These days, skid steers are tough, powerful, and heavy-duty landscaping and construction tools that are rapidly taking over building sites. Because of its versatility and variety of uses, skid steer loaders—often referred to as the Swiss Army Knife of the construction industry—are made to reduce time and effort while increasing output.
Cat® skid steer loaders may be readily modified to carry out any task you want with a set of tough, well designed work tools. A handful of the various kinds of work equipment for skid steers are included in this guide to skid steer attachments, along with the essential tools for road or municipal work, landscaping, and building. Lastly, we offer a brief, detailed tutorial on how to connect your work gear to your Cat skid steer loader.
What Is a Skid Steer Attachment?
The work tool mounted on a skid steer loader’s hydraulic arm is called a skid steer attachment. Numerous work tool attachments made by Caterpillar are universally compatible with Cat skid steer loaders as well as many other loader types, including multi-terrain, compact track, and compact wheel loaders.
In addition to specialized uses like soil tilling, snow plowing, and brush cutting, several attachments are made for specific tasks including excavation, earthmoving, drilling, and sleeping. With so many various skid steer attachments available, you may use a single machine for a range of tasks. Get more done with less effort by simply changing the attachment from one job to another.
Consult your local Cat dealer, such as the experienced staff at Typhon Machinery, before selecting an attachment for your skid steer loader. Consult an expert to determine which attachments are compatible with your skid steer loader type and best suited for the task.
Types of Skid Steer Attachments
Caterpillar takes pride in its ability to provide high-quality, dependable, and practical work tools that maximize your investment in Cat machinery. There is a work tool designed for almost every possible use, from industrial and agricultural to landscaping and construction, thanks to the hundreds of attachments available.
Particularly for skid steers, a number of attachments are compatible with this workhorse on the job site, allowing the skid steer to be readily moved from one job site to another and from one season to the next without losing its functionality.
To maximize your skid steer, contractors, construction managers, and landscapers should consider the following top skid steer accessories.
1. Buckets
Buckets are a wide variety of attachments that are available in a variety of sizes and styles for various uses. Cat skid steers are pre-configured with a general-purpose bucket. Although general-purpose buckets are typically thought of as instruments for moving and scooping dirt, they may be used for a surprisingly wide range of other jobs on the construction site. You may also smooth up your dirt dump with a general-purpose bucket that has a flat leading edge. Additionally, you may convert your skid steer into a light digging machine by bolting on a pair of bucket teeth.
Other skid steer loader bucket attachments include:
- A low-profile bucket with a cutting-edge
- Industrial grapple bucket
- Multifunctional pails with a spill guard or one with teeth
- A utility bucket with an advanced
The most popular sizes for skid steer bucket attachments are between 62 and 80 inches broad, however they can range from 56 to 98 inches. At Typhon Machinery, we provide a large selection of bucket attachments for skid steer loaders.
2. Backhoes
With a backhoe attachment made especially for Cat skid steer loader models, you can quickly turn your skid steer loader into a backhoe loader. The new BH130 Smart Backhoe arm, for instance, allows your skid steer to perform similarly to a compact excavator or a traditional backhoe loader.
You may finish a variety of construction and landscaping tasks with the clever backhoe arm and several buckets. When a Cat skid steer loader equipped with a backhoe attachment can do high-priority tasks like backfilling lots, digging drainage ditches and footings, and constructing roadside embankments or backyard slopes, there’s no need to purchase or rent other equipment.
3. Brooms
Broom attachments for cat skid steer loaders speed up cleanup. Using a pickup broom, often referred to as a sweeper-style broom, makes it simple to sweep along hard-to-reach fixed edges. While the broom sweeps the dirt straight into the connected hopper for convenient disposal, the brush head of the broom turns and travels independently, enabling you to maneuver the sweeper anywhere you need to.
The utility broom is an additional choice that works with all Cat skid steer loaders. With adjustable bristle engagement to accommodate the height of the material being cleaned, utility brooms are made for quick and effective job site cleanup.
Lastly, angle brooms for skid steer loaders are perfect for public areas, parking lots, and municipal streets. Debris may be directed for collection by angling the broom head up to 30 degrees to the left or right. Angle brooms are available in a range of widths with either manual or hydraulic operations, while utility and pickup brooms are available in 60-inch or 72-inch widths.
