The bucket pins on a 700 Series Bobcat are the main components that secure the bucket to the lift arms and the tilting cylinder on the machine. Over time, excessive use can damage the bucket pins or cause the pins to wear down. Once a bucket pin is worn out or damaged, it must be replaced before the pin completely breaks. The pins must be tapped out and in with a sledge hammer and a large center punch.
Park the 700 Series Bobcat on a level surface and raise the bucket about three to four feet off of the ground. Turn the engine off and set the parking brake.
Place a wooden pallet directly underneath the bucket. Crank the engine and lower the bucket until it is lying level and flat on the wooden pallet. Turn off the engine.
Locate the four pins that secure the bucket to the arms of the Bobcat and the one pin that secures the tilt cylinder to the top center of the bucket. Loosen and remove the lock bolts from each pin with an open-end wrench. Each pin has a lock bolt in the center of the pin to prevent the pin from rotating.
Spray penetrating oil around both sides of all four pins. Allow the penetrating oil to soak into the pins for about one-hour.
Tap one of the pins with the hand held sledge hammer until the pin begins to move inside of the pin bushing. Place the end of a large center punch directly in the center of the pin and finish driving the pin out with the sledge hammer. If the pin will not move, crank the engine and shake the bucket up and down with the up and down lever to loosen the pin inside of the arm bushings. Re-level the bucket on the pallet and turn the engine off. Finish driving out the pin.
Move to the other pins and repeat the same process. Use the sledge hammer and the center punch to drive the pins out of each arm bushing and out of the tilt cylinder if necessary. Use as much penetrating oil as necessary to free up any rust from around the pin. Also, shake the bucket up and down as needed to loosen each pin inside of each arm bushing.
Repeat these steps in reverse when replacing the old pins with new pins.
