Mini Track Loader Delivers Big Results

Ed Reid

Small jobs and small equipment are paying off big time for Ed Reid.

"When I went out on my own a couple of years ago I decided to do smaller jobs and have less equipment overhead," says the owner of Reid Construction, Manchester, Md. "My goal was to arrive at a jobsite, work quickly and efficiently, and move on."

With his father being a long-time owner of Bobcat® equipment, Reid naturally looked at what was available from the world-wide leader in compact equipment.

"I operated Bobcat loaders for many years and knew how much they could accomplish," he says. "But as a young guy just starting out, I decided to look at mini track loaders. Once I tried the MT52 at Bobcat of Baltimore I knew this versatile machine would work for me."

With several Bobcat attachments—bucket, pallet forks, hydraulic breaker, sweeper, auger and snowblower—Reid found out he could do many of the same jobs as a skid-steer loader operator. And do them better in situations where equipment access was limited.

"The MT52 has done everything I expected, and more," says Reid. "I use it every day in a variety of applications—sidewalks, decks, patios, retaining walls, sewer and water and snow removal. On the right kind of job it's just as quick and efficient as a larger loader."

Ed Reid can demolish a sidewalk quickly with his MT52.

The hydraulic breaker is Reid's most used attachment. "I can break up a 50-ft. sidewalk that is 3- to 4-ft. wide and 4- to 6-in. thick in about two minutes," he says. "Loading the old concrete takes another five minutes. I have also used the mini track loader to break up an 8 to 12-in.-thick concrete curb. It does a fantastic job."

The MT52 (and the attachments which also fit skid-steer and compact track loaders) is the only equipment Reid owns. "Right now, that's all I need," he says. "It's perfect for the work I do, and worth every dime I paid."

MT55

Sporting a more powerful engine and more lifting ability than the MT52, this machine takes Bobcat mini track loader performance to an even higher level. Wider rubber tracks also mean better flotation and less disturbance to lawns and other sensitive surfaces. The standard Bob-Tach™ system makes changing quick and easy among any of 18 different Bobcat attachments. Optional ride-on platform installs in seconds.

Bobcat MT55 Loader

550-lb. (249-kg) rated operating capacity
41.4-in. (1050-mm) wide and 72.4-in. (1839-mm) long (without bucket)
23.5 hp (17.5 kW) diesel engine
6-ft. lift height to the hinge pin
2,696-lb. (1223-kg) operating weight
12 GPM auxiliary hydraulic flow