Outstanding basic video for skid steer operation and techniques. I learned the hard way on my first time in a Bobcat on our farm in 1997 about the high bucket problem. I didn’t have it all the way up, but I hit some bumps which rocked me front to back, which in turn caused my hand on the steering to rock front and back, which exaggerated the movement on the bumps…classic oscillation, and over the front I flipped after about 3 cycles. Kind of dazed but unhurt, literally hanging from the belly bar and seat belt inside. I heard my wife outside (who had seen the whole thing) clearly imaging the worst, and then I started laughing my butt off inside the cab. Probably not the best reaction but at least my wife knew I was alive. Man, if I’d been on a job site I would have earned a nickname like Crash or Flip for life. But I learned the high center of gravity lesson the hard way, and sure wish we’d had this video back then to learn it the soft way! I also had NO CLUE you could disengage the hydraulics then, so my “floating” left something to be desired. Thanks again - outstanding video.
Great video for new/first time operators! +1 for respecting the limitations and dangers of your equipment. I happily have never rolled a skid steer in my 20+ years of operating them, but have come darn close. Here are a couple of things I would like to add as well. 1. If you ever feel like you are tipping forward with a load, lower your boom and/or dump your bucket. It's a natural reaction to want to back up, but that only puts your center of gravity farther forward and exacerbates the problem. Ending up on your nose is recoverable, but is uncomfortable to say the least. I've seen it lead to roll to the side before, especially on a slope. 2. After picking up a heavy load, your pivot point on the machine will change. Unloaded, it is somewhere between the the center of the machine and the rear wheel/sprocket. It shifts farther and farther toward the front wheel/roller the heavier the load is, and the higher you carry it. Many new operators, at some point, have run into problems with this change in pivot. "Problems" being trees, fences, etc. in tight quarters. 3. Personally, I find full throttle to be more conducive to predictability with machine response. I do quite a bit of tight quarters digging and grading and have never liked the jerkyness inherent in the foot throttle. TBH, I am an old Bobcat operator who still uses foot controls (can't stand hand controls, but use them from time to time). I never had the option for a foot throttle, but when I have tried it on other machines, didn't go great. Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope it helps anyone using any type of skid out there.
Heading up to New Jersey tomorrow for a snow storm job ill be operating a bob cat for the first time not sure if its foot controls or hand controls... but i sure am excited and this helped!
@@halofan4life1000 Good luck Daylan. Just be careful of curbs, manholes etc that may be hiding in the snow if you aren't familiar with the site. They will rock your world if you hit them at speed. Seatbelt has saved my face from the front door glass more than once.
This person is presenting his video very effectively. I hope more people watch this, rather than others. These machines require focussed attention, and clear thinking.
a couple of things that I think are pretty important to mention when you're talking about running skid steers. I am very glad you stressed how dangerous they are they are very easy to tip over especially if they are on tires. Always wear your seatbelt. With skid steers make sure you are always watching the bucket level especially if you have concrete in your bucket or something like that I have seen it come through the cab on guys before. When you're loading trucks and your arms are high like that put a berm of dirt next to the dump truck that way the machine is angled back just a little bit as you're dumping and it will increase your stability by a lot. My biggest piece of advice with any equipment but especially skid steers get as comfortable as you possibly can in the machine because if you are comfortable you are more attentive to what you are doing as well as more proficient. Great job on this video if you are new to running skid steers this is a great place to start.
Sounds like you do more construction work with them, I do more forestry work. I’m sure you’d know that moving heavy and cumbersome material like pipes (my case trees) you really gotta find the center of gravity of your load, otherwise you can’t steer to well and is very dangerous to the people working near you
That's a great piece of advice to put a little material doen to angle you back when loading. I've just recently started using a skid near daily out on a ranch and I've had to learn real quick! That bit is going to help me. Thx
Really not my line of work but I've been asked to operate a bobcat for 1 day tomorrow because I occasionally do operate wheel loaders and forklifts , however, I have only operated a skid steer for like half an hour a couple of years ago, so it's great that these videos are out there, thank you so much!
Just get in and start pushing buttons and knobs! Make sure to hit the horn a few times to ensure those around you know you don't know your way around the machine!
I have run equipment for 30 years, and that was all good information. We let a customer use one of our skid steers over a weekend once, and he managed to flop it onto it's side on a perfectly level lot. I guess he had the bucket high and did a sudden sharp turn. That's all it takes.
Another good tip for back dragging is if you are doing the aggressive drag like you showed the second time, when you near the end of your back drag and still have material built up behind your blade, keep it in float and roll your bucket back to level while still moving back. It will smooth out the end of your grade very smoothly. Let the machine do the work!
Oh, and you can also grade a little while going forward by curling up slightly on your bucket and leaving the boom fully down. Then you can easily transition into the float back drag in reverse by engaging the float and curl your bucket down slightly to get that perfectly smooth finish!