4. Brushcutters
Use the brushcutter work equipment for skid steer loaders to cut through dense brush. Caterpillar brushcutter attachments are made to make clearing lots and cleaning away vegetation quick and simple. Brushcutter blades can easily take down tiny trees since they can cut through materials up to 8 inches in diameter. Brushcutters also make it easy to tidy up along walking routes or rapidly mow down tall grass for roadside maintenance.
From small 60-inch cutting width to medium 66-inch cutting width to big 72-inch cutting width, Cat brushcutters come in a variety of sizes to suit any purpose.
5. Tillers
The simplicity and practicality of Cat tiller attachments for skid steer loaders are highly favored by landscapers. Save time and effort while preparing soil for lawn sowing or garden planting. Smooth out uneven terrain, break up hard ground, and till stubborn soil with ease to provide a polished landscaping finish.
6. Rakes
One of the most practical skid steer accessories for regular construction, farming, and gardening is a rake. Either smooth out the terrain and remove rocks and trash to prepare the soil for planting, or use different rake attachment types to do yearly maintenance on an existing grass and turf.
There are several rake attachment options available for skid steer loaders.
- To make it easier to dispose of gathered debris, landscape rakes for landscaping, lawn care, and agricultural come with a hopper.
- Industrial grapple rakes are used for heavy-duty tasks like cleaning lots quickly and effectively.
- Power box rakes are used to condition and prepare grass and soil for sports grounds and golf courses.
- Excavator rakes are used to remove big boulders and trash, dig out obstinate roots, and rake through hard soil.
Every rake model is available in a variety of sizes, ranging from tiny to enormous. For help on the best size and model for your next task, consult an experienced cat attachment specialist.
7. Trenchers
When it comes to landscaping and general construction, trenchers are an essential skid steer accessory. Because of its adaptability, digging holes for drainage ditches, irrigation or electrical lines, and footings is simple. A side auger included into Cat trencher work equipment helps to transport dislodged soil away from your recently excavated trench.
There are three different dig depths for trencher attachments: 36, 48, and 75 inches. Depending on the material you’re working with, you can choose from a variety of tooth designs for cat trenchers. Steel cupped teeth, tungsten carbide teeth, or a combination of the two are offered for trenchers.
8. Augers
With a hydraulic auger attachment for skid steer loaders, you can achieve strong drilling performance. Use a Cat auger, which comes in a variety of capacities, to quickly and safely dig holes for fence posts, footings, or planting trees and shrubs.
The torque range of hydraulic augers is 815 foot-pounds to 5,000 foot-pounds. Additionally, augers work with a variety of bits, each of which is made for a specific purpose. An industrial bit is more appropriate for difficult terrain, whilst a normal bit is best for softer soil conditions. For solid rock, severe-duty auger bits are also offered.
9. Snow Pushers
You want to be ready to convert your skid steer into the most practical equipment available—a snowplow—when the harsh Northeastern winters arrive.By effectively clearing roads, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots, snow pusher attachments for skid steers enable you to get the most out of your snow removal contracts.
The purpose of cat snow pushhers is to keep snow from adhering to the moldboard while rolling, folding, and containing it uniformly. Cat snow pushhers include an optional trip edge device that keeps users from pushing the pusher over obstacles like pebbles or maintenance pit covers. You may choose the best tool for the job with these labor tools, which come in pushing widths ranging from 8 to 16 feet.
10. Hammers
With Cat hammer work equipment for skid steer loaders, land development and demolition are simple processes. Hammer attachments are hydraulically powered instruments that can penetrate hard materials like brick, concrete, and rock.
Hammers easily break up hard dirt, destroyed building materials, or quarry rock for construction development because of their high-performance breaking force. You can accomplish more breaking in less time with Cat hydraulic hammers for skid steers, which have high-impact energy capacities ranging from 200 to 800 foot-pounds.
11. Cold Planers
Select a Cat cold planer attachment for your skid steer for tiny, accurate paving tasks. Cold planers are a multifunctional instrument that may be used for a variety of road building tasks. Cold planers are an essential tool for road construction companies, used for anything from material milling to pavement removal to traffic line paint peeling.
