't even think about the controls now, its natural to me, Im sure I'll figure this out in no time. Lots of bells and whistles, geez even has radio and rear camera.

 

[Zrock]

My stepfather is getting his tracks through is excavation contractor who he has great trust in and has been dealing with for over 25 years, he gets from Tirecraft on 184 street in Edmonton. Approx. 1 K per side installed.

I picked those up for about $1600 and installed myself both sides in about 1 1/2 hours.. got pretty good at installing tracks over the years..LOL

 

[niner]

One thing I teach my guys when learning to drive a skid steer is to drive it like a vehicle. Just because you can spin it on one spot doesn’t mean you should. When possible turn with sweeping curves rather than tight turns. Tires/wheels last much longer. Should be called a drive steer not a skid steer.

 

[Cdnfireman]

One thing I teach my guys when learning to drive a skid steer is to drive it like a vehicle. Just because you can spin it on one spot doesn’t mean you should. When possible turn with sweeping curves rather than tight turns. Tires/wheels last much longer. Should be called a drive steer not a skid steer.

Agreed. Being smooth is easier on the machine and the operator. More productive too.

 

[pfi572]

Agreed. Being smooth is easier on the machine and the operator. More productive too.

Operators and drivers ?!! Two separate things . Lol