Attachments Buyer's Guide

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Attachments - Skid Steer Loader, Compact Track Loader, Compact Tractor and Mini Excavators Attachments 

One feature that makes a skid steer loader, compact track loader, compact tractor or mini excavator such a popular piece of equipment is their ability to use a wide range of different attachments to handle all kinds of jobs. The standard attachment is a bucket - a basic scoop for picking up and hauling loose soil, gravel, mulch, etc.

Here are some other attachments you might want to consider:

Pallet forks

 

Your skid steer loader can also function as a forklift

4 in 1 bucket

 

A "jaw" bucket that opens and closes

Grapple bucket

 

Has "arms" that can clamp down over the load

 

Hydraulic hammers

 

For breaking rock or concrete

 

Brooms

 

Powered to clean up the job site

 

Augers

 

Quickly drill clean holes

 

Root Grapple

 

Good at picking up larger loose materials (brush or recycling)

Grapple Rake

 

Good at raking up brush and loose limbs

 

Cold planers

 

For scraping and leveling pavement

 

Dozer Angle blades

 

Basically a bulldozer blade, for pushing and leveling

 

Truss booms

 

For picking up to 30’ truss’s, 4 x 8 plywood or tools

Trenchers

 

Dig trenches of various depths and widths

 

Backhoes

 

A small version of the common digging arm

 

Snow blowers and
pushers

 

Very popular for removing snow in parking lots and other
tight spaces

Stump grinders

 

Turn tough tree stumps into dust

 

Brush Mowers

 

Available in multiple sizes and types

 

Tillers

 

The easy way to turn over soil for planting

 

Tree Shears or Cutters

 

Various types and styles

 

The varieties of attachments that Spartan Equipment offers go on and on – we offer over 100 different types. Fortunately, you don't have to make all your attachment decisions at once. It's very common for skid steer loader buyers to purchase the machine with one or two critical attachments, then return to buy additional attachments later. You can also rent attachments from most local rental establishments in your area, which is helpful when you need a specific tool only occasionally.
Most major brand of skid steer loaders come standard with a pressure release coupler block. This means you'll secure and remove your attachment hydraulic hoses quickly with minimal effort.

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Different sizes and styles of buckets are used for different types of digging. Other common attachments include augers (for boring holes), root grapples (for pinching or gripping), hydraulic hammers and a vast assortment of others (See Attachments). Most skid steer loaders now use the same "quick attach" couplers to secure the attachment to the front of the unit, allowing you to share attachments between most major brands such as Bobcat, Caterpillar, Case, New Holland, John Deere, Volvo, Kubota, Gehl, Mustang, Takeuchi and others.

Attachments are almost all interchangeable among the different brands and models of skid steers, compact track loaders, thanks to a universal skid steer loader attachment bracket called the "quick attach." Even some compact tractors and compact wheel loaders use the same system, giving you the ability to share attachments among multiple machines and brands.

The standard Bob-Tach™ mounting system helps you change attachments in less than a minute. Quickly replace a bucket with a pallet fork, landscape rake, auger, grapple and other attachments. Bobcat Company developed the exclusive system more than 35 years ago and it remains the industry standard.

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A very small number of attachments are not interchangeable, though. For example, a backhoe can generate so much torque that it could rip itself right off the quick attach without additional support. To avoid this, it gets attached directly to the frame of the loader, in addition to the quick attach. In these cases, the attachments won't work with brands other than the one they were designed for.

Most powered attachments connect to the skid steer's hydraulics. However, a few high-powered attachments, such as cold planers and brush mulchers, require a high-flow hydraulic system. Not every skid steer loader has a high-flow hydraulic system, so be sure to review the power requirements of attachments you plan to use before you decide on a purchase.

Compact Equipment & Attachments Vs. Dedicated Machines

Why a skid steer, compact track loader, compact tractor, mini excavator, or telescopic tool carrier, utility work machine or utility vehicle with multiple attachment capabilities rather than a dedicated machine?

  • Gives you the ability to adjust to changing markets, applications or multiple jobs.
  • There are attachments for every season keeping you in business year round.
  • Attachments offer a low initial investment with great return.
  • It's easy to rent an attachment for a special job.
  • In most applications compact equipment with attachments work as well or better than dedicated machines.

Attachments are the driving force in the compact equipment industry

  • Spartan Equipment is your one stop shop for all of you attachment needs.
  • Spartan Equipment attachments are not an after thought – they are engineered to give you long life and reliability, with the best warranty backing in the industry.
  • Spartan Equipment laser-guided attachments are integrated with your machine to provide precise working ability.
  • Spartan Equipment attachments are setting the industry standard for attachment visibility and ease of entry/egress to machine with attachment installed.

Spartan Equipment offers more attachments for more machines than anyone in North America.