all-wheel steer

has anyone driven one of those all-wheel steer loaders from bobcat? u can lock the wheels and it functions like a standard skidsteer or you can have the rear wheels turn opposite than the fronts like a quadrasteer gmc truck, that should be a great help for not tearing up grass. though are there any limitations on it like decreased load ratings? how well does it perform?

 

The one and only thing I will question is in the dual functionality. As a rule, non dedicated machinery does not do as efficient of a job as a dedicated piece. Similar to a backhoe/tractor compared to an excavator, or a snow plow on a pick up truck compared to a blade on a tractor made for pushing, or a hammer drill compared to a dedicated jack hammer for that matter. Dual functionality has it's place, I'm questioning at this time if it is wirth being the guinney pig....
Though I have not personally run an A series Bobcat, I have had several dedicated articulated loaders. (Cat 910, 930, 950, 966 and an atiquated dual fuel Hough International with a hand clutch.)
Because an articulated loader has hinge in the middle and each body section swings, the tires on each side roll over lawns without tearing, assuming the lawn is hard enough to support the 4 points of weight you are placing over it in the first place..
The A series Bobcats have hinges on each wheel and unless you turned while you were driving, there is a serious potential to wreck a lawn. Then there is the issue of a weaker axle/drive wheel assembly. With a knuckled axle shaft, you have a weak link in the U-joint/yoke combination. Weather the machine is locked in skid steer mode, or on wheel turn mode, the axle is still the weak link. And no matter weather the machine is wheeled turn or skid steer, those U-joints and hinge points are going to wear which could be alot of undo maintenance unless you really benefit by this concept. . Right now the concept is a little too new for me to consider, and honestly, I don't see any other manufacturers jumping on that bandwagon.

 

I really don't see anyone (OEM) going out to compete in that market. The market is small and the machines expensive. It would be a nice specialty machine but as said earlier it will be interesting to see a few high houred machines and see what the repair history has been. There is one in county landfill operation here running one. Bobcat has been rotating them machines as they wear them out. I suspect the whole thing maybe part of a test run for Bobcat. They are tight lipped about the performance but they have had some trouble with the knuckles. The working conditions are very rough. They ran 95XTs prior to the A300. After one year the machines looked like they had 5000 hours. They usually in the past kept the machines one year. The A300 has been replaced three times in a year hence why I believe it is subsidized by bobcat. They do like the reduced tire wear.

 

Any Constant Velocity joint is going to wear out faster than a solid axle.

The key is if its easy to replace

Remember theres now probably a whole steering rack in there with tierods and end links.

More bushings to replace, and more parts to fail.