Tthere are many pieces of equipment that
can get the land prepared for seeding,
plantings, and other landscaping, and one
of the best is a Bobcat loader equipped
with a Bobcat soil conditioner. The
Bobcat carrier can be a skid-steer
loader, compact track loader, all-wheel
steer loader, mini loader, utility work
machine, compact utility tractor, or
versahandler. When the area starts out covered
with debris, clumps, hard-packed ground,
rocks, and needs leveling and contouring,
the Bobcat soil conditioner is a great
tool to get the job done. At the end of
the job, it should be ready for seeding,
sodding, and other plantings. A healthy
neighborhood lawn or office yard needs
to have a good foundation, and the Bobcat
soil conditioner performs the functions
to get that done. How do you get to a
solid landscape base using this powerful
tool? You can begin by driving over the
ground and break up the clumps. The
carbide tip teeth on the drum ripped
through the hard pan and pulverized the
clumps. A rubber flap on the top of the
drum keeps larger materials from passing
over and allows finer material through
and lets them fall to the surface behind
the drum. The finer material is spread
smoothly, making a superb surface for
seeding or sodding. The soil conditioner
drum should run in the opposite
direction as the carrier drive wheels.
This maintains the action of moving
larger materials along, and depositing
finer material on the surface. The Bobcat
soil conditioner is like having a box
blade and tiller in one attachment. It
pulverizes the soil while leveling and
filling in one pass. The action of the
drum either pulverizes the clumps or
pushes them ahead of the soil
conditioner along with rocks and other
debris. This material can be wind-rowed
for easy pickup with a bucket, or the
unit can be equipped with end plates
that make it act like a box blade and
deposit heavier soil in low spots while
laying fine material on the surface.
60-inch and larger models come standard
with the ability to lock the drum or
allow it to float. In the locked position,
the soil conditioner acts much like a
box blade
and will level a surface. In the float
position, the drum is able to float over
the surface, and it will prep the soil
while following the terrain, allowing it
to work on already sculpted areas
without disturbing the contour. The 60
inch and larger models come standard
with an oscillating bolster. Oscillation
keeps the drum parallel to the ground,
and helps to minimize the effect of
bumps and potholes, resulting in a
smoother finish and fewer passes. The
oscillating bolster, combined with
hydraulic depth and angle controls, also
make it very easy to cut swells for
drainage and sculpt the land. The bolster
on the soil conditioner can be raised
and move out of the way so the drum can
get right up to the edge of the area to
be landscaped. The raised bolster allows
the operator to drive up to the edge of
the area to be landscaped, then drive
backwards while conditioning the soil.
The reversible drum pulls material
forward and leaves a fine seed bed
behind. Combined with the maneuverability
of the Bobcat loader, the combination can
get into areas other landscape equipment
can't reach. This ability to raise the
bolster also makes it easier to fit the
soil conditioner on a trailer. The drum
angle and bolster raise and lower are
either manual or the optional hydraulic
control, depending on model size, and high
flow models of the 72-inch and 84-inch
are offered. On the hydraulic versions,
the electronic controls are located
conveniently on the control handles of
the Bobcat loader making control of the
soil conditioner smooth and comfortable.
Once the foundation is laid on the
ground, other jobs can be performed using
the Bobcat loader and attachments.
Seeding, sodding, tree-planting, setting
decorative rocks, or a number of other
landscape opportunities can be
accomplished with the myriad of other
Bobcat attachments available. Check with
your Bobcat dealer to find the right
model of Bobcat soil conditioner for
your loader and application, then look at
other Bobcat attachments that will make
your jobs more efficient and profitable.