Helped my boss yesterday by laying gravel in lateral field trenches for the first time as he was digging them out. Was already using your techniques. Laid nice even coatings of gravel. I feel like a pro already
Renting a Bobcat in a couple weeks to smooth out and level a clearing in the woods where we bought property never had operated one before I do feel more comfortable about it watching your video, thanks for the post!
Great video, I used to operate a wheeled version on road construction sites about 20 years ago, they weren't quite as fancy as this one, it was pedals for the boom and bucket and you'd whack it up to full revs at the start of the shift and leave it there as they didn't like anything other than full power! I can remember the day I finally had one with a door too, such luxury! Very true about skid steers being one of the more dangerous bits of equipment on site, people often overlook them as a hazard as they are small, the main issue I had (other than being 'buzzed' by 40 ton articulated rock trucks) was labourers or other workers wandering into your work area, not realising that the visibility is quite poor when reversing and you tend to spend as much time going backwards as you do going forwards.
Thank you for the video. Going to operating a skid steer for the first time to clear brush from property. Besides the tips on the video is there specific tips for this type of project?
Yeah I’m 14 and I’m working with my dad in excavating and I flipped forward and couldn’t get out till 5 minutes later my dad got the excavator and pulled the skid stear up again and he told me to watch a how to video about a skid steer, and it helped, thx a lot
I rented a track skid the first time this past weekend. I found that the controls came quite natural to me thanks to this video. I quickly learned how much more powerful and faster this machine is than my 50hp tractor loader. Its a powerhouse! As a first timer, I seemed to do best at about half throttle and keeping my hands lower on the joystick toward the base so when I bounced around I wasn't hitting the controls and making it worse. I would then throttle up when driving in straight lines. 5 star, will rent again
Thanks. I'm about to go rent one and it's been 15 years since I have been in one so it was nice to go through everything real quick. Seems easier now without the foot controls for the bucket.
Thank you for telling folks how to use and how the controls work on the skid steer. I am going to take an in-cab test today and I appreciate the clarity on this matter. You have earned my subscription. Bye for now.
I remember the first time I rented one. I nearly tipped it over backward, driving up a slope. There were lots of "Oh Shit!" moments that weekend! What a difference twenty years makes. Now I own one, and it feels like a glove.
Today was my first time driving a bobcat didn’t do bad eventually I’ll get more comfortable, hopefully this helps me more with a better understanding of controls etc
I learned quickly how to operate one when I rented it this weekend. you also get more comfortable when the first thing you have to do without knowing how to operate it is to unload it from the trailer with the use of this two thin aluminum ramps. yeah that's how you learn quickly hahaha
Really love these instructions. Bin a few years since I operated a skidsteer so I came here for a quick tune up lesson. Just wanna comment and say you don't wanna over fill the bucket because the over flow onto the tilt pins get filled with sand and its hard to grease all the muck out of the pins
thank you very much for this. my operator quit on me 2 days before a big job, and i needed a huge refreshment aswell as learning some new things. thank you !!!!!
This is a very good tutorial. Really appreciate your training. My husband and I will be running one of these puppies today. We're both cherry with heavy equipment but, with this video, we'll take it slow and steady. I'm so excited! Thanks so much!
The smallest Bobcat is the S70 which we use to get through gates and it is comparatively light weight. Of course lacks the power and brute capability of the larger machines which means finessing every task. Enjoyed your video as it gave me some useful tips on maximizing the use of our small machine. More detail on lifting and traveling techniques as well as tricks with grading and maneuvering would be most welcome.
Have a interview tomorrow for punch crew/bobcat operator. I'm brand new to this. But confident . Got my certification and time to put it to work. Appreciate all these videos to give me a head start
Just want to comment on how you scoop into the pile. I see this a lot and I even do it myself when I'm not thinking about it but you don't want to just go in straight at the bottom of the pile. If you do this then you need to overcome the weight of all the material above the bucket which requires more power out of the machine then necessary. Instead you should start at the bottom and scrape up the side of the pile. This will give you a full bucket of material without needing to go above engine idle. Also to everyone reading this, don't spin your tires, it offers no benefit and all you are doing is rapidly wearing them out and costing yourself more money. As a mechanic I hate seeing this.
Having watched a few episodes now, I find them very informative and demystifying the equipment you demonstrate. Far more helpful in giving a general summary of various machines than some of the other videos I've watched. Thanks!
GREAT VIDEO!!! I truly enjoyed your basic training on how to operate a Bobcat skid steer. I'm having some work done in my backyard by some contractors and they left their skid steer over the weekend. I needed to learn how to operate a skid steer because I'm going to steal the contractor's skid steer and move a fair amount of dirt myself. Now I know how!!! YIPEE!!!
Good advice! For sure a more dangerous machine than a bulldozer which takes longer to react. My first time in a skid steer was at a job I had at age 18. No training just "can you run this" Sure I said. Old M610 with hand/foot pedals. The learning curve was an hour, didn't hit anything and got the job done! The old ones didn't even have rops and one mistake I made was dumping sand on myself when trying to load a truck.
