Bobcat 450 Specs and Parts: Vintage 450 vs S450

"Bobcat 450" means two very different machines. The vintage Bobcat 450 is a compact skid-steer loader with a 16.5 horsepower gasoline engine, a 600 lb rated operating capacity, and a 2,195 lb operating weight. The modern Bobcat S450 is a 49 horsepower diesel skid steer lifting 1,370 lbs at 5,370 lbs of operating weight. This guide covers the vintage 450 in depth and untangles the S450 and T450 alongside it.

What You Need to Know

• Vintage Bobcat 450: 16.5 hp gasoline, 600 lb capacity, 2,195 lb weight
• Modern Bobcat S450: 49 hp diesel, 1,370 lb capacity, 5,370 lb weight
• Bobcat T450: the tracked sibling of the S450
• Not sure which you have? The serial plate settles it in seconds

Which Bobcat 450 Do You Mean?

The search results for this model are a mess because four different machines share the number, and half the spec pages online mix them together. Here is the clean breakdown:

• Bobcat 450 (and 450C variant): the vintage compact skid-steer this article covers, from Bobcat's non-current lineup
• Bobcat S450: the current-era entry skid steer, a completely different machine from a different century of design
• Bobcat T450: the compact track loader sibling of the S450
• Bobcat AT450: an articulating tractor that shares nothing but the digits

Parts do not interchange across these machines. Identify first, order second, and if the serial plate is ambiguous, our guide to finding the serial number, year, and model on your Bobcat resolves it.

What Are the Vintage Bobcat 450 Specs?

Bobcat's non-current model documentation lists the original 450 as one of the smallest skid-steers the company built, and its dimensions are the reason people still hunt for them: it fits where nothing else does.

Specification	Bobcat 450 (vintage)
Engine	2-cylinder gasoline, 16.5 hp
Rated operating capacity	600 lbs
Tipping load	1,217 lbs
Operating weight	2,195 lbs
Travel speed	5.2 mph
Length without attachment	73.1 in
Overall width	35.5 in
Overall height	71.5 in
Height to hinge pin	92.4 in
Reach at max height	15 in
Auxiliary hydraulic flow	6.8 gpm

Read that width line again: 35.5 inches. This machine passes through a standard doorway, which is why vintage 450s keep working in barns, basements, and greenhouses that no modern skid steer can enter.

How Much Does a 450 Bobcat Weigh?

The vintage Bobcat 450 weighs 2,195 lbs, light enough to trailer behind a half-ton pickup without drama. The modern S450 weighs 5,370 lbs, well over twice as much, and that gap is the fastest way to tell which machine a listing is actually describing. If a "Bobcat 450" ad quotes a weight above 5,000 lbs, you are looking at an S450.

What Years Was the Bobcat 450 Made?

The 450 family, including the 450C variant, belongs to Bobcat's non-current compact lineup, and Bobcat ties exact production years to serial number ranges rather than badges. The 450 versus 450C distinction matters for parts, so decode your serial before ordering: the plate carries the model and production sequence, and Bobcat's serial records translate that to a build window.

If your plate is missing or unreadable, the engine configuration and control layout narrow it down, and our parts specialists can usually identify a machine from photos plus any stamped numbers. Email sales@partsonline.com and ask.

What Are the Bobcat S450 Specs?

For the searchers who meant the modern machine, the S450's headline numbers per Bobcat's current specifications: 49 horsepower diesel, 1,370 lb rated operating capacity, 2,740 lb tipping load, 5,370 lb operating weight, and 7.6 mph travel speed. It is Bobcat's entry point to the current skid-steer range, radial lift, and sized for landscaping and rental duty.

Everything else in this article's vintage sections, from parts to maintenance, does not apply to the S450; it is a modern machine with modern systems.

Is a Bobcat T450 a Good Machine?

The T450 takes the S450 formula and puts it on tracks, trading some travel speed for flotation and grip on soft ground. Owners rate it well for its class, particularly in wet-season landscaping where wheels spin. If your work is mostly on hard surfaces, the wheeled S450 costs less to run; tracks earn their keep in mud.

What Can a Bobcat T450 Lift?

The T450's rated operating capacity sits in the same class as its S450 sibling, quoted by Bobcat at 35 percent of tipping load in track-loader convention. Check Bobcat's current specification sheet for the exact figure by configuration, since counterweight options move it. For any lift-critical job, the machine's own placard and manual govern.

Are Parts Still Available for the Vintage Bobcat 450?

Yes, within honest limits. Wear and maintenance parts remain available from aftermarket suppliers, meeting or exceeding OEM specifications, and our catalog carries a couple hundred parts with Bobcat 450 fitment. Vintage-specific trim and sheet metal are scarcer, which is typical for machines of this era.

The ordering rule matters more here than on any other Bobcat: with 450, 450C, S450, and T450 all in circulation, cross-reference by OEM part number and serial, never by "450" alone. Browse Bobcat 450 parts for the vintage machine, and the wider Bobcat skid steer parts catalog for everything else.

Vintage 450 Common Problems and Maintenance

A machine this simple has a short problem list, and almost all of it comes from sitting rather than working:

• Fuel system gum: carburetor and fuel delivery issues top the list on gasoline machines that sit between uses
• Ignition wear: points-era components need periodic renewal
• Hydraulic seep: decades-old seals weep; reseals are straightforward
• Drive chain adjustment: the classic skid-steer maintenance item
• Brakes and controls stiffening: linkage lubrication solves most of it

Based on our catalog experience with vintage Bobcats, the owners who keep these machines happiest simply run them regularly and keep fresh fuel in them. Consult a certified mechanic for hydraulic system work if drive response becomes uneven, and disconnect the battery before any electrical or fuel repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a 450 Bobcat weigh?

The vintage Bobcat 450 weighs 2,195 lbs. The modern S450 weighs 5,370 lbs, and the weight quoted in any listing is the quickest way to tell which machine it describes.

What is the difference between the Bobcat 450 and S450?

They are different machines from different eras: the vintage 450 is a 16.5 hp gasoline compact lifting 600 lbs, while the S450 is a modern 49 hp diesel lifting 1,370 lbs. No parts interchange.

Is a Bobcat T450 a good machine?

Yes, it is the tracked sibling of the S450 and performs well in its class, especially on soft ground where tracks outgrip wheels.

What can a Bobcat T450 lift?

Its rated capacity sits in the S450 class, quoted by track-loader convention at 35 percent of tipping load. Bobcat's current spec sheet gives the exact figure per configuration.

What years was the Bobcat 450 made?

Bobcat ties 450 and 450C production years to serial ranges in its non-current model records. Decode your serial plate, or send it to us and we will identify the machine.

Are parts still available for the vintage Bobcat 450?

Maintenance and wear parts remain available from the aftermarket; vintage trim and sheet metal are the scarce categories. Order by OEM part number and serial, never by "450" alone.

It is the customer's responsibility to verify part compatibility before purchasing, and this model family is the poster child for why. Email your serial number to sales@partsonline.com and our parts specialists will confirm exactly which 450 you own and what fits it.