Skid Steer vs Tractor: Finding the Right Equipment

Capable of performing many of the same tasks, the conversation about what you should pick between skid steers and tractors has only grown as skid loaders have had improved capabilities. Both versatile pieces of heavy equipment due to their attachments, both machines can be used in agriculture, farming, landscaping projects, construction, and material handling.

However, there are some important considerations to think about when making the choice about which one to rent or buy. This includes the requirements of the project, specs needed, ground conditions, compatibility, and more.

Overview of Skid Steers

As versatile machines capable of performing almost any task, skid steers are commonly rented and owned pieces of construction equipment.

Types of Skid Steers and Operating Capabilities

There are two types of skid steers: wheeled and tracked, which are also commonly called compact track loaders. Skid steers weigh anywhere between 3,000 and 10,000 lbs and can lift from 1,500 lbs to 3,700 lbs. Their power ranges from 50 hp to 110 hp, and they can lift between 9 and 11 feet.

Typical Applications

There’s almost no job that skid steer and compact track loaders can’t accomplish. Whether it’s land clearing, earthmoving, demolition, grading, material handling, or snow clearing, there are hundreds of skid steer attachments that can be used to help get the job done.

Typical applications include:

• Land clearing

• Snow removal

• Earthmoving

• Material handling

• Grading

• Trenching

• Landscaping

• Agriculture

And this is only scratching the surface of what they can do.

Attachments and Advantages

It’s this versatility that makes skid steers so desireable for contractors, landscapers, and farmers alike. With big properties, they can be used to mow lawns, especially on grades and slopes, move bales of hay and cut down trees, clear land and shrubs, and help with everyday agricultural and construction projects.

Some common attachments for farmers include mowers, brush cutters, buckets, grapples, tillers, tree pullers, augers, and snow plows. Construction workers, they’ll use hydraulic breakers for demolition, trenches, dozer blades, and fork attachments.

With a zero-turn radius and great lifting patterns, they’re great at maneuvering on and working in tight spaces. They also turn faster and are quicker, increasing efficiency. Because of their lower center of gravity, they also don’t roll over as often as tractors and have more stability.

Skid steers also have more hydraulic capabilities than tractors, which is part of the reason they can lift more, despite looking smaller. However, because they weigh more, it also affects storage and hauling needs if you’re looking to own one, so make sure to take that into consideration.

Another factor that could be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on your viewpoint, is that service intervals on skid steers are longer. This decreases the maintenance and upkeep costs, but this is primarily because they are designed to be working a full 8-hour day. Tractors can be used more variably but require more checks and service calls.

Because skid steers can come with tracks rather than wheels, they can also be better for wetter seasons and more difficult terrains. These tracks decrease the chances of getting stuck and give them a better performance on grades.

The last advantage would be the visibility they have from the front of the skid steer. Whereas tractors have a long front where the engine is located, skid steers only have their attachments in front of them.

However, side visibility is more restricted on the skid steer due to the movement of the hydraulic arms. You also have to get into the skid steer from the front so if the attachment is lifted at all, not only will visibility be affected but you won’t be able to get in and out of the machine.

Benefits of Skid Steer Rental

The primary benefit of renting a skid steer versus buying one would be that, as mentioned, they are designed to work and be utilized for a full day’s work. This isn’t always the case for farmers but is for construction workers, so it will depend on how you plan to utilize the machine.

Overview of Tractors

While not commonly used on construction sites, tractors, especially compact utility tractors, are great machines for getting small jobs done around farms and large properties.

Types of Tractors and Operating Capabilities

There are several types of tractors, but in this blog, we are going to focus primarily on compact tractors. They are most similar to skid steers and compact track loaders in terms of size and capabilities. Anything larger will be used primarily for harvesting and large-scale farming purposes

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Typical Applications

Compact tractors are great for several small-scale projects including snow removal, road maintenance, hauling materials, moving feed and hay for livestock, landscape design projects and gardening, lawn care, and other agricultural applications.

They’re also great for land clearing and forestry applications, much like skid steers when paired with the right attachment. They can tow heavy things, mow large areas of grass, and till the ground very well.

Attachments and Advantages

An advantage that tractors have is their ability to have attachments on both the front and the back of the machine. However, the range and power of these attachments are less versatile. Also, depending on the driver’s preference, it can be easier to see and operate attachments when they are in front of you, and takes more skill to effectively control the attachments on the back.

Another advantage of tractors is that although they are larger machines, they are lighter than skid steers. Not only will this have less impact on the environment around you, but it also means that towing and loading them onto a trailer is easier. If hauling the machine from job site to job site is a concern, then a tractor might be the best choice.

