Tractor vs Skid Steer Loader Specs

[AaronD81]

I'm trying to compare loader specs and it's hard to do on paper. I don't have experience with skid steers so I'd like some perspective from those that do. Ignoring all other differences between tractors and skid steers, how do you determine which loader is stronger? ROC and tipping load are the common skid steer specs, but how do you compare that to a tractor loader that is rated at lift at a certain height? Breakout force appears to be the only overlapping spec. It would mainly be used for lifting logs onto trailers and mills so max height isn't important. As an example, the Kubota L47 is rated at 2,848 lift to max height and 4,531 breakout force. The SSV75 has ROC of 2,690, tipping load of 5,380 and lift arm breakout of 4,850. On paper the lifting capacity seems comparable, is that correct? Again, I'm ignoring the usual differences between tractors and skid steers. Is there a certain spec that I should use to compare between the two and across brands? Breakout force seems to be more important for my use, should that be what I use to compare?

 

[sea2summit]

No where close, the 75 is going to crush the L47 to pieces.

Breakout is only the ability of the bucket to lift something articulating at the front of the loader arms, nothing else.

Lift on the L47 will be the 2,828 at max height.

The "tipping" load for the SSV75 is how much it can lift without tipping forward, which is probably not the maximum lift the laoder is capable of. So basically twice the lifting capability.

Tractors were never meant to lift things, and they don't do it well. The skid steers are designed to be extremely maneuverable and lift heavy things. Look at the arms between the two and consider the geometry and it becomes pretty obvious which one has an advantage.

 

[2manyrocks]

Compare the size and thickness of the loader arms and hydraulic cylinders along with the mounting points and distance from the pivot pins to the bucket. If you visually compare them in person, you will start to see the differences.

 

[AaronD81]

No where close, the 75 is going to crush the L47 to pieces.

Breakout is only the ability of the bucket to lift something articulating at the front of the loader arms, nothing else.

Lift on the L47 will be the 2,828 at max height.

The "tipping" load for the SSV75 is how much it can lift without tipping forward, which is probably not the maximum lift the laoder is capable of. So basically twice the lifting capability.

Tractors were never meant to lift things, and they don't do it well. The skid steers are designed to be extremely maneuverable and lift heavy things. Look at the arms between the two and consider the geometry and it becomes pretty obvious which one has an advantage.

I don't follow what you're saying. If both have the same breakout force how will the SSV crush the L47 when lifting something a few feet off the ground. I understand skid steers are built heavier, but I'm not talking about that.

 

[AaronD81]

Compare the size and thickness of the loader arms and hydraulic cylinders along with the mounting points and distance from the pivot pins to the bucket. If you visually compare them in person, you will start to see the differences.

Then why doesn't the skid steer have much higher lifting specs? I understand they are built heavier for longevity and rougher use, but if they truly are stronger why doesn't that show up in the specs? Is it the inherent instability of the design? Looking at them doesn't really help someone with no experience, are you saying there's no way to tell which will lift more based on a spec sheet?

 

[Muhammad]

As an example, the Kubota L47 is rated at 2,848 lift to max height and 4,531 breakout force. The SSV75 has ROC of 2,690, tipping load of 5,380 and lift arm breakout of 4,850.

L47 will be at max capacity with a 2,848lb load. SSV75 will be at 53% of capacity with a 2,848lb load.

"Rated operating capacity (ROC) is a stability measurement by which skid-steer loaders are rated and compared. ROC is calculated as 50% of the machine's tipping load. The tipping load is the amount of weight that would lift the rear tires when applied to the bucket at the machine's maximum reach-point in the lift cycle."

 

[tradosaurus]

Before you buy a skid steer rent one first to find out if it is appropriate for you tasks.
I was thinking about buying one 4 yrs ago (~80K) and fortunately I rented one. Within 2 hrs I sunk the skid steer up to the tracks in mud.
I hit a sink hole that I couldn't see.

 

[sea2summit]

I don't follow what you're saying. If both have the same breakout force how will the SSV crush the L47 when lifting something a few feet off the ground. I understand skid steers are built heavier, but I'm not talking about that.

