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October 2012

Extendable arms for Bobcat E42, E45 and E55 compact excavators add more versatility

Bobcat Company, a leader in compact equipment innovations, has added more versatility to three machines with a new extendable arm option for the M-Series E42, E45 and E55 compact excavators.

The extendable arm is a telescoping arm that provides the best of both worlds — power and reach — and will appeal to customers working in space-restricted areas, allowing them more flexibility to clean out trenches and to place soil further away from an excavation.

Bobcat E42 and E45 excavators with the extendable-arm option feature a 24-inch range of motion with maximum dig depths of 12 feet 6 inches and 12 feet 10 inches, respectively. The extendable-arm option includes an additional counterweight. The Bobcat E55 excavator with extendable-arm option has a 30-inch range of motion and a maximum dig depth of 14 feet 7 inches; approximately 22 inches more dig depth than an E55 with the standard arm configuration.

Ultimate performance

The new Bobcat extendable arm provides operators ultimate reach where and when it’s needed, without having to upsize the machine. The arm can be hydraulically extended and retracted as the need arises. When retracted, the arm delivers similar arm force (tear-out force) as a standard arm. When extended, an operator can reach back into a trench to clean out material or dump spoil farther away during excavation. Another appealing application for the extendable arm is truck loading. The extendable arm allows the operator to reach to the front or to the far side of a truck to effectively fill the load.

Attachment convenience

The Bobcat extendable arm is the industry’s first and only clamp-ready extendable arm that is designed to provide compatibility with the clamp attachment and the Hydraulic X-Change™ mounting system. With this unique feature, the extendable arm maintains the versatility of operating multiple attachments. A unique retention pin holds the arm in the retracted position, allowing use of up to16 different attachments. This clamp capability is a perfect solution for contractors wanting to pick up and place material such as rocks, landscaping materials and debris in site preparation applications.

Functionally, the machine’s primary auxiliary hydraulics activate the extendable arm’s extend/retract motion. The clamp, when optioned with an extendable arm, also includes second auxiliary hydraulics. Control of the extendable arm’s clamp attachment is then controlled by the machine’s secondary auxiliaries.

Fingertip operation

The extendable arm cylinder is operated through a rocker style thumb switch located on the joystick. This allows for fast and simple movements for extending and retracting the arm.

Less repositioning required

The extendable arm’s benefits are appealing to those in utility, municipalities and site preparation because it offers the compactness of a standard arm machine with the ability to extend when needed. Working in tight spaces and on concrete and established turf is possible without repositioning the machine. This equals valuable time saved and less re-work required.

In the case of digging utility trenches, the extendable arm ensures a long enough reach to move spoil away from the trench and out of the way, as well as reducing the risk of the trench falling back into itself because of the weight of the nearby spoil. At full extension, the overall length of the arm also simplifies the task of creating flat-bottom trenches for water and sewer utility installations.