Choosing the right Skid Steer Attachments is crucial if you want to tap into the maximum efficiency and productivity of your skid steer loader.
Whether you’re doing heavy-duty tasks like land clearing and construction, or moving to more delicate work like landscaping and farming, it’s important that you understand the different types of skid steer attachments and whether they’re compatible with your machine’s model, as well as how to maintain them.
Here we’ll guide you through the basic skid steer attachment types, performance, considerations, budget, and safety precautions you need to get your skid steer to its maximum effectiveness and potential, for different types of jobs and scenarios.
Skid Steer Attachments Types
1. Excavation-Type
Buckets
General-Purpose Bucket
Basic square-shaped, used for excavating, loading, and transporting loose materials like dirt, sand, and gravel. Capacity varies by skid-steer model.
Heavy-Duty Bucket
Sturdier with thicker materials and reinforced edges for tougher jobs like moving broken concrete.
Digging Bucket
Designed for excavation with a sharper front edge and angled walls for digging foundations and ditches.
2. Trenching
Chain Trencher
Uses a rotating chain with cutting tools to dig 10 – 30 cm wide and 1 – 2 m deep trenches for laying cables and pipes.
Wheel Trencher
With multiple trenching cutters on a wheel axle, it excels in softer soils and allows for adjustable ditch shape and size.
3. Handling-Type
Pallet Forks
Similar to forklift forks, installed at the front of the loader for handling palletized goods. Come in various lengths and can lift different weights.
Material Handling Arms
Equipped with grippers or hooks. Parallel grippers for flat objects, circular for cylindrical items. Extension lengths range from 1 – 3 m.
4. Sweeping-Type
Brooms
Push Broom: Hard, short bristles for sweeping large flat surfaces like parking lots and warehouse floors. Sweeping width up to 1.5 – 3 m.
Rotary Broom
Bristles in a circular pattern, motor-driven, good for narrower passages and handling sticky debris.
5. Crushing-Type
Breakers
Designed to break hard materials like concrete and rocks. Generate impact force with an adjustable frequency of 300 – 800 times per minute.
Jaw Crusher Buckets
Similar to traditional jaw crushers, crush materials using two jaw plates. Can be mounted on a skid-steer loader for on-site crushing and screening of construction waste.
6. Drilling-type
Augers
Standard Auger: A spiral-shaped drill bit for drilling holes in the ground for tasks like tree planting or fence installation. Diameter 10 – 50 cm and depth 1 – 3 m.
Rock Auger
Engineered for tougher geological conditions with a special drill bit for high-hardness rocks.
7. Other Types of Skid Steer Attachments:
Snow Blowers
In colder regions, use a high-speed rotating fan to blow snow. Throwing distance 5 – 15 m and feed inlet width 1 – 2 m.
Mowers
Rotary Mower:Horizontally rotating blades, can be mounted at the front or side, mowing width 1 – 3 m, ideal for large grassy areas.
Flail Mower:Blades connected by rods on a rotating shaft, effective for cutting weeds and shrubs in more complex areas.
Skid Steer Attachments for Different Tasks
1. Construction
General–purpose bucket:Used for loading construction materials such as sand and gravel. It scoops up the materials from the stockpile and loads them into transport vehicles for convenient material transfer.
Heavy-duty bucket: Cleans up broken concrete blocks, bricks, and other construction waste. It forcefully scoops and transports the waste to the designated waste-disposal area.
Digging bucket: Excavates building foundations. It precisely cuts into the ground and digs out the soil to the appropriate depth and shape as per the design requirements.
Pallet forks: Transports construction materials such as bagged cement and ceramic tiles that are pallet-based. It moves the goods between the warehouse and the construction site.
Material handling arms:Transfers irregular-shaped construction materials such as long-shaped steel beams and large-sized glass panels. It uses grippers or hooks to safely and stably move the materials to the installation location.
Breaker:Demolishes concrete structures such as the walls and floors of old buildings. It uses high-frequency impact to break and detach the concrete.
Jaw crusher bucket:At the construction waste-disposal site, it crushes and screens large pieces of discarded concrete components and stones on-site. It adjusts the inlet and outlet sizes to recycle reusable materials.
Standard auger: Drills holes for installing fence posts and small-sized utility poles. It drills holes with appropriate depth and diameter in the ground for installation.