Breakout force is how much weight you can have in the bucket and still curl the bucket back toward the tractor/skid. That is not a lifting spec!

 

[AaronD81]

L47 will be at max capacity with a 2,848lb load. SSV75 will be at 53% of capacity with a 2,848lb load.

"Rated operating capacity (ROC) is a stability measurement by which skid-steer loaders are rated and compared. ROC is calculated as 50% of the machine's tipping load. The tipping load is the amount of weight that would lift the rear tires when applied to the bucket at the machine's maximum reach-point in the lift cycle."

But 2,848 is at max height, shouldn't it be able to lift much more closer to the ground, which is how most loaders' geometry work?

Before you buy a skid steer rent one first to find out if it is appropriate for you tasks.
I was thinking about buying one 4 yrs ago (~80K) and fortunately I rented one. Within 2 hrs I sunk the skid steer up to the tracks in mud.
I hit a sink hole that I couldn't see.

I agree and will absolutely do this, but am trying to narrow down options first. Already leaning towards tractor because of this, but trying to find out how big of a tractor I need to get comparable lift.

Breakout force is how much weight you can have in the bucket and still curl the bucket back toward the tractor/skid. That is not a lifting spec!

Then what is the difference between the SSVs breakout force at bucket (4,839) and lift arm (3,858)?

I'm not trying to be difficult, but just saying skid loaders are stronger because they have thicker arms and cylinders doesn't help. The L47 has to be stronger than some skid loaders, how do I determine that based on a spec sheet, or is it impossible? Is there a rule of thumb that a tractor loader with a certain spec is only as strong as skid loader with a ROC or tipping load that is a certain percentage lower?

 

[K5lwq]

If you are going to be lifting max amount on a regular basis you would be wise to look at the skid steer. The front end of a tractor will take a beating doing that where a skid steer is designed to handle that kind of work.

 

[Xfaxman]

It would mainly be used for lifting logs onto trailers and mills so max height isn't important.

Way too much lift height, But more lift power and more maneuverable with crab steer and extending boom: compact telehandler - Google Search

 

[AaronD81]

Way too much lift height, But more lift power and more maneuverable with crab steer: compact telehandler - Google Search

Yes, I've seen your posts on the versahandler and these seem like a good option, but finding one that I can haul (<7,500 lbs) and at a reasonable used price is pretty hard.

 

[sea2summit]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but just saying skid loaders are stronger because they have thicker arms and cylinders doesn't help. The L47 has to be stronger than some skid loaders, how do I determine that based on a spec sheet, or is it impossible? Is there a rule of thumb that a tractor loader with a certain spec is only as strong as skid loader with a ROC or tipping load that is a certain percentage lower?

I’m not sure how to explain this to you. Break out force and lift use different hydraulics, different angles, different ways. For breakout if you laid the bucked flat on the ground and put the breakout number at the far edge of the bucket you could curl the bucket and it would lift the weight but the back/heal of the bucket would be on the ground. If you tried to lift that weight off the ground the loader could not.

If you are most concerned about lifting things you should stop looking at tractors. Get something made to do that like a skid steer, off-road fork lift or telehandler. That’s all there is too it.

 

[4570Man]

The L47 is rated at 100 percent of its actual capacity where the skid steer is rated at 1/3 of of its tipping load. Some manufacturer rate their machines at 1/2 tipping load. The SVL 75 will outperform the L47 loader by a lot. My SVL 75 will lift and move a 4400 pound bundle of shingles. I used to have a M59 and doing the same task with the M59 was a hard no. The M59 could lift a 3600 pound stack of plywood but that was it’s very top end limit. I also have a wheeled skid steer. It specs pretty similar to a ssv75. I’ve never ran a Kubota with wheels but I’m thinking the Komatsu is a tad bigger than the ssv75. The Komatsu can lift 56 60 pound bags of concrete which that’s 3360 pounds. Lifting 80 sheets of osb is a no from the Komatsu. A different supplier packages the osb in 68 sheet bundles and the Komatsu can lift those. The SVL 75 is capable of lifting the 80 sheet stacks but it’s not wishing for anymore.