That's me right now lol. 19yrs old and almost tipped myself forward with a heavy concrete load. I wasn't aware of how quick these things slowed down, its almost instant once you let off the throttle
Crazy from an old school operator. Lots of safety stuff now days that's unwarranted if you just pay attention to what you're doing. Hearing protection is the one thing I should have done.
Thanks, very informative!. I appreciate the safety tips. I may have to operate a Bobcat in the near future and this will help me to quickly become familiar with a Bobcat. I operate a CAT 938M loader and your floating technique will help me whenever I have to fill in some of the low spots at work. Straight to the point with no fluff. Thanks again for the great video.
Yes pretty easy to handle. I myself went on a job the other week ,and the client said they had a telly handler. Upon my arrival , Found it to be a kubota skid steer on tracks. 3 mins of training and was cleared to drive. After a few hours picking sand up , changing the bucket to forks and carrying bricks , to floating and making a make shift track around tight conditions around the building. Common sense a Ways prevails
@@HeavyMetalLearning Years ago I bought a New Holland skid steer to unload bulk seed potatoes. I had just started unloading a semi when the grower drove up to watch me. I was in Florida and we get our seed in first of January, the seed was from Maine and the grower would come down to check on his deliveries. That way he could expense his winter vacation in a beachfront condo in St. Augustine. Anyway, he watch me for a few minutes and then started talking to me. He said I was doing a great job driving the skid steer and ask how long I had be driving one. I said about 15 minutes, until that morning I had never driven one in my life. I had been driving farm equipment, backhoe and bulldozers for 15 years and am a natural equipment operator. A few years ago my father in law rented a skid steer to spread sand in his driveway. It had joysticks instead of the hand-foot controls I was used too. The bucket was no problem but I could hardly drive it. It seemed when reversing I would always turn the wrong way. I was zig-zagging all over his yard. He though I did a great job though.
Great Instructional Video! This really help to layout the controls and basic functions for someone just getting into the use of one of these machines. Thank you sir!
Yep green horn here, going to be using a mulching head on the one ima be using for forestry. It's duller then a broken pencil but ima get familiar with the operation and running of it at least.
What a wonderful, well made training video full with useful information for the first time operator. I'm gonna drive one next week, but I rented the walk behind typed bobcat a while ago when I learned if you raised the blade too high and full with soil or rocks, the machine will lose balance and I almost tip over than machine.
I would add that the tracked machines are way more stable than the wheeled ones Also I would say that your video production is amazing. Very well done!
This is a great video I run or equipment rental store the one thing I can't find on the internet maybe you guys might be interested in making is a what not to do on a track skid steer video. I have a lot of inexperienced customers that get into trouble backing tracks off and rolling machines because they just don't know what not to do. And I can't find a video anywhere to show people what not to do on a machine because they're inexperienced and they think they can go anywhere and do anything this video will be great show how to run it but I really wish there was one the highlighted the easy mistakes that they can make
We'll see about doing an additional skid steer video in the future. Would be interested in hearing from all of you on "what NOT to do" along with the mistakes to avoid. Thanks!
@David C I wish that was the case here in the states. They dont have any certificate system here on heavy equipment. I'd say most if the time the customer has some knowledge about the equipment. Even experienced operators do alot of things wrong because they don't care it's not their equipment so they abuse it
It’s about getting oriented with the controls and understanding the limitations within safe boundaries. I’ve learned to use some heavy equipment by training of the operators. Those same operators are also the same ones that say “Don’t let me find you doing *blank* after explaining certain hazards.
Nice, clear video. Good job. I've rented one of these a couple of times before and am about to rent one again to prepare some ground for a paver patio. It's been a few years since the last time though, so I came here to get a refresher before renting. Thanks for taking the time to record and post this. Good information.
@@HeavyMetalLearning Thanks. The project is going slow so far. All the local skid steers are rented out for the next few weeks so I've been going at it with a shovel. I'm wishing I was about 40 years younger. :-)
I'm gonna be starting a job soon where my boss lied and said I knew how to drive and operate one (bad call on him for lying) so I'm actually kind of terrified of having to get in one. This video has definitely helped ease some worries, but my anxiety about it is in full force when I dwell on it too much.
Good luck with the new job. There are several other videos on skid steer training under our LEARN playlist. Just take your time, and ask questions if you don’t understand.
Me before watching video: :::sweating profusely::: Those things must operate like space ships. I could never handle one. Me after watching video: I've played video games with more difficult controls. I got this.
Great tips! Definitely stress using the seat belt.. When you hit a raised manhole cover while pushing snow in the middle of the night you're going to want to be belted in!
I drive a new holland l223 around 20 hours a week on a farm, foot throttle saves a ton of fuel. find h patten so much easier to use. Two wheels is something to be mastered (experience comes with years of use) makes the tipping point less scary and easier to control when loading big machines or heavy loads.
Thanks for the comment. We are trying to mix it up with some training vids, some funny stuff, and others about our business. Hopefully people like the variety, but also that's why we separated content in to our playlists in case you only want one type of videos. Just let us know if there are any other types of videos you would like to see.
