The entire construction realm agree on one particular element related to a skid steer which is the fact that this particular machine is without any doubt, the most versatile and capable machine at any given construction site. Much of this versatility is attributed directly to the various hydraulic attachments that the machine is able to accommodate allowing this machine to perform a wide range of tasks related to Excavation, Demolition, Debris removal, Grading, Lifting and more.
Apart from the tools that the machine is able to accommodate, the compact design of the skid steer allows the machine to be utilized in the tightest of spaces where larger machines become impractical. To begin with, before taking a skid steer for hire from a construction equipment rental company it is important to understand the project site’s environment.
The area of the project, if it is too congested the it would be better to hire a compact skid steer and it is also important to take into consideration the surface of the site as skid steers ‘skid around’ which requires high ground friction which cause serious damage to soft surfaces and in such cases track loaders or mini excavators are better. Even sandy or muddy terrains are perfect for skid steers with tracks as ‘wheeled’ skid steers are only good for hard and even surfaces that are made of concrete or cement.
As for choosing attachments, it is advised that the task at hand be analysed thoroughly as there are a wide range of skid steer attachments that could be rented from construction rental companies and therefore it is critical to evaluate the project meticulously before determining the required tools that fit the tasks at hand. The common attachments used for skid steers are presented below:
Auger attachments are great for drilling holes to plant trees, holes for installing fence poles or drilling into surfaces for just about any reason. However, it is important what type of auger is needed as there are a variety of them and each type is designed for different surface types, therefore talk to the rental company about what kind of surfaces you intend to drill into and they would normally advise you on the best drill attachment to hire from them.
Rock Breakers are in essence hammers that are fitted to a skid steer using hydraulic power that are able to exert great impact forces on targeted material that requires demolition or breaking up to smaller pieces. Another attachment that is very popular for skid steers are grapple buckets that allow operators to exert firm grips on big objects and move these odd sized materials quite easily.
Rock buckets are also great for moving material such as large sized debris and quite often used for removing stones from open land.
The rock a bucket is also unique in a sense that is able to retain larger sized debris or rock during grading and digging whilst finer dirt or soil is left untouched.
