Bobcat suspended undercarriage

[Tigerotor77W]

Bobcat Suspended Undercarriage
Responding to customers' requests for a smoother ride from compact track loaders, Bobcat has developed a roller suspension system, which is currently available as an option for the company’s T320 compact track loader and will become available for other of the company’s rubber-track models later this year. In the new suspension system, the rollers are suspended by high-strength-steel leaf springs as a means of reducing vibration. In addition, the new system used track idlers that have been raised to make the machine easier to turn. A further advance built into the new suspension system is provision for a larger area around the sprocket to facilitate cleaning.

(taken directly from a Construction Equipment newsletter)

 

[928G Boy]

Now this is what I like to hear! Can't wait to see this undercarriage.

 

[bobcat ron]

I won't make any difference as far as true ride comfort, it's still a rigid mount and a still to steel ride.

But hey, whatever makes the the true Bobcat die hard fans believe that Bobcat is still the "leader" in "innovations for skid steers".

 

[928G Boy]

I won't make any difference as far as true ride comfort, it's still a rigid mount and a still to steel ride.

remember the old saying "don't knock it 'til you try it." Let's just wait and see... It could be terrible, it's probably pretty good.

As always, certain machines will be better in certain conditions... The Cats/ASVs will probably continue to be best for pushing snow and working in blow sand... Everybody else like Case, Deere, Bobcat, Takeguchi, ect... will be better in the nasty mud thanks to their big lugged tracks and better at levelling material because of the solid undercarriage. Both Cat and Bobcat are equally great working on turf. (The bobcats with the optional 16" tracks that is.)

Oh yeah and the Bobcats will have higher resale value since the average owner/operator can much more easily afford to rebuild the undercarriage on the Bobcats.

Can't
Afford
Tracks

 

[bobcat ron]

Trust me, there will be NO difference, when I was pushing my dumping Hopper around with my T190, all that weight was always on the front idlers and going over anything but soft soil was an unbearable adventure, everything vibrated, even my "jewels", I can't honestly say that putting any type of leaf spring on all 5 rollers will not make any difference, the good majority of weight is still on the front, all the suspended rollers will do is ease the discomfort of going over bigger bumps with the center of the undercarriage.

 

[KSSS]

I looked at this at ConEx and it is primitive to say the least. There is only about an inch of travel in the system before the leaf bottoms out. It is Cave man simple and is Cave man cheap at only $1500 over the cost of a solid system so I was told. I was looking for something more from BC. Maybe this is an interium system. Who knows. It might work fine, you would have to demo one to see how effective the leaf spring system is. It may be more effective than it looks, honestly though that would not take much.

 

[bobcat ron]

A little birdie told me (through Lawnsite) that Cat now has a true CTL U/C but still uses the ASV torsion axles, seems it might blow every one away. It's being tested on the large frame MTL's.

 

[Geno795]

Bobcat Ron,
What I hear is that Cat will be using the bolt on Berco undercarriage that Deere, Komatsu, Bobcat, and everyone else use. Some prototypes are running around Peoria. Maybe change some things before it gets introduced later this year or early next year, not sure about that. They will more or less divorce ASV/Terex. Maybe have it as an option? They do ride very nice, just too much maintenance. Cat aint gettin nuff repeat customers. (So I am told).
Geno

 

[KSSS]

Bobcat Ron,
What I hear is that Cat will be using the bolt on Berco undercarriage that Deere, Komatsu, Bobcat, and everyone else use. Some prototypes are running around Peoria. Maybe change some things before it gets introduced later this year or early next year, not sure about that. They will more or less divorce ASV/Terex. Maybe have it as an option? They do ride very nice, just too much maintenance. Cat aint gettin nuff repeat customers. (So I am told).
Geno

I have expected this to happen (assuming that it does). There is no way they are seeing the number of repeat buyers of their CTL's. There are too many guys with negative experiences. They do work well for the guys that work in ideal ground conditions but I believe there are fewer of those guys than the other. I believe they will adapt a Berco or maybe patent a system like the Loegren bolt on system. If it is true that imitiation is the sincerest form of flattery, no one has beat down a path to the suspended undercarriage, which is telling in itself. I think the portion of the market that can actually use this system in a manner that is consistent with the systems strengths is rather small. Many guys have bought them only to be very dissappointed. I think this market could be left entirely to ASV/Terex. Let them have that market. Their machines seems to be weighted more favorably than the CAT machines are anyway and so get better life than a comparable CAT machine.

 

[Squizzy246B]

Their machines seems to be weighted more favorably than the CAT machines are anyway and so get better life than a comparable CAT machine.

:exactly:exactly

 

[bobcatmechanic]

the suspension under carriage you are talking about is out there and i have ran one of these machine they are nice you cant tell the diffrence between pavement and dirt you can run over rocks and not feel them like the standard track system bobcat has they are very smooth the only draw back is when you get a good load in the bucket the front end sinks down and it feels weird compared to how the standard track frame does as for dependabilty bobcat take s a while to work the bugs out i believe they will have problems with them but only time will tell i work for a dealership and got to see the prototype before they came out and it was pretty slick as for the sprockert area thats bigger it dident seem to clean out any easier except when you power washed it it cleaned out alot easier then the old style but who onestly washes there machine you just run it tell it breaks and then complain because something failed and its junk anyways thats what i see alll the time but it is a desent systme just see how it holds up

 

[Countryboy]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums bobcatmechanic! :drinkup

 

[50calrx]

recently became a member, my 2005 bobcat t190 is making a growling noise on the right side it is only when i go forward not when i reverse and it sounds like it is coming from the area around the spocket , just started happening and do not want to screw something up.