A Buyer's Manual To Skid Steer Attachments
If you've recently become the proud owner of a skid steer, congratulations! You've made a great investment that has significantly expanded the total number of jobs you're capable of taking on. In order to fully maximize your machine's potential, though, you're going to need some skid steer attachments. The basic guide provided below will help you make the right choices and find the perfect attachments to make your skid steer as productive as it can be.
So You've Bought A Two-Ton Razor Handle
Skid steers are incredibly versatile machines. With the right attachments and a little skillful operation, a skid steer can fill in for virtually any piece of heavier equipment. Why are we calling this wonderful tool a razor handle, then? Because in the same way that a razor handle is actually a tool designed to sell you razor blades, a skid steer is a tool designed to sell you attachments.
Spartan Equipment, a well-known attachment manufacturer, is even upfront about this fact: "Attachments are the driving force in the compact equipment industry," according to their website. Manufacturers will be eager to sell you a vast range of pricey and potentially inefficient attachments. This means that you need to exercise a little common sense in buying attachments to ensure you get good value for your money.
Verify Your Equipment's Compatibility
For over three decades, skid steers have benefitted from the easy compatibility that's resulted from Bobcat's hard design work. Today virtually every skid steer is equipped with the Bob-Tach mounting hardware, and this is the industry standard that all attachments are designed to work with. Most skid steer attachments are powered by the machine's hydraulic system.
Review the connection and power requirements of any given attachment carefully to ensure it will work with your skid steer. Some pieces of hardware have special needs. Brush mulchers usually require high-flow hydraulic connections, for example. Major attachments that generate high torque levels (e.g. backhoes) may require stronger connections in addition to the standard quick attach.
New Vs. Used Vs. Rental
Once you're looking at an attachment that meets your needs and verified that it will work with your skid steer, the next question is how to pay for it. There's a thriving market in used attachments, and this can often be the ideal way to secure a good deal on the equipment you need. As with any used equipment purchase, of course, you should take extra care to verify the quality and usability of any attachment you buy used.
Renting attachments is a viable option in all but the most remote locations. This is typically the best way to handle a one-off job that calls for specialized equipment. Don't neglect the other uses of attachment rentals, though! If you have access to a wide enough selection, you can actually use rentals to "test drive" a number of competing attachments. This gives you a first-hand look at how a given attachment performs and makes it easy to pick the ideal equipment for your needs.
It seems like no matter what the job is, there's a skid steer attachment for it. That means you can take on all sorts of work with confidence. All you need is a good grasp of the basics of attachment shopping and a little common sense. You should easily be able to find great deals on reliable attachments if you stick to the points outlined here.