the skid steer loader is the swiss army knife of equipment; small, efficient, nimble, quick, gets into places other equipment can’t. It is indespensible once you start to use it, and the aftermarket availability of attachments is impressive.

Ranging from 1,200 lbs. (550 kg) to 2,700+ lbs. (1,200 kg), this small workhorse of a machine has really transformed productivity on construction jobsites all over the world. The most popular sizes are 1,700 - 2,200 lbs. (775 - 1,000 kg), with a proportional increase of horsepower to size. When considering a skid steer for a project, the area where it will “fit”, the required lift capacity for loading and unloading, hydraulic requirements and the surface it will be working on all come into play. Certain attachments, such as a hydraulic hammer or a concrete saw, have flow requirements that need to be considered in order to function properly.

Differential Steering

A skid steer utilizes differential steering, which means that one side of the machine receives more torque than the other, making the wheel/track “skid”. The machine “slides”, and does not operate like a car when turning. This allows the skid steer to spin around with a zero turning radius. The wheels/tracks are fixed, and the machine “skids” right. left, or around.

Uses

Skid steers are predominantly used in urban and residential environments where a lot of power is required for a task, that does not allow for a lot of space. Trades such as landscapers, demolition contractors, underground and utility contractors find these machines indispensable. The tire or track combination is usually determined by the environment the machine will be working in - paved, mud, snow or soft clay will all have a “best” undercarriage choice, where the machine works the fastest with getting stuck, or damaging the surface it is working on.