I have been using a 2017 John Deere 318G. I wish to know if you must always run it at 100% throttle. We use it to move fine sand and it works on an easy terrain.
Watching your video made me realize why I could never get the float to work. One comment though...you can move the bobcat without pulling down the bar, provided the bucket is off the ground. The "green button" to activate the controls doubles as a "traction control override" as written below the button. Hitting that button with the bar up releases the parking brake and activates the tire/track motions but keeps the bucket controls locked out. I use H pattern at work instead of ISO but I would guess it still works the same.
interesting...thanks for sharing. Although not sure about that safety bar action, that might be defective in your unit if you are able to drive with it up. I have never been in any skid that worked with it in the up position.
Your reply got me concerned about our bobcat unit so I did some googling. The feature is in place for attachments such as the backhoe when you sit outside of the machine. It allows you to hit that button and move the machine without sitting inside. Maybe it's only a bobcat feature? I can't speak on other brands because I have only used Bobcat.
@@calehufsmith4565 interesting. That makes sense so maybe there is that override on others, never operated other attachments like that on a skid where you don't need to be in the seat. Thanks for sharing!
I learned I believe when I was 6 we had a bobcat 753 (still do only has 500hrs) it has the h pattern (case) and just ran it around the farm and taught myself like all people should do and have leaned little trucks along the way
Outstanding basic video for skid steer operation and techniques. I learned the hard way on my first time in a Bobcat on our farm in 1997 about the high bucket problem. I didn’t have it all the way up, but I hit some bumps which rocked me front to back, which in turn caused my hand on the steering to rock front and back, which exaggerated the movement on the bumps…classic oscillation, and over the front I flipped after about 3 cycles. Kind of dazed but unhurt, literally hanging from the belly bar and seat belt inside. I heard my wife outside (who had seen the whole thing) clearly imaging the worst, and then I started laughing my butt off inside the cab. Probably not the best reaction but at least my wife knew I was alive. Man, if I’d been on a job site I would have earned a nickname like Crash or Flip for life. But I learned the high center of gravity lesson the hard way, and sure wish we’d had this video back then to learn it the soft way! I also had NO CLUE you could disengage the hydraulics then, so my “floating” left something to be desired. Thanks again - outstanding video.
You are a natural born instructor. Very well done, sir!
Thank you very much!
Agreed, you make good clear easy to understand videos.
Great video for new/first time operators! +1 for respecting the limitations and dangers of your equipment. I happily have never rolled a skid steer in my 20+ years of operating them, but have come darn close. Here are a couple of things I would like to add as well.
1. If you ever feel like you are tipping forward with a load, lower your boom and/or dump your bucket. It's a natural reaction to want to back up, but that only puts your center of gravity farther forward and exacerbates the problem. Ending up on your nose is recoverable, but is uncomfortable to say the least. I've seen it lead to roll to the side before, especially on a slope.
2. After picking up a heavy load, your pivot point on the machine will change. Unloaded, it is somewhere between the the center of the machine and the rear wheel/sprocket. It shifts farther and farther toward the front wheel/roller the heavier the load is, and the higher you carry it. Many new operators, at some point, have run into problems with this change in pivot. "Problems" being trees, fences, etc. in tight quarters.
3. Personally, I find full throttle to be more conducive to predictability with machine response. I do quite a bit of tight quarters digging and grading and have never liked the jerkyness inherent in the foot throttle. TBH, I am an old Bobcat operator who still uses foot controls (can't stand hand controls, but use them from time to time). I never had the option for a foot throttle, but when I have tried it on other machines, didn't go great.
Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope it helps anyone using any type of skid out there.
These are awesome tips! Thank you for sharing!
Heading up to New Jersey tomorrow for a snow storm job ill be operating a bob cat for the first time not sure if its foot controls or hand controls... but i sure am excited and this helped!
@@halofan4life1000 Good luck Daylan. Just be careful of curbs, manholes etc that may be hiding in the snow if you aren't familiar with the site. They will rock your world if you hit them at speed. Seatbelt has saved my face from the front door glass more than once.
@@bwwilson1765 thanks man! Ill keep that in mind 🤘🏼
how good r u now?
This person is presenting his video very effectively. I hope more people watch this, rather than others. These machines require focussed attention, and clear thinking.
Thanks for the feedback and comment!
Really good instruction, just info one needs, no music, good pace. Perfect.
Thanks for the comment!
Very well explained. Great job
a couple of things that I think are pretty important to mention when you're talking about running skid steers. I am very glad you stressed how dangerous they are they are very easy to tip over especially if they are on tires. Always wear your seatbelt. With skid steers make sure you are always watching the bucket level especially if you have concrete in your bucket or something like that I have seen it come through the cab on guys before. When you're loading trucks and your arms are high like that put a berm of dirt next to the dump truck that way the machine is angled back just a little bit as you're dumping and it will increase your stability by a lot. My biggest piece of advice with any equipment but especially skid steers get as comfortable as you possibly can in the machine because if you are comfortable you are more attentive to what you are doing as well as more proficient. Great job on this video if you are new to running skid steers this is a great place to start.
