Mini Skid Steers: Compact, Utilitarian, Versatile
by Stephen Kelly, regional editor
Digging/trenching are the most common functions for mini skid steers, but that just touches the surface. See attachment side bar. photo by Guy Nelson, Landscape Contractor National
As a college student, I used to work with a friend in the summer doing construction work. We installed driveways, sidewalks and resurfaced parking lots. I well recall getting out the jack hammer at one upscale residence to break up concrete. The jack hammer was exactly half my weight and controlling it was quite the workout, rattling every bone in my body. Then there was the extended pleasure of lifting up all the concrete pieces by hand and placing them in a wheel barrow!
Well, that was a long time ago. If I could have been transported to the future for a moment, aside from checking out which stocks were on top and the outcomes of major sporting events, I would have brought back a compact skid-steer loader or what is sometimes called a mini skid-steer. Whatever you call them, I?EUR??,,????'???m told these compact and versatile machines originally made their way to our shores via Australia.
Having brought back my mini from the future, I would have made short work of busting up the concrete with a hydraulic breaker attachment, then used a bucket attachment with tilt adjustment to deposit said hardscape (after I had visited my stock broker and placed a few bets with my bookie).
These tracks on the Vermeer are from Bridgestone with a sprocket-drive through the center of the track, similar to Bobcat?EUR??,,????'???s system. The small rollers?EUR??,,????'??+there are four roller units, each with three rollers side-by-side?EUR??,,????'??+help smooth the ride. The rollers have sealed bearings.The metal piece on top of the roller unit is a threaded rod to increase or decrease track tension, or to loosen them to take them off for maintenance.photo by Guy Nelson, Landscape Contractor National
Compact
While there are a various types of compact loaders, I will concentrate on compact track/mini-skid steers. The beauty of the mini skid-steers (minis) is they can work in tight areas impractical for full-size skid-steers. Some minis are dedicated ride-ons, with spring-cushioned platforms positioned in the framework of the machine to keep your feet comfortably out of the ground debris. There are also minis that allow you to ride on or to remove the ride-on platform in a matter of minutes?EUR??,,????'??+without tools!
Rubber tracks make for good traction in soft or muddy conditions with minimal ground disturbance. Efficient hydraulic systems provide force and strength to lift and carry big loads. A single handle often controls steering and driving functions; a single lever operates lift and tilt functions. Power and travel speed are adjustable to match job requirements.
Some safety features found include a reverse-travel stop bar at the rear of the machine; an interlock system to prevent unintentional movement of the lift arms or attachment; a neutral start interlock to stop the engine from starting if travel or attachment controls are engaged.
The control panel on the Vermeer S600TX has a key switch, oil pressure and temperature gauges, 12-volt auxiliary plug in, throttle and choke. Look for simple controls. I had no trouble operated this Vermeer S600TX model, though I had never driven a mini-skid steer before. There are only three controls. From left to right: a black ground direction knob (forward, reverse, left, right, 360 degree turning); the yellow knob is the auxiliary hydraulics that turn on the particular attachment your are using; and the green knob is the boom and bucket control. When the engine is off, or when you are not on the operator platform, the green lever is locked to prevent boom and bucket movement. As soon as you step on the platform and turn on the engine it unlocks. If you get off the machine with the engine running, the boom function locks.
Deaton demonstrates the safe and secure operating position: hands on handle bar and on controls simultaneously.photos by Guy Nelson, Landscape Contractor National
I Meet the Mini
Tom Deaton, a sales rep. in Fontana, Calif. with Vermeer, demonstrated the S600TX mini skid-steer for me out at the former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro near Irvine (Orange County, Calif.). The testing ground was between a new residential development and one of the decommissioned, towering metal jet hangars. The land at the base has been sold in four parcels. Development plans for the 5.8 sq mile site includes residential, golf, commercial, R&D, and schools. A bit less than half of the land (2.15 sq. miles) are dedicated to the Orange County Great Park.
Clear the area, editor driving. I had never driven a mini, but was quite comfortable moving about in any direction and operating the boom, thanks to the simple controls.
Editor in bucket. The boom, from the ground to the hinge pin, can rise six feet, eight inches. No worries here. Tipping capacity, with a 175 lb. operator, is 1,450 lbs. OK, Tom, let me down.
The operator platform is padded on the sides for greater comfort. When you step onto the platform the hydraulics are engaged by a switch reacting to your weight. As you dismount, the hydraulics are stopped. Some minis require you to hold a lever down to stop hydraulic function. photos by Guy Nelson, Landscape Contractor National
Simple
For a ride-on mini skid-steer, Tom thinks one of the paramount considerations is the simplicity of the controls. Tom relates he test drove a competitor?EUR??,,????'???s mini and was thrown from it. This story makes me question if I should even test his machine. He assures me that won?EUR??,,????'???t be a problem, as his machine has a handle bar that you hold onto and, at the same time, operate the controls. Sounds right to me. The simpler the controls the better. On the Vermeer S600TX there are only three controls. The black nob takes you in any direction; the yellow knob is the auxiliary hydraulics for the attachment; and the green engages the boom. For safety, the green knob is locked until you step on the platform and turn on the engine. If you get off the machine with the engine running, the boom locks. Another safety feature is built into the platform. When you step onto the platform, the hydraulics are engaged by a switch reacting to your weight. As you dismount, the hydraulics are stopped. Tom is not a fan of machines that require you hold a lever down to stop hydraulic function.
