Self-Storage Business Finds Many Uses for Toolcat 5600

Jim Stearns

The combination of a frontmounted lift arm and rear hydraulic-lift cargo box, plus the comfortable two-seat cab of the Toolcat™ 5600 proved irresistible to Jim Stearns.

“When I first saw it in WorkSaver, I knew I had to have it,” says the owner of North 60th Street Storage, Omaha, Neb. Wasting no time, Stearns became an early-buyer of this one-of-a-kind utility work machine.

Powered by a 44 hp diesel engine, the Toolcat 5600 combines the best features of a loader, pickup truck and tool carrier with a 17-ft. turning diameter and a total rated capacity of 4,200 lb.—the combined weight of load on the lift arm, cargo box, operator, passenger and tow weight.

The machine’s many performance, comfort and convenience features make the job of operating and maintaining the three-acre, 250-unit selfstorage facility faster and easier. Stearns can equip the 5600 with many of the Bobcat® attachments he already owns for his 773 skid-steer loader. They include a bucket, snowblower fits our specifications perfectly. It doesn’t hesitate. It gets the work done.” One reason is the four-wheel drive system. “If we raised the forks of the forklift while pushing material, the machine would lose momentum and the wheels would slip,” he says. “The 5600 just keeps pushing and pushing.” The unit is the ideal size for working in the roughly 80 x 30-ft. area. Excellent visibility complements the 5600’s all-wheel-steering, which allows operators to turn tightly and smoothly. “You have a clear view of the snow blade to see what you’re doing as you’re maneuvering, and you can easily see behind you.” The hydraulic joystick for controlling the loader functions, the blade and other attachments is another convenient feature. “It’s very responsive and user-friendly,” Drum says. “All the functions are at the tips of your fingers.” As Drum has discovered, when a job needs doing, no machine can do it like the Toolcat 5600. 1 and snow V-blade. He’s also bought a Bobcat mower attachment to make good use of the Toolcat 5600’s turf friendly, all-wheel steering for cutting grass without damaging the lawn.

All-wheel steer also pays off when maneuvering on paved surfaces. “When working around the storage buildings, I can make nice, smooth, tight turns,” he says.

With enclosed cab and heater and air conditioning, the machine is as comfortable as it is convenient to operate, he notes. For example, the hydraulic joystick for operating the loader functions includes a liftarm “float feature” and switches for operating attachments.

“The joystick is in a good location and it’s easy to operate,” he says. “The switch for running the snowblower and mower is really handy, right at your fingertips.”

He also likes the view from the operator’s seat. “With the big windshield I can see the bucket real well when I’m dumping,” he says. The excellent reach of the 5600—35 in.— makes dumping and stacking snow easy, too, he adds. Stearns uses the cargo box for hauling storage items as well as leaves, rock and other materials. However, he’s really impressed by the ability to use the bucket and the cargo box together to do two jobs at once. One of those jobs is helping his wife with an annual spring project—planting flowers around the facility. “I can fill the bucket with dirt or mulch while carrying pots of flowers in the box,” he says.

Probably his favorite feature, though, is the passenger seat of his Toolcat 5600. He no longer has to work alone.