Great tips...thanks for sharing!
Sounds like you do more construction work with them, I do more forestry work.
I’m sure you’d know that moving heavy and cumbersome material like pipes (my case trees) you really gotta find the center of gravity of your load, otherwise you can’t steer to well and is very dangerous to the people working near you
That's a great piece of advice to put a little material doen to angle you back when loading.
I've just recently started using a skid near daily out on a ranch and I've had to learn real quick! That bit is going to help me. Thx
Really not my line of work but I've been asked to operate a bobcat for 1 day tomorrow because I occasionally do operate wheel loaders and forklifts , however, I have only operated a skid steer for like half an hour a couple of years ago, so it's great that these videos are out there, thank you so much!
Just get in and start pushing buttons and knobs! Make sure to hit the horn a few times to ensure those around you know you don't know your way around the machine!
Good call
This right here...this was me today..🤣
I was wondering if I can make the controls the same as my s185????
left trigger on a clark bobcat ;D
I did that in a mini.
I have run equipment for 30 years, and that was all good information. We let a customer use one of our skid steers over a weekend once, and he managed to flop it onto it's side on a perfectly level lot. I guess he had the bucket high and did a sudden sharp turn. That's all it takes.
Thanks for sharing
Another good tip for back dragging is if you are doing the aggressive drag like you showed the second time, when you near the end of your back drag and still have material built up behind your blade, keep it in float and roll your bucket back to level while still moving back. It will smooth out the end of your grade very smoothly. Let the machine do the work!
Oh, and you can also grade a little while going forward by curling up slightly on your bucket and leaving the boom fully down. Then you can easily transition into the float back drag in reverse by engaging the float and curl your bucket down slightly to get that perfectly smooth finish!
I have been running equipment for years and it seems I can always learn something from your videos.
Awesome to hear...thanks for the comment!
I'm buying my first skid steer for use on my property. I'm so excited! Thank you for this wonderful, exceedingly helpful video!
Helped my boss yesterday by laying gravel in lateral field trenches for the first time as he was digging them out. Was already using your techniques. Laid nice even coatings of gravel. I feel like a pro already
Renting a Bobcat in a couple weeks to smooth out and level a clearing in the woods where we bought property never had operated one before I do feel more comfortable about it watching your video, thanks for the post!
Best of luck!
Wow, very good video. Thanks for talking slowly and explaining things and what you are doing.
Great video, I used to operate a wheeled version on road construction sites about 20 years ago, they weren't quite as fancy as this one, it was pedals for the boom and bucket and you'd whack it up to full revs at the start of the shift and leave it there as they didn't like anything other than full power! I can remember the day I finally had one with a door too, such luxury! Very true about skid steers being one of the more dangerous bits of equipment on site, people often overlook them as a hazard as they are small, the main issue I had (other than being 'buzzed' by 40 ton articulated rock trucks) was labourers or other workers wandering into your work area, not realising that the visibility is quite poor when reversing and you tend to spend as much time going backwards as you do going forwards.
Absolutely...thanks for the comment!
Thank you for the video. Going to operating a skid steer for the first time to clear brush from property. Besides the tips on the video is there specific tips for this type of project?
1st timer here. In a week or 2, I will rent my 1st skid. Not too, too worried, just don't wanna damage or destroy anything. Great video!!
Yeah I’m 14 and I’m working with my dad in excavating and I flipped forward and couldn’t get out till 5 minutes later my dad got the excavator and pulled the skid stear up again and he told me to watch a how to video about a skid steer, and it helped, thx a lot
This is excellent, learnt more here than the 3 full days of paid training.
lol....thanks for the comment....sorry your paid training isn't good.
I rented a track skid the first time this past weekend. I found that the controls came quite natural to me thanks to this video. I quickly learned how much more powerful and faster this machine is than my 50hp tractor loader. Its a powerhouse! As a first timer, I seemed to do best at about half throttle and keeping my hands lower on the joystick toward the base so when I bounced around I wasn't hitting the controls and making it worse. I would then throttle up when driving in straight lines. 5 star, will rent again
Thanks. I'm about to go rent one and it's been 15 years since I have been in one so it was nice to go through everything real quick. Seems easier now without the foot controls for the bucket.
Thanks. that was great. Going to lay down roadbase soon and I feel like I got a great start
Thank you for telling folks how to use and how the controls work on the skid steer. I am going to take an in-cab test today and I appreciate the clarity on this matter. You have earned my subscription. Bye for now.
Good luck on your test. Thanks for the comment!
I remember the first time I rented one. I nearly tipped it over backward, driving up a slope. There were lots of "Oh Shit!" moments that weekend! What a difference twenty years makes. Now I own one, and it feels like a glove.
Today was my first time driving a bobcat didn’t do bad eventually I’ll get more comfortable, hopefully this helps me more with a better understanding of controls etc
I love these machines. been operating a case for a while, had a bobcat a long time.
