tropicare
04-09-2006, 11:42 PM
Been thinking of giving the M-610 a break and a restoration. I got this 1976 Bobcat in 1986 and have had it 20 years, itwas my first skid loader for work, then stopped doing skid loader services a few years later. Since then it's been my home skid steer used mostly in the yard, and occasionally for doing favors after hurricanes. It still runs, but makes noises like it wants new bearings. Also the drive belt is worn and needs replacement. There's rust to deal with and the engine vapor locks at the most inopportune time. Tires are worn smooth but that's how I like them to be ( I can turn on the lawn with no damage with an empty bucket) This exceptionally faithful machine has been averaging only 100 hours a year for the last few, moving sand on the lawn, mulch and running an auger for fence posts.
Any recommendations for a replacement machine while the old one gets a makeover? I was offered a 743 Bobcat but I thought it would be too expensive. Turns out it was a running but well used machine ( 10,000 hours) but did start and run well. It sold for 2,000 dollars. Seemed like a good deal I am not limited to Bobcat but want a low cost machine which won't need expensive repairs. Seems like all the available machines are hydrostatic, any ideas on a machine which can take being started and run once a week for no more than a couple of hours at a time, would be used for light loads and would spend it's remaining days around the yard. Most likely would disassemble and paint the loader to look nice travelling around the landscape. No hurry, the M-610 still does it's job faithfully. I tried a compact tractor once,but a skidsteer just seems a lot more versatile.
Any recommendations for a replacement machine while the old one gets a makeover? I was offered a 743 Bobcat but I thought it would be too expensive. Turns out it was a running but well used machine ( 10,000 hours) but did start and run well. It sold for 2,000 dollars. Seemed like a good deal I am not limited to Bobcat but want a low cost machine which won't need expensive repairs. Seems like all the available machines are hydrostatic, any ideas on a machine which can take being started and run once a week for no more than a couple of hours at a time, would be used for light loads and would spend it's remaining days around the yard. Most likely would disassemble and paint the loader to look nice travelling around the landscape. No hurry, the M-610 still does it's job faithfully. I tried a compact tractor once,but a skidsteer just seems a lot more versatile.