The very first skid-steer loader had a three-wheel configuration that steered from the rear. Brothers Cyril and Louis Keller built the machine in Rothsay, Minn. in 1957.

The skid-steer loader was born almost 50 years ago in Minnesota. A half-century of development has spawned a range of loaders and related machines that have specialized abilities. Choosing the right one will help you get your job done quicker.

Skid-steer loaders can turn in their own tracks which makes them extremely maneuverable and valuable for applications that require a compact, agile loader.

The first four-wheeled Bobcat loader came in handy for shoveling snow in Minnesota. Note the open operator cabin. The lack of a cage around the driver led to a spate of ugly accidents as the vehicle?EUR??,,????'???s arms moved up and down. Note that these wheels could not ?EUR??,,????'??turn,?EUR??,,????'?? the vehicle steers by having the left and right sides move at different speeds or in opposing directions.

Unlike a conventional front loader the lift arms lay alongside the driver with the major pivot points behind the driver?EUR??,,????'???s shoulders. Because of the operator’s proximity to moving booms and buckets early skid loaders were not as safe as conventional front loaders, particularly during entry and exit of the operator. Modern skid loaders have fully enclosed cabs and other safety features to protect the operator from injury. Like other front loaders it can scrape material from one location to another, carry material in its bucket or load material into a truck or trailer.

 

Mustang?EUR??,,????'???s model 2086 loader is especially agile and cross-country capable with an 80 hp turbo diesel engine and a top speed of up to 11 mph. It?EUR??,,????'???s rated operating load is 2,600 lbs.Photo by Erik Skindrud

Operation

Skid Loaders can sometimes be used in place of a large excavator by digging a hole from the inside. The skid loader first digs a ramp leading to the edge of the desired excavation. The skid loader uses the ramp to carry material out of the hole. The skid loader reshapes the ramp making it steeper and longer as the excavation deepens. This method is particularly useful for digging under an overhead structure where overhead clearance does not allow for the boom of a large excavator, e.g. digging a basement under an existing house.

The conventional bucket of many skid loaders can be replaced with a variety of specialized buckets or attachments, many powered by the loader’s hydraulic system. Examples are backhoe, hydraulic breaker, pallet fork, angle broom, sweeper, auger, mower, snow blower, stump grinder, tree spade, trencher , and wheel saw attachments.

History

The front-end loader was invented by Cyril and Louis Keller in their machinist blackshop in Rothsay, Minn. in 1957. The Kellers built the loader to help a nearby farmer, Eddie Velo, mechanize the process of cleaning turkey manure from his two-story pole barn. The light and compact three-wheel machine, with its rear caster wheel, was able to turn around within its own length, while performing the same tasks as a conventional front-end loader.

The Melroe brothers, whose Melroe Manufacturing Co. was down the road in Gwinner, N.D., purchased the rights to the Keller loader in 1958 and hired the Kellers to continue refining the invention. As a result of this partnership, the M-200 Melroe self-propelled loader was introduced at the end of that year. It featured two independent front-drive wheels and a rear caster wheel, a 12.9-hp engine and a 750-lb. lift capacity.

New Holland?EUR??,,????'???s Super Boom loader design helps maximize dump height and reach. Its unique boom geometry, combined with a longer wheelbase and lower center of gravity, gives New Holland loaders efficient lift capacity per pound of total machine weight. This L160 has a rated operating load capacity of 1,600 lbs.Photo by Erik Skindrud

Just two years later, they replaced the caster wheel with a rear axle and introduced the M-400, the first four-wheel, skid-steer loader. The ?EUR??,,????'??Bobcat?EUR??,,????'?? name was added in 1962 to describe the key attributes of the machine: tough, agile, and quick. ?EUR??,,????'??Bobcat?EUR??,,????'?? is sometimes used as a generic term for skid-steer loaders. The M-440 was powered by a 15.5-hp engine and had an 1,100-lb.-rated operating capacity. Skid-steer loader development progressed in the mid-1960s with the introduction of the M600 loader.

A view of Bobcat?EUR??,,????'???s new A300, which can operate in skid-steer mode and as an all-wheel steer loader (as seen here). The directional, turning ability of each wheel reduces wear and tear on turfgrass while saving tire tread. At the flip of a switch, however, the A300 can operate in skid-steer mode, an advantage in tight spaces. Photo courtesy of Ingersoll Rand/Bobcat

In the years since, the Ingersoll Equipment Co. Bobcat skid-steer loader has experienced many changes, including the development of a hydrostatic drive system, rollover protective cab structures, radius and vertical path lift-arm configurations, deluxe instrumentation and heating and air conditioning.

The Bobcat S series are classic skid-steer loaders that steer using independent drive on the right and left sides. Pay special attention to the number that follows the S: add a zero and you have the loader?EUR??,,????'???s weight capacity in pounds. This one, for example, can lift and tip a maximum 2,050 lb. scoop.

Today in addition to traditional loaders, there are all-wheel steer loaders and compact track loaders. Compact track loaders feature a rubber track undercarriage that provide better digging and pushing performance. Compact track loaders provide less ground (and turfgrass) disturbance and feature better traction and flotation in soft, wet, muddy, and sandy conditions.

Loader-type Equipment

Much of the technology perfected in years of loader development has been applied in related equipment. A new trend is towards miniaturization. These recently-developed machines are of particular use to landscape contractors in confined spaces like backyards and other residential settings.

Gage Oetgen of Sunstate Equipment Co. in Lake Forest, Calif. explains the features and capacities of a Bobcat S220. Rental services are good sources of information on makes and models. Renting can be a good way to try a model before plunking down cash to buy.

Compact Hydraulic Excavators

The compact hydraulic excavator is somewhat unique from other construction equipment in that all movement and functions of the machine are accomplished through the transfer of hydraulic fluid. The compact excavator?EUR??,,????'???s work group and blade are activated by hydraulic fluid acting upon hydraulic cylinders. The excavator’s slew (rotation) and travel functions are also activated by hydraulic fluid powering hydraulic motors.

Cat?EUR??,,????'???s 236B is one of the brawnier skid-steer loaders on the market with a maximum rated tipping capacity of 4,012 lbs. The machine itself has a 73 hp engine and a total weight of just over 7,000 lbs.

In recent years, hydraulic excavator capabilities have expanded far beyond excavation tasks. With the advent of hydraulic-powered attachments such as breakers, clamps, augers and compactors, the excavator is frequently used in many applications other than excavation and actually serves as an effective attachment tool carrier. Many excavators feature quick-attach mounting systems for simplified attachment mounting, dramatically increasing the machine’s utilization on the jobsite.

John Deere claims its 320 model skid-steer loader offers superior visibility. The model has a rated 3,900 lb. maximum lifting/tipping capacity. Options include a four-season, heated and air-conditioned cab.

Mini Loaders

Mini skid-steer loaders or compact utility loaders are even smaller and include ?EUR??,,????'??walk behind?EUR??,,????'??? cable or radio controlled skid loaders and the slightly larger platform skid loaders. Platform skid loaders have a small platform on the back instead of a seat for the operator to stand on.

Utility Work Machine

The Toolcat utility work machine combines the features of a utility loader (lifting, loading and material handling), utility vehicle/pickup truck (hauling cargo and towing a trailer) and attachment carrier (operating attachments for various applications) into one platform. It’s designed to excel at large property maintenance, commercial groundskeeping and surface landscaping tasks. It can take an operator and a co-worker to the jobsite and complete the job like no other machine can ?EUR??,,????'??+ by out-lifting, out-towing and out-hauling other machines. Source: en.wikipedia.org