Amazing time and labor savers. They pay for themselves.
Great video! The guy at the rental store wouldn't even load it on his trailer for me; had to figure it out myself
I learned quickly how to operate one when I rented it this weekend. you also get more comfortable when the first thing you have to do without knowing how to operate it is to unload it from the trailer with the use of this two thin aluminum ramps. yeah that's how you learn quickly hahaha
Really love these instructions. Bin a few years since I operated a skidsteer so I came here for a quick tune up lesson. Just wanna comment and say you don't wanna over fill the bucket because the over flow onto the tilt pins get filled with sand and its hard to grease all the muck out of the pins
Good point...thanks for the comment!
@@HeavyMetalLearning your welcome. I thought it might be an interesting point to add to a video at some point.
Helps refresh my mind on operating the skid steer. Much appreciated big life saver.
You're welcome...thanks for the comment!
thank you very much for this. my operator quit on me 2 days before a big job, and i needed a huge refreshment aswell as learning some new things. thank you !!!!!
You’re welcome...thanks for the comment!
Oh man, how'd it go. Or did u hire someone else.
@@ravi3shekh1 got 200 yards spread and the customer loved it !
This is a very good tutorial. Really appreciate your training. My husband and I will be running one of these puppies today. We're both cherry with heavy equipment but, with this video, we'll take it slow and steady. I'm so excited! Thanks so much!
How’d it go?
@@danielmejia1096 this has been months ago but, we had fun and got our job done. Thanks for asking!
The smallest Bobcat is the S70 which we use to get through gates and it is comparatively light weight. Of course lacks the power and brute capability of the larger machines which means finessing every task. Enjoyed your video as it gave me some useful tips on maximizing the use of our small machine. More detail on lifting and traveling techniques as well as tricks with grading and maneuvering would be most welcome.
Waiting to here back about a job running bobcats for a mill in town. Wanted a quick rundown on controls this was great.
Have a interview tomorrow for punch crew/bobcat operator. I'm brand new to this. But confident . Got my certification and time to put it to work. Appreciate all these videos to give me a head start
Good luck...thanks for the comment!
Just want to comment on how you scoop into the pile. I see this a lot and I even do it myself when I'm not thinking about it but you don't want to just go in straight at the bottom of the pile. If you do this then you need to overcome the weight of all the material above the bucket which requires more power out of the machine then necessary. Instead you should start at the bottom and scrape up the side of the pile. This will give you a full bucket of material without needing to go above engine idle. Also to everyone reading this, don't spin your tires, it offers no benefit and all you are doing is rapidly wearing them out and costing yourself more money. As a mechanic I hate seeing this.
Thanks for sharing!
I'll stay with my excavator!!
thank you for making this video, my adventure has just begun
Having watched a few episodes now, I find them very informative and demystifying the equipment you demonstrate. Far more helpful in giving a general summary of various machines than some of the other videos I've watched. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback and comment!
I'm about to rent one, first time. This video is perfect. Wish me luck! Thanks.
Best of luck!
Wow thank you so much. I have never driven one before and I have 1 coming in tomorrow. You really help me out I really appreciate it.
Glad I could help!
GREAT VIDEO!!! I truly enjoyed your basic training on how to operate a Bobcat skid steer. I'm having some work done in my backyard by some contractors and they left their skid steer over the weekend. I needed to learn how to operate a skid steer because I'm going to steal the contractor's skid steer and move a fair amount of dirt myself. Now I know how!!! YIPEE!!!
Lol...good luck with that. Hopefully it’s not foot controls or you’ll really be screwed!
Good advice! For sure a more dangerous machine than a bulldozer which takes longer to react. My first time in a skid steer was at a job I had at age 18. No training just "can you run this" Sure I said. Old M610 with hand/foot pedals. The learning curve was an hour, didn't hit anything and got the job done! The old ones didn't even have rops and one mistake I made was dumping sand on myself when trying to load a truck.
Thanks for the comment. It's scary how many people get thrown in to those things with little or no training.
That's me right now lol. 19yrs old and almost tipped myself forward with a heavy concrete load. I wasn't aware of how quick these things slowed down, its almost instant once you let off the throttle
Thank you got job this week for a subcontractor and a little nervous never been on Bob cat this makes it little bit better
Very Helpful , clear concise narration. Thank you
Thanks for the comment!
Definitely not me watching this video after getting into a bobcat
Pouhahahqhqhha 😂😂😂😂 mee rn
lmao just started at a asphalt plant and Im in the process of learning how to use a skid this definitely helped xd
LOL! Same here!
@@hulkmood3110any vacancy bro
ವಿಡಿಯೋ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ ಸರ್ ಅದ್ಬುತ ❤️
Crazy from an old school operator. Lots of safety stuff now days that's unwarranted if you just pay attention to what you're doing. Hearing protection is the one thing I should have done.
Ok Boomer
Great reminder, good instruction with no fluff! Thanks so much!
great video for beginners. wish I would've watched this before I bought mine 2 years ago.