2. Agricultural
General–purpose bucket:Loads agricultural products. For example, it scoops up potatoes, corns, etc. from the field or warehouse and transfers them to transport vehicles or storage areas.
Digging bucket: Excavates irrigation ditches. According to the farmland layout plan, it digs ditches with appropriate width and depth for irrigation.
Pallet forks: Transports feed and agricultural products. It moves bagged feed or boxed agricultural products in the farm warehouse.
Material handling arms:Transfers large-sized agricultural machinery parts or farm tools. It facilitates the operation during equipment maintenance and part replacement.
Push broom: Sweeps the area around the barn to remove dust, debris, etc., and keeps the surrounding environment of the barn clean.
Rotarymower: Trims the relatively flat grassland in the farm, such as pasture lawns, and keeps the grass at a suitable height for livestock to graze and move.
Flail mower: Clears the roadside weeds and wasteland vegetation, and controls the growth of weeds around the farm to prevent them from affecting the growth of crops.
Standard auger:Drills holes for planting grapevines and other crops that require poles. It drills holes in the field for inserting poles.
3. Landscaping
Generalpurpose bucket:Loads landscape soil, cobblestones and other materials for landscape shaping or laying the foundation of paths.
Material handling arms:Transfers large-sized landscape sculptures. It carefully moves the sculptures from the transport vehicle to the designated landscape position and installs them.
Push broom:Cleans up dust, small stones, and other debris in parks, gardens, and other areas to maintain the tidiness of the landscape area.
Rotary mower:Trims large-area grasslands such as park lawns and garden lawns to create an aesthetically pleasing green landscape.
Flail mower: Clears the more disordered and complex-growing weed areas in the landscape area and tidies up the vegetation at the edge of the landscape.
4. Municipal Engineering
General-purpose bucket:Loads various materials in municipal engineering construction. For example, it transports asphalt, stones, and other materials during road maintenance.
Heavy–duty bucket:Cleans up a large amount of broken road-surface materials produced during road maintenance. It quickly and efficiently transports the waste to the designated location.
Digging bucket: Excavates sewage pipelines, rain-water ditches, etc. It digs ditches according to the municipal pipeline planning requirements for pipeline laying.
Chain trencher: Excavates relatively narrow and precise depth required ditches for laying cables and communication lines. It precisely controls the width and depth of the ditches.
Wheel trencher:Excavates relatively wide and shallow ditches such as farmland drainage ditches and urban small-sized drainage-pipeline ditches on relatively soft land.
Push broom: Sweeps the dust and garbage on municipal roads and sidewalks to keep the urban roads clean.
Rotary sweeper:Cleans up the dust and debris beside the roadside curbstones and the mud on the roads around construction sites to maintain the tidiness of the road edges.
Breaker:Breaks damaged road surfaces and curbstones to prepare for road repair or renovation.
Snow blower:Clears the snow on municipal roads, airport runways, large-sized parking lots, and 5.Warehousing And Logistics
Pallet forks:Transports pallet-based goods. It loads and unloads goods, stacks and arranges them inside the warehouse, and efficiently moves goods between the shelves.
Material handling arms:Transfers irregular-shaped goods such as large-sized machine parts and specially-packaged commodities to improve the utilization rate of storage space and the flexibility of goods handling.
Skid Steer Attachments Compatibility
Compatibility Factors
Interface Standards
Many skid-steer loaders use ISO standard quick-change fittings, allowing some different makes and models to share attachments if the interface is compliant.
Power Output And Hydraulic System Compatibility
Attachments require proper power and hydraulic support. Loaders with sufficient power and hydraulic capacity can use certain attachments.
Size And Weight Suitability
The loader’s carrying capacity and working range must accommodate the attachment’s size and weight.
Incompatibilities
Brand-Specific Design
Some brands have unique attachment interfaces or work systems, making their attachments incompatible with other brands.
Power And Size Issues Due To Model Differences
Even within the same brand, different models may have differences in power, working arm length, and load capacity, affecting attachment compatibility.