 

[AaronD81]

The L47 is rated at 100 percent of its actual capacity where the skid steer is rated at 1/3 of of its tipping load. Some manufacturer rate their machines at 1/2 tipping load. The SVL 75 will outperform the L47 loader by a lot. My SVL 75 will lift and move a 4400 pound bundle of shingles. I used to have a M59 and doing the same task with the M59 was a hard no. The M59 could lift a 3600 pound stack of plywood but that was it’s very top end limit. I also have a wheeled skid steer. It specs pretty similar to a ssv75. I’ve never ran a Kubota with wheels but I’m thinking the Komatsu is a tad bigger than the ssv75. The Komatsu can lift 56 60 pound bags of concrete which that’s 3360 pounds. Lifting 80 sheets of osb is a no from the Komatsu. A different supplier packages the osb in 68 sheet bundles and the Komatsu can lift those. The SVL 75 is capable of lifting the 80 sheet stacks but it’s not wishing for anymore.

That’s helpful thanks. I guess a follow up question would be is there a recommended percentage of tipping load you should generally stay under? Is operating capacity based on durability or just an arbitrary percentage of tipping load?

 

[4570Man]

That’s helpful thanks. I guess a follow up question would be is there a recommended percentage of tipping load you should generally stay under? Is operating capacity based on durability or just an arbitrary percentage of tipping load?

I’ll run my machine tipped up on the front wheels with the pallet dragging the ground because I can’t lift it all the way up. I bought them to work and if they live a hard life in the process I can live with that. They’re built tough and are pretty well designed to be beat on in the construction business. The M59 however really wasn’t designed for that kind of treatment. The skid steers and mini x are far tougher built than the M59 was.

 

[finn1]

I suspect the 1/3 or 50% derate from actual lift capacity has something to do with the dynamics of a machine in motion vs stationary operation.

It’s one thing to be able to lift something off the ground, and it’s another thing to be able to safely transport that load across who knows what terrain.

I unloaded a 58 bag pallet of ready mix concrete using my CTL, from my F450 last years. Getting it off was no issue, but it was a little dicey moving it across the yard. Low and slow is the way to go. I can see why the manufacturer would add some sort of safety factor to protect themselves. You’re probably not going to hurt the CTL in a forward tipping event, though. It’s injury that’s the concern.

 

[nyone]

Compare the size and thickness of the loader arms and hydraulic cylinders along with the mounting points and distance from the pivot pins to the bucket. If you visually compare them in person, you will start to see the differences.

Even if you find all those specs online and dony have to go out to each machine withba caliper and tape measure your going to need to do some serious calculations and geometry just to figure out anything usefull.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I bought a skid to use for logging and to use around my sawmill. I had it 6 weeks and it just wasn't working out, so I sent it down the road! I then bought a loader tractor, what a huge improvement!

It will walk away with a log that the skid would bounce off the ground and do it with MUCH more traction and not tear the ground up so much! Plus, now I can easily tow trailers ect. in snow or mud that would stop the skid, that I would have to drop the log and push myself out with the bucket.

My tractor is a thousand times more versatile!

SR

 

[4570Man]

I bought a skid to use for logging and to use around my sawmill. I had it 6 weeks and it just wasn't working out, so I sent it down the road! I then bought a loader tractor, what a huge improvement!

It will walk away with a log that the skid would bounce off the ground and do it with MUCH more traction and not tear the ground up so much! Plus, now I can easily tow trailers ect. in snow or mud that would stop the skid, that I would have to drop the log and push myself out with the bucket.

My tractor is a thousand times more versatile!

SR

A tracked skid steer is a game changer vs a wheeled one. A thousand times more versatile is a pretty bold statement. Skid steer implements usually cost more than tractor implements but you can get a skid steer implement to do pretty much anything you want. The lift capacity isn’t exactly accurate either. A medium sized track loader will match the lift capacity of a large tractor. Tractors can’t match the lifting abilities of a large CTL. If lifting was the biggest concern a telhandler would be better anyway.