Used Bobcat S185 Skid Steer Loader Vertical Lift 61HP with Air Conditioned Cab

Vertical Lift Is the Whole Point of the S185

The Bobcat S185 is a vertical lift path skid steer loader — and that single design choice is what separates it from radial lift machines of similar weight. On a radial machine the bucket swings out in an arc, so reach is greatest at mid-height and falls away as you approach full lift. The S185 raises the load straight up, delivering its maximum reach exactly where you need it: at the top of the lift, over the side of a high-sided truck body, over a hopper wall, or out onto the second course of a pallet stack.

In practical terms this means the S185 clears a 2,310 mm dump height with a hinge pin height of 3,002 mm and 752 mm of dump reach at maximum height. You can stand the machine square to a tipper truck and empty the bucket cleanly over the sideboard without inching forward and risking the tyres against the truck body. If you load trucks, hoppers, mixers or skips every single day, vertical lift pays for itself in cycle time.

Compact Footprint, Full-Size Output

At 1,676 mm wide over standard 10×16.5 tyres, 1,938 mm to the top of the cab and a 2,001 mm turning radius with the standard bucket, the S185 works inside yards, alleys, farm buildings and part-built structures where a wheel loader cannot turn. A 1,030 mm wheelbase and zero-radius turning let the operator spin the machine within its own length — no three-point turns, no wasted ground.

Output does not suffer for the compact size. Lift breakout force is 1,588 kg, tilt breakout force 1,554 kg and push force 1,905 kg. This is a machine that will bite into compacted material, not skate across it.

Air Conditioned Cab — Confirm This Before You Compare Prices

The unit photographed carries the factory enclosed cab with heating and air conditioning. In markets where ambient temperatures run above 35 °C for months at a time, an air conditioned cab is the difference between a full shift and a half shift of productive work. Many used S185 units on the market are open-canopy or heat-only machines quoted at a lower price — always confirm the cab specification before you compare two quotations.

Attachment Versatility Through Bob-Tach

The S185 uses the Bob-Tach quick-change system, so non-hydraulic attachments swap in seconds. Standard auxiliary flow is 64 L/min, with an optional high-flow circuit at 100 L/min and system relief at 23.1 MPa (3,350 psi). That high-flow option is what unlocks the demanding tools — planers, trenchers, snowblowers, rotary cutters — that a standard-flow machine simply cannot drive at full speed.

Browse our full range on the used loader category page [→Used machinery] or contact us directly for current stock.

Technical Specifications

General Performance

Engine

Dimensions & Access

Working Range

Hydraulics & Drivetrain

Cab & Safety

5. Application Scenarios

1. Truck and Hopper Loading
The core case for vertical lift. 2,310 mm dump height and 752 mm of reach at full height let the operator empty a bucket cleanly over the sideboard of a tipper truck or the wall of a batching hopper without repositioning. Radial lift machines of the same weight class cannot reliably do this.

2. Pallet and Material Handling
With pallet forks on the Bob-Tach plate, the vertical lift path keeps the load close to the machine as it rises — critical for placing heavy pallets onto racking, truck beds or the second course of a stack in builders’ merchants, brickyards and warehouses.

3. Construction Site Support
Feeding materials, clearing debris, backfilling trenches, spreading base course and levelling. The 1,588 kg lift breakout force handles compacted spoil and rubble that lighter machines skate over.

4. Agriculture and Livestock
Silage handling, manure removal, bedding replacement, grain and fertiliser movement with combination buckets and grapples. The enclosed air conditioned cab keeps dust and ammonia out of the operator’s breathing space — a real advantage in poultry and dairy buildings.

5. Landscaping and Site Preparation
Soil conditioners, landscape rakes, augers, tree spades and sod layers all mount on the Bob-Tach plate. The compact 1,676 mm width works within finished residential plots without dismantling access.

6. Municipal and Road Maintenance
Angle brooms, snow blades, snowblowers, planers and trench compactors. Machines specified with the 100 L/min high-flow circuit drive the demanding hydraulic tools at full rated speed.