Skid Steer Attachments Cost And Budgeting
Bucket
Price Range: For ordinary Skid Steer bucket attachments, you know, for example, a 1/8-inch thick bucket has a price range between $839.97 and $1,124.97. A 3/16-inch thick bucket is priced from $659.99 to $1,399.99. The 72-inch 4-in-1 combination bucket v2 costs $3,699.99.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis:If you are just dealing with some routine light tasks like regular material handling and loading/unloading, the 1/8-inch thick bucket has relatively high cost-effectiveness. Its price is relatively affordable and it can meet general usage requirements. For those job scenarios where you need multiple functions, although the 4-in-1 combination bucket is pricey, it integrates multiple functions such as digging, loading, leveling, and grasping. From the perspectives of long-term use and functional diversity, it also has certain cost-effectiveness.
Fork
Price Range:The pallet fork frame attachments of the economy series are priced between $439.99 and $704.96. Those of the standard series range from $499.99 to $742.96. The professional series pallet fork frame attachments are priced from $659.99 to $859.96. The adjustable hydraulic pallet fork frame costs $1,399.99, and the pallet fork grapple v2 is priced between $1,199.97 and $1,899.99.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis:If you are involved in small-scale operations or have a limited budget, the pallet fork frame attachments of the economy series are a good choice as they can meet your basic fork transport needs. For operations that require more precise operation and higher load-bearing capacity, the adjustable hydraulic pallet fork frame is more cost-effective. Despite its higher price, its adjustability and stronger functionality make it suitable for long-term use.
Excavation
Price Range: The front-mounted excavator attachments for the Skid Steer are priced between $1,424.97 and $2,069.99, while the rear buckets are priced from $299.99 to $439.99.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis:If excavation work accounts for a large proportion of your operation and you have certain requirements for excavation depth and strength, the front-mounted excavator attachment is a good choice. Although it’s costly, it can improve your excavation efficiency. For some small-scale excavation and cleaning tasks you might have, the rear bucket has high cost-effectiveness. Its price is relatively low and it can meet some simple excavation tasks.
Crushing
Price Range: Hydraulic Skid Steer breakers and other crushing attachments usually have a high price, generally above $3,000, and the specific price varies depending on the brand and model.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis:The cost-effectiveness of these attachments depends on your specific job requirements. If you often need to conduct high-intensity crushing operations such as concrete crushing and rock excavation, it’s necessary to purchase a breaker. Although the initial investment is large, it can improve your work efficiency and have certain cost-effectiveness in the long run. However, if you only need crushing operations occasionally, renting a breaker may be a more economical choice.
Sweeping
Price Range: The hydraulic Skid Steer flail mower/sweeper is priced between $3,699.99 and $3,999.99.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis:If your work involves large-area site sweeping, weed cleaning, or lawn mowing, the hydraulic Skid Steer flail mower/sweeper is a very practical attachment. It has high work efficiency and can save you a lot of manpower and time. From this perspective, it has high cost-effectiveness. However, if you have little sweeping work, its high price may reduce its cost-effectiveness.
Drilling
Price Range: The auger drill bits of the Titan brand are priced between $349.99 and $1,121.97.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis:If you frequently need to conduct drilling operations, such as installing fences and planting trees, it’s more cost-effective to purchase auger drill bits. For your occasional drilling needs, renting may be a more appropriate option to avoid waste caused by equipment idleness.
Performance And Efficiency Of Skid Steer Attachments
Work efficiency
Multi-function attachments like the 4-in-1 Combination Bucket v2, adjustable hydraulic pallet fork, and hydraulic Skid Steer flail mower/sweeper save time by eliminating the need to frequently change tools.
Professional attachments such as the front-mounted excavator attachment and hydraulic Skid Steer breaker are highly efficient in their specific tasks.
Small and flexible attachments like the rear excavator and Economy Series pallet fork attachment are suitable for simple tasks and ensure a certain level of work efficiency.
Durability:
High-quality materials and reasonable design contribute to durability. For example, thicker buckets and stronger fork attachments can withstand heavier use.
Proper maintenance is essential. Regular cleaning, inspection of worn parts, and replacement of components like drill rods and hydraulic oil ensure good durability.
Working environment and intensity affect durability. Harsh environments and overloading can shorten the lifespan of attachments.
Maintenance and Cleaning Methods of Skid Steer Attachments
Bucket
Daily Cleaning: Clean residual materials after each use. Use a high-pressure water gun for soil buckets and pay attention to gap cleaning for other buckets.
Regular Inspection and Maintenance: Check the edge for wear and deformation, repair if needed, and ensure proper lubrication of connection parts.
