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Get ready for winter road maintenance

The winter maintenance market heats up this summer. Bobcat has expanded its winter range of loaders with the addition of the S450 skid-steer and T450 compact tracked machines.
October 3, 2016 Read time: 4 mins
SnowEx’s HDV V-plow pushes winter aside

The winter maintenance market heats up this summer

1130 Bobcat has expanded its winter range of loaders with the addition of the S450 skid-steer and T450 compact tracked machines.

The S450 and T450 feature the same new generation cab design used on all larger new Bobcat compact loaders, providing class-leading entry and exit through the largest cab door opening on this size of machine.

Hydraulic performance has been increased in both models and like all Bobcat loaders, they are equipped as standard with the quickchange Bob-Tach attachment mounting frame.

Customers can also choose the optional Power Bob-Tach system; to change non-hydraulic attachments simply flip a switch inside the cab. These are now part of a comprehensive choice of tool carriers that can be combined with attachments such as snow blowers, buckets, snow blades and salt and sand spreaders.

These cover virtually any winter application, including clearance of snow and ice on urban and country roads, such as pavements, car parks, superstores, driveways, parks, school playgrounds and sports fields.

To enhance working on snow, Bobcat also offers optional steel tracks to fit over the tyres on the wheeled loaders as well as individual tyre snow chains.

Bobcat claims that their hydraulically driven snow blowers are ideal for cleaning pavement, driveways, parking lots and local roads. They can throw snow up to 15m and have a rotating chute and deflector to point the snow in the desired direction. Large capacity buckets, with widths from 1,371-2,540mm and capacities from 0.36-1.53m3, are available for handling snow.

High backs help with pushing snow and straight sides penetrate snow piles. For removal of light snowfalls of 100mm or less in depth, the Bobcat angle broom is an ideal attachment for use on pedestrian pathways, providing quick access by removing snow in just one pass.

The Bobcat snow blade, available in six widths from 1,219-2,438m, is designed to quickly remove light or moderate snow from pavements and driveways. An optional end wing kit converts the 2,134-2,743mm models into highproduction snow pushers, ideal for use in car parks and other larger areas.

The versatile Bobcat snow V-blade, which is available in five different widths, can be used in five configurations: as a V-blade, scoop blade, straight blade and 30o left or 30o right angle blade.

The hydraulic salt and sand spreader allows spreading in confined areas, such as car parks and pedestrian zones. With a hopper capacity of 250litres, it can be used as a bucket to allow the spreader to be filled from a pile. The spread pattern is controlled by a hydraulic motor and ranges from 5.6-8.7m, depending on the hydraulic flow of the carrier.

The Bobcat scraper attachment - efficient for dislodging packed snow and ice - provides an environmentally friendly alternative to the use of chemicals or salt. The scraper removes mud, snow, ice and other packed-on materials with ease, leaving behind a smooth surface for walking or driving.

Meanwhile, 3431 SnowEx’s latest HDV heavy-duty V-plows are available in durable powder-coated mild steel or stainless steel with blade widths of 2.6m or 2.9m. The HDV plows have flared moldboards that are reinforced by two angled power ribs to stand up to the toughest snow loads.

The tall flared wings throw snow at a high and wide angle while an integrated snow catcher keeps snow from spilling over the top.

The plows have durable double-acting angle cylinders that push and pull the wings forward and back even under the heaviest snow loads and can also hold the wings firmly in place for optimal back dragging. A large centre pin adds toughness where it’s needed most. Snowex, part of Douglas Dynamics, says that unlike other plows it is ideally positioned to make the plow completely flat when in straight blade mode. This greatly enhances snow rolling capability.

A responsive direct-lift system quickly repositions the plow. The system includes a large cylinder that provides a wide range of motion, impressive lifting power and high stacking performance.

Whether the plow is in scoop, angle or straight blade position, an independent trip edge protects the plow, truck and operator when encountering obstacles. Because only the edge trips, users can keep moving without losing a load of snow. The revolutionary Automatixx power-assisted attachment system provides quick and easy plow hook-up. The system includes self-aligning, removable receiver brackets that provide additional ground clearance when setting up. Automatixx also allows everything to be hooked up from one side of the truck. Users can choose between the POWER GRIP hand-held control with backlit buttons or a compact joystick control. The plow can be angled with one touch of a button. Both controls feature power “on” and float LED lights and are compatible with SnowEx FLEET FLEX technology, an electrical system that provides complete fleet interchangeability between other SnowEx plows.

A standard poly cover protects hydraulic components while allowing easy access. A variety of accessories are available: wings, shoes, back drag edges, thicker cutting edges and deflectors.

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