7. Recycling, Demolition and Yard Work
Industrial grapples and hydraulic breakers for sorting, feeding and light demolition. Level II FOPS is available where overhead hazards exist.

For lighter-duty or narrower-access work, see the alternatives in section 8 below.

6. OEM & Customisation Options

We supply the S185 in the configuration your market and customs regime require. Options available on request:

• Cab specification — enclosed cab with heat and air conditioning (as photographed), heat-only enclosed cab, or open canopy with side screens
• Hydraulic circuit — standard 64 L/min or high-flow 100 L/min; front auxiliary standard, rear auxiliary available
• Control pattern — hand-and-foot controls, Advanced Control System (ACS), or Selectable Joystick Control (SJC). Confirm before shipment; operators trained on one pattern often will not accept the other
• Bucket — 1,575 / 1,727 / 1,880 mm widths, general purpose, combination (4-in-1), light material or rock bucket
• Attachments packaged with the machine — pallet forks, angle broom, auger, trencher, grapple, hydraulic breaker, snow blade, soil conditioner, landscape rake, planer
• Tyres and rims — standard 10×16.5, offset rims for 1,524 mm narrow width, 31.5×13-16.5 flotation, or steel tracks over tyres
• Counterweight kit — raises rated operating capacity to 885 kg
• Paint and livery — repaint to your corporate colours; your company decals and logo applied before shipment
• Documentation and marking — nameplate language, operator manual language, CE-style documentation packs, customs-specific paperwork for your destination
• Attachment control kit, back-up alarm, beacon, radio, block heater, ride control, special applications kit

Minimum order: single unit. Container-quantity and mixed-model orders welcome — we can combine S185 units with other skid steers and telehandlers from stock in one container. Discuss requirements via our service and customisation page [→ service].

7. Packing & Shipping

Pre-shipment preparation
Fluids checked and topped, battery secured and disconnected where required, loose parts removed and boxed, hydraulic couplers capped, exposed rams greased and wrapped, glass protected, and all attachments crated or strapped separately.

Container loading

Loading counts are planning estimates based on nominal internal container dimensions and machine footprint. Final count is confirmed by our forwarder against the actual units and lashing plan. The S185’s 1,938 mm cab height allows dry container loading — flat rack is not normally required.

Lashing and securing
Machines are chocked, chained at four points and blocked against movement. Photographs of the loaded and sealed container are sent to you before the vessel departs.

Trade terms
FOB Shanghai or Ningbo, CFR or CIF to your nearest port. Full export documentation: Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin. Fumigation and pre-shipment inspection certificates arranged where your customs authority requires them.

Inspection before payment
On-site inspection at our Hefei yard, live WhatsApp video walkaround, or third-party inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas or your own agent — all welcome at any stage.

Payment terms
30% deposit by T/T to confirm the order, 70% balance by T/T before shipment. Letter of credit at sight available for container-quantity orders.

Lead time
Typically 7–15 days for units in stock, subject to vessel schedule.

8. Which Machine Is Right for You?

The S185 sits in the middle of the skid steer range. Use this guide to place yourself, then talk to us — we would rather you bought the right size than the one you first clicked on.

If you need MORE lift capacity or reach than the S185:
Step up to a larger vertical lift frame. Our Bobcat T770 compact loader [→ BOBCAT T770 Skid Steer Loader Mini Loader Sell] offers substantially higher rated capacity for heavy truck loading and demanding attachment work. The Bobcat S590 and S770 are also available to order from stock — contact us for current availability.

If you need SIMILAR capacity at a lower budget:
Compare the Bobcat S550 skid steer loader [→ Bobcat S550 Good Performance Skid Steer Loader Factory Direct Sales] and the Bobcat S550 with road breaker configuration [→ Bobcat Skid Steer Loaders S550 Road Debris Removal and Road Breaker].