Skid steer loaders with Standard Flow hydraulic systems can be used with the Cat PC404 Cold Planer work tool. It is perfect for city roads, as well as residential or commercial lots and lanes, and has a typical operating width of 18 inches.
12. Mulchers
Any land management activity requires the use of a mulcher attachment. Cat mulcher attachments come with a sturdy push bar to direct plants into the drum, giving you control and accuracy. In order to turn brush and small trees into fine mulch, the mulching drum itself has a helical row of teeth.
Standard Flow, High Flow, High Flow XPS, and High Flow XHP packages are offered for Cat C-series mulcher tools for skid steer loaders. Depending on the size of your work area, you have a lot of alternatives with these mulching attachments because they come in working widths of 49, 58, 62, and 67 inches.
13. Forks
Skid steers used in lumberyards, warehouses, agricultural storehouses, and numerous other material handling industries benefit greatly from fork attachments. Forks are made to easily attach to your skid steer loader and provide the necessary lifting and moving power while maintaining excellent visibility for safety.
To assist you in securely and effectively lifting large objects, Caterpillar provides a variety of fork tools. Caterpillar’s range of fork work tools offers a variety of lifting solutions for any skid steer application, ranging from pallet and construction forks to industrial grapple and log and lumber forks.
Most Useful Skid Steer Attachments
Regardless of your industry—general construction, landscaping, or municipal works—there are a few essential skid steer accessories to take into account. However, you must consider your usual task requirements and the items that will be most useful to you in order to get the most out of your skid steer. The best skid steer attachments for each use are listed below.
For General Construction
Nothing compares to a skid steer bucket’s adaptability for regular residential or commercial construction. With the correct operating tactics, it can do accurate grading, heavy-duty soil dumping, and light digging. Brooms for effective final cleanup and backhoes for easy digging are two other essential skid steer accessories for typical construction.
For Landscaping
When starting a new project, landscaping professionals must be prepared to deal with a variety of soil conditions. Your Cat skid steer’s portfolio of work equipment, which includes rakes, tillers, brushcutters, and more, guarantees that you’ll always have the perfect answer for every project.
Don’t overlook essential accessories like snow blowers and snow pushers when it’s time to transition your seasonal landscaping company into a winter snow removal service.
For Road Construction
For a variety of infrastructure tasks, road construction and civic works contractors rely on the adaptability of Cat skid steer attachments. Essential instruments used by contractors include trenchers for setting up pipe and electricity lines and blades for leveling surfaces and moving rubbish.
In road construction, cold planers and compressors are also vital skid steer attachments. Speak with a Cat attachment specialist for assistance in selecting the ideal toolkit for all of your machinery requirements.
How to Change Skid Steer Attachments
For time-pressed contractors who must continue to be productive, replacing your skid steer attachments is simple and quick. The type of skid steer model and whether it has a motorized or manual quick coupler determine how to replace a skid steer attachment.
The typical procedures for connecting work equipment to your skid steer loader are as follows:
- The work tool should be positioned on the ground in front of the machine.
- Drive the skid steer into the work tool gradually after lowering the coupler.
- The coupler should be raised and tilted rearward into place.
- Press and hold the fast coupler switch to activate the work tool from within the cab if your machine has a powered quick coupler feature.
- Get out of the cab and manually fasten the pins to the attachment if your machine has a manual coupler.
- To make sure the work tool is secure and not moving, tilt it down and pull it backward on the ground.
- As a last step, raise the work tool and visually verify that all of the pins are engaged.
- Refer to your Operation and Maintenance Manual (OMM) for routing instructions on how to attach your hydraulic hose lines.
Always check for specific attachment procedures for the work tool and skid steer model.
Choose Typhon Machinery for Skid Steers and Attachments
With skid steer loader attachments, you may increase output while reducing workload. To help you save time and money, Caterpillar offers hundreds of alternatives, including digging equipment, buckets and brush clearance accessories.
Always consult a qualified work tool specialist when choosing the proper tools for your skid steer loader. They can assist you in making the right tool choice. We are prepared to handle your demanding landscaping and construction requirements.