CAT Quick Attach Mod Pics

[bobcat ron]

If you have a Manual Quick Attach on your Cat skid steer/MTL, maybe these pics might help somewhat, but if you have a Hydraulic Quick Attach (like I do) then these pics will keep you even happier with the system.

The first thing I noticed back in December '07 was trying to keep the wedge pins springs from getting packed with mud and keeping the little hydraulic cylinders from moving them up and down, so I cut some strips of mud flap rubber (2" x 12") and slid them under the bucket tilt rods up to the grease zerks for the wedges and attached them with 1/2" long self tapping screws.
The other thing I did was I covered the bracket that holds the cylinders with a wider and longer strip to keep stones from hitting and getting trapped between the Q/A frame and attachments. I have yet to have any problems now, even after spending an entire day in the muddy gravel.

[pushcat]

I did the exact same thing a couple years ago on our 287. When we got the 297 I did it before it went on it's first job. You would think Cat would do something like that right from the factory, wouldn't you? Or else they have a huge profit margin on those flimsy little linkages that break when the first rock gets jammed in it.

[bobcat ron]

I don't know why they don't do that either, Bobcat used to have that on the old 743's.

I did try to mod something like that up on my old Bobcat, but it was a nightmare, the Cat still has the better system and the Quick Attach frame is extremely tough, I got 2 rocks jammed between the frame and loader arms, you can see evidence of that in the first pic, that's when I rolled the combo bucket back to crush it, that's how I killed the loader and Q/A frame on the Bobcat.

[IowaCat08]

That is a great add on to your machine bobcat ron, I'm goin to show the pics to our mechanic tomorrow morning. They look like a must have, I'm really fed up with the cylinder ends breaking because rocks get jammed in there.

Do you have any experience with it in the snow? I ask because we have lots of problems with snow and ice freezing in them and we end up spending 30 mins. breaking them free. Just wondering if snow can still get in the frame brackets and freeze?

[bobcat ron]

I never had any snow related issue either, once those strips are in there, those wedge pins, springs and all linkages are pretty much sealed up, just make sure to spray some WD-40 on everything before you slide them in place, but it's easy enough to spray them from the front or just pull them back out and do it every 25 hours or so, depending on how often you grease the wedge pins.

[kmcraig]

that is slick - good idea

[bobcat ron]

Thanks, it's still working like a charm!

[Squizzy246B]

We don't have to worry about the crap coming over the back of the bucket...we just fit a Hungry board to the top of the bucket and then you don't have to worry about bricks coming over the back when you are loading high sided trucks.

[bear]

We don't have to worry about the crap coming over the back of the bucket...we just fit a Hungry board to the top of the bucket and then you don't have to worry about bricks coming over the back when you are loading high sided trucks.

That something goes on top o' the bucket? we had an old bucket we just welded some steel to the top of, no cab enclosure either. at first the bos didn't want it done...till a paving brick slid out and smacked him in the boys. :eek: the poor guy is called "nut" fer a reason.

Speaking of cab enclosures there isn't anyone around here that has one on their machine, unfortunately considerd a wastefull extravagance, same thing on most dozers.

[iron kid]

did the same on 287b and show my cat rep, told me it would help much hahaha

[Yellowdog]

I think I am doing that this weekend. I get lots of wood chunks, gravel, etc., and then the wedges won't go up and down. I liked Bobcat's system better for visibility and the fact that if the switch failed, I could still release the wedges but CAT's works ok.

[bobcat ron]

Cat's system is better IMHO, they use a separate pump with an electric motor to operate the cylinders, I hated the Bobcat system, the wedges always were under constant pressure and they were a PITA when just moving attachments around at home, I always had to push the button to get them to un-lock.

[jkb624]

My 2006 Bobcat S250 Hyd Q/A is shorting out. Has anyone had this problem? Is it the electric switch or the pump motor. My nearest dealer is 100 miles away. Thanks