How many wheeled skid steer rental options are there on DOZR?
What is the average daily, weekly and monthly wheeled skid steer rental cost?
How long can I rent wheeled skid steer for?
Which equipment rental companies have wheeled skid steer rentals?
Where can I find cheap wheeled skid steer rentals?
Do you offer wheeled skid steer add-ons or attachments?
What other names does wheeled skid steer go by?
What is the difference between a skid steer and a bobcat?
Can a skid steer load a dump truck?
Are all skid steer attachments interchangeable?
How much does a skid steer weigh?
Can I rent over the tire skid steer tracks from DOZR?
How high can skid steers lift?
What are the best specs for a skid steer?
How much can skid steers lift?
What's the most popular skid steer rental size?
A skid steer is a piece of equipment that can be seen on almost every job site. Also called a Bobcat or skid steer loader, it is the job site workhorse. From landscaping to snow removal and projects large and small, renting wheeled skid steer can help keep your project moving.
This type of heavy equipment is available with a track or wheels. It is a smaller piece of equipment with a metal structure and two lifting arms on each side. It’s compact size makes it a popular machine in smaller work projects and locations.
The cab is often caged and a more popular attachment is a bucket. That being said, it can also be fitted with a number of other attachments like a sawtooth bucket or an auger. Read on to learn all the different kinds of attachments for this heavy machine.
No matter what your project is, you can find the most efficient skid steer for you.
This piece of equipment is capable of many different jobs including dozing, grading, digging, lifting and transporting materials around site. They are also a great machine for snow removal.
The small size and maneuverability make it an efficient tool for projects in smaller work areas with limited space. It’s safe to say that they are a multi-purpose, multi-terrain piece of equipment that helps to keep a project moving.
The skid steer has dual hydraulic arms which give it a great lifting capacity. These small but mighty machines are capable of lifting anywhere from 1,250 lbs to 2,700 lbs.
They are best used for lifting and moving heavy material. If your project is based in construction, landscape, agriculture or anything in between, a skid steer can help you.
Different kinds of attachments help to diversify the capabilities of the equipment. For spring, summer, winter, or fall, it can help increase productivity and add a level of efficiency in all kinds of project types.
Moving material is the main job of a skid steer. Smooth buckets make it easy to move soil or other materials. It is faster and easier than doing so by hand and adds a level of efficiency to any job.
When hand shoveling would take too long but the job is too small for a compact excavator, then this attachment may work best for you. Sawtooth bucket attachments for skid steers are great for digging in rocky landscapes, hard-packed soil or when digging right into the ground.
Available in many shapes and sizes, grapplers feature retractable claws for gripping and grabbing. Mainly used in construction sites for moving larger objects and debris, farmers can also make use of this attachment for pulling stumps and carrying logs.
Steel rotating augers make plowing through deep-packed snow easy. Skid steers can be used to clear heavy snow when paired with a snowblower attachment and can be great for narrow spaces like sidewalks or between buildings.
A dozer blade attachment can be added to a skid steer to help with landscape grading and pushing heavy loads. If the job is too small for a dozer then the skid steer can fill that gap.
While these are the most popular attachments, the skid steer can also be fitted with concrete breakers, auger drills, tillers and mowers. It would be more difficult to find a job that the skid steer can’t help with than one that it can.
Skid steers can be fitted with a continual track system made of rubber or metal, or they can be fitted wheels. Both kinds are reddily available for rent. This is key to having the best equipment for the job as tracked and wheeled machines are both better suited for specific jobs.
Wheels work best for even ground. When moving over hard terrain or finished concrete, wheels are much better fitted than a track. Wheeled skid steers also cost less to maintain.
Wheels in general cost less money and they are more fuel-efficient. They generally require less maintenance and do not break as easily. It is much easier to clean the undercarriage of a wheeled skid steer than a tracked one meaning that preventative care is easier to maintain.
A tracked machine is better for challenging terrain types. Snow, mud and sand are easy to soar over with the powerful track. They were built to master uneven terrain and slopes since they disperse their weight across the tracks instead of isolating it to four wheels.
If the job is going to be muddy and messy by nature, choosing a tracked skid steer will help keep efficiency and productivity up since it won’t impact the effectiveness of the equipment.
Skid steer loaders are synonymous with the brand Bobcat but they also have a few other names. They are also known as compact wheel loaders or compact track loaders. Skid steers are available with both tracks and wheels.
