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What the attachment is hauling or lifting needs to also be taken into consideration. "If the attachment is going to be hauling something, say for example a bucket hauling wet sand, the operator needs to be sure the density of the material in combination with the volume of the bucket will not exceed the rated operated capacity," says Angel.

Rostberg with Bobcat also notes, "Depending on the material placed in it, a heaped bucket can quickly reach the capacity for the machine," says Rostberg. "Because of this, machines have approved bucket sizes to keep the material within range of the machine. Larger, heavier-duty buckets can also weigh upwards of 700 pounds for just the attachment, leaving little room for material on smaller machines."

Rated operating capacity is also critical for the skid steer to remain safe and stable while lifting and carrying an attachment, as well as for providing adequate down pressure on attachments like cold planers, trenchers, tillers, etc.

The rated operating capacity can often be slightly increased by using an optional factory counterweight package, which can be added to the rear of the machine. Counterweights may be used in certain applications to gain increased attachment performance, but comes with some drawbacks, says Angel.

"Most likely the skid steer was designed to be the most efficient at its original weight so the counterweight might slightly reduce several aspects of the machines performance such as fuel economy, skid steering, etc.," he explains. "Also the counterweight will shift more weight over the rear tires in an unladen situation making the machine feel a bit more unstable in some conditions."