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3. Which attachments do you plan on using?

Among the attachments most common to paving and pavement maintenance use are cold planers, wheel saws, sweeper buckets, and vibratory rollers for small patches. Manufacturers suggest contractors decide which attachments they're going to be using, learn the requirements of those attachments - and then match the attachments to the skid steer.

A good example of specification contractors need to match between attachment and skid steer is the hydraulic system. Fitzgerald says that hydraulic systems are now standard on all skid steers but that hydraulics get more advanced as skid steers get larger. "The high-flow hydraulic option gives more power to the attachment, so as contractors look to machine that can do more the hydraulics become more advanced," Fitzgerald says.

According to Verdon, hydraulic power is expressed in terms of hydraulic horsepower. Both hydraulic horsepower and engine horsepower need to be considered when determining work tool performance. "It is a combination of these two elements that lead to optimal work tool performance," Verdon says. "Ignoring either factor may lead to less than desired performance."

He says hydraulic horsepower is most important when operating work tools such as trenchers and cold planers that require a high percentage of the machine's total available power. "Engine power is most important when the machine is multi-tasking, for example, while simultaneously moving the machine under load and powering a hydro-mechanical work tool," Verdon says.

Zupancic adds that contractors should consider high-flow hydraulics for increased horse power if the skid steer is going to be performing any work were the attachment is actually "engaged" with the pavement.