Also worth pricing against the Case SR200 skid steer loader [→ 2019 Case SR200 skid steer loader Case SR200 for sale] and the Case SR175 [→ 2019 Case SR175 skid steer loader vertical lift skid steer].

If your access is narrower than the S185’s 1,676 mm:
Look at the Bobcat S160 skid steer loader [→ Direct Sales of SM Bobcat S160 Skid Steer Loaders Road and Stairway Sweeping Machinery Road and Stairway Sweeping Machinery]. For genuinely tight access — barns, gates and doorways under 1.1 m — ask about the Bobcat S70 at just 900 mm over the tyres. The Bobcat S16 is available to order.

If you want a different brand at this size:
See the JCB 155 skid steer loader [→ Good Condition JCB155 skid steer loader used JCB loader] or the XCMG XC750K compact skid steer with attachments [→ China Compact Skid Steer Loader XCMG XC750K with Attachments for Sale at Low Prices]. Caterpillar 246 and comparable Cat models can be sourced on request.

If you need road speed and a utility platform rather than a loader:
Consider the Bobcat 5600 Toolcat all-wheel steer utility machine [→ Premium Bobcat 5600 Toolcat 61HP All-Wheel Steer 4X4 Utility Work Machine].

Browse everything:
Full used loader range [→ Used machinery] and used excavator range [→ Used Excavator].

Ready to talk numbers? Contact us for a quotation [→ Contact us] or message us on WhatsApp at +86 18884953776.

FAQ

Q1. What is the difference between vertical lift and radial lift, and why does it matter on the S185?
A radial lift arm swings the bucket through an arc, so maximum reach occurs at mid-height and reduces near full lift. The S185’s vertical lift path raises the load almost straight up, putting maximum reach at the top of the lift — 2,310 mm dump height with 752 mm of reach. If you load high-sided trucks, hoppers or pallet racking, vertical lift is significantly faster and safer. For ground-level digging and back-dragging, a radial machine is equally capable.

Q2. How much can a Bobcat S185 lift?
Rated operating capacity is 839 kg (1,850 lb) to SAE J732, rising to 885 kg with the optional counterweight kit. Tipping load is 1,849 kg, which gives 924 kg at 50% of tipping load — a figure used in some markets. Always plan your work around the SAE rated capacity, not the tipping load.

Q3. Which engine does the S185 use, and are parts available in my country?
Later production units use the turbocharged 4-cylinder Kubota V2607-DI-TE3B, 45.5 kW (61 hp). Earlier units use the Kubota V2003-M-DI-TE at 41.7 kW (56 hp). Both are Kubota industrial diesels with extremely wide global parts coverage — filters, injectors, water pumps and gasket sets are stocked in almost every market we export to. Confirm which engine your specific unit carries before ordering parts.

Q4. Does this machine have air conditioning?
The unit photographed has the fully enclosed cab with heating and air conditioning. Not every used S185 on the market does — many are open canopy or heat-only. When comparing quotations from different suppliers, confirm the cab specification first, because it materially affects both price and resale value in hot-climate markets.

Q5. Can the S185 run a hydraulic breaker, trencher or planer?
Standard auxiliary flow is 64 L/min at 23.1 MPa, which drives buckets, forks, augers, brooms, snow blades and standard-flow breakers. Demanding tools such as planers, large trenchers and snowblowers need the optional 100 L/min high-flow circuit. Send us the attachment make and model and we will confirm in writing whether it will work on the specific unit before you pay.

Q6. How many S185 units fit in one container?
Approximately two in a 20 ft GP with buckets detached, or four in a 40 ft HQ. The 1,938 mm cab height means dry container loading rather than flat rack, which avoids flat-rack surcharges and weather exposure. Final count is confirmed by our forwarder.

Q7. Can I inspect the machine before paying?
Yes. On site at our Hefei yard, by live WhatsApp video walkaround, or through SGS, Bureau Veritas or an agent of your own choosing. We photograph the hour meter and serial plate of the specific unit reserved against your order.