He Built His Own "Bobcat" Skid Steer Loader

He Built His Own "Bobcat" Skid Steer Loader TRACTORS New Tractors 21-5-2 When David Madar decided he needed a skid steer loader for his operation, he first went looking for a used machine. After checking out the price tags on several units, he decided he couldn't justify the expense. Instead, he set out to build his own unit. He patterned his home-built rig after a Melroe Bobcat. It took him about 6 months working in his spare time in his garage. At the time Madar was supplementing his in-come by hauling scrap steel so whenever he spotted a piece that might work on the loader, he'd hang on to it. He built the entire ma-chine from scrap. "I started with two Chevy 3/4-ton axles. I used 3 by 10-in. channel iron to build the bottom frame and the uprights that the loader arms mount on. "Power is supplied by a GM 4-cyl. gas engine out of a junked Chevette. It's bolted to a large hydraulic pump off a Hyster fork-lift truck. A hydraulic valve body out of a backhoe - which had five operations - mounts under the seat. I rigged up two foot pedals to operate the loader and forks and two levers - one on each side of the seat - to operate the drives. "A hydraulic gear mounted on each side drives a large gear on the inside, which is driving a 1-in. shaft to the outside of the machine. I took two large chains off a cement mixer to drive the wheels on each side. The outside sprockets are four single dually rims with lugs welded on the rims for the outside drive chain. The ROPS cage is made of 2-in. mesh from a gravel pit. A friend gave me his take-offs from his Bobcat for tires. A pair of 4-ft. hydraulic cylinders were cut down to 3 ft. to fit my needs. "Anyone with good fabricating skills could build one this way. I could make up plans for sale if anyone's interested." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, David Madar, 4584 Bently Rd., Brown City, Mich. 48416 (ph 810 346-3444).

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