What is a Skid Steer Loader?
In 1957, the original skid steer loader was born in a turkey barn in Minnesota.
Today, skid steer loaders are popular pieces of equipment that can do a lot more than just clean out barns. With a host of attachments to choose from, a skid steer loader can take on a long list of jobs in construction, landscaping, agriculture and material handling. Skid steers also come in a variety of sizes to suit different applications.
Manitou Group launched their compact equipment line in 2019 with 10 skid steer models. The range is nearly identical to the loaders the company offers under the brand names Gehl and Mustang. However, unlike the yellow machines of Gehl and Mustang, the Manitou equipment features the company’s trademark red and the Manitou name. Currently Manitou’s range of skid steer loaders feature 17 models, cross the wheeled loader range and tracked loader range. Both the wheeled or tracked loaders are available with vertical or radial lift.
Who uses a Skid Steer Loader and what can it do?
Despite their very humble beginnings in a turkey barn, skid steer loaders have become an important piece of machinery worldwide. They are suited to a wide range of tasks across a diverse range of applications, such as:
Demolition: Skid steer loaders are well suited to both interior and exterior demolition, especially projects with other buildings close by. With the right attachment, a skid steer loader can demolish flooring, concrete, drywall and other materials.
Roadwork: Skid steers can perform road building and maintenance tasks, such as grading, paving and patching.
Debris removal: A skid steer loader can be used to clear debris (and snow).
Excavating, digging and trenching: A skid steer is great for earthmoving tasks like digging, trenching and excavating. With the right attachment, a skid steer can dig anything from a whole foundation for a building to narrow portholes.
Grading and backfilling: A skid steer loader can also fill holes, level and aerate the ground. A radial lift skid steer loader works best when the job is low to the ground.
Loading: When fitted with a bucket attachment, Skid steer loaders can carry equipment and materials around the job site. A vertical lift model can lift heavier loads and achieve a higher reach than a radial lift skid steer.
Landscaping: Examples of landscaping tasks you can accomplish with a skid steer are grinding stumps, chipping wood and tilling.
Agricultural work: Skid steer Loaders are highly useful for a range of agriculture tasks where telescopic reach is not required.
Material handling: Skid steer loaders can lift materials and place them in a warehouse.
How does a skid steer work?
Originally designed with a steerable rear wheel the concept evolved to make all 4 wheels fixed. The weight is distributed so that one end is always heavier than the others. When the wheels on the heavier end counter rotate to pivot the loader, the wheels on the lighter end are ‘skidded’ in the direction of the turn.
These compact loaders can be driven on wheels or tracks which can be operated at different speeds to create a skidding effect during operation. The ‘skidding’ motion results in zero-degree radius turns, ideal for working in tight spaces and precision demanding tasks. The skid motion makes these loaders very efficient in working conditions where the ground is uneven.
Skid steer loaders are fitted with lifting arms which allow for many types of attachments to be used.
What options are there?
Skids Steer Loaders can be categorised by size, designed with Radial Lift or Vertical Lift and come with Tracks or Wheels.
Small, Medium or Large Skid Steer?
All skid steers are relatively small compared to some other types of heavy equipment, so you might be surprised to see a ‘large’ option. The size of a skid steer refers to the size of the frame, plus the weight, power and capacity.
Small Frame (Rated Operating Capacity: up to 750kg | Engine: up to 50hp)
If you want a skid steer for jobs in tight spaces, like interior demolition or underground construction or for precision work like landscaping, you may want to choose a skid steer with a small frame. Smaller skid steer loaders are lighter, making them easier to transport to and from the job site and easier to manoeuvre on the job.
Medium Frame (Rated Operating Capacity: 750kg to 1000kg | Engine: 50hp to 70hp)
A mid-size skid steer is a good, versatile option that is still fairly small and light while offering more power and capacity than a small skid steer. With the right attachments, these skid steers can be an excellent tool for digging in tight areas where a larger piece of equipment, like a backhoe, wouldn’t fit.
