Bobcat 325 Restore

[02SILVER]

So I have slowly outgrown the 1.5 ton Mini ex that I have, so I decided to pick up this 3 ton Bobcat 325D at a local auction recently. The mini checks out mechanically perfect with tight pins, quick connect, new tracks and sprokets sitting at 2,744hrs on the clock. It was owned by a city government so everything seems to have been maintained, but it looks like it has never been stored inside. So in order to make it look as good as it runs, I will be painting along with very light body work to bring it up to my appearance standards. I have also ordered a pin on hydraulic thumb and new decals to round out project. Hopefully the Pictures work

How I got it:




Taking off the ROPS and Primer


A rough strip over rust spots reveals deep pitting and a hole on the cowling. Cover with primer and come back with bondo the next day( My first time using bondo).




More to come...

 

[02SILVER]

Sanding down the machine to get off decals.






Now to some paint!











Let me know what you guys think so far

 

[02SILVER]

Sorry, hopefully the pics will show on the screen now in the same order.

 

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I recieved the decals in the mail yesterday from an ebay purchase. They seem to be of good quality but only time will tell. Definitely need two people to help apply them to the machine.






Hopefully the hydraulic thumb will arrive today as tracking number dictates.

 

[ddigger]

Looks great!

 

[JGibson]

Great Job, and you won't be sorry having a hydraulic thumb, I couldn't live without mine!

 

[pondo]

Wow. Nice job.
Any guess at how many hours it took u?

 

[joispoi]

Doesn't look like the same machine. Nice work!

 

[02SILVER]

Thanks for the kind words guys! I would venture to say that I have close to 25 hours in prep and paint. Here is a picture of the thumb that I ordered and put on. I am very pleased with the craftmanship and quality that Show Time Fabrication has put in this product and that it is a completely bolt on kit.





I have at this point put close to 40 hours on the machine with no trouble, my next project for this machine is to build or get a mower for it. I am wondering if I should go conventional deck or flail. A flail mower I am looking at is the xterra ex 30 micro offered by skidsteer solutions online. Does anyone have experience with their models or company?

 

[joispoi]

FLAIL mower ONLY!

A conventional deck can send the debris flying back at you in the operators seat.

 

[JGibson]

Looks awesome!

 

[02SILVER]

I was able to find a small 30 inch boom mounted hydraulic flail mower designed for compact tractors! I mounted a coupler and had to run a case drain line on my machine to make it work but it was very easy. I am very impressed with its preformance, I estimate the mower to weigh 150 lbs with coupler. It has eaten through 2" thick brush!

 

[245dlc]

I would still recommend a lexan shield for mowing, but that's a very nice restoration looks like it just came out of the factory in Gwinner, ND.

 

[pondo]

Is temperature of hydraulic fluid an issue?

I was thinking of same setup but worried I would need a secondary hydraulic cooler?

 

[02SILVER]

The highest temp I recorded was 160 degrees f when worked hard in brush during a 4 hour period.