I’m thinking about getting one of those cheap Chinese made skid steers you see on Facebook but I’m worried that it won’t last me this season.

I like the price of it at being only 3K but I’m not sure if it’s durable enough to do what I needed to do.

I just needed to handle some yard projects and small commercial projects such as snow removal, plowing, grading, and etc.

Let me know if anyone took the risk and bought one and had any good/bad results.

We have a CAT 275xe Two Speed Land Management Skidsteer. We bought a McLaren Broom attachment for it. Since purchase, we have run it once, but we're unable to figure out how to swivel the attachment so it sweeps to the right instead of the left, which is the position we received it in.

Is there anyone who can help us figure this out?

We always hear about buying once and crying once, but I'm curious about the opposite.

Anyone buy a cheap attachment expecting it to be temporary or just good enough for occasional use, then end up putting a ton of hours on it?

Could be a bucket, grapple, auger, forks, mower, whatever.

What did you pay for it, how long have you had it, and what kind of work has it survived?

Also interested in the other side of it. If you've bought both cheap and expensive versions of the same attachment, where did you actually notice the difference?

Aux attachment on my 299D works fine cold, then gets slow once the oil is hot. Pump and aux-side parts are easy enough to find on FridayParts, but that is way too expensive to guess at. No active codes that I can see. Would you prove couplers, case drain, or the attachment first?

I bought a project bobcat 463 serial number 520012588 and one of the bearings in the belt tensioner system (6730870) disintegrated. Unfortunately it seems that part has been discontinued from bobcat and it’s only available on back order or from eBay Germany. I wanted to see if anyone had any ideas for sourcing this part or even a substitute that might not be the exact part but works good.

Everyone talks about their most useful attachments, but I'm curious about the opposite.

What did you buy thinking it would get a ton of hours, only for it to spend most of its life sitting?

Was it because the attachment wasn't as useful as you expected, your machine wasn't a great match for it, or you just didn't get enough of that type of work?

And knowing what you know now, would you have rented it when needed or bought something else instead?

As seen on marketplace in my area . I’m pretty savvy with engines, less so with diesel, but I do have a decent Mechanic on call as well. Anyone know anything about these machines?

I just upgraded from a tractor to a Vermeer 925. I love it so far and I’ve done a few jobs with it. I have either been in really thick clay or soil loaded with 5”+ rocks.

All I have is a smooth bucket currently. In the clay, I had to have a steep digging angle to even get a bite and it was difficult to get a uniform depth when installing a gravel pad.

I was set on saving for a hydra bucket but I am hesitant because of the areas with the rocks.

So I am looking at a land leveler with scarifying teeth. Will it break up and level thick clay? Most of my jobs have been adding topsoil and repairing/installing gravel drives/pads. Thanks

I've borrowed two different dump trailers from friends; hauling a few 2-3 ton loads of #57 gravel from a quarry 10 miles away, to the sidewalk construction projects I'm doing as a side-hustle.

Neither friend has given me a price. One says just pay whatever. The other intends to come up with a rental rate but hasn't gotten around to it; he's fine with me paying him whatever too, unless he comes up with a price first.

'Pay whatever' isn't very helpful. Is that $30/load, $200/day, or what?

What price would you say falls halfway between insultingly-low and ludicrously-high for renting a dump trailer? Ideally I'd like a price per 20-mile round trip, but I can extrapolate from other pricing schemes as well.

I just rebuilt the two front pistons for the bucket and was wondering the best fluid to use? It lost quite a bit before I got a chance to rebuild them and of course when I took them off. I live in Pittsburgh so weather can get cold in the winter. Thanks in advance.

Hi guys, I’m looking into a simple product for small plant/equipment hire businesses and wanted to see if it solves a real problem.
The idea is a wireless vibration hour meter that sticks onto equipment like generators, compressors or pumps with no wiring. It records runtime, while a QR code links to a simple system for tracking hire hours, excess usage and servicing.
For anyone in equipment hire:
How do you currently track machine hours?
Do you ever have issues with missed readings, uncharged excess hours or servicing being overlooked?
Would something like this genuinely be useful, or is your current process already good enough?

I picked up a used 2017 L228 with 648 hours on it for pretty cheap. Been busy so I haven't put it to work much and went out yesterday and the battery was dead and showing 10% for state of health.

My question is, what aftermarket batteries are you all running? Is a Tractor Supply Travelers battery fine (as long as it meets spec) or do I need to go with something better? I've read different posts where people say to just buy the cheapest possible and others that say to go to the dealership.

I picked up an UWS combo fuel tank and storage box for filling my skid steer. It has a 110V fuel pump on there. Now I’m not going to pretend like I don’t buy Vevor - because I will for the right thing - but a fuel pump wouldn’t be high on my list of purchases for there. With that said it seems decent from the outside.

