The Bobcat Equipment Error Checklist: Tracks, Attachments, and the Crane Accident Factor I Learned the Hard Way

I've been handling equipment orders for over 6 years. In that time I've personally made (and documented) 11 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $12,000 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team's checklist to prevent others from repeating my errors.

This checklist is for anyone who deals with Bobcat machines – whether you're a fleet manager, a contractor, or a green operator trying to avoid looking stupid on your first job. It covers five things I wish someone had told me before I burned money and credibility.

Step 1: Inspect Your Bobcat Excavator Tracks Before Every Shift

In my first year (2017), I made the classic mistake of assuming tracks were fine because the undercarriage looked clean. The result: a snapped track on a $3,200 job, 2 hours of downtime, and a $890 tow fee.

The real lesson? Never trust a visual-only check. You have to measure track sag and look for chunking on the lugs. I now use a simple gauge – costs $15, saves thousands.

(Should mention: we'd just had a wet week, which hid the wear. Oh, and that gauge also catches idler wear, which is even more expensive to repair.)

Step 2: Verify Everything Against the Bobcat Attachments Price List

I once ordered 12 attachments – buckets, grapples, augers – based on a verbal quote from a salesman. The invoice came back 18% higher than expected. Checked it myself, approved it, processed it. We caught the error when the accounting department flagged a mismatch. $1,400 wasted, credibility damaged, lesson learned: always get the current bobcat attachments price list in writing and match every line item before signing.

The price list changes quarterly. Attachments price list reference (based on publicly listed dealer data, Jan 2025):

• Standard bucket (60″): $650–$900
• Grapple (72″): $2,400–$3,100
• Auger drive + bit: $1,800–$2,500
• Mud mixer: $1,200–$1,600

Verify with your local dealer; I mix up model numbers sometimes.

Step 3: Don't Assume a Mud Mixer Works for All Applications

This was true 10 years ago when the term 'mud mixer' meant one thing. Today, there are paddle mixers, drum mixers, and hydraulic stirrers. I ordered a standard paddle mixer for a bentonite slurry job – wrong tool. The mud mixer couldn't handle the viscosity. $450 wasted + a 1-week delay. Now my checklist includes a quick compatibility note: slurry vs. grout vs. cement.

The 'one-size-fits-all' thinking comes from an era before specialized attachments. That's changed.

Step 4: The Elvie Pump Mistake (Yes, That Happened)

I still kick myself for ordering an elvie pump for a dewatering project. I had mixed feelings about the brand – on one hand, it's known for reliability in small-flow applications; on the other, it's not designed for construction slurry. The pump clogged within an hour. Cost: $780 for the pump + $320 in rework. If I'd checked the elvie pump specs against our actual fluid type, I'd have chosen a different model. Always verify pump material compatibility before purchasing.

Part of me wants to stick with suppliers I know. Another part knows that redundancy saved us during that supply chain crisis. I compromise with a primary + backup system.

Step 5: Know the Most Dangerous Factor Among Crane Accidents

Here's something no one tells you when you start running a Bobcat with a lifting attachment: the most dangerous factor among crane accidents is not mechanical failure – it's ground instability under the outriggers. I learned this during a job in September 2022 when a mini excavator tipped because the front stabilizer sank into soft fill. Nobody got hurt, but the machine was down for 3 days.

From the OSHA data I've reviewed, 42% of mobile crane incidents involve ground failure. That's why my checklist now includes a ground bearing pressure calculation before any lift over 500 lbs. Even with a small skid steer, a lifted load can surprise you.

Final Notes

Not everything in this list applies to every job. (Should mention: if you only use a Bobcat for grading and never lift, step 5 might feel overkill. But the ground failure risk still matters for the machine's stability in general.)

I'd rather spend 10 minutes running through these checks than deal with mismatched expectations later. An informed customer asks better questions and makes faster decisions. That's why I share these mistakes – so you don't have to make them yourself.