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Skid Steer Attachments Offer Endless Road of Options

Contractor's Choice

Attachments such as this Bradco Cold Planer from Paladin Light Construction allow contractors to use one skid steer for multiple applications from pavement repair to more specialized tasks.

Coneqtec/Universals DC5500 compaction plate fits on regular and mini-skid steers and helps compact soil so the pavement is less likely to crack and/or shift.

Vibratory rollers compact base materials and allow a skid steer to take the place of larger rollers, saving a contractor time and money. Bobcat offers two sizes in both a padded and smooth drum.

Slot cutters, such as this one from Coneqtec/Universal, are often used in pavement repair and allow a contractor to make cuts and repairs without destorying the entire surface.

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"Depending on the material, the surface is generally left free of sharp, broken pieces and may not even look destroyed," Odegaard says. But don't let looks deceive you. The concrete or pavement will be heavily fractured underneath the surface. An added benefit of a cleaner surface is that the smoother surface will be less damaging to tires or tracks on contractors' equipment.

A drop hammer gets attached to the skid steer and delivers a "smashing blow," according to Odegaard. The Bobcat drop hammer can break concrete up to 18 in. thick. Another added benefit to using a drop hammer is the little noise and vibration it creates, making this attachment ideal for areas where too much noise is undesirable.

Determining Proper Size of Attachments
The size of a paving job often dictates what size of equipment is necessary or practical. With the abundant amount of attachments available, skid steers can be used for multiple parts of one job where larger or smaller units were doing the work previously but not efficiently. But how do you know what size of attachment is appropriate for your skid steer?

If the attachment is manufactured by the same company as the skid steer, specific attachments are approved based on matching correct flows and pressures, engine horsepower and Rated Operating Capacity (ROC) of the machine. But with the universal attach, the attachment does not necessarily need to be manufactured by the same company that manufactures the skid steer.

The amount of hydraulic horsepower the skid steer has determines what sizes of attachments it can use, according to Kelly Guthrie, marketing director for Coneqtec/Universal. Different size skid steers have different amounts of hydraulic horsepower.

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