What Jobs Can You Do with a Skid Steer?
If you're looking for a versatile piece of equipment on your property, job site, or farm, a skid steer is what you need. These machines are popular because their removable attachments make them ideal for construction, landscaping, and agricultural tasks.
So, what jobs can you do with a skid steer? Here's a look at some of the possibilities.
Moving heavy objects
Think you need a bulldozer or forklift to move heavy objects around your property? Think again! A skid steer can handle many of the same tasks, but it's smaller, more agile, and easier to operate.
Like a forklift, a skid steer pallet fork attachment – easily its most popular attachment – can move pallets of goods. But unlike a forklift, a skid steer can serve more than one purpose. It can also travel across rough or uneven terrain – just be mindful not to load or unload on an incline, as this could tip the machine.
Whether you're lifting, stacking, or relocating building materials, logs, hay bales, or heavy pallets, a skid steer can get the job done.
Digging holes and trenches
Which skid steer attachment you choose will depend on the specific excavation task. For instance, a skid steer bucket attachment will enable you to dig holes quickly for fence posts, trees, or various construction projects. Just be sure not to overload the bucket – this is a common mistake newcomers to skid steer ownership make.
For excavating trenches, such as for drainage and irrigation systems or utility lines, you'll want to bypass hours of hard manual labor and opt for a skid steer trencher. A trencher attachment for your skid steer can rip through even the toughest, rockiest soil and dig trenches of various depths.
A trencher attachment for your skid steer can rip through even the toughest, rockiest soil and dig trenches of various depths.
On the other hand, if hard clay soil, gravel, or tree roots are getting in the way of prepping your land or planting, a skid steer auger attachment will dig deep, precise holes to speed up your landscaping processes.
Clearing land and cutting larger debris
Whether preparing a construction site, mowing a path, or just maintaining your property, a skid steer can help you clear land quickly and efficiently.
Attach a skid steer “bush hog” – also known as a brush mower or brush cutter – to your machine, and you'll be able to mow down thick and tall vegetation such as overgrown grass, weeds, brush, and even mature hayfields.
If you're dealing with large tree stumps needing removal, try attaching a skid steer stump grinder to your machine. This attachment will grind away tree stumps without you having to put your back into it.
Removing snow
Many property owners and farmers find skid steers invaluable during winter. Quickly clear paths, driveways, parking lots, and other snowy or icy areas by attaching a skid steer snow removal attachment, such as a snow blower or plow blade.
But don't underestimate the power of a standard bucket or snow bucket for shoveling and scooping loose, lighter materials – not only snow but also sand, wood chips, and gravel.
Leveling ground
Whether grading a road or stone driveway or preparing a seedbed, a skid steer gets the job done quickly.
Hook up a skid steer landplane attachment to your machine, and you'll be able to level uneven ground, prep for concrete grading, or fill in holes.
Filling trucks and trailers
Need to fill a truck or trailer with sand, gravel, or topsoil? A skid steer can make quick work of the task, thanks to its powerful bucket attachment. Simply back your truck or trailer up to the pile of material you need to move, and let your skid steer do the loading.
Relocating large rocks and debris
If you've ever dealt with big, heavy rocks – whether in construction or farming – you know how painstaking it can be to relocate them. While you can equip skid steers with a bucket attachment for easily scooping dirt and debris, a rock bucket grapple attachment with teeth is ideal for getting large rocks out of your way.
A skid steer attachment for every job
As you can see, skid steers are powerful machines that can help you accomplish almost every task imaginable, from construction projects to landscaping tasks and snow removal. So, if you're thinking of adding something practical to your fleet of equipment – or, rather, replacing your single-purpose equipment with a machine that can do it all – a skid steer is the way to go!
