Owners Give Thumbs Up to New K-Series Loaders

From quieter operation and smoother ride, to improved durability and more lift height, the new Bobcat K-Series loaders offer more value for your money than ever.

K-Series improvements appear on all Bobcat loaders from the model S130 and larger.

The most obvious is the sound of the cooling fan and the components running it. In most operating conditions, it's up to 30 percent quieter. This reflects the new K-Series SmartFAN, which is now variable speed and hydraulically driven. It turns only as fast as it needs to cool the loader.

The K-Series T180, T190, T250 and T300 compact track loaders offer a smoother ride thanks to an extra roller in the undercarriage that also extends the life of the track system.

A new dedicated charge pump on the S150, S160, S175, S185, T180 and T190 — similar to that already used on larger models — boosts hydraulic power by 8 percent. This K-Force hydraulic system produces more breakout force, lifting ability and attachment torque to save time and increase production.

The virtually maintenance-free chaincase has been upgraded on the large-frame K-Series loaders with the biggest, strongest drive chain in the industry for even longer life. Applications that see the most benefit from this K-Series upgrade are those adding weight to the drive system, such as over-tire steel tracks and solid or poly-filled tires.

Lift height of the K-Series large-frame vertical lift path loaders such as the S250 and S300 skid-steer loaders, the T300 compact track loader and the A300 all-wheel steer loader has been increased by 2 in. for easier loading work, especially truck loading where operators have additional clearance over dump truck sides.

Reports from owners of the new K-Series loaders shows that these improvements are paying off in the form of better machine performance and operator comfort.

Comparing features

Dan Sinclair can vouch for the advantages of the new K-Series improvements. He operates Bobcat compact track loaders for Rick Seward Trucking, Ankeny, Iowa, where he uses them for grading, backfilling and loading trucks on residential and commercial construction projects and for clearing snow.

These loaders include older T190 and T300 compact track loaders as well as a new K-Series T300 unit, purchased from Capital City Equipment, Des Moines, Iowa. Some days he spends up to 12 hours in the cabs of these machines.

"One of the first things I noticed was the big difference in sound levels," he says. "The K-Series machine is much quieter. You're not listening to a fan buzzing at full rpm all day long. Also, it's easier to communicate with truck drivers on our radios and to hear my cell phone when it rings."

The extra roller in the undercarriage also adds to operator comfort. "Our new T300 rides a lot smoother going over rougher surfaces and curbs," Sinclair says. "You don't notice the bumps nearly as much."

He also likes the increased lift height. "We don't have any difficulty dumping into a tandem-axle dump truck with our older T300. However, the extra 2 in. of lift height with the K-Series T300 makes loading even easier."

Impressive performance

William Segar, who owns All About Dirt Excavating, Rogersville, Mo., had operated a T190 compact track loader and an A300 all-wheel steer loader before buying his new K-Series T300 compact track loader.

"During the demo I noticed right off that it was quite a bit quieter," says Segar, who purchased the machine from the G. W. Van Keppel Company, Springfield, Mo. "It's one of the reasons I decided to buy it. A quieter machine is not only more comfortable to operate, but it makes it easier to hear when talking on my cell phone."

Since then Segar has found more reasons to support his buying decision. "It rides considerably better than the other track loader, especially in rocky conditions and when crossing asphalt roads."

He's not the only one who appreciates the performance of his K-Series T300. "When I bring it on a jobsite, even guys who run bigger equipment are impressed by what it will do," Segar says. "That says a lot to me."

A quieter work place

Danny Williams bought his K-Series T300 with high-flow hydraulics to power a stump grinder for his Mooresville, Ind., tree service business, Williams Tree Company, LLC.

Williams compares the ride of the T300 with two other brands of compact track loaders that he has operated. "The five rollers instead of four on my machine provide a better, smoother ride," he says.

The improved lift height of the T300, along with its vertical lift path configuration, makes loading logs into his 9-ft.-high trucks easy. "I can put the nose of the machine right up next to the truck wheels and load into the middle of the box with no problem," Williams reports.

Noise level was a big concern when he was comparing various brands before buying his T300 from Bobcat of Indy, Indianapolis, Ind.

"You don't realize just how much more quiet the T300 is until the fan kicks in," Williams says. "A quieter machine is more comfortable to operate. It also helps make work more efficient by improving communications with people on the ground."

