The Most Useful Skid Steer Attachments

Table of Contents:

1. Forks
2. Buckets
3. Augers
4. Rakes
5. Backhoes
6. Trenchers
7. Tillers
8. Brush Cutters
9. Rock Breakers
10. Grapples

As an owner of a skid loader, you probably feel like a lottery winner. These compact and extremely versatile machines are perfect for any job, no matter if it is in the industry sector or simply in your private garden. One of the absolute best things about skid steers is the fact that they have the possibility to change skid steer attachments. Let's have a look at the most useful high-quality skid steer attachments.

Forks

Forks are among the most popular types of attachments for skid steers on the market. You can use them to lift and stack pallets or move objects. A forklift also performs this function, but the fact that you can detach fork skid steer attachments makes a significant difference. Forklifts serve only one purpose, but skid steer loaders can perform many other functions. Also, forks can lift heavier objects than forklifts. While buying a fork skid steer attachment, pay attention to such extra features as hydraulic adjusting, walk through fork frames.

Our pick: TALL FRAME HEAVY DUTY 6,000 LB RATED PALLET FORKS from BLUE DIAMOND with a high-visibility backrest and steps on each side.

Features:

- Includes D-ring
- 4" carriage bar
- Excellent visibility
- Side steps for easy access to your machine
- Excellent Visibility
- 6,000 lb. capacity
- 45″ Wide (Outside of tine measurement)
- 38″ Tall
- Warranty: 1 year

Buckets

Buckets are equally popular as forks. The functions they perform are also similar. The bucket attachment is well suited for scooping soil or rocks. Buckets are not too expensive and very easy to change. While choosing a bucket skid steer attachment, take into consideration ether you need to work with heavy loads or light, like material. There is a vast choice available on the market, so there is a high chance you will find your perfect bucket attachment very quickly.

Our pick: UTILITY HIGH CAPACITY BUCKET from BLUE DIAMOND that can handle 100+ horsepower machines in general and extreme applications.

Features:

- Available in 72", 78", 84", 90", and 96" widths
- Includes bolt-on cutting edge
- Safety steps for easy access
- ½" thick back wall with gussets
- Six wear bars on the bottom
- Reinforced mount for extra capacity
- Warranty: 1 year

Augers

Extremely efficient and powerful. These are the features of one of the most popular attachments for skid steer - augers. Its purpose is to dig deep holes in the ground while not causing damage to the surrounding area. Auger has long, thin, large teeth that can dig up to 72 inches deep (depending on the model). While choosing the size, make sure you adjust it to the soil condition and the climate of the area of work. Auger is a perfect skid steer attachment for those who do not plan to dig deep holes frequently. It can save one a few hundred dollars on buying additional equipment.

Our pick: HEAVY DUTY ROCK AUGER BIT for drilling into solid rock and concrete.

Features:

- For solid rock and concrete
- Cast tooth pockets
- Drive-in carbide bullet teeth
- 3/4" thick boring head
- 4' standard length

Rakes

Do you work in landscaping? If your answer is yes, you probably know very well the next skid steer attachment - rakes. The main function of rakes is efficiently gathering rocks and sticks and saving precious time. It's worth noticing that rakes can also crush debris and level the ground. Rakes are not the most popular attachments for skid steer, but they certainly are a necessity in the industry that deals with landscaping and soil grading.

Our pick: SEVERE DUTY BRUSH AND ROOT RAKE from BLUE DIAMOND, well built to handle brush, trees, and other debris.

Features:

- Solid one-piece tines
- 5/8" thick tines
- Reinforced tubing in the main frame
- Made in the USA
- Warranty: 1 year

Backhoes

A backhoe attachment is a skid steer attachment used for the purpose of digging trenches or demolition work. However, it can also grapple, scoop and carry objects. Does it sound familiar? Absolutely! Buckets can have similar functions. The only difference is that the backhoe is connected from both sides to a single-boom cylinder. It has less mobility than a bucket but is a lot lighter and therefore is a perfect tool for landscaping.

Our pick: BACKHOE ATTACHMENT from BLUE DIAMOND engineered with the largest cylinder in the industry.

Features:

- 3 1/2 inch bore 20-inch stroke cylinder
- I-beam style boom is very strong
- Linkage geometry creates exceptional breakout force and bucket rotation
- Includes flat-faced couplers
- Grease fittings on all pivot points
- 8-foot extended length (mount tip to tip of bucket teeth)
- Tread plates for safely entering and exiting the machine
- 500 lbs with a 12-inch bucket
- Weight of Backhoe without bucket: 391 lbs.
- Bucket sizes come in 9-inch, 12-inch, 18-inch, and 24 inch
- Heavy duty cast #230 replaceable teeth
- Warranty: 1 year

Trenchers

Digging trenches has a dedicated skid loader attachment, which name derives from the activity's name. Manual digging of a trench would take long hours of many people's hard work. Thanks to trenchers, ripping through tough and rocky soil is a piece of cake. The size of trenchers varies between 30 and 60 inches. The size you choose should be based on the size of the trench you plan to dig. If these are utility lines, drain pipes or irrigation systems you need to dig, a 42-inch trencher will be a good choice.

