SKID STEER – Push and Pulverize
Skid steers and their track loader cousins can take a zillion attachments (we’ve actually counted). Both units are great push and grade machines, utilizing implements like dozer blades, power rakes and box plows. Engineered with a dedicated undercarriage, compact track loaders are excellent for heavy push jobs, while wheeled skid steers are usually more versatile in the snow. Considering the latter, skid steer’s are popular with snow removal applications using a box plow.
Skid steer loaders today range in size from around 20 to 100 hp and 700 to 3,700 lbs of rated operating capacity. There’s a box plow to suit all of those machines, but in practical terms, most snow-removal professionals will choose a mid-sized option. As skid steers get larger, they become less maneuverable and, of course, more expensive. Skid steers are uniquely maneuverable, which makes them great for snow removal in restricted spaces. The wise advice seems to be: Choose only as much machine as you need. Typically, the largest pusher used with a skid steer would be around 12 ft in width, with 8- and 10-ft options being the most popular. To handle a 10-ft pusher, you want a machine with at least 1,700-lbs rated operating capacity.
Let’s move from snow to site prep. If you’re in charge of a landscaping project from start to finish, a power rake attachment can help you increase productivity and profitability. Power rakes combine four attachments into one, allowing you to grade, level, rake, remove debris and prepare bare ground for seed or sod. Power rakes can also be used to dethatch and remove old lawns and weeds for lawn renovations.
Power rake attachments are equipped with rollers that have a specially shaped carbide tooth design and pattern that releases the optimal amount of moisture from the soil, creating the perfect seedbed. Its rugged barrier adjusts so the operator can choose the amount of material left in the seedbed depending on the soil moisture conditions — allowing for faster drying in wet and muddy conditions. The barrier’s flexibility makes it possible for material such as roots and large tree limbs to pass through the attachment without compromising or stressing the attachment. The combination of this barrier and the attachment’s end plates lets you control, deflect and direct materials similar to how a plow moves snow. Dual, independently self-adjusting gauge wheels contour to the ground and provide added flexibility for an even cut on drainage grades and small slopes.
The last attachment on the push and pulverize list is the dozer blade.
A compact track loader’s heavy-duty tracked undercarriage provides a low center of gravity for excellent stability, grading performance and traction. When the job calls for dozing work, a six-way dozer blade is recommended for production. The six-way dozer blade is a versatile, steel push, plow and scrape implement. This attachment can be positioned six different ways using the controls located inside the track loader’s cab: 1 and 2 are angling, where the blade is level with the ground and the edges move toward or away from the machine to form a windrow of material; 3 and 4 are tilt, in which the edges of the blade move up or down to create slopes; and 5 and 6 are up and down.
Six-way dozer blades come in a variety of widths, ranging from 72 to 96 in. The size of the blade and loader should be in accordance with one another. Alas, six-way dozer blades are not cheap, typically costing around $4,500 to $5,000.
Keith Gribbins is managing editor of Compact Equipment, based in Brecksville, Ohio.
