Photo courtesy of DOZR
Compact track loader with an auger attachment.
Skid steers and compact track loaders are some of the most versatile machines on construction sites because of the number of attachments at their disposal.
From land clearing to material handling, there are many skid steer attachments that help operators get the job done. In this article, we highlight some common compact track loader and skid steer attachments and when to use them.
Land Clearing, Forestry Attachments
One of the most common projects skid steers are used include land clearing and forestry jobs. Below are some of the best skid steer attachments to use for these projects.
- Root Rakes — Great for removing roots, bushes, vegetation and weeds, root rakes pulverize dirt while ripping out all weeds and plants. Made in a variety of widths, they protect the front of the machine from any damage.
- Drum Mulchers — Primarily used for medium and large-sized land clearing projects like brush and trees, drum mulchers have carbide teeth to cut through material. These attachments are used for shrubs and trees with diameters up to 9 ft. For anything larger, you'll want to use a larger piece of equipment.
- Brush Cutters — Brush cutter attachments operate like a typical lawn mower. Brush cutters are cheap to rent and easy to operate. Most models come in widths up to 90, allowing you to get the job done in fewer passes than a typical mower. However, brush cutter attachments do require high-flow auxiliary hydraulics, making them only compatible with similarly featured machines.
- Stump Grinders — Removing stumps from the ground can be challenging. That's why using a stump grinder attachment is so helpful. They remove tree stumps from the ground and grind them into smaller pieces using carbide-tooth blades. Some stump grinders are only available for high-flow skid steers while others can work on standard-flow and high-flow skid steer models.
Earthmoving Attachments
Another popular attachment for skid steers are earthmoving attachments. From moving dirt to digging holes in the ground, these attachments allow SSLs and CTLs to get more done.
- Augers — Digging holes straight in the ground is much easier with an auger attachment. Augers dig small, deep holes for fencing, light poles, and even trees. With augers available anywhere from 9 to 48 in. in diameter, they can speed up repetitive digging projects. Most auger attachments require high-flow capabilities.
Photo courtesy of DOZR
Compact track loader with an auger attachment.
- Trencher — Trenching, when done by humans, is a high-labor job often taking hours of hard, physical labor. Trencher attachments completely remove this problem. Used to dig narrow but deep trenches, these attachments are useful when projects require piping, wiring or irrigation underground. Capable of handling rougher, rocky soil as well, trencher attachments can dig up to 48 in. deep.
- Dozer Blade — Depending on the size of the project, compact loaders can do the work of a dozer when equipped with a dozer blade attachment. With dozer blades, you can quickly grade land, push large amounts of material around the site, and do some reverse grading as well. When using a dozer blade attachment, you can save on the equipment costs of getting a full-sized dozer.
- Buckets — As the most commonly used attachment, there is a wide variety of bucket attachments. Some buckets are heavy-duty, allowing for the movement of bulkier materials like rocks, while others are smaller and lighter in weight, making them better for soft materials like dirt and snow. One thing to note is that bucket load capacity does change by the weight and traction of the compact track loader or skid steer, so not all buckets will be compatible with every skid steer.
Photo courtesy of DOZR
Case 430 skid steer with a standard bucket attachment.
Material Handling Attachments
With the right attachment, a skid steer or compact track loader can be great at moving material around the job site.
- Pallet Forks — With a pallet fork attachment, a skid steer loader can operate similarly to forklifts or telehandlers, but with lower reach and lift capabilities. Pallet forks are typically about 42 in. long and have a max weight capacity of 3,000 lbs.
Photo courtesy of DOZR
Cat 259D compact track loader with a pallet fork attachment.
- Grapples — As mentioned earlier, grapples are much better for moving materials like boulders, logs and small trees than a regular bucket. Because of the way they are designed, grapple attachments are capable of holding larger materials and transporting them while filtering out any soil and dirt.
Photo courtesy of DOZR
Skid steer loader with a grapple bucket attachment.
Demolition Attachments
The last area of skid steer attachments to cover are demolition attachments.
- Hydraulic Breakers and Hammers — Used to demolish concrete, asphalt, rock, or hard-packed dirt, hydraulic breakers and hammers are common accessories for demolition projects. Whether it's road repairs, taking down interior or exterior, or doing flatwork demolition, hydraulic hammers are incredibly powerful. These attachments are better than jackhammers, not only for their efficiency but also because they are much quieter and easier to control than handheld machines.
- Shears — Also called concrete crackers, these attachments are great for cutting metal or pipe into smaller bits during a demolition project. With powerful jaws, they allow you to cut and transport materials like concrete making taking down metal or concrete infrastructure much easier.
While there are more attachments for skid steers and compact track loaders than the ones mentioned above, these are the most common.
(Kevin Forestell is the CEO and co-founder of DOZR)
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