Special Situation Handling:Rinse with fresh water if used in a corrosive environment.
Fork
Cleaning Points: Clean debris and dirt on the fork tines and the outside of the hydraulic system.
Maintenance Measures: Check the straightness and strength of the tines and the sealing and fluid level of the hydraulic system. Replace hydraulic oil and filters regularly.
Rust Prevention Treatment:Apply rust-proof oil in humid environments.
Excavation
Cleaning after Excavation: Clean soil from the components and check for soil in the hydraulic pipelines and cylinders.
Component Inspection and Lubrication: Check and replace worn bucket teeth, and lubricate moving joints regularly.
Storage Precautions:Store in a dry place and apply protective oil.
Crushing:
Cleaning after Crushing: Clean residue from the drill rod and housing.
Maintenance of Key Components: Regularly check the piston, cylinder block, and seals. Replace worn components and ensure clean and sufficient hydraulic oil.
Operation Attention and Maintenance Frequency:Follow correct operation and conduct comprehensive inspections after high-intensity use.
Sweeping
Cleaning after Sweeping: Remove debris from the flails and the machine body.
Component Inspection and Adjustment: Check and replace worn flails, and adjust the tightness of transmission components.
Protection and Maintenance:Check and repair the protection plate, and avoid squeezing and colliding during storage. Lubricate moving parts regularly.
Drilling
Cleaning after Drilling: Clean soil and drill cuttings from the drill bit.
Drill Bit Wear Inspection:Regularly check for wear and replace if necessary.
Storage Maintenance: Store in a dry place and apply rust-proof oil. Store vertically to avoid deformation.
Safety and Maintenance Of Using Skid Steer Attachments
Bucket: Material splashing and overloading risks.
Fork: Cargo falling and collision risks.
Excavation: Excavation collapse and mechanical component collision risks.
Crushing: Flying stones and debris splashing and recoil force risks.
Sweeping: Foreign object entanglement and dust and debris interference risks.
Drilling:Drill bit jamming and drilling collapse risks.
Measures to Ensure Operational Safety:
Training and Qualification:Professional training and obtaining relevant qualification certificates.
Pre-Operation Inspection: Equipment inspection and work environment assessment.
Personal Protective Equipment: Basic and special protective equipment as needed.
Correct Operation Specifications: Follow the operation manual and control speed and force.
Safety Protection Devices And Warning Signs:Ensure the proper functioning of safety devices and set warning signs.
Popular Skid Steer AttachmentsBrands And Reviews
Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond offers a wide variety of Skid Steer attachments, such as dumpster buckets, pallet forks, brush cutters, and skid steer angle brooms. Its products are renowned for their sturdiness and durability. They are made with high-quality materials and advanced manufacturing techniques, ensuring stable operation under various working conditions and having a long service life. For example, its pallet forks class 3 heavy duty 10,000 lbs model is quite outstanding.
Titan Attachments
Titan Attachments manufactures attachments that are compatible with multiple brands and models of Skid Steer equipment. For instance, the Titan Attachments John Deere to Skid Steer Quick Attach Adapter enables John Deere loaders to use Skid Steer attachments conveniently, thus expanding the functions of the equipment. Its products feature a solid structure, firm welding, excellent material quality, and are durable over time. Besides, it provides timely and effective customer service. When customers encounter problems, they can respond and solve them promptly.
Haugen Attachments
Haugen Attachments is famous for its high-quality forklift attachments, like fork extensions, hook-over bucket forks, and concrete hoppers. Its products are designed reasonably with great attention to detail.
Paladin Attachments
This brand enjoys a relatively high popularity and a good reputation in the market. It covers multiple types of attachments, including breakers, grapples, and dozer blades. It is well-known for its high performance and reliability and is widely used in building demolition, road construction, and other fields.
Rotary
The grading mower attachment of Rotary has received a 100% favorable rating on eBay. This attachment has the advantages of easy operation, excellent cutting effect, and high reliability. Equipped with a 12v remote control and 4-button control, it is compatible with various brands of equipment, providing users with a convenient and efficient mowing solution.
EZG Manufacturing
EZG Manufacturing manufactures Skid Steer attachments such as mini mobile mud mixers and concrete pumps. These attachments are reliable in quality and excellent in performance and are widely used in concrete pouring operations in construction.