The very first skid steer was invented in 1957. It started off as a three-wheeled loader invented by Louis and Cyril Keller, two brothers from Rothsay, Minnesota. Louis and Cyril were approached by a local turkey farmer who asked the brothers to invent something to help him move around his farm. The three-wheeled machine was the outcome. They called it the Keller Loader.
After this initial invention, word of the three-wheeled machines spread and the demand for the Keller Loader grew. Melroe Manufacturing bought the rights to the machine in 1958 and the brothers worked in development for the company to mass produce their invention.
The “bobcat” name apparently become associated with the machine in 1963 when the M444 Melroe Bobcat was first released. The “tough, quick and agile” definition of a bobcat fit the equipment perfectly and a name was born.
Other brand names such as CASE, CAT, John Deere, Kubota and Komatsu have released their own version of this machine.
There are many different manufacturers to consider when looking to rent or buy a skid steer. Most companies make different sizes and models of skid steers to accommodate projects of all sizes and natures. All of these, including different attachments, are available for rent on DOZR.
Bobcat is a company often associated with classic American entrepreneurship. Edward Gideon “E.G.” Melroe had founded the Melroe Manufacturing Company in North Dakota in 1947. He died in 1955 and his sons took over the family business. They eventually joined up with the Keller brothers – inventors from Western Minnesota – and proceeded to grow the business towards machine manufacturing.
The Keller brothers would go on to invent the first ever skid steer in the form of a three-wheeled loader. The machine was specifically made for turkey farmers. They called it the Keller Loader. Melroe Manufacturing bought the rights to the machine in 1958 and both the Kellers and the Melroe’s began mass production of the machine.
The name “bobcat” came in 1963 when the M444 Melroe Bobcat was first released. The name comes from the quick, agile and tough qualities of the machine – it reflected the abilities of a bobcat to a T.
Today, the term “bobcat” is synonymous with the term skid steer.
Caterpillar is a company that first began with a man named Benjamin Holt inventing the continual tracked system. Today CAT is a multinational company that is one of the most recognized names in heavy equipment.
CAT jumped on the bandwagon started by the Keller brothers and developed their own version of the skid steer. With 65 – 75 hp and operating weights up to 10,000 lbs, CAT skid steers are the versatile machine of choice on many construction and landscaping sites.
John Deere was a Mid-Western blacksmith known for the invention of the steel plow. Today John Deere is a global brand name well known for its tractors, backhoes, excavators, loaders and – you guessed it! – skid steers. With horsepower that outperforms Caterpillar, the John Deere wheeled and tracked skid steers have up to 100 hp engines and have a weight capacity up to 3,600 lbs. These mighty machines add another dimension to the versatility to the John Deere brand.
CASE was founded by J.I. Case after he worked in the field of steam engines. An invention that paved the way for engine advancements that are used today, J.I. Case and CASE Construction Equipment developed over the years, much like the steam engine did. Unlike the steam engine which is now virtually irrelevant, CASE Construction Equipment is very much alive.
Well known for their powerful and long-lasting equipment, CASE now produces everything from dozers to excavators. CASE skid steers have been developed since 1969 and they celebrated their 50th year of skid steers in 2019.
There are different safety hazards associated with skid steers.
Struck-by hazards are a threat for those working around skid steers
Skid steers are often used in high-traffic areas. The quick nature of skid steers make fast reversing and quick turns dangerous if the driver does not take the time to survey their work area.
Checking blind spots and using a spotter can help keep those working around a skid steer safe. Being attentive can prevent incidents like this.
Crushed-by hazards are another big safety hazard of skid steers. This can happen either by crushing another worker with the skid steer or by the skid steer operator themselves being crushed. Always be careful of the position of the lift-arm and frame to avoid being trapped or crushed. Never work under a raised skid steer bucket.
Be aware of where the skid steer is being operated. The cage around it should protect the driver from any falling objects or debris but always put safety first.
Pinch points are also common with skid steers. Always wear proper personal protection equipment (PPE) and take the time to follow safety procedures.
Skid steers are often used for lifting heavy loads. Loads can shift and move as it is being transported and could cause a skid steer to roll. It is also possible to roll sideways when moving over uneven ground or steep grades.
DOZR offers refunds within 24 hours if the equipment does not meet the specifications that were transacted on. Equipment rented on DOZR can be returned at any time by emailing equipment@dozr.com, and no further rental charges will be charged after the equipment is off-rented.
