ForConstructionPros.com

The proliferation of attachments for skid-steer and compact track loaders makes them very versatile pieces of equipment, capable of doing a host of different tasks — including digging a trench. A backhoe attachment mounted to a skid-steer or compact track loader can, in some cases, be more efficient than a dedicated digging machine such as a backhoe-loader.

The backhoe-loader will likely never be replaced by an attachment. That's in part because a dedicated machine is built and designed to do a particular task, and to do that task most efficiently and productively day in and day out.

"A dedicated machine is clearly designed for optimized backhoe performance, from the structures of the mainframe to the hydraulic pump and valves," says Kevin Hershberger, Caterpillar. "An attachment backhoe is one of many tools that are designed to work as well as possible within the limitations of the machine's existing design."

To identify if a backhoe attachment is suitable for your task, assess the type of work you typically do, suggests Hershberger. Ask yourself if trenching is an occasional application or a frequent occurrence.

"Someone who needs to do backhoe work everyday will be better suited with a dedicated machine," says Ron Peters, CE Attachments. "A contractor who digs a trench periodically can use a skid-steer loader."