With skid steer attachments for different applications, your business can evolve through the seasons, boosting your profitability year-round while improving project efficiency and providing cost-effectiveness. However, you can’t choose just any attachment. The right attachments for skid steers are essential to avoid overloading or underutilizing your machine and ensure you complete jobs on time.
Are Skid Steer Attachments Universal?
Most skid steers can mount a variety of attachments. The attachment platforms are designed to be universal, and you can use adaptors to secure attachments that may not fit otherwise. If the skid steer and attachment are incompatible from a performance standpoint, you should choose a more suitable alternative — it could limit productivity or put workers at risk.
Types of Skid Steer Attachments
As technology evolves, more skid steer attachments become available. If you work with the right partner, you can find the best skid steer attachments for almost any application. Some of the most common include:
- Buckets: You can choose from many bucket designs and dimensions. These skid steer leveling attachments are perfect for smoothing, light digging and moving earth and other heavy objects.
- Trenchers: Ideal for construction and landscaping, this attachment allows you to dig footings, ditches and pipe foundations.
- Forks: Skid steer forklift attachments are invaluable for applications in warehouses, farms and lumber yards. With this attachment, you can lift and move materials with good visibility.
- Backhoes: This attachment can give your skid steer similar functionality to a conventional backhoe loader. With a backhoe attachment and an assortment of buckets, you can complete various landscaping and construction jobs without extra machinery.
- Brooms: Broom attachments are ideal for cleaning an area after completing a job. They make removing dirt and debris efficient and convenient, brushing them into an attached hopper for quick disposal.
How to Determine the Appropriate Skid Steer Attachment for the Job
As skid steer attachments are versatile, determining the most appropriate for a specific job can be challenging. The best skid steer attachments for popular applications include:
Top Skid Steer Attachments for Construction Tasks
Skid steers can efficiently complete construction and landscaping tasks. Some of the best skid steer attachments for construction include:
- Augers: This attachment features a rotating helical blade to push, pull and cut through soil. It’s ideal for digging holes for posts and columns.
- Cement mixers: This attachment has a large cylindrical drum for mixing cement. It rotates as the skid steer moves. Paddles on the inside of the drum keep the concrete at the perfect consistency.
- Hydraulic hammers: These reliable attachments are ideal for breaking and demolishing concrete structures in heavy-duty construction.
- Land planers: Undeniably the best skid steer attachment for grading, land planers make it simple to excavate hard soil, level uneven ground and remove rocks and other debris.
Ideal Skid Steer Attachments for Landscaping Jobs
Landscaping is quick and convenient when you have the right tools. Consider these attachments for your next landscaping job:
- Brush cutters: This attachment simplifies clearing large areas and removing branches and trees.
- Log splitters: While the best log splitter attachment for your skid steer depends on personal preference, they all efficiently split logs into more manageable pieces.
- Rakes: A rake attachment makes gathering debris on a landscaping suite convenient. They can crush small debris, level the ground and aerate the soil.
- Trenchers: This attachment can cut the time and labor required to dig a trench, cutting through rocky soil quickly. Different attachments exist for various trench depths.
- Tillers: Ideal for landscapers, tillers can prepare soil for planting in a fraction of the time it takes to do it manually.
How to Change Attachments on a Skid Steer
Changing skid steer attachments correctly is essential for safety and productivity. Before you start, you need to know whether your machine has a manual attachment or a quick attach system.
Modern skid steers have a quick attach feature, allowing operators to change attachments inside the cab. Assuming your skid steer uses this system, take the following steps to couple an attachment:
- Line the attachment before the skid steer, with the bottom flat on the ground.
- Raise the coupler and tilt it backward.
- Press and hold the coupler switch inside the cab until the attachment is secure.
- Check your surroundings. When it’s safe, tilt the attachment downward.
- Reverse the skid steer slowly to confirm the connection.
- Lift the attachment off the ground slightly to ensure it’s connected securely and in the correct position.
If you want to remove your skid steer attachment, follow these simple steps:
- Drive your skid steer onto a flat surface and ensure it’s debris-free.
- Lower and tilt the attachment until the bottom lies flat on the ground.
- Press and hold the release button inside the cab until the skid steer releases the attachment.
- Check your surroundings.
- Reverse slowly to complete the detachment.
While the above guidelines provide a general idea of how to change skid steer attachments, consulting the operating manual or contacting a professional for help before attempting any attachment changes is vital.
Renting or Buying Skid Steer Attachments: Making the Right Choice
Whether to rent or buy skid steer attachments depends on your budget, work frequency, and project portfolio. With some rental partners, you must also consider your transportation capabilities. Others offer support with transportation, delivering and picking up your rented equipment so you can focus on your project.
Renting is ideal for short or specialized projects. It gives you access to the latest attachments and machinery without the upfront or maintenance costs. When you own an attachment, you can use it for as long as you want. Your operators are also more familiar with purchased equipment, which is excellent for safety and productivity.
On-site rental is ideal for various projects and provides access to different types of equipment for multiple projects, allowing you to grow your business. If a long-term investment makes sense, consider rent-to-buy options depending on your budget.
Optimize Your Project Efficiency With Convenient Skid Steer Rental From Herc Rentals
Skid steer attachments are critical to stay ahead of the curve. The right choice can expedite your project, making it more profitable and cementing your business reputation.
Herc Rentals has all the gear you need. We’re a full-service rental company with over 58 years of experience achieving optimal performance.
We offer a wide selection of premier brands and understand the importance of convenient equipment rental, transporting and collecting your equipment so you can focus on project efficiency. Contact us to learn more about how we provide what you need when you need it today.
