The first skid steer loader, the Melroe M-400, was introduced more than 45 years ago and since its inception the compact equipment workhorse has evolved into a monster machine. Much more supreme than it’s 1960 self, the modern skid steer has evolved everything from its hand and foot controls to its overall brute strength.

Today’s skid steers are giving operators capabilities they have never before imagined, and they are doing it in style and comfort. While skid steers of the old ages caused aches and pains, modern loaders are smooth rides with easy-to-use joystick controls.

Keeping the customer in mind, skid steer manufacturers have developed a new pilot joystick control system. Before Caterpillar first introduced the new controls, operators had combination hand and foot controls. The hand levers would operate the movement while the foot pedals moved the bucket levers. With today’s system everything can be controlled with two joysticks.

There are two different control options available with the pilot joysticks, the ISO pattern and the H pattern. With the ISO pattern, the right joystick controls the attachments movement. Moving the joystick forward or backward will move the loader arms up or down, while tilting the joystick left or right will tilt the bucket up or down. With your other hand, the left joystick controls the movement of the machine. Pushing or pulling it will move the machine forward or put it in reverse, while tilting the controls left or right will rotate the machines direction.

With the H pattern, the loader arm and machine controls are split between the joysticks. To move the machine forward or put it in reverse you need to push or pull back on both of the joysticks at the same time. To rotate the direction of the machine push forward with one joystick and pull back with the other. To control the attachment, the right joystick moves the bucket (left or right to control the tilt) and the left joystick moves the loader arms (left or right to raise and lower them).

Some operators prefer the H and others the ISO, so to make it convenient some manufacturers such as Bobcat offer both, with their Selectable Joystick Controls you can change from the H to the ISO pattern with the flick of a switch.

A feature that was introduced in 1998 by skid steer manufacturer Case is Ride Control, which is often a popular feature to use with the joystick pilot controls because it minimizes material spills by stabilizing the loader arms on rough-terrain sites.

Some manufacturers today make ride control a standard feature, it uses additional hydraulics to smooth the ride and keep the load secure, which allows the skid steer operator to drive a little faster thus increasing efficiency.

In today’s day and age luxuries are everywhere, and there is no reason to stop short with skid steers. Its understood by most skid steer operators that comfort goes together with productivity, because the more comfortable you are, the longer you are going to be able to operate the machine. Because of this many manufacturers today offer cab packages that can give you any luxury you want. With features such as cooled glove boxes for a drink or boxed lunch, enclosed cabs with air conditioning and heat for extreme temperatures, deluxe suspension seats for bumpy rides and power outlets for music players or fans you might not ever want to get out.

In addition to this, cabs today are also much quieter than before because of sound insulation around fans and other noise generators. Some companies such as Mustang monitor noise levels in the cab before the loader ever comes off the production line.

With efficiency the number one factor behind the design of the industry’s compact workhorse, it’s understood that comfort and ability are compliments to the goal. What was once strictly a get-the-job-done machine has evolved to a first class comfort ride, and everyone is benefiting.

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The compact track loader is a relative of the skid steer loader. Also known as a multi-terrain loader or rubber track loader, it’s basically a skid steer body mounted on bulldozer treads instead of wheels.The main advantage a track loader has over a skid steer is that treads get better traction in mud or loose terrain. In addition, because the weight of the loader is distributed across a much larger area, track loaders often do less damage to the ground they’re used on than wheeled vehicles.

Size considerations
If you’re in the market for a compact track loader, there are three central size considerations you should address before you start talking to dealers.

The first is the physical size of the machine. Compact loaders tend to be wider than skid steers, with most models falling between 55″ and 85″ wide. However, heights are comparable to skid steers, usually between 75″ and 95″. Knowing your height and width limitations is a very simple way to narrow your choices, so measure any gates, garages, or other small spaces the loader needs to fit through.

A second point to address is how high you need the loader to lift: if you need it to fill a 9’ high dump truck, make sure the model you choose has the appropriate dumping height. This is usually measured as the “height to hinge pin” – the pivot point between the arms of the loader and the bucket. It can range from around 110″ on smaller models to over 130″ on the largest.

Most compact equipment purchases are driven by physical size and dumping height because they’re often inflexible. The third main consideration is lifting capacity, or operating capacity, which can range from 2,000 lbs to over 4,000 lbs. This consideration is also very important, but you’ll usually have more flexibility here. As lifting capacity increases, the physical size will increase as well. If your primary consideration is access to tight places, you may have to settle for slightly less carrying capacity.

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