Our pick: TRENCHER from BLUE DIAMOND that comes with an extended auger.

Features:

- Depths: Up to 36″ or 48″
- Cut widths: 4″, 6″, 8″, 10″, and 12″
- Chain types: Dirt, Rock, Combo
- Spring-loaded crumber for sweeping the trench clean
- Manual adjusting side shift
- Side auger to prevent dirt from falling back into the trench

Tillers

Tiller skid steer attachment is useful while working with soil. It breaks up new ground and cuts through rocks' dense clumps and softens them. Tillers are also useful while mixing compost and additives with soil. Any groundwork will benefit greatly from the tiller skid loader attachment.

Our pick: ROTOTILLER from BLUE DIAMOND, made for heavy-duty tilling.

Features:

- Universal mount
- Tilling widths of either 68 inches or 76 inches
- Tilling depths of either 6" or 8"
- Works in forward or reverse
- High torque
- Hoses and Couplers included
- Double edge-replaceable tines
- Does not require a high-flow machine
- 1/2-inch skid plates
- Protected motor
- Direct drive motor with heavy-duty nose cone
- The hood is specifically designed to resist jamming
- Warranty: 1 year

Brush Cutters

Brush cutters are one of the most popular skid loader attachments on the market. Their function is to clear brush, remove thickets, mow fields, and even some thin trees. It is typical to start work on many worksites with brush cutters before continuing with other machinery. While using a brush cutter, remember that it can only cut through the greenery that is thinner than 60 inches. For thicker trees, use a mulcher.

Our pick: HEAVY DUTY BRUSH CUTTER from BLUE DIAMOND, available in either 60-inch or 72 inches.

Features:

- A bi-directional motor allows you to run the double-edged blades in both directions
- Direct Drive
- Excellent price point
- Wire Protection Kit
- 9-inch deck clearance that resists bunching up
- Tapered back (allows cut debris to roll out consistently and helps flow over stumps)
- Three double edge blade system
- Chain curtain on the front
- Cut 4-inch material
- Dual crossover relief valves on the motor
- Heavily reinforced thicker deck - 1/4 inch
- Solid 3/4 inch blade carrier
- Perimeter wire guard/vine protection on the blade carrier
- Grease filled drive instead of oil (more reliable / less maintenance)
- Heavy-duty wear bars (longer life if used in abrasive conditions)
- Couplers included
- Warranty: 1 year

Rock Breakers

Rock breakers are used to work with very hard materials, like concrete or asphalt. If you need to break apart such materials, make sure that your skid loader is powerful enough because the hydraulics of a skid loader powers rock breakers.

Our pick: SKID STEER BREAKER HAMMER from BLUE DIAMOND that is simplistic, reliable, and easy to set up.

Features:

- Includes hoses and one tool
- Built-in flow limiter will allow up to 45% over the max flow rate
- Heavy-duty mounting plate
- Under-water ready
- Most durable design in the industry backed by a 2-year warranty
- No tie rods to come loose or break
- Anti-blank firing system with hydraulic brake
- One accumulator with an energy recovery system
- Operated with oil actuation (newest technology)
- Self-regulating valves to protect the breaker from over-pressurization and back pressure
- Only two internal moving parts
- No flow and pressure checks needed
- Not having to adjust the flow and pressure of the host machine to match breaker needs
- Quickest rebuild time in the industry. Average 30 minutes
- Protection of the Monoblock design with sleeves
- Warranty: 3 years

Grapples

Removing heavy objects can be a difficult job if done manually. Luckily, a grapple skid loader attachment can help with large debris, boulders, or logs, which humans or a standard bucket attachment cannot. Grapples are the only skid steer attachment fitted with two grapple arms. It provides a better grip on the object you want to move.

Our pick: ROOT GRAPPLE - LIGHT DUTY from BLUE DIAMOND

Features:

- AG Cylinders
- Dual Clamps
- Light Weight
- 3/8 inch, A36 steel
- Greasable pilot pins
- Weight: 456 lbs
- Warranty: 1 year

There are also plenty of other skid loader attachments on the market with more specific uses. However, the attachments in the article are versatile enough to guarantee you will be impressed with their performance.