Productive hydraulic power

Eight years after buying a Bobcat 751 skid-steer loader to start his landscaping and excavating service in Calgary, Alberta, Donavon Innes replaced it this year with a Bobcat K-Series S205 high-flow model from Bobcat of Calgary.

It meets both his need for more performance and the requirement for a machine small enough to work easily and productively in between closely-spaced homes.

The speed and power of the S205 K-Force hydraulics pay off with increased efficiency, he reports. "The machine's horsepower and hydraulics work great together," Innes says. "I can dig into a pile of dirt and load the bucket in no time and the machine doesn't bog down when I'm pushing dirt. It feels strong all the time."

The increased attachment torque provided by the new K-Series dedicated charge pump also pays off when using his Bobcat auger and 36-in. bit to drill tree planting holes in rocky ground. "The bit turns very easily and comfortably," Innes says. "I plant about 2,000 trees a year. So this is definitely a good feature.

"I'm really satisfied with my K-Series S205," Innes says. "Before buying it, I shopped around. That made me even more comfortable about buying a Bobcat loader."

Better machines

Long-time Bobcat loader owner, Rob Newell, Ossian, Ind., really liked the two T190 G-Series compact track loaders he used to own. His company, Newell Construction Co., operated them in repairing streets, curbs and sidewalks. He likes his two new K-Series T190 machines even better.

"The comfort level is a lot nicer than the previous models because the ride is so much smoother on uneven surfaces, whether concrete, asphalt, topsoil or clay," Newell says. "I didn't believe the extra roller in the undercarriage would improve the ride very much, but it made a big difference."

This and other features on his loaders, such as the enclosed heated and air conditioned cab and Power Bob-Tach? system for changing attachments without leaving the cab, help boost productivity by reducing operator fatigue.

So does the SmartFAN. "The cooling fan doesn't run as loudly, which makes it easy to converse with guys outside the machine when I'm operating it," he says." I'm not hoarse at the end of the day."

The K-Force hydraulics are another productivity booster. "They're a big plus when digging into a dirt pile or cutting a grade," Newell says.

He uses his two K-Series loaders, purchased from Bobcat of Fort Wayne, with various Bobcat attachments: backhoe, combination bucket, utility bucket, hydraulic breaker and sweeper. Typically, he trades his loaders for newer ones every three or four years.

"When new models and features come out, I like to try them," Newell says. "Bobcat loaders keep getting better and better. The K-Series is just the latest example."

Satisfying the operators

Iowa City Landscaping's two K-Series Bobcat skid-steer loaders — an S185 and an S300 — replaced older machines of a different brand. In addition to designing and installing residential and commercial landscapes, the Iowa City, Iowa, company operates a nursery. The power of the S300 is used around the nursery for lift-and-carry work and drilling tree planting holes and on landscape projects for handling large limestone rocks when building retaining walls. The smaller S185 fits into backyards to tackle a variety of landscaping work.

Equipped with a heated cab and the hydraulic Power Bob-Tach system, the two machines, purchased from Bobcat of Iowa City, are used with an auger, utility bucket, landscape rake and tiller. For the really tight spaces, crews rely on their Bobcat MT55 mini track loader.

Paul Dykstra, one of the partners in the business, is impressed by the performance of his K-Series loaders. "It's amazing how much power they have compared to our older machines of a similar size," he says. "We're satisfied with the way they are working for us. Everyone who operates the loaders is fired up about them."

Enhanced operation

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The Bobcat equipment fleet at Gene Fritzel Construction, Lawrence, Kans., includes three K-Series compact track loaders — a T190 and a pair of T300s. The firm also owns a G-Series T180 and two Bobcat compact excavators — a 337 and a 435.

The company's crews use the equipment on apartment development projects for a variety of construction and landscaping jobs.

"The K-Series loaders are stellar machines," says Kiley Patterson, the company's superintendent. "They are more refined."

The refinements include much less cooling fan noise. "They're a lot quieter than our previous loaders," he says. "You don't have to yell when you're operating the machine and talking to guys on the ground. That's a big thing for us. With less noise, you feel much better at the end of the day."

The K-Force hydraulics are another improvement he likes. "They operate with a more fluid motion," Patterson says. "Bobcat engineers know what they're doing."

The company buys its Bobcat equipment from KC Bobcat, Olathe, Kan. Patterson compares the Bobcat loaders to several other brands that the company has used or tried. "The Bobcat machines, by far, out-perform the competition."

Learn more about how you can profit from the many improved features of the new K-Series Bobcat loaders. Visit your local Bobcat dealer today.