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January 2008

Bobcat 463 Evolves into New S70 Skid-Steer Loader

Updated Model Still Popular Option for Space-Restricted Jobsites



S70

Built to work in the tightest areas, the S70 is a time- and labor-saving machine.


For nearly a decade, the Bobcat® 463 skid-steer loader has been synonymous with space-restricted jobsites. Because of its size, the compact loader could fit where other machines couldn’t and replaced manual labor and tools in construction, landscaping and agriculture. Today the 463 has been updated and renamed the S70.

The S70 skid-steer loader has retained its compact frame. The S70 is 71 inches high and 35 inches wide without an attachment, which enables it to access many confined areas. It can pass through gates to enter backyards, travel between homes or drive through barn doors. Its earliest predecessor
— the M371 “mini-Bob” — was introduced in 1971 as the world’s smallest skid-steer loader.

Landscapers rely on the machines to install irrigation systems, dig ponds, grade yards, till soil and remove stumps. Wheelbarrows and shovels are replaced by a loader and attachments that can do jobs in considerably less time and with more accuracy — not to mention more profitably.

Construction crews often depend on this type of machine for interior demolition projects, such as high-rise offices and hotels that are being demolished or renovated. The loader can fit onto freight elevators, pass through doorways, and still has enough power to smash concrete with a hydraulic breaker attachment. Once broken, the concrete can easily be removed with an industrial grapple attachment.

The agricultural community is familiar with the compact loader too — from cleaning stalls and pens to carrying hay or bags of feed for animals, it’s a time-and back-saver. Choose from attachments such as the auger for repairing fence posts, blade for pushing snow or landplane for light grading applications.

New features on the S70 include an updated engine mount that reduces vibration for improved operator comfort, a hydrostatic pump centering with tension spring that reduces maintenance and a belt drive system that resembles those on larger Bobcat skid-steer loaders.

S70 Spec Update
  • 23.5-horsepower diesel engine
  • 700-pound rated operating capacity
  • 2,845-pound operating weight
  • 6.1 mph travel speed
  • 71 inches high
  • 35 inches wide (without attachment)