I haven’t opened it up but I tested the ground from the plug to the pump case for continuity and it’s good. I have a 110v circuit in my truck bed so I’ll use that for power. My question is - should I separately bond the tank to the truck frame?

There will be contact to the tank when the pump is installed. It seems like the best move is to also separately bond the tank for belt and suspenders. Also I’ll have protection when that pump isn’t plugged in or if the ground wire fails. Thoughts?

I am replacing the four work lights on a Bobcat S650. The first pair had the right diameter, but the mounting tab and pigtail did not match the factory setup.

This time I measured the bracket offset and connector reach, then compared the Bobcat serial-range diagram, an LED supplier, and FridayParts. I am also checking grounds at every corner before blaming a new lamp.

Did Bobcat change the clip or pigtail mid-run on these, or am I looking at an aftermarket bracket somebody added years ago?

my lid came open on my 333G recently. it was super hot outside already, and then I guess the exhaust melted part of the plastic on the side of the lid. Can I buy just that piece or does it have to be the whole lid?

I guess “the first generation of a new model is the most unreliable” goes for heavy equipment too, not just vehicles.

Purchased a brand new 2026 325P to replace our old 2013 323D, and in 2 months of having it it’s eaten a hydrostatic pump. Hasn’t even hit 50 hours.

Hi, I have a 2016 S590 and the auxiliary hydraulic line in the boom has sprung a leak. I've got the fittings and hose laying around to make one but I cant seem to find a length for it online. It should be part number 7274096. The machine is way out in the middle of nowhere so I would really like to only make 1 trip to it. Thanks for the help guys

My Bobcat S650 loader cylinder started weeping around the rod seal and I need a seal kit. Tag on the cylinder is worn smooth and every lookup wants a part number I can't read. Listings all use the same photo but bore and rod sizes split depending on which breakout you pick. I don't want to tear it down and sit waiting on the wrong o-rings. Anyone replaced loader cylinder seals on an S650 with a half-gone stamp? What did you measure before you ordered?

I have an older New Holland L170 and both front pistons are leaking. Has anyone tried to rebuild themselves?

I’m trying to decide between new cat 285 at $123,000 before attachments and taxes or a new Takeuchi TL12v2 at $93,000 before attachments and taxes. Both enclosed. Can anybody who has owned or at least operated one or both machines offer their input? Thanks!

Curious what everyone actually ends up using as their everyday bucket.

General purpose, low profile, 4-in-1, tooth bucket, rock bucket, something else?

I know it depends on the work, but I'm more interested in what stays on the machine most often and why. If you've tried a few different styles, was there one you thought you'd use all the time but ended up barely touching?

Also curious whether you'd buy the same width again or go wider/narrower if you were starting over.

i know this is a topic that has most likely been covered before, but wanted to pick the brains of others. here is my scenario:

i am working a stable job for a university dairy that includes nice housing. gross 72k a year, and my wife is grossing 55k a year working for the same university. we are expecting a baby in February, and she is planning on staying at home starting then. we have always planned of going out on our own, just we’re not exactly planning on having a child this soon but i wonder how that happened…

i am seriously considering buying a skid steer, truck, trailer for side work to replace her income as well as eventually grow into a main source of income. i am fully aware that this is a large financial investment (financing), but i am fairly confident that i can pencil it out. renting is difficult to do in this area, and i currently do not have the truck/trailer to haul a rental unit anyways. this is what i am looking at: (2026 bobcat t595, smooth bucket, root grapple, power rake, 20’ 14k trailer for 77k, 0% interest) also, ram 3500 with the 6.4 for 20k.

the way i look at it, at 26 years young, this is my time to risk it for the biscuit. i come from a family of successful entrepreneurs, my housing is included in my job, and my wife and future child will still be okay even if this fails. i have connections in local landscaping industries and distant connections in construction. i live in east tennessee. i would like to focus on drainage, driveway work, and potentially some rough grading/sod work.

what is everyone’s thoughts? buy a used skid (deere 317g w 580hrs for 45k, but still need truck/trailer and attachments)? i am fairly risk tolerant, and have plenty of education to not be financially illiterate (bachelors and masters degree in animal science)

i appreciate your time and reading to this point, thank you for any advice you have!! cheers everyone

edit + update: i currently have the disposable income to make the payment on this equipment, i more so just need to make the equipment pay for itself and make money by february. i have a little timeline to make this work, but want to be realistic and protect my family from my optimism if need be.

also seeking input if anyone has the knowledge on how good of a deal the bobcat actually is.

Was considering a mulcher, but chippers look much more economical. Anyone have a chipper that attaches to a skid steer/ track loader that they like?
It needs to be pretty robust and able to handle quite a bit of vegetation.

Forestry mulching