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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2008-10-07          157087


The Fall 2008 copy of Worksaver magazine came yesterday with an interesting looking machine on the front cover. The Bobcat "ToolCat" 5610 is a four wheel steer outfit with front and rear three point and a hydraulic driven 540 PTO on the rear. Heated and AC cab with more than 40 front mounted attachments. My first impression is that it has much more horsepower, (59), than it does tires to make it usefull unless they plan for most of the power to be consumed by the attachments. Anyone else see it? Frank.



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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2008-10-08          157096


Frank it's got a loader arm on the front too to mount attachments like a skid steer! I didn't see anything about a front 3-point though.

I haven't seen any gentlemen farmers around here who use them, but my loacl Bobcat dealer keeps them in stock. Around here it's the bigger landscapers/snow removal guys who use them all year round. Even a local toll bridge comapny uses one for maintenance. I gotta think golf courses would use them too.

My only issue with a multipurpose vehicle is sure, you buy all the attachments--loader bucket, front mower, broom, etc.. All is good and well while its new and shiney. But then it breaks down. Now you can't do ANYTHING until it's fixed.

I realize the above scenario is not an issue for most. Downtime is a BIG factor for me: I prefer to have a backhoe, skid steer and a tractor that can either compliment each other's abilities, or in some cases duplicate them when one won't start, got a flat tire, or is on another job across town.

But I'm jis' sayin'. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2008-10-08          157099


I reread the article in the magazine, and you are correct it doesn't actually say three point for the front attachments. Looks like they want to lock the owner into using only their equipment instead of a common three point piece. It reminds me of the UNI Harvesters, (New Idea brand, I think), of the 1950-60's where one base power unit was used to mount a combine, ear corn picker, hay baler, and I'm sure other attachments that I've forgotten about. Somewhat of a good idea, only one engine, power train to maintain, etc.. They were kind of a flash in the pan, most of them ended up out in the grove for their final resting place. Frank. ....


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candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 1932 North Dakota
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2008-10-08          157102


Frank,

City maintenance shops are buying the tool cat for placing signs, cleaning sidewalks, blowing snow, painting curbs and hydrants, putting up fences, ball park maintenance, trimming park trees, etc. Aside from being very useful for these projects, it can also be easily hauled long distances (County parks, for example) with most any heavy duty pickup.

The large number of available attachments makes owning a Tool Cat a good investment for most anyone, as it reduces the shop's inventory of lubricants, tires, batteries, and specialty tools needed when running many different types of machinery.

A good inventory of parts can be kept on hand at greatly reduced costs, when compared to operating a fleet of differing brands and types of vehicles.

I wish more city and other municipal governments would purchase these versatile machines.

Joel ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-10-08          157104


We've had several tool cats for a few years now, they're dead handy for certain jobs and sites we have.

It seems like it's over-powered on paper, but on the ground it's just perfect. The hyrostat drive system has an nifty (and really good performing) traction control system so it doesn't spin at all, and it's heavy enough, and well-balanced so it really works well.

There's two models, one has a 3pth on the rear, the other not. I got the one without because I've already got enough things with a 3pth in the fleet, and it wasn't being bought as a tractor.

The attachments on the FEL are not unique in any way, in fact the mount is a standard Bobcat brand Bob-Tach system hookup. That means we can merely rent anything specialized from nearly any rental house.

Ours spends most of it's life on the larger commercial sites, plowing snow off large areas of sidewalk, and tending the grounds in the summer. This makes the two-man heated/air-conditioned cab a real bonus.

I hate to sound like an info-mercial, but they really did a good job on this machine!

There's only one thing I'd like to change about it, the ~$40,000 price tag! LOL

Best of luck. ....


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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2008-10-08          157108


Not being too familiar with Bobcat I thought being it was on the front cover it was an introduction of a new machine. At 40 big ones probably not too many will be sold for recreation use tho. Frank. ....


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auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2008-10-08          157109


Makes me think of the Unimog. ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-10-08          157110


Frank, it's funny you mention 'recreational' use, I thought the same thing. That was until a neighbour of mine up at the summer place did just that!!

He priced out a new CUT & UTV and found that the Toolcat was going to be cheaper than buying both of the other two and would do everything he needs and more.

He, like myself, has a big hunk of waterfront and woods to deal with, plus a long driveway through the woods to the road. He lives there now that he's retired, and especially in the winter, rarely drives his truck unless he's going into town. For 'chore' purposes the big dump box will carry a lot more than the bucket of the FEL. He even uses it to clear his long laneway of all but the heaviest snow falls, and even then does all his own clean up and trimming after the local with the big front mount blower clears the main driveway out.

The dealer says he's sold just about as many to big estates and such as he has for industrial or commercial duty.

They're kind of like a diesel powered Swiss Army knife, you can do nearly anything with them, a kind of 'if I can have only 1 tool I'll take it' thing.

Best of luck. ....


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bvance
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 280 The Great Pacific NorthWet, Olympia, WA
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2008-10-08          157131


Murf,

The ToolCat looks like a very interesting unit. Why didn't I know about it when I bought my NH Skidsteer that I use for a variety of jobs but primarily for snow removal for my place in Idaho? In looking at the specs of the ToolCat it looks like the hydraulics will pump at 28 GPM where my Skidsteer will pump at only 15 GPM. Does that sound right? I run a big 2 stage snow blower on my Skidsteer and it takes some pretty good hydraulics to run it and the Skidsteer powers it right along but often times will bog down a bit when I'm doing 18 inches of heavy snow. But it looks like the ToolCat would even do better at that. Is that the case for you when you hook a good sized 2 stage snow blower to it?

I have a bunch of other attachments for the NH that sounds like they would hook right on to the ToolCat but it would be even more versatile.

Very interesting....

Brian ....


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Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999
Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2008-10-09          157135


Brian, just as with other machines with a dedicated auxiliary hydraulic system this thing has a monstrous hydraulic system.

The aux. outputs alone have an flow rate of ~19gpm for standard flow, and ~28gpm with the optional high flow setup, both are rated at 3,000psi.

While we don't run a blower on ours, I've seen them running one, and they certainly move a lot of snow fast. We only use plows, pushers and brooms for snow on ours because of the sites they're on.

One thing I can tell you though, they're sure a LOT quieter and smoother running around in than is a SSL!! Our guys just love them.

Best of luck. ....


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