The Bobcat 773 is a skid-steer loader of the 700 series built by Bobcat Company, an American manufacturer of farm and construction equipment based in West Fargo, North Dakota. It is one of the larger numbers in the 700 family.
Bobcat 773 at a glance
| Maker | Bobcat Company |
|---|---|
| Type | skid-steer loader |
| Series | 700 |
| Headquarters | West Fargo, North Dakota |
| Skid-steer pioneer | Melroe M400, 1960 |
| Bobcat name | since 1962 on the 440 loader |
| Owner | Doosan Group since 2007 |
| European base | Czech Republic, since 2017 |
| Source | English Wikipedia, Bobcat Company |
Model-specific specifications are not covered by the available source, the English Wikipedia article on Bobcat Company; the page is based on that single source.
History of the Bobcat 773
Where Bobcat began
Louis and Cyril Keller, who ran Keller Welding and Repair near Rothsay, Minnesota, built their first compact loader in response to a request from the turkey farmer Eddie Velo in 1956 and delivered it on 4 February 1957. A patented clutch-based transmission followed in 1958 and became the basis of the Melroe M60 loader.
Melroe and the Bobcat name
Melroe Manufacturing of Gwinner, North Dakota, exhibited the machine at the 1958 Minnesota State Fair and brought out the four-wheeled M400 Skid-Steer Loader in 1960. The Bobcat trade name was introduced in 1962 on the 440 loader; the slogan was “tough, quick, and agile”. The 700 series, with the 773 towards its top, continued the same concept in heavier machines.
Ownership
Clark Equipment Company bought Melroe in 1969, Ingersoll Rand bought Clark in 1995, and in July 2007 the construction equipment group was sold to the Doosan Group of South Korea for US$4.9 billion. In 2017 Bobcat moved its European headquarters from Waterloo, Belgium, to the Czech Republic.
Design and features
- Bigger 700-series machine: the 773 sits at the upper end of the 700 range in this collection.
- Skid-steer layout: four wheels and no steering axle, the pattern set by the M400 of 1960.
- Farm and site duties: Bobcat loaders are sold for both farm and construction work.
- Heritage transmission: the clutch system patented in 1958 gave the loaders their early reputation for reliability.
Bobcat 773 versions
- Bobcat 763: the preceding number in the 700 series.
- Bobcat 873: the next step up in size.
- Bobcat 863: an 800-series alternative.
The Bobcat 763 and the Bobcat 873 are the closest models; the whole range is in the Bobcat collection.
Video: Bobcat 773 with attachments
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Bobcat Company, English Wikipedia: company history, product range, ownership
