Both Caterpillar and Bobcat have carved a niche for themselves in manufacturing heavy duty machinery especially targeted towards the landscaping and heavy mining industries. Their machinery is used for a vast range of applications and uses and both brands are known for their longevity, durability and efficiency.

Caterpillar range of products

Caterpillar manufactures a whole range of products ranging from heavy duty hydraulic excavators to even loaders. These products are designed to ensure superior performance and long shelf life. Some of the predominant industries that use such heavy duty Caterpillar equipment include the quarry sector, construction that requires heavy duty activity as well as the mining industry.

Service and parts from Caterpillar

Caterpillar has many distributors who provide ready service of all equipment purchased from them. Irrespective of the place where the original equipment may have been purchased from, these distributors repair and service all parts of such equipment. In addition, these distributors also stock a steady inventory of parts belonging to Caterpillar brand. Several departments, each with specialized parts assigned to them can readily help in replacing damaged parts of existing machinery.

Bobcat brand’s products

Bobcat is another pioneer in creating cutting-edge and highly sophisticated skid steer loading equipment. While the original parts of Bobcat skid steers are always in demand by the landscaping and construction industries, the used parts are also in demand for their cost-effectiveness. There are many premier distributors who stock such used parts from Bobcat. Right from regular farm work to loading trucks these skid steers can perform the job with ease. Besides, for people who cannot afford original unused Bobcat equipment, these used parts are a good bargain. The distributors of such used parts ensure to regularly check for electrical, mechanical as well as hydraulic inefficiencies so that all used parts are well worth their value.

How to select a distributor of used parts

If you wish to purchase used skid steers from Bobcat then you need to approach the right distributor for this. Always select a distributor that has a well-stocked inventory. Compare prices to see that you are getting a good deal. In addition, the sales staff and personnel should be courteous and know about used parts and Bobcat brand. In addition, the distributor should also be ready to help you with parts in case they are not in stock. They should also have tie-ups with other brands so that you have more options to choose from.

The skid loader is a rigid frame, engine powered machine with lift arms that are used to attach a wide variety of labor saving tools or attachments. Skid loaders are normally four wheel drive with left side drive wheels that are independent of right side drive wheels. With each side being independent to the other, the wheel speed and direction of rotation of the wheels will determine which direction the loader turns.

Skid loaders are capable of turning in their own tracks, which makes them very maneuverable and valuable for jobs that require the use of compact, agile loader.

Operation
A skid loader can sometimes take the place of a large excavator by digging a hole out from the inside. The skid loader will first dig a ramp that leads to the edge of the hole. Then, the loader will use the ramp to carry material out of the hole.

The skid loader will then reshape the ramp by making it steeper and longer as the excavation gets deeper. This method is very useful for digging under an overhead structure where the overhead clearance doesn’t allow for the boom of a large excavator, such as those situations where you are digging a basement under a house.

The bucket of most types of skid loaders can be replaced with several specialized buckets or attachments, many of which are powered by the hydraulic system of the loader.

History
The first 3 wheeled front end loader was invented by two brothers, Cyril and Louis Keller in their machinist shop in Minnesota back in 1957. The Kellers built the loader to help a nearby farmer clean turkey manure from his two story barn. The
light and compact loader, with the rear caster wheel, was able to turn around within the length of itself, while performing the very same tasks as conventional front end loaders.

Down the road, the Melroe manufacturing company in Gwinner ND, purchased the rights to the Keller loader in 1958 and hired the brothers to continue their loader invention. Resulting from the partnership, the M-200 self propelled loader was introduced at the end of 1958.

The loader featured two independent front drive wheels and a rear caster wheel, a 12.9 engine and a 750 lb lift capacity. Two years later, they ended up replacing the caster wheel with a rear axle and introduced the M-400 loader, which was the first four wheel skid steer loader in the world.

Years later, the Bobcat skid steer loader experienced quite a few changes, including the development of a hydrostatic drive system, enforced cab structures, radius and vertical lift arm configurations, deluxe instrumentation, and even heating and air conditioning.

In addition to the rubber tire skid loaders of today, there are now all-wheel loaders and even compact track loaders. Compact track loads offer less ground disturbance and feature better traction and control in soft, muddy, wet, and even sandy
ground conditions.

When you think of construction equipment loaders are what normally cometo mind. Loaders are considered tractors with the bucket on the front of the tractor and the engine on the back as a counter weight for thework. Unlike excavators most loaders use wheels rather than tracks. The types of loaders and uses are listed below.

Front end Loader: This type of loader is also called a bucket loader orscoop loader because it has a wide square bucket that tilts to capture the dirt or to dig out an area. The bucker is a removable attachmentso you can also use it as a forklift.
You can also use a clamshelltype of bucket that opens to grab whatever you are working on in its jaws.
Loaders are used for snow removal, dirt removal, farming, andconstruction sites.

Skid and Track Loaders: A skid loader is a smaller loader than theaforementioned equipment. Skid loaders use 4 wheels rather than tracks, but they are similar to the mini excavator in design with a hydrauliclift and bucket on the front of the equipment. The difference is where the life arms are positioned. They are behind the driver’s shoulders rather than more forward of the cab.

