Why I like my A300 bobcat

[pdqdl]

We took out a blown-over sweetgum at a cemetery. My little A300 carried this log out and put it into our F-550. It was a solid log, but one end had a hollowed, rotten defect that broke in a big wind. I didn't measure, but it was about 9' long, and at least 42" diameter. (the grapple is 6' wide, and can only open to 48" wide) The stump was right at 5' diameter on the long axis. It weighed about 3500 lbs.

We put it in the truck in one piece, having carried it out 200' between the headstones.

NO turf damage at all, as this machine has 4-wheel steering.

You can't do that with a mini, and you couldn't get there with a grapple truck, either. When I get more money, I'll buy one each of those machines, too.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Very nice, love them Bobcats. Have you had any maintenance issues with it? I sure enjoy my 763/grapple for moving trunk wood fast, but you always have to plan your route to minimize turning damage.

 

[Toddppm]

Who makes the grapple? And how gently were you able to drop that into the truck? I can see a truck bed taking some serious abuse if wood can't be lowered in instead of dropped.

 

[Rookie1]

Nice. The 4 wheel steering sounds cool. We have a 763 at work and it sure can tear stuff up.

 

[sgreanbeans]

very nice, what is the capacity of that machine! I would have guessed about 2500lbs! Hopefully buying a Case 60XT with the Bradco grapple bucket.
I hate working at cemetery's, kinda superstitious when it comes to those places! Always feel that I am being watched. Used to do a lot for the local memorial park, the care taker would always tell us "ill be the last guy to ever let ya down" then give out this scooby-do style villain laugh! CREEPY

 

[the Aerialist]

The right machine ...

... NO turf damage at all, as this machine has 4-wheel steering...

Now that's the Bobcat I would want. The 4 wheel steering has got to reduce the turf damage a skid steer can inflict. What's the turning ratio? Can you also skid steer it in tight places?

 

[pdqdl]

Who makes the grapple? And how gently were you able to drop that into the truck? I can see a truck bed taking some serious abuse if wood can't be lowered in instead of dropped.

The log was so heavy that it was very tippy for falling on it's nose. I didn't raise the load very high until it was next to the truck bed, so that the truck could help me get it up. If you look close, you will see that I rested the loader frame on the truck bed while I rolled the log gently down into the bed.

Otherwise...I'd have crashed the log onto the truck.

The grapple is a 72" M&M Engineering rock rake. After we braced up the lower points with triangular struts, it has been an exceptional tool for tree service.

 

[pdqdl]

very nice, what is the capacity of that machine! I would have guessed about 2500lbs! ...

The rated tipping capacity is 6000lbs...but that is when you measure it at the roll pins of the loader frame, without any attachments. When you put a behemoth log way out beyond the loader frame, along with a grapple attachment, it comes to a pretty safe 3000 lbs. I can pick up and set 4000 lbs concrete blocks (2'x2'x6') with that grapple, but not very safely. If it is even slightly pointed downhill, it will tip onto it's nose.

Turning radius in 4-wheel steer ? I'm not sure, I think it will make about a 20' circle. About the same as a small utility tractor. Skid-steer is on a dime, of course. I can dodge between the headstones while remaining in 4-wheel steer.


Yes! You can switch to skid steer in about 10 seconds. Come to a stop, push one button, then push another panel-button to put it back in drive, and it is identical to an S300 bobcat's performance. The "A" stands for All-wheel steer.

There is nothing else on the market like it. BTW, those tires are the original tires I bought with it in 2007.

 

[Toddppm]

Rock grapple, cool. It does look more stout than a regular root grapple.

 

[Bowhunter01]

Gotta love a bobcat on a tree job. Here's a pic of a big maple stump cut we loaded with my S250. I had to use forks to save weight, and had to drive the front wheels up on a small log and pop a wheelie while lifting the boom to get enough height to clear the tailgate. We were guessing this was about 4000 lbs, she will lift 3000 using the grapples with no problems.

I kind of wish I had the all wheel steer, it would be nice on the more manicured lawns. I do like being able to haul the grapples, bucket, and stump grinder (you can see it in the back ground) to the job site all on one trailer. A skid steer makes things so much easier.

 

[pdqdl]

...
I kind of wish I had the all wheel steer, it would be nice on the more manicured lawns. ...

It's more than nice on the manicured lawns, it's nice everywhere it goes.

What most folks don't realize is that the 4 wheel steer does a lot more than "not tear up lawns". It has twice the digging power, doesn't get stuck nearly as easily, and the tires don't wear out nearly as fast.

The extra 8 grand that you pay for the all wheel steer comes back to you rather quickly in tires not worn out, lawns not destroyed, time saved digging faster and not getting stuck, and...it's just plain faster than skid steer, too. No bucking and hopping in turns, you can transport on the job much faster than a skid-steer.

I get guys that only know how to run a conventional skid steer. After I yell at them a couple times to quit putting the A300 in skid steer and after they learn how to use it, they never go back to skidding around.

 

[Treetom]

Very nice pdql. I use my Swinger with home-made grapple almost every day, priceless in many situations. The tires on the Bobcat look a little narrow for turf. Are wider options available?

 

[the Aerialist]

Now that't a Bobcat I could use ...

The dingo looked like wherei would go next but a steerable skidstear might be just the ticket for me as I grow. What is the sticker price on that thing?

 

[pdqdl]

Very nice pdql. I use my Swinger with home-made grapple almost every day, priceless in many situations. The tires on the Bobcat look a little narrow for turf. Are wider options available?

Yes! We have the floatation tires, also. They are about 25% wider, with a turf tread pattern. The wider tires were outperforming our standard tires during snow removal, but they are a bit worn, so we installed snow tire studs. That really works well in snow removal, but those carbide bits are entirely unwelcome on granite headstones, so we went with the standard tires.

I probably have the only bobcat in town with studded snow tires. In conjunction with the 4-wheel steer, this machine is one of the best snow pushers I have ever seen. Big piles or small detailed areas, it can do it very well.

 

[sharkfin12us]

a300 bobcat

I have a 2004 a300 bought it used with 450 hours on it.Now has about 1060 hours no problems.Only use it to move wood or snow plow with it.Great machine.Here is a link on You tube of my machine.
skid steer moving log - YouTube