Skid loaders are one of the most unique and versatile specialty tractors available. One of the nicest things about skid steer loaders now days is they are just loaders. It used to be that a skid loader to start button on the front and that is all that can be done with it was haul and maybe dig. Now days skid loaders are used for so many different things in their productivity and labor saving features are a great benefit in many circumstances, for example:
- In demolition
- For snow removal
- In clearing land
- For a plant nursery
- Of course for farming
- And also construction
Skid loaders have advanced over the years and become much more convenient to operate, easier to maintain, And all in all more, functional and useful.
The most interesting aspect of this progress is the accessories that are available to enhance the usability of your skid loader. Skid steer loader accessories such as various sized and shaped buckets, tree spades, stop grinders, trenchers, dumping hoppers, we all saw, wood chipper, grapple, brush extractor, concrete mixer, and the list can go on and on.
Some of these skid steer loader attachments are static in nature and just operate with a tilting at lifting of the bucket mechanism. Still other more intricate attachments have their own hydraulic systems in order to do more complex operations. For example the concrete mixer as I hydraulic motor on it to rotate the concrete mixing barrel, while the bucket motion is used for dumping and of course the skid steer can drive the mix or wherever the concrete is needed. It's much like your own little ready mix plant. The concrete mixer attachment is so useful because it saves most or all wheelbarrow work, and thus is much safer And very laborsaving.
There is also a barrel handler, or drum handler that is used to maneuver lived and even don't 55 gallon barrel. The safety benefits alone of this attachment is incredible. So many people get hurt trying to move 55 gallon barrels either from the strain of moving a barrel that could be upwards of 500 pounds, or from it falling on them and injuring them. If you have need of moving barrels this could be a very advantageous tool for you.
If you regularly need to dig holes for posts or other construction there are whole lockers put on the front of skid steers that are very useful. These whole lockers can be used for putting fence posts in, highline posts or With a very large alter you can dig a hole as big as 5 feet depending on what you are constructing this could be a very useful attachment for your skid loader.
If you have need of a backhoe, there is even a backhoe attachment for the front of a skid loader. Granted it is not as versatile as a true backhoe but depending on what you are doing it may in fact do the job sufficiently for you
Most of us have seen three point mounted brush mowers. With a three point mount attachment on a skid loader along with the PTO drive a brush more may be attached to the front of a skid loader. With that same three point hitch attachment a whole world of three point attachments opens up for use in a skid loader. For example discs, tillers, log splitters, the list here goes on and on as well.
If you have thought of the getting a skin loader, but were unsure if it's usefulness would be worth the investment I'm sure you'll find that the plethora of attachments now available for skid loaders could very well make the purchase well worth it.
