By McLaren Industries 
How Attachments Reduce Operating Costs for Skid Steers
Skid steer attachments offer many practical and financial benefits. Learn about how attachments reduce operating costs for skid steers by reading this article.
One of the many advantages that skid steers offer is the wide range of attachments they can be equipped with, from grapple buckets to dozer blades. In addition to expanding the capabilities of the machine, such attachments can also significantly reduce a business’s cost of operation. To gain a better understanding of how attachments reduce operating costs for skid steers, continue reading.
Decreasing Equipment Needs
One of the main reasons skid steers became so popular had to do with their incredible versatility. They’re often referred to as the Swiss pocketknife of construction equipment. This nickname stemmed from the fact that they can be equipped with a variety of different attachments. Thus, they can perform a wide range of vastly different applications without the need to purchase several different machines.
For example, a skid steer dozer blade attachment could be used in place of a small bulldozer to spread dirt or cut fresh ground. In addition, an auger attachment could replace an auger or excavator if you need to put fence posts down and a skid steer grapple bucket attachment could replace a wheel loader for lifting and loading materials. The list goes on.
By minimizing the number of machines an operator requires to perform the essential functions of their application, skid steers have the potential to reduce the operating costs of businesses by tens of thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of dollars.
The Universal Quick-Attach Advantage
The universal quick-attach systems of skid steer attachments also help reduce operating costs. Around 90 percent of skid steers are equipped with a universal quick-attach system. This useful system allows attachments to fit a variety of different skid steer models—from Bobcat to Caterpillar. In other words, you can buy a single attachment and use pretty much any brand of skid steer you want since it has a quick-attach system.
With other types of machinery—like a wheel loader, for instance—such an option is not available. If, for example, you wanted to put a grapple bucket on it, you’d have to knock out pins to make it work. Doing so is both tedious and time-consuming, while changing an attachment on a skid steer generally only takes around five minutes. By being able to convert a skid steer into an almost entirely different machine in a matter of minutes, the amount of costly downtime a project incurs will be significantly reduced.
We hope that this guide on how attachments reduce operating costs for skid steers will help you minimize the cost of your projects as much as possible. If you’re interested in enjoying the many benefits that skid steer attachments can provide, look no further than McLaren’s extensive array of attachment options. To learn more about our industry-leading skid steer attachments, contact us today at (800) 836-0040 or click here to request a quote.