Backhoe Loader: This type of loader combines two pieces of equipment into one. First off you have the traditional loader with the front-end bucket and the rear of the tractor has a backhoe. Inside the seat swivels so the operate can see what he or she is doing when operating the backhoe portion. When using the backhoe there are hydraulic stabilizers the operator will place on the ground in order to lift it off the ground a bit.

Loaders are very similar to excavators, but they each have their own uses. Most loaders are for the removal of debris or lifting rather than digging.

In these days, being practical is a must. This is the reason why most of the independent contractors prefer to rent construction equipment instead of buying their own. Most of the contractors tend to believe that by following this practice they are already saving themselves a good amount of sum.

Apart from that reason, these contractors are also avoiding several risks, which are obtainable when they buy their own, by renting construction equipment. For independent contractors, purchasing their own brand new heavy equipment can be risky since they don’t have a sufficient amount to spend on the machine. In addition, purchasing brand new construction equipment may also require an ample time to regain the investment.

The good thing now is that small or independent contractors no longer need to involve into a great risk just to own construction equipment. This time, another alternative is offered; instead of buying a brand new crane, motor grader, compactor, trailer, loader, lift, scraper, black hole loader, or any other variety of heavy equipment—small or independent contractors may prefer buying used construction equipment.

This alternative is a good way to own construction equipment, especially for the contractors who do not have enough budgets to buy a brand new one. There is totally no harm in preferring to this alternative. If one will carefully think, opting to used construction equipment is a more practical choice than buying brand new machines because of their too expensive costs.

Sure, there are also risks in buying second-hand machines. However, by simply knowing the exact machines to purchase and by simply knowing what to inspect from used construction equipment; the possible risks can be completely avoided. To further ensure the reliability of the used construction equipment, the following inspection tips can be helpful:

1. Inspect for minor damages on the machine.
Check the error-indicators at the front panel. Also, do not forget to note if there are any missing rear-panel that interconnect cables. You may also see if the CRT displays are blurry. Minor damages are given when buying used machine; however, keep in mind that this damages will not risk the safety of the person who will maneuver the machine.

2. Test drive the machine before finally buying
If there is one mistake contractors can commit when buying used machines, that is the failure to test drive the equipment. Sure, a careful visual inspection of the machine is needed. But doing this alone can result to inaccurate findings. To acquire a reliable inspection, the machine needs to be tried out by the buyer himself.

3. Do not be deceived by a newly paint construction equipment
Remember, there are some sellers who will make the best ways to cover-up the flaws of the equipment they sell with a new paint. But if cleverness will be applied, this form of deception can be discovered by looking at bottom of the vehicle or by inspecting the internal parts of the machine.

When buying used construction equipment, it is better to order from an established dealer. Unlike other sellers, dealers can give warranties to grant the buyer an ample time to test the usability of the machine.

Construction equipment range from the very heavy equipment to the portable and mobile lighter equipment, some of them with a precise description of their functions are detailed below.

Engineering equipment with a front bucket/shovel and a small backhoe in the rear combined with a tractor is known as backhoe loader. It is mostly used in small construction sites and in urban engineering such as fixing city roads.

A crawler, which is very powerful and attached with a blade, is called a bulldozer. Even though any heavy engineering vehicle is known as bulldozer, it is actually a tractor with a dozer blade.

Combat engineering vehicles are used for engineering work in the battlefield and for transporting sappers. They are mostly armoured vehicles.

A compact excavator is a wheeled or tracked vehicle with a backfill blade and swing boom. It is also known as mini excavator. The functions and movements of the machines are carried out by transferring hydraulic fluid. This makes a compact hydraulic excavator different from other construction equipment.

To compact gravel, dirt, asphalt and concrete in construction work and road laying a road roller which is also known as roller-compactor would be used.

A motorized cultivator with a rotating blade to work in the soil is known as rotary tiller. They are either drawn behind a tractor or self-propelled.

A crane is a derrick or tower equipped with pulleys and cables for lowering and lifting materials. The new or used cranes used in construction industry are mostly temporary structures.

Dragline excavation systems are heavy equipment mostly used in surface mining and civil engineering. The smaller type of dragline excavator is used for port and road construction. The larger type dragline excavator is used in strip-mining operations for coal extraction.

In the building industry, to make foundations, a drilling machine is used. It is also used in oil wells and water wells.

An excavator commonly known as a digger is an engineering vehicle, with a cab mounted on a rotating platform or pivot, and a backhoe on top of an undercarriage with wheels or tracks.
In untamed regions which are being reclaimed for construction, a feller buncher, a machine having an attachment, which fells trees, is used.

A forklift, lift truck or forklift truck is an industrial truck used to pick up and transport heavy material using steel forks under the material to be lifted. The most common usage of a forklift is to move materials stored on pallets.

A loader also known as a bucket loader, front-end loader, scoop loader, shovel, or front loader is a type of tractor using buckets, which can be tilted to lift and move material.