The Best Skid Steer Brands For Your Jobsite

The Best Skid Steer Brands For Your Jobsite

A skid steer is a compact piece of heavy equipment that pairs with multiple attachments, though a bucket is most common. It gets its name from the way it turns — the wheels are fixed in a straight line and they rotate at different speeds to turn, causing the machine to skid.

Because of this, skid steers have a zero-degree turning radius, making them ideal for tight spaces. The versatility of a skid steer allows them to be used for multipurpose projects involving digging and hauling, such as construction and landscaping.

When deciding on a skid steer, you’ll have your choice of well-known brands including:
·Bobcat
·Caterpillar
·JCB
·Case
·John Deere
In this post, we discuss the top skid steer brands, skid steer models, and how to choose the right one for your next project.



Bobcat
Bobcat (previously known as Melroe Manufacturing) actually made the first skid steer. In 1957, they bought the rights to a front-end loader invented by two brothers in Minnesota and brought them on board to refine it. Production started in 1958. The North Dakota–based company has a line of skid steers with rated operating capacities (ROC) ranging from 760 to 2,000 pounds.
Bobcat accounts for about 40% of the global market for skid steers, making it the industry leader. It boasts a powerful hydraulics system, rear cab isolators to minimize sound, a touch display, superior lift arms, an improved cooling system, and effective weight balance.
Bobcat has a total of 13 models of skid steer loaders divided into three series, the M2, M3, and R.

Caterpillar
Cat skid steers have a reputation for being reliable, powerful, versatile, and easy to use. They come equipped with an electronic throttle and intelligent leveling (ILEV) system and have an excellent hydraulic system and ground-level serviceability.
The company is the overall industry leader in construction equipment manufacturing. Its skid steers range from 67 to 110 horsepower, with operating capacities ranging from 1,550 to 3,700 pounds. Radial- and vertical-lift designs are available.
Caterpillar has made skid steers since 1999 and offers eight D3 models.

Case
CASE is one of the largest construction equipment manufacturers in the world. It merged with New Holland in 1999. CASE has manufactured skid steers since 1969, first in Iowa and then in Wichita, Kansas. Its machines are popular for landscaping and agricultural material handling, ranking among the top three snow and ice removal companies in North America.
CASE users find advantages in the brand’s engine protection, economy mode, auxiliary hydraulics, easy maintenance, and control options.
The company’s eight B Series skid steer models offer horsepower ranging from 60 to 90 and a rated operating capacity of 1,600 to 3,400 pounds. They come with a wide variety of attachments ranging from rakes to augers, from hoes to post drivers to tree shovels.
CASE offers eight B Series skid steer models.

John Deere
John Deere, based in Moline, Illinois, has skid steers ranging in weight from 6,140 to 10,000 pounds and horsepower from 65 to 100. Rated operating capacities range from 1,750 pounds to 3,600 pounds. A large selection of attachments is available, including brooms, buckets, grapples, planers, plate compactors, rollers, and snow attachments.
John Deere has skid steers that are built for heavier attachments and have plenty of horsepower. They also offer large and compact machines in wheeled and tracked models such as compact track loaders.
John Deere offers six skid steers. Below are the ranges of the GR and G models.

JCB
JCB began in 1945 building agricultural tipping trailers and eventually turned into a global equipment manufacturer. Responsible for creating the world’s first backhoe loader in 1953, JCB eventually created the world’s safest skid steer in 1993. The company has grown over the past 75-plus years, now totalling 11,000 employees and 22 plants total globally.
JCB has four skid steer loaders, including both vertical and radial lifts.

Conclusion
It’s important to determine which skid steer and which attachments are best for your job, so you can save money, headaches, and hassles getting it right.