At the work site, you may need to motor across turf. Care must be taken when driving mini skid steers over turf (aggressive spinning is not recommended). Manufacturers take this into account. The Toro Dingo TX 425, of instance, has an ?EUR??,,????'??exclusive wide track?EUR??,,????'?? that ?EUR??,,????'??exerts only 3.4 psi ground pressure,?EUR??,,????'?? which, the Toro says, makes it extremely gentle on turf. It also has ?EUR??,,????'??three easy-to-use hand controls?EUR??,,????'?? and mounts 35 attachments, here an auger.
The control panel on the demo is also simple. I see the key switch and Tom points out the throttle. The platform I?EUR??,,????'???m standing on is padded on the sides, which provides lateral support. This, plus holding onto the bar by the control knobs, he assures me, keeps a person secure and allows for safe and comfortable operation. Although landscape contractors are hardy fellows, a shield in front of the operator is there to divert some of the heat from the engine. Attached to the back side of the operator?EUR??,,????'???s platform are twin fuel tanks, holding a combined 16 gallons.
Tom Deaton of Vermeer maneuvers into position to attach the trencher in the truck bed. Once the plate is in position, the two pins secure it. All that?EUR??,,????'???s left to do is attach the trencher?EUR??,,????'???s two hydraulic lines to the machine. photos by Guy Nelson, Landscape Contractor National
Making Tracks
There are two track options for this unit?EUR??,,????'??+seven and nine in. widths. With the seven-inch wide track the width of the machine is 36 in. With the wider track option, the ground psi decreases from 5 to 4, although with the wider track you won?EUR??,,????'???t be able to maneuver through the standard backyard gate. The tracks are from Bridgestone with a sprocket-drive through the center of the track, a similar system to Bobcat?EUR??,,????'???s.
The four roller units for the tracks each have three rollers side-by-side. The manufacturer discovered that going from two rollers to three rollers helped smooth the ride. The rollers have sealed bearings. This is a nice nonmaintenance feature, as they won?EUR??,,????'???t get gunked up and you won?EUR??,,????'???t need to grease them.
The tracks have a threaded rod to increase or decrease track tension, or to loosen them to take them off for maintenance.
Bring on the Boom
?EUR??,,????'??Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom,?EUR??,,????'?? sang Eric Burton of the Animals. Without the boom what is a skid steer? Naked, ineffective. It?EUR??,,????'???s all about the boom. The boom I see is supported on the back, side and bottom with bushings and pins. The boom, from the ground to the hinge pin, can rise six feet, eight inches. In conjunction with the height of the pivot point, the boom lifts away from the machine, then up. Some booms lift up and back. This allows you, for instance, to transport or take a large auger out of the ground without it hitting the machine, which can happen if the boom is the type that lifts up and back. The away and up motion of the boom makes it easier to load and unload attachments with your mini skid-steer from your truck.
Mini skid steers let you operate in fairly confined areas, but there are limits. If you are doing residential work, getting through gates becomes important. According to Compact Power, the 526DX diesel mini-skid, an update of the Boxer TD-327, is the only mini-skid on the market with a variable track design that retracts from a fully extended 43.5 in. to a width of 35 in. The track width is controlled by a joystick lever on the control panel.
Innards
Getting at the engine is easy. At the front of the machine you simply lift the hood at the air-cooler shroud to access the oil filter, oil filler and engine components. The hood and panel comes off if necessary to work on the engine. The door in the front give access to the battery.
The hydraulic tank lies low across the bottom of the tractor. Its placement here adds more weight to the machine?EUR??,,????'???s center of gravity. The plate below it is the bottom of the machine. The 25 hp engine (gas or diesel) resides above the hydraulic tank.
The easy-to-mount hydraulic breaker attachment on the Bobcat MT52 is designed for concrete and general excavation work. Upper and lower shock absorbers reduce noise and vibration. A special shield protects hoses and fittings from damage.
Mount Up
The mounting plate (for attachments) is ?EUR??,,????'??universal?EUR??,,????'???EUR??,,????'??+for most machines. It will accept attachments from Toro and Ditch Witch, for example, but if you wanted to use Bobcat attachments, you would have to go to a different ?EUR??,,????'??universal?EUR??,,????'?? plate. Tom switches from the bucket to the trencher attachment. Turning two pins releases the bucket and he lifts the boom high enough to hook into the trencher that sits on the bed of the truck, then attaches the hydraulic lines and we?EUR??,,????'???re off to digging.
Here the mini track operator opts for a pallet fork attachment to lift the broken up concrete slabs.
Stand Back! I Take the Controls
Hoping up onto the platform I place my hands on the bar and grasp the left nob and gently push it forward. The machine moves in that direction. Good machine! I?EUR??,,????'???m directing this 2,530 lb. piece of machinery (that includes the weight of the bucket). The diesel models weighs in at 2,775 lbs. I turn the know to the left, to the right, spin around a few times, lift the boom, lower the boom, and feel?EUR??,,????'??+in control and powerful! No more jack hammers for me; no more ditch digging with shovels, that?EUR??,,????'???s for sure.
Compact, utilitarian and versatile?EUR??,,????'??+it?EUR??,,????'???s all here. Test drive a mini today.