Thanks, very informative!. I appreciate the safety tips. I may have to operate a Bobcat in the near future and this will help me to quickly become familiar with a Bobcat. I operate a CAT 938M loader and your floating technique will help me whenever I have to fill in some of the low spots at work. Straight to the point with no fluff. Thanks again for the great video.
Thanks for the comment
am actually a student and your videos have are really helping me in my studies
I'm starting a job this monday, skid with forks. New to this, hope I do well
Good luck man! We have a Skid Steer 201 video coming out later this week so stay tuned...
David, Be sure to take your time. 90% of people would prefer the job gets done right rather than quickly.
@@mr.bender1692 100%
Howis it going, one year in?
How did it go I start on nov 1
Outstanding - really helpful clear instruction and I appreciate your focus on operator safety.
Yes pretty easy to handle. I myself went on a job the other week ,and the client said they had a telly handler. Upon my arrival ,
Found it to be a kubota skid steer on tracks. 3 mins of training and was cleared to drive. After a few hours picking sand up , changing the bucket to forks and carrying bricks , to floating and making a make shift track around tight conditions around the building. Common sense a
Ways prevails
Yeah...just takes stick time
Great instructional video. You did a great job explaining the dangers of the machine. Very helpfull. Thankyou
Thanks for the comment!
The skid steer i use has foot pedals to control the boom and bucket lol. Definitely an art.
Yeah, I haven't used one of those but I know those are still popular with some. I think I would prob fail miserably! Thanks for the comment!
@@HeavyMetalLearning Years ago I bought a New Holland skid steer to unload bulk seed potatoes. I had just started unloading a semi when the grower drove up to watch me. I was in Florida and we get our seed in first of January, the seed was from Maine and the grower would come down to check on his deliveries. That way he could expense his winter vacation in a beachfront condo in St. Augustine. Anyway, he watch me for a few minutes and then started talking to me. He said I was doing a great job driving the skid steer and ask how long I had be driving one. I said about 15 minutes, until that morning I had never driven one in my life. I had been driving farm equipment, backhoe and bulldozers for 15 years and am a natural equipment operator.
A few years ago my father in law rented a skid steer to spread sand in his driveway. It had joysticks instead of the hand-foot controls I was used too. The bucket was no problem but I could hardly drive it. It seemed when reversing I would always turn the wrong way. I was zig-zagging all over his yard. He though I did a great job though.
@@daddio7249 That's impressive you were able to pick it up that quickly! It's tough once you learn one way to operate equipment to change it up.
Great Instructional Video! This really help to layout the controls and basic functions for someone just getting into the use of one of these machines. Thank you sir!
You’re welcome!
Very nice introduction. Clear, concise and to the point. Thank you.
Yep green horn here, going to be using a mulching head on the one ima be using for forestry. It's duller then a broken pencil but ima get familiar with the operation and running of it at least.
What a wonderful, well made training video full with useful information for the first time operator. I'm gonna drive one next week, but I rented the walk behind typed bobcat a while ago when I learned if you raised the blade too high and full with soil or rocks, the machine will lose balance and I almost tip over than machine.
Very well explained. Great job
I wish more informative videos were like this just good information at a good pace relevant no stupid music again very good video
running one of these today for the first time.thought it would be a piece of cake,its not.its not as easy as people think.takes practice.
awesome video. only driven a skid steer once but after watching your video im better prepared for next time
Thanks for the comment!
Excellent tutorial. I enjoyed watching it. 👍
I would add that the tracked machines are way more stable than the wheeled ones Also I would say that your video production is amazing. Very well done!
Thanks for the comment!
This is a great video I run or equipment rental store the one thing I can't find on the internet maybe you guys might be interested in making is a what not to do on a track skid steer video. I have a lot of inexperienced customers that get into trouble backing tracks off and rolling machines because they just don't know what not to do. And I can't find a video anywhere to show people what not to do on a machine because they're inexperienced and they think they can go anywhere and do anything this video will be great show how to run it but I really wish there was one the highlighted the easy mistakes that they can make
Definitely a possibility. Why don’t you email us and we can see about working together on something. Info@extremesandbox.com
We'll see about doing an additional skid steer video in the future. Would be interested in hearing from all of you on "what NOT to do" along with the mistakes to avoid. Thanks!
That would amazing feel free to contact me regarding some ideas for this topic
@David C I wish that was the case here in the states. They dont have any certificate system here on heavy equipment. I'd say most if the time the customer has some knowledge about the equipment. Even experienced operators do alot of things wrong because they don't care it's not their equipment so they abuse it
It’s about getting oriented with the controls and understanding the limitations within safe boundaries.
I’ve learned to use some heavy equipment by training of the operators.
Those same operators are also the same ones that say “Don’t let me find you doing *blank* after explaining certain hazards.
Great video thanks! I'm training on one of these tomorrow. Pretty sure I'll nail it!
First piece of equipment I got to learn on. Also one of the hardest pieces to master.
Totally agree....skids can be tough to master but are a great entry point in to other equipment!
