skid steer controls

[farmboy555]

We had one of the first Bobcats in my area 1972 think it was a 610
My current machine is a S185, want to upgrade to a CTL. Loaded my truck with a 590 bobcat that was on the job - joy sticks. Hated it. Trying to shake dirt out of bucket terrible
Can you get the old style foot control anymore??
Electric over hydraulic sucks

 

[NinePine]

I am not a professional and do not operate my machine all day every day, so productivity is not a big determining factor for me. I am the owner of the machine, so there was no way I was going to buy a unit with hand controls for the simple fact that they can be a nightmare to keep them functioning. Yes, I am aware that I still have hand controls for auxiliary functions. The foot controls on my unit are old school, but very simple in design and function. Very easy to work on. For the same reasons I try to stay away from diesel systems running def and/or exhaust particulate filters. For me it is simpler to buy old and rebuild if necessary. At work our trucks are newer diesels and we have nothing but heartaches and grief with the emission systems.

 

[KSSS]

We had one of the first Bobcats in my area 1972 think it was a 610
My current machine is a S185, want to upgrade to a CTL. Loaded my truck with a 590 bobcat that was on the job - joy sticks. Hated it. Trying to shake dirt out of bucket terrible
Can you get the old style foot control anymore??
Electric over hydraulic sucks

Using a BC 590 as benchmark for forming an opinion on EH is like saying all skid steers are junk because the 751 I ran has no power. I have run newer BC and CATs as well as the Case machines that I own and while they all have their own feel, they all work very well. You can snap the bucket every bit as effectively as a mechanical machine without the effort. Case/NH offer mechanical hand/foot. Deere offers it but it is EH not mechanical. CAT offers hand/foot but I am not sure if it is mechanical or EH. There are others as well. I am not sure what the take rate is on that option, my guess would be very low and likely becomes less and less as more of the hand/foot guys fade out. Certainly there is more to go wrong with EH, but the initial issues have largely been worked out. The ability to switch patterns, adjust sensitivity and speed of controls and requiring much less input effort make EH a much better solution for operators. Pilots are a close second, they offer low effort, less electrical reliance but you cant easily switch patterns (in SSL and CTL's) and cant easily adjust speed and sensitivity. Mechanical/servo controls have a place, they are cheaper and caveman simple. So for some users they make sense. However if you use a SSL every day and make your money with one, the advantages of EH/Pilot make up for the few drawbacks. As for DEF, I wish it wasn't necessary, and by necessary I mean that EPA didn't mandate Tier 4 Final. Since they have and DEF is the world we live at least for now, we have to deal with it. Some OEM's are having better luck than others, but teaching your people how to run and care for them is not on the OEM and falls back to the buyer. There is a lot a buyer can do to make the operation of DEF machines more reliable. If you run a Tier 4 Final machine like a Tier 3 machine, your likely to be disappointed.

 

[nycb]

I didn't have years and years with hand/foot, maybe 4-5 years before getting to try out pilot controls.

After half a day they became my preference. I had been running the mini-ex for just as long though, so the concept was already wired in.

Way less operator fatigue with pilot controls.

 

[check]

I only have about 450 hours skid steer time, but I learned on hand foot controls and hate them. You get thrown about in a skid steer so much and I find my feet are for bracing myself. I like the pilot controls on my last 2 Cats, a 236B and a 246, although there are more places for hydraulic to leak out and it seems a little counter-intuitive when backing up. I've never tried Case controls but I think I would like them very much, simple without having to use feet.