Skid steers are reliable machines to use for snow removal jobs, with their small size and maneuverability allowing them to work in tighter settings than larger equipment like tractors and wheel loaders. Using a fleet of snow clearing skid steers, your operators can efficiently clear snowfalls of any size from roads, parking lots, and other commercial spaces.
When outfitted with high-quality snow removal attachments, skid steers can be relied on for almost any snow management job. However, with so many attachments to choose from, you may be conflicted which option to select. Keep reading for more information to guide your decision when purchasing snow removal attachments for your skid steers.
How to Choose the Right Snow Removal Attachment for Your Skid Steer
Before picking a snow removal attachment for your skid steers, it's best to consider the qualities that are most important to you to inform your decision. Carefully consider the following:
- How much are you willing to spend on snow removal attachments for your skid steers?
- What types of commercial spaces do you perform snow removal services for?
- Do you need to work in confined spaces that require more maneuverability?
- Will there be a need to transport snow away from the space being plowed?
A few of the best types of snow removal attachments for skid steers are hydraulic wing plows, snow buckets, snow pusher box plows, and snow blowers. Each of these different attachments performs more effectively in certain snow management scenarios, but is inefficient in others. Listed below are the pros, cons, and ideal uses for each of these skid steer snow removal attachments.
- Pros: Featuring adjustable plow blades with floating edges, hydraulic wing plows are high-tech snow removal attachments that are excellent for clearing off roads and parking lots. By contouring to match the surface being plowed, a hydraulic wing plow can provide a clean scrape without damaging the pavement. These qualities make a hydraulic wing plow an ideal choice for your skid steer.
- Cons: Hydraulic wing plows are some of the most expensive snow removal attachments, making them a poor choice if you're working with a tighter budget. They also may fall short against the deepest and heaviest snowfalls.
- Where to Use: With a hydraulic wing plow mounted on your skid steer, you can efficiently clear snow from parking lots, streets, and any other commercial spaces.
Snow Buckets
- Pros: Unlike most snow removal attachments, snow buckets can lift snow, allowing it to be transported and piled. This makes snow buckets a good choice for your skid steer if you often need to remove snow from a lot.
- Cons: Snow buckets lack the power and speed of most snow removal attachments, making them an inefficient option for clearing large spaces such as parking lots.
- Where to Use: If you mainly work smaller scale snow removal jobs, such as commercial driveways, snow buckets may be optimal attachments for your skid steers.
- Pros: Snow pusher box plows are designed for a simple but effective purpose: to push as much snow as possible in a straight line. When it comes to efficiently clearing snow from a large commercial space, snow pushers stand unrivaled.
- Cons: As powerful as they are, snow pusher box plows lack the maneuverability of most other skid steer snow removal attachments. They're a poor choice for snow clearing jobs that demand precision.
- Where to Use: If your fleet of skid steers is primarily used to clear large commercial properties such as parking lots, snow pusher box plows are an excellent choice.
Snow Blowers
- Pros: Rather than pushing snow, a snow blower propels it through a chute, launching it away from the lot being cleared. The power of the mechanical auger in a snow blower can break up even deep and heavy snow that skid steers with plows might struggle against.
- Cons: Snow blowers aren't as budget friendly as many other skid steer snow removal attachments. Additionally, some commercial properties may be too large for snow blowers to effectively shoot all snow off of the lot.
- Where to Use: A skid steer with a snow blower is a great choice for clearing snow from driveways and other narrower areas where the blower's chute can precisely fire the snow to the sidelines.
Purchase High-Quality Snow Removal Attachments for Your Skid Steer
If you're in the market for new snow removal attachments for your fleet of skid steers, Storm Equipment may have just what you need. Contact us today if you'd like to purchase snow removal attachments for your skid steers!