Bob cats are such cute little machines! I get re-trained very soon. Can't wait!
Thanks for the comment!
Nice, clear video. Good job. I've rented one of these a couple of times before and am about to rent one again to prepare some ground for a paver patio. It's been a few years since the last time though, so I came here to get a refresher before renting. Thanks for taking the time to record and post this. Good information.
Thanks for the comment. Hopefully the patio project goes well.
@@HeavyMetalLearning Thanks. The project is going slow so far. All the local skid steers are rented out for the next few weeks so I've been going at it with a shovel. I'm wishing I was about 40 years younger. :-)
I am watching this to refresh my brain because I have to be tested to drive one. I driven them in the past.
Gracias maestro saludos cordiales desde Marruecos.شكرا جزيلا يا استاذ
Great video, I was just looking to rent one to grade my backyard and this answered everything I wanted to know.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge. Now i'm ready for a test drive
I'm gonna be starting a job soon where my boss lied and said I knew how to drive and operate one (bad call on him for lying) so I'm actually kind of terrified of having to get in one. This video has definitely helped ease some worries, but my anxiety about it is in full force when I dwell on it too much.
Good luck with the new job. There are several other videos on skid steer training under our LEARN playlist. Just take your time, and ask questions if you don’t understand.
@Fear So I know it was a year ago but how did it go?
Great resource, thank you so much!
THANK YOU. I MAY APPLY FOR JOB, AND THIS IS ONE DUTY. WELL, DONE. THANKS
I enjoyed it. Thank you for the lesson.
Well done....easy to follow along and understand
Thanks for the comment!
Me before watching video: :::sweating profusely::: Those things must operate like space ships. I could never handle one.
Me after watching video: I've played video games with more difficult controls. I got this.
Lol...I like that...there is no respawning though!
Thank you, very nice instruction with demo. i've been longing to know how to operate a bobcat hopefully i can practice it in actual.
I learned by watching your video. And an AZ road test next week
Great tips! Definitely stress using the seat belt.. When you hit a raised manhole cover while pushing snow in the middle of the night you're going to want to be belted in!
Good call!
Yikes! That'd bring things to a shuddering halt!
Oh man, been there done that! Even with a seatbelt I hit my head on the front glass (I'm rather tall). Really rocks your world.
Cool vid, but will continue to watch it over. I am just learning to do this on this machine.
thank you for taking time to share your knowledge.
You’re welcome!
I drive a new holland l223 around 20 hours a week on a farm, foot throttle saves a ton of fuel. find h patten so much easier to use. Two wheels is something to be mastered (experience comes with years of use) makes the tipping point less scary and easier to control when loading big machines or heavy loads.
Thanks for the comment! Good point!
Thank you sir! This is great stuff to know!
Thanks for your time !
I waiting for you to post another training vid
Thanks for posting one👍👍
Thanks for the comment. We are trying to mix it up with some training vids, some funny stuff, and others about our business. Hopefully people like the variety, but also that's why we separated content in to our playlists in case you only want one type of videos. Just let us know if there are any other types of videos you would like to see.
When he put the seat belt on I knew I was getting all the knowledge
I have been using a 2017 John Deere 318G. I wish to know if you must always run it at 100% throttle. We use it to move fine sand and it works on an easy terrain.
No...many times don’t need full throttle. Just burning more fuel and also making your controls much more jerky.
@@HeavyMetalLearning Thank you so much, my friend!
need full throttle on def machines, or dpf, to avoid clogging and emissions issues, go with mfg recmndations
WELL DONE SIR.
Watching your video made me realize why I could never get the float to work. One comment though...you can move the bobcat without pulling down the bar, provided the bucket is off the ground. The "green button" to activate the controls doubles as a "traction control override" as written below the button. Hitting that button with the bar up releases the parking brake and activates the tire/track motions but keeps the bucket controls locked out. I use H pattern at work instead of ISO but I would guess it still works the same.
interesting...thanks for sharing. Although not sure about that safety bar action, that might be defective in your unit if you are able to drive with it up. I have never been in any skid that worked with it in the up position.
Your reply got me concerned about our bobcat unit so I did some googling. The feature is in place for attachments such as the backhoe when you sit outside of the machine. It allows you to hit that button and move the machine without sitting inside. Maybe it's only a bobcat feature? I can't speak on other brands because I have only used Bobcat.
@@calehufsmith4565 interesting. That makes sense so maybe there is that override on others, never operated other attachments like that on a skid where you don't need to be in the seat. Thanks for sharing!
I learned I believe when I was 6 we had a bobcat 753 (still do only has 500hrs) it has the h pattern (case) and just ran it around the farm and taught myself like all people should do and have leaned little trucks along the way
Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for the comment!
great video, thank you
Thank you for the training I feel more confident using this equipment, are there any instructional s on using a forestry Mulcher?
I've got my forklift, backhoe and bulldozer tickets and now want to get my skid steer!!!
Please if you can show us how to go safely down hill while loaded or uphill
We'll see if we can do a separate video on that.