Need Opinions

[smokediver6104]

Please give me feedback on an item I am working on for wildland firefighting.
This unit has 160 gallons of water with a 20 gallon foam tank and a CAFS unit.
4X4 with all wheel steer and AC in the cab. Several different front bucket attachments can be added.
It is called the EmberCat ( Patent Pending )
Thanks

[dday05]

It looks a bit heavy,but I could be wrong.

[ElectricHoser]

Is this for suburban or inter-urban wildland, or true wildland? I personally prefer the go-anywhere mobility of a J-5 (but then again I never got to use one with CAFS!). This vehicle looks like it would be easy to get stuck somewhere. The scoop on the front has interesting possibilities. AC in the cab?? Pansies. In all honesty, the driver of the rig doesn't need AC as much as the troops on foot, and I'd be concerned that the AC would mask actual weather conditions, which might be of real interest to the driver. With an open air cab the driver can read the weather and also hear other crew members outside. Does it have ground-level flushers or does it only supply hose lines? Looks like fairly good work overall, though I'd want to see it in action.

[Remthedays]

Looks interesting.

Is it light weight in the front and heavy in the rear where it could tip back?
I would take the AC out and install a couple of small fans for driver and passenger. What size pump is available?

Keep us posted on these questions and how it works in the field.

T.J.

[smokediver6104]

Well the doors are completely removable for that fresh air experience.
It is heavier in the rear but it does balance out well. As far as getting stuck it would not work in a muddy field application.
Thanks for the comments, keep them coming I am looking for feedback.

[ColoradoFireGuy]

Wheres the teratorch???

[snowflake]

Ok so i take it that this is for real.. I would dump about 16 gallons of foam, that will rid you of what.. 100 pounds in the back end? Is the bucket in the front to keep it from flipping over?
Are you the guy that had the regular Bobcat with the bucket converted to tank and a remote monitor on it? is it a true CAFS system? is that really needed with the extra weight and size? woulden't a induction system work fine.. I guess in flat desert area's like Eastern OR and Utah and places it would be fine.. is the goal to classify it as a type 6? and sell it to contractors? or...

[smokediver6104]

The pump is 125gpm. Ground flushers can be added.
It looks like it sits lower in the back because the front end is built to pickup loads up to 1,500 lbs. With the unit in the back loaded it only drops the rear a little over an inch.

[Hickman]

With all the attachments available for the 5600, it might be interesting to see what a Soil Conditioner attachment would do in low fuel conditions.

[crazyaboutEMS17]

I would raise the suspension and put larger tires on it for better traction in muddy or slippery conditions

[NJFFSA16]

What's the vehicle weight when fully loaded? It just appears (to me) that it is carrying far too much weight for it's drivetrain to handle.

Looks like a lot of stress on such a small frame.

[neiowa]

The largest version available now is rated at 800lb load in the bed total load of 1200lb

http://www.bobcat.com/utility_machin..._vehicles/2300

The things are outrageously expensive.

[Hickman]

This one is the 5600 not the 2300

http://www.bobcat.com/utility_machin...cat/5600_turbo

rated 2000lbs in bed, 1500lbs lift and 4200lbs tow.
and yep it's expensive. Ours had a bucket, grappler, and a set of pallet forks for the attachments. With about 35 different attachements, it could make life a little easier on the line, around the station, in the shop, or around the park.

And nope I don't sell'm..