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Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 28 Dec 2009, 17:09
by skitheeast
I do like the 350, tons of power, speed, and a good climber, But we have a 275 with 9000 hours and still the original Cummins. We just rebuilt the drive system at 8800. It may not be as fast or have the power of a 350, but still a very solid cat. We are a small resort and the 275 works great for us and doesn't devour tracks.

Re: Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 28 Dec 2009, 17:55
by Tom400CFI
skitheeast wrote:I do like the 350, tons of power, speed, and a good climber, But we have a 275 with 9000 hours and still the original Cummins. We just rebuilt the drive system at 8800. It may not be as fast or have the power of a 350, but still a very solid cat. We are a small resort and the 275 works great for us and doesn't devour tracks.

I completely agree w/the bold face. Additionally, I think it's a GREAT trainer cat, due to it's simplicity, basic nature, and slower operating speeds. A rookie can get into a lot of trouble, real quick in a 350. Lastly, I do have an emotional attachment to that model; "old faithful". :)

HOWEVER; it just isn't competitive anymore. It guzzles fuel to the tune of 6-8 gph, while covering acreage at a snails pace...resulting in a dismal GPA, by today's standards. The 350, set up and driven properly uses less fuel per hour, while simultaineously covering WAY more ground, way faster, and it can push circles around a 275.

As much as I have a soft spot in my heart for that great model...it just doesn't make the "number crunch", in our observation. Today, we're covering more acres, with less cats and less staff than where we were 10 years ago w/275's. Hard to argue w/that.

Re: Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 31 Dec 2009, 12:51
by troutriver
I had to laugh when I read the topic!! Of course all tractors have their issues and yeah the 275 is "outdated" for today's larger "number watchers" for acres/fuel consumption/productivity. Its just a pretty reliable old horse is all.

Re: Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 28 Feb 2010, 09:51
by snowwizard
troutriver wrote:I had to laugh when I read the topic!! Of course all tractors have their issues and yeah the 275 is "outdated" for today's larger "number watchers" for acres/fuel consumption/productivity. Its just a pretty reliable old horse is all.

No thanks. We used to call them the penalty box where i worked at.

Re: Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 21 Jan 2016, 22:13
by ward-o
The power and speed of the 350's have definitely made the 275's pretty much obsolete, and they're only slightly heavier, and of course more expensive. That being said, speed and power mean nothing if the quality of product is lowered. We call our 275's our dancing "Ballerina's". Way more nimble as compared to the brute force of the Bigger machines.
After all, its how the surface skis or rides, right?
Ps I personally like the tandem bearings in the 275's, way more than the 350's :?

Re: Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 31 Jan 2016, 17:55
by PB400Fan
The First year Bombardier started putting CAT motors in the 350s was the best cats they ever made... 05ish I think? But the advances in todays cats are huge.... the 275s are antiques

Re: Who wants the 275 back?

PostPosted: 27 Feb 2017, 11:45
by Lyndy
The 275's are actually really popular for work machines in the North. Here in Northern Ontario, snowcats are used extensively to build winter roads and ice roads, as bulldozers don't have a low enough ground pressure to float across frozen bog. Without the ice roads, fly-in only communities have to pay out the nose to get gas, diesel, and machines brought in.

The 275's are preferred due to their smaller size, lower weight, and better cold-start ability than the CAT BR350's. Our local Prinoth dealer buys tons of them from all over Canada and the US for this purpose, then they rip off the tillers and put on rear cabs or work decks. They're pretty neat machines when they're done.