On its own, your skiddie or compact track loader has many uses, but with the right attachment, it becomes a true all-rounder.
There’s no “I” in team, but chances are your skid steer or compact track loader can carry a fair bit of the load for a winning performance.
In fact, it could be the all-rounder that helps you expand your service offerings and win more business!
There’s a lot you can do with these versatile little players straight off the factory floor, but with the right operator at the controls, a bit of knowledge and potentially a few additions from the Cat Attachments range, your compact loader could become your most valuable player.
Here are five applications that could help you find that game-winning magic.
The basics: Skiddies and compact track loaders are perfect for interior and exterior demolition projects, especially when access for larger machines is an issue. Whether you’re intending to knock down walls, dig up concrete slabs or remove septic tanks and pipework, with the right attachment, you could be an all-round performer.
The tools: It starts with the factory-fitted bucket, which is great for light pushing and removal of debris. But attaching a thumb or grapple bucket enhances your capabilities to remove and collect debris in one go. You can also fit a concrete cutting wheel saw or various hammer attachments to help with the stubborn jobs.
The basics: Skiddies and track loaders are great for road, driveway or path building and maintenance tasks. With the right attachments, you can perform just about every required task, from excavating, to material handling, to grading, compacting and finishing surfaces.
The tools: Remove overburden material with your bucket, then attach a grading bucket or blade to prepare your surface, and use a vibratory compactor to ensure your surface is perfect for the next steps. You can even use a mixing bucket to prepare materials and put them in place.
The basics: This is where the skiddie comes into its own. Earthmoving tasks like digging, trenching and excavating are simple and straightforward. With the right attachment, a skid steer can dig anything from a whole foundation for a building, to narrow trenches or post holes.
The tools: Add a variety of attachments to your arsenal – like backhoes, augers, trenchers and wheel saws – and you suddenly become an indispensable force for any excavation, digging and trenching application.
The basics: Skid steers – and in some cases compact track loaders - are a great all-rounder when it comes to common material handling tasks. Whether in the warehouse, yard, on a building site or farm, there’s a multitude of attachments that mean a diverse range of tasks can be carried out, without the need to maintain multiple different types of equipment.
The tools: Buckets and forks, with or without grabber attachments, allow most items to be lifted and transported. When it comes to specialty materials handling, attachments such as bale spears, lifting hooks and arms are available to suit a broad array of needs.
The basics: While you might not use your skiddie to finish a bowling green, it’s a versatile and robust tool when it comes to removing anything from trees and shrubs to cutting long grass. And because skid steers can turn on the spot, they offer the precision you need for mowing but with more abilities than a typical ride-on mower or tractor attachment.
The tools: If you want to start with the big jobs first, there’s variety of blades, augers and stump grinders. Then you can add a rotary brushcutter attachment to deal with tall grass and scrub – and you’ll have the job done in no time.
And that’s just a few of the options that you can achieve with your skid steer and compact track loader.
Check out the range of Cat Attachments available and you’ll soon get an idea of just how much of an all-round team player these machines can really be.
Pairing Cat attachments with Cat machines allows you to use a multitude of advanced features such as work tool positioner, return to dig & creep control. Click below to learn how.
