Bobcat

Bobcat

The Bobcat Company sells the smallest, maneuverable hydraulic machinery on the market, which was marketed under the slogan: Tough, Quick, and Agile. Based in North Dakota, the company is the American arm of South Korean manufacturer Doosan Group.

Bobcat is named for the tough wild cat who hunts prey in the toughest of environments and boasts ear tufts and yellow fur with black spots. The lineup of construction products, featuring models like the S590, S770, A770, and T180, manufactured by Bobcat company includes:

• Compact excavators
• Compact tractors
• Skid steer loaders
• Utility vehicles
• Compact track loaders

A skid steer loader, also called a skid loader, is a model of compact, miniature equipment surrounded by a stiff framework and powered by a gasoline engine. Although normally used as an excavator or front-end loader, its two lift arms can be connected to an assortment of tools for a range of purposes from lifting litter to digging soil. In fact, it has been called the "Swiss Army Knife of Power Equipment." Bobcat Company holds the patent for the world's first skid steer and continues to build a range of machinery.

Although technically considered heavy equipment, the skid steer, or skid loader, has less weight and greater range of motion than tractor-based backhoe or front-end excavator.

This equipment has no steering mechanism. To turn left, the operator simply engages the right track, or wheels, and the machine slides, or skids, to the left. To turn right, the operator does the exact opposite. This gives the machine an extremely tight turning radius.

Wheeled machinery is restricted to smooth surfaces. Machinery with tracks, especially so-called caterpillar tracks with built-in gripping spikes for climbing over obstacles, are considered all terrain.

Bobcat patented the first universal coupler, called a "quick attach," that allows the operator to use attachments from different manufacturers. The only requirement is to make sure the hydraulic flow of the machine meets the needs of the attachment.

The Bobcat Company series range includes compact, all-wheel-drive models that range in weight from 700 to 4000 pounds. Some come with an open cab while others offer a closed cab with climate control.

• Make sure only the operator is aboard the loader and no riders.
• Only park on level ground. Avoid hill slopes, ditches or other potential hazards.
• Be careful to never overload the bucket.
• Always be aware of your environment. Watch out for people or obstacles beside, or behind you.