Choosing a Specialty Skid Steer Loader Bucket
Start by evaluating how the skid steer is used. Will it be used for loading, handling loose material, digging, or spreading? A traditional bucket is the most common type of skid steer bucket. It’s designed to be used for a variety of applications on a jobsite.
A bucket perfect for digging and moving rocks and dirt is the dirt bucket. Upgrading to a heavier gauge steel might be necessary if the material is dense or the soil is compacted. A heavy-duty skid steer bucket is needed on a track loader or a skid steer loader that is in the top end range of power, traction or force.
With a heavier duty bucket comes greater weight. Depending on the available power of the skid steer loader, you may sacrifice power available to lift a bucket full of material. Check the cubic foot rating of the skid steer bucket for sale. Attaching a bucket with a large capacity bucket may put a strain on the engine or drivetrain – reducing the life of the skid steer loader. It’s tempting to choose a large capacity bucket with the goal of moving more material in a faster time. In the long run, this could reduce the performance of the skid loader.
Low-profile buckets are the ideal choice when capacity is an issue. Designed with a longer lip, these skid steer buckets offer more capacity. The lower back of the buckets also provides better visibility. Enhancing job site safety and more precise cutting, digging, and dumping.
If greater breakout force is needed, consider a skid steer bucket with a shorter lip and a shorter bottom. The shorter bucket provides more breakout force due to the lever effect that this combination creates.
Teeth and edges can be bolted on to the edge of the skid loader bucket to increase breakout force. A bolt-on edge can protect the skid steer loader bucket from daily wear and tear. Replacing a bolt-on edge can be completed quicker than replacing a loader bucket due to a damaged or worn-out edge.
Light materials buckets are designed for loose or lightweight material such as wood chips, sawdust, or mulch. These skid loader buckets are deep and feature a high back to create larger volume.
Specialty skid loader buckets such as brush, skeleton, or scrap grapple buckets are good choices for tasks involving separating soil from other material. They act as sieves, retaining the larger debris while letting dirt fall through the cracks in the bucket. Scrap grapple buckets are open-sided buckets with a pair of grapples. These buckets are ideal for brush handling and ripping out small trees and shrubs.
4-in-1 buckets can be configured to serve a variety of roles. The bottom and sides can be separated from the back of this special skid steer loader bucket. While the 4-in-1 loader bucket has its advantages, the disadvantages are that the mechanics required to open and close the skid steer bucket reduces the available volume. The cutting edges and the extra hydraulics increase the bucket weight.
All specialty skid steer loader buckets have been designed for specific applications and they each have their advantages and disadvantages. You’ll need to determine if the specialty skid loader bucket will increase productivity on the jobsite. To save money, consider buying a used skid steer loader bucket.
The Used Skid Store offers the following use skid steer loader buckets:
