The new Bob-Dock hydraulic attachment mounting system from Bobcat allows operators to stay in their cab when swapping attachments.
To connect a hydraulic attachment to a compact loader equipped with the Bob-Dock system, an operator lines up the machine with the attachment’s Bob-Dock adapter plate. Then, the operator presses the Power Bob-Tach switch inside the cab.
The Bob-Tach system secures the attachment, while the Bob-Dock system automatically connects the hydraulics. The attachment is then ready to use.
When the operator is finished using the attachment, they retract the Bob-Tach wedges and pull away. The hydraulics instantly release, providing simple, hands-free removal.
“You could never really do that from inside the cab before with hydraulic attachments,” said Jason Boerger, marketing manager of Bobcat Company.
“What we’ve done with this adaptor plate, and the whole Bob-Dock system itself, is we’ve put a coupler block in the Bob-Tach plate itself. So, within the plate is a coupler block similar in theory to what you see in the arm.”
While the Bob-Dock allows the operator to stay in the cab, it also reduces the amount of time require to change an attachment from a few minutes to a few seconds.
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“It’s literally pick it up, drop the levers like you would on a bucket and keep moving,” Boerger said.
The Bob-Dock mounting system also prevents many common operator errors, like failing to disconnect hydraulic hoses before backing away from an attachment. The system routes and protects auxiliary hydraulic hoses from tire and track contact.
“There’s no hoses moving out, they’re all self-contained so there’s less chance of snagging,” Boerger said. “When we were out with our customers, they actually bragged more about the uptime benefit than they did the hands-free.”
While the Bob-Dock attachment mounting system’s floating coupler block equips a loader with a hands-free connection point, the standard couplers located on the lift arm remain ready to use. Operators are able to utilize the full lineup of approved Bobcat attachments – with or without the Bob-Dock adapter plate attached.
“You can use all of your older Bobcat attachments,” Boerger said. “It’s very universal in the fact that we made it easy for customers to not have to change all their attachments.”
The Bob-Dock system will be available this spring for M2-Series T630, T650, T740 and T770 compact track loaders; S630, S650, S740 and S770 skid-steer loaders; and the A770 all-wheel steer loader.
