Big Bob

[Bruno of NH]

Big Bob is down again 
I'm making one attempt to fix it Thursday when the parts come in.
If it's not running by the end of the day I'm moving on.
I'm renting a friend's new Kubota skid steer.
A new unit is out of the question. 
I'm looking around. 

 

[Lostinmn]

Nothing as frustrating as having a piece of equipment that can't work  :(

[Jim_Rogers]

Have you figured out what is wrong with it?

Jim Rogers

[Bruno of NH]

Fuel issues , burns 4 gal of oil (or leaks) a month and one of the hydraulic drive motors is leaking.
I'm flat booked out for 6 weeks of Sawing orders and jobs.
Stuffs to expensive to leak on the ground.

[Hilltop366]

Thats the problem with older gear, you usually need more than one then you start to feel like this guy.

Eric Brenn "Plate Spinning" on The Ed Sullivan Show - YouTube

Hope you get it sorted out.

[jcbrotz]

There are times it's just better to pay someone to fix it and you keep working. If its in decent shape especially now with the way prices are

[Riwaka]

Skid steers/ ctls are not the easiest to work on unless you are a contortionist.
What machines have more space in the powertrain layout, to facilitate maintenance and eventual repairs? Rubber tire loaders, telehandlers, rough terrain forklifts, three wheelers.
Most of the used telehandlers are pricey, rough terrain forklifts when old the prices drop. Omega Lift? 11+ years old.
Figure out a hydraulic grapple e.g so the logs don't roll off.
Grapple attachment for pallet fork with low frame.

Combilift RT- surely they have a discount for only having 3 wheels?
https://combilift.com/product/combi-rt/#:~:text=The%20COMBi%2DRT%20was%20designed,workhorse%20for%20any%20agricultural%20business.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Now is a terrible time to be in need of buying a piece of equipment. Prices have skyrocketed and inventory is low. So chances are your going to settle for something you don't really want for a price thats way too much.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Bruno we can all relate to the frustration when equipment goes down, parts are not available or delayed, and new or newer machines are crazy expensive.

But having said that, in your case it sounds like you have yourself  covered at least for the short term renting the Kubota.    So you are still up and filling orders and knocking out jobs. Could be worse, you could have no jobs to worry about.

I'd order the parts, work on your skid steer a little at a time. Look at that as each part of the job getting done is moving ahead.  That way the whole  mess don't look so overwhelming.   Thats how I approach big repair jobs, one step at a time.  

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Skid steers/ ctls are not the easiest to work on unless you are a contortionist.

So many machines are like that.   Sometimes I can just picture the engineers that design these things laughing at us
with each other while they draw it up "Lets see these guys get their fat fingers in there to get this hose, clamp, nut, wharever, off.  It will take them all day just to get at it." And they all crack up.   :D :D

[Resonator]

Maybe park big Bob on cardboard overnight, see if you can pinpoint where it is "marking territory". Sounds like a hose or a seal is bad if it's loosing that much oil.

[newoodguy78]

That's a good idea, it could be something as simple and cheap as an oring. Now how deep that oring is buried well that's another story. 

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Eric Brenn "Plate Spinning" on The Ed Sullivan Show - YouTube

This is what happens when you let that eccentric uncle that's a "little bit off" set the table for thanksgiving. Never ends well.

[customsawyer]

I have Hertz equipment rental about a hour west of here. I have bought used equipment from them in the past. We would come to an agreement on the price and then I would pay one months rent. Anything I found wrong with it during that month they would take it and repair it. When they returned the machine after repairs I would hand them a check for the balance. I guess I should say I would hand them the banks check. ;D The months rent went towards the original price. At any rate it has worked for me a few times. This was all pre covid so things might not be the same but something that you might check into if you can't get yours running. There are other rental companies that might do the same or similar.
I will say that this machine seems to give you a fair amount of grief and it might be time to send it down the road. Lots of times a payment at the bank is cheaper than down time that a machine is costing you.

[caveman]

Jake, that seems like a good arrangement to have with the rental company.  I tried to get a local rental place to rent me a telehandler we were looking at for one week to ensure that it would serve our needs with the option to apply the week's rent to the agreed upon purchase price if we did end up buying it.  The rental/sales guy did not go for it, so we still do not have a telehandler.  We are part time and will keep looking for a deal.

Bruno, sorry to hear that Bob continues to cause you issues.  Hopefully you will find something reliable that can replace it.  About the best buys I'm finding on machines that will move logs, lumber and heavy things in general, locally, are off-road forklifts.  I've ruled them out for us as we would not be able to load the kiln with one due to the mast.

[Bruno of NH]

I'm very impressed with the lifting capacity of this Kubota ctl
The engine is quiet. 
It's a rough ride and the windshield rattles 
It only has 125 hour when we picked it up.
Lots of money if you can find one .

[chevytaHOE5674]

And when that Kubota needs work (every kubota SS and CTL I've personally seen and heard of does) they are one of the worst machines to work on. I'd work on every other brand of CTL or SS before I'd work on any more kubotas. 

Also I can see the DEF being a problem for a sawmill guy as you never are working the machine hard enough and long enough to keep the emissions system happy.

[barbender]

Every CTL I've operated other than ASV will rattle your teeth loose and make your kidneys bleed. I'm not an ASV fan boy but their undercarriage is far superior for ride quality, actually smoother than a rubber tire machine because they don't bounce. 

[Lostinmn]

Its a good thing they don't rattle teeth loose, from what I've heard to rebuild the undercarriage no one can afford dentures afterwards  :D

[barbender]

There is a cost to them, but they will outperform any other undercarriage out there. 

[Bruno of NH]

Had a little time to work on Big Bob today.
Rebuilt the lift pump it was full of stuff.
Cleaned the lines to the water separator and cleaned that.
Put a new gasket on the cover of the injection pump.
Didn't have time to bleed the system to try and start it.
Hopefully in the am.
The next thing is to track down the hydraulic leak.

[Mooseherder]

Demott auction is holding a skid steer auction this weekend in Moultrie Georgia.  The ad said over 40 units on site.  Too bad it's that far away.

[Bruno of NH]

I would be interested but my right leg is so messed up right now.
I only drive in the mill yard.
My knees so bad it's folded my foot at a 90° angle.

[Bruno of NH]

Two things that don't go good with working on a skid steer are.
1. A fat kid from Mascoma St.
2. Two knees with no joint left in them.
A monkey and a football comes to mind.

[Mooseherder]

Man, I dunno how you do it.  Most people wouldn't get off the porch.