If working on sensitive terrains, not only is the lighter weight of the tractor an advantage but so are the tires. Tractors are compatible with turf tires, which will cause less damage, while compact track loaders are common to rip up grass, and skid steer tires will leave more track prints due to their heavy weight.

As for the cost of ownership, there seems to be some discrepancy between owners. While tractors cost less upfront, they arguably cost more to maintain. They require more service, have a regeneration period that will decrease utilization, and the hydraulic systems on a tractor just aren’t as powerful.

Benefits of Tractor Rental

Tractors are great rental options when working on landscaping jobs or needed for quick, seasonal work like snow removal. More often than not, farmers will own tractors and rent skid steers while contractors might own skid steers and rent tractors. However, if you work on a small farm and need to do some quick work, renting a tractor should be an easy choice for a few days.

Comparing Skid Steers and Tractors

Now that we’ve done a general overview of both machines, it’s time to see how they face head-to-head.

Maneuverability and Mobility

Because of their size, compact track loaders and skid steers have the advantage. Smaller and capable of moving in tighter areas, CTLs and SSLs have increased mobility when it comes to driving. They also perform better on grades and slopes than tractors and turn faster.

The one area where they have their pros and cons is visibility. Skid steers have great front visibility but are limited on their sides and behind without cameras. Tractors, because of their raised seat, have all-around visibility but the engine and having to turn around to see the back attachment can be a nuisance.

Ground Conditions and Traction

Compact track loaders are great on muddy, wet, sandy, and uneven terrains because the tracks give them more traction and allow them to perform better. However, these same tracks can really damage the environment, rip up grass, and leave more damage in their wake.

Skid steer loaders are great for working on rocky, flat, and finished terrains like asphalt. SSLs also move more quickly than tractors and leave less damage in those environments. However, they can leave stronger track marks than tractors on grass and have the potential to get stuck.

Tractors can be used with turf tires that give them a great performance on grass and dirt while also not leaving much damage behind.

Attachment Versatility

Skid steers have tractors beat here when it comes to attachment diversity. Not only in terms of the number of attachments they can be equipped with but with the power. Because of their hydraulic systems, skid steers can be attached with mulchers, tillers, and rakes that perform to the level if not higher than that of tractors. Skid steers can also push snow, move materials, lift higher, and lift more weight.

The main advantage that tractors have would be the ability to have an attachment on the back of the machine as well as the front.

Operating Costs and Maintenance

As we’ve covered above, this really depends on the usage rate of the machine. For example, skid steers have more things that can go wrong and typically are more expensive to fix. They also have a higher upfront cost, attachments are usually more expensive, and if not utilized to their fullest capability, can be considered a lot of wasted money.

Tractors, on the other hand, are more affordable for the machine itself. Despite requiring more maintenance and service, it’s typically at a cheaper cost, and attachments also aren’t as expensive.

Operator Comfort and Ease of Use

This again will depend on some of the above factors. Engineered to be used for long hours and full days, skid steers are designed to be comfortable for the operator. Now equipped with more cameras and things like A/C and Bluetooth, that can help operators stay sane throughout the day. However, the controls can be a bit more complicated as you’re managing hydraulics, lift capacity, and working with different attachments.

Tractors are also incredibly comfortable and provide better all-around visibility. The main difficulty in using them can be having to turn around to operate the back attachment but are typically quite easy to control and use.

Choosing the Right Equipment for Your Project

Now that we’ve compared the two, it’s time to pick which one a contractor or farmer should rent or own.

Factors to Consider

All the factors mentioned above including total cost of ownership, attachment capabilities, uses, and ground conditions are important to consider.

Working on a project with lots of mud? A compact track loader will be the best option for you. Doing some light snow removal? A tractor can help you complete the job with efficiency. Need to dig a trench on your property or a project? A tractor will work but a skid steer with the right attachment will help you be more efficient.

At the end of the day, there’s really no right answer. It will depend on the job at hand and how fast you’re looking to get it done.

Guidelines for Selecting the Appropriate Machine

When looking at finding the right option, it’s important to compare all the brands, see what attachments are available for each machine, and see what the capabilities of skid steers and tractors are. The worst thing that could happen is getting the right machine in the wrong size, or the right machine and the wrong attachment.

Whether you’re hauling material around a farm or looking to do some basic construction, picking the right skid steer, compact track loader, or tractor is key to a job well down. Speak with an educated DOZR representative or search the DOZR Marketplace for your equipment rental.

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