Large Frame (Rated Operating Capacity: 1000kg+ | Engine: 70hp+)
Large skid steers are the best option for heavy-duty applications like large-scale demolition projects, excavation work and roadbuilding. A large skid steer will still be smaller than many other common pieces of construction equipment, but compared to smaller skid steers, large skid steers are heavier to haul and not as good at manoeuvring through tight spaces.
Vertical or Radial Lift Design?
With twelve models ranging from 386 kg to an industry-leading 1905 kg of operating capacity, Manitou offers both radial-lift and vertical-lift models.
Vertical Lift Design
Providing more reach at full lift height is optimal for applications that require loading and stacking at high heights. By keeping the load closer to the machine, lift capacities are increased over radial-lift models.
Radial Lift Design
Offers enhanced performance in excavating, grading and digging below grade applications. Due to the radial lift path, the maximum reach is greater at the middle of the lift height.
Tracked or Wheeled Loader?
Wheeled Loader
When you’re working on even, hard ground, skid steers with wheels are the superior choice for paved ground, concrete areas, and landscaped sites. That’s why you’ll usually see skid steers with wheels on renovations and extensions instead of new building sites.
Tracked Loader
While wheels excel in ideal, flat conditions, tracks love the challenge of more interesting terrains such as muddy, sandy, and snowy ground. They’ll also do well in wet and uneven ground that wheels alone can’t handle.
Unlike their wheeled counter parts, a tracked skid steer loader can disperse their weight over a larger surface area. This weight distribution improves their stability.
Skid steers with tracks won’t simply move over a challenging terrain. They’re also easy to manoeuvre in less than perfect conditions. When you need to steer through narrow clearings between trees, for example, a skid steer with tracks has you covered.
A skid steer with tracks that can handle difficult terrain helps boost productivity on your job site. When using a skid steer with tracks, you don’t need to wait for your site to dry out after rain or for winter snow to clear. These tough machines will happily take on the challenge.
What attachments are available?
Skid Steer Loaders are routinely used in many industries such as, Forestry, Agriculture, Landscaping, Site Development, Construction and Demolition. Their versatility comes from the wide range of labour saving and cost effective attachments that are available.
Choose from a wide range of Manitou attachments. designed specifically for compact machines:
Pallet Forks: A universal attachment for pallet handling.
Rock Buckets: Separate unwanted objects, rocks, and debris while leaving finer material behind with the rock bucket attachment.
Trencher: Cut into the ground and create a trench through all soil conditions.
Rake: Easily collects debris and smooths lawns in preparation for reseeding and fertilising. The Rake attachment can also be used to maintain gravel paths and driveways.
Auger: Ideal for digging holes for posts, piers, poles, or trees.
Stump Grinder: Remove stumps in large, open areas and small, compact environments.
Mower: The ideal maintenance attachment for golf courses, landscape contractors and nurseries.
Grapple Buckets: Designed for all recycling applications. This all-purpose attachment handles bulk material, pushes, and grabs etc.
Grader Blades: Ideal to grade and level any terrain.
Angle Brooms: Sweeps and picks-up in one operation.
What features are available?
Manitou equipment focuses on comfort and performance as standard and their range of Skid Steer Loaders are no different.
Visibility: Excellent view from all sides for safety and precise operation.
Quiet Operator Environment: Sound reduction materials are used for a quieter operator environment.
Easy Entry & Exit: Large entry area allows for easy access to the operator station.
Adjustable Seat, Padded & Adjustable Arm Rests & Adjustable Control Towers: Extend and retract to provide personalised comfort.
Multiple Air Vents: Six adjustable vents provide optimal temperature control.
Full details on the options available can be found in the Skid Steer Loader Range Brochure.
How do I purchase a skid steer loader?
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Let your Northern Lift Trucks Sales Representative guide you through our tailor made purchase options to ensure you are shaking on the best deal, the best service and the best support!
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To learn more…
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