# Hello, Bob-caT owner from Western Massachusetts



## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)

Hello to All,

Im the proud owner of 2 Ransomes Bob-caT snowthrowers... a 5hp model 820 and a 7hp model 1824. Despite their age and unknown years of neglect by pervious owners, both machines are fully operational and can still make their impressive +20ft rooster tails, throw the snow 30 to 60 feet, and tear through the hardest city plowed-in berms. Ive owned my 5hp Bob-caT for about 7 years and have owned the 7hp for almost 3 years. My 5hp is my loan-out machine. Ive loaner her out to several friends over the last few years, because their "new" machines failed... meanwhile, this old gal just plugs away... finicky at start-up? yep, but reliable once she's running. 
My 7hp 1824 was a craigslist score... I saw it advertised near me for a fairly cheap price... when I got there, it wasnt exactly as good as described. I tried to start it, quite unsuccessfully. It had no spark and was covered in sludge and dirt. It was carefully stored under the guys low deck... ( exposed to pretty much everything. Got her home and discovered water had seeped into past the putty and ruined the condenser. Amazingly, it didnt get onto the crank snout. The oil was nasty too... I cleaned her up and sorted everything out. She served me well the last two years, but really had issues last winter. I had to replace the carb with an NOS Briggs unit last season, because she couldn't maintain a tune... with all of the snow last year, I had to keep adjusting her mid run. Too much slop in the carb and I strongly suspected it was taken off another snowblower... Someone had also cut a "sevice hole" in the impeller drive belt-shield & put aluminum tape over it. I corrected this by making an aluminum plate to cover it properly. Late last season, the tired impeller drive belt began popping off the pulley every time I disengaged it... I also busted one of the all metal roller bearing skids... the bearing popped off somehow. Then I almost got hit by a city plow...

Overhaul & Upgrade Time....
I hunted down pretty much everything I needed to overhaul the old girl. I also have modified her with a 696459 Briggs Dual-Circuit alternator... finding the correct flywheel was a PITA, but I got lucky on Feepay. The stator produces both AC and DC, so I can add LED lighting and maybe hand warmers or something else. Another item I scored was a "correct" AC plug-in push button starter system... still waiting for a couple parts and Im debating on how I want to design my LED lighting setup.


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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)




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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)




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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)

Bobcat Video1_zpsizz0whwx.mp4 Video by BrotherAl | Photobucket


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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)

Bobcat Video2_zps0fn0klp5.mp4 Video by BrotherAl | Photobucket


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## knu2xs (Jan 6, 2015)

Hello Brother Al & a big *WELCOME ABOARD*!

Nice intro!!


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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)




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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)

Thank You... posted more pics... had to check and see if they posted before I continued.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*ALOHA from the paradise city. there Brother AL.*


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## DaHen (Feb 15, 2015)

*Welcome *to the forum.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

welcome to the forum.....and wow, those bobcats do sling the snow !!!


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## sj701 (Jan 23, 2014)

Nice blower there. 

I'm in the process of gathering parts to add lighting to my 7hp blower, didn't realize the need to cut the breaker cover and casting for clearance.


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## Brother Al (Nov 12, 2015)

If you can find an NOS original-style Flywheel and Stator, you wouldnt need to. I could only find the later 170400-series aluminum ring gear flywheel and the "revised" stator design... I hated to do it for a couple reasons... 1.) Big Access point for water. 2.) Notching the block and cover is permanent. 
The Dual Circuit stator offers both AC and DC power lines... not sure if its "clean" enough DC for the LEDs though....


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## marspatt (Dec 4, 2014)

Brother Al said:


> Hello to All,
> 
> Im the proud owner of 2 Ransomes Bob-caT snowthrowers... a 5hp model 820 and a 7hp model 1824. Despite their age and unknown years of neglect by pervious owners, both machines are fully operational and can still make their impressive +20ft rooster tails, throw the snow 30 to 60 feet, and tear through the hardest city plowed-in berms. Ive owned my 5hp Bob-caT for about 7 years and have owned the 7hp for almost 3 years. My 5hp is my loan-out machine. Ive loaner her out to several friends over the last few years, because their "new" machines failed... meanwhile, this old gal just plugs away... finicky at start-up? yep, but reliable once she's running.
> My 7hp 1824 was a craigslist score... I saw it advertised near me for a fairly cheap price... when I got there, it wasnt exactly as good as described. I tried to start it, quite unsuccessfully. It had no spark and was covered in sludge and dirt. It was carefully stored under the guys low deck... ( exposed to pretty much everything. Got her home and discovered water had seeped into past the putty and ruined the condenser. Amazingly, it didnt get onto the crank snout. The oil was nasty too... I cleaned her up and sorted everything out. She served me well the last two years, but really had issues last winter. I had to replace the carb with an NOS Briggs unit last season, because she couldn't maintain a tune... with all of the snow last year, I had to keep adjusting her mid run. Too much slop in the carb and I strongly suspected it was taken off another snowblower... Someone had also cut a "sevice hole" in the impeller drive belt-shield & put aluminum tape over it. I corrected this by making an aluminum plate to cover it properly. Late last season, the tired impeller drive belt began popping off the pulley every time I disengaged it... I also busted one of the all metal roller bearing skids... the bearing popped off somehow. Then I almost got hit by a city plow...
> ...


Need a parts diagram for my 1978 Bob-Cat 5 HP, SN 19549. Can you, or anyone, help, please.

Thanks.


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## Big Ed (Feb 10, 2013)

marspatt said:


> Need a parts diagram for my 1978 Bob-Cat 5 HP, SN 19549. Can you, or anyone, help, please.
> 
> Thanks.


Are you sure that you asked this in every Bob cat thread you can find from years ago?
You asked in 5 threads so far? 
Surely you missed some?


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