A skid steer loader is a four-wheeled, rigid-frame, and engine powered piece of construction machinery designed to dig, lift, and move material using labor-saving attachments and tools. Its small size makes it excellent for heavy work in constricted spaces on farms or construction sites.
Since being introduced in the 1950s, skid steers have become an invaluable addition to any work detail involving the movement of construction material such as rock, sand, and soil.
Benefits of a Skid Steer Over a Compact Track Loader
When compared to a compact loader, skid steers have many advantages in its design that make it a preferable option when choosing which one you want to rent or buy. Here are 10 reasons to choose a skit steer over a compact loader.
Versatility
This machine can adapt to almost any situation and can be used for hauling material, digging, grading, and lifting heavy loads.
Budget-Friendliness
It’s well known the skid steer comes at a cheaper initial cost than the compact. This makes it ideal for working on a budget.
Better on the Road
Skid steers have rubber tires which operate better on hard surfaces like concrete and pavement compared to the tracks of a compact loader.
Great in Cold Weather
In colder climates with ice and snow, skid steers are afforded better traction making them safer to operate.
Greater Variety of Tire Types
While the compact loader only uses tracks, the skid steer can utilize different types of tires like the radial or bias types to be better suited for the surface they need to traverse.
Tread Types
Much like its range of tire types, you can customize tread types for muddy conditions, hard surfaces, or all-round work environments.
Lightweight
Being generally smaller compared to compact loaders, a skit steer is a lot lighter and has better fuel efficiency. This makes the skid steer both easier to transport and cheaper to run.
Greater Clearance
Due to a higher tire clearance, it’s easier to maneuver these machines in rocky construction sites or in areas where it would be unsafe to operate a compact loader because of its tracks.
Higher Speeds
The skid steer is considerably faster than a compact track loader, saving precious time when covering longer distances between areas of a site.
Less Maintenance
A skid steer requires less frequent maintenance to keep it functioning because of its smaller size and lack of temperamental tracks.
Key Takeaways:
- • Because they have tires rather than tracks, skid steers move better and faster and are more fuel efficient.
- • Skid steers are more fuel efficient than CTLs.
- • Skid steer tires come in a wide selection of types and tread patterns to suit a variety of needs.
“The importance and effectiveness of skid steers on the job site has grown exponentially since their inception in the 1950s (See The Skid Steer Revolution). The advent of the compact track loader (CTL) has increased the available options for operators interested in these versatile machines, which can be found on farms and job sites in every corner of the world.”
Read more: https://yohta-blog.yokohama-oht.com/10-reasons-to-choose-a-skid-steer-over-a-compact-track-loader/