Winter Skid Steer Accessories Review

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A skid steer loader and its operator need to be well-equipped for the snow, sleet, ice, cold weather and slippery conditions. There are many attachments to choose from when heading out into the field, but it is also a good idea to call out the three skid steer accessories that any skid loader owner would never want to be caught heading to a work site without: the cab enclosure, the cab heater, and snow cleats. Each of the skid steer accessories, specifically conceived with the winter months in mind could most definitely make winter work much more enjoyable this year. Or at least not a frozen wasteland of boredom and numb fingers.

CAB ENCLOSURE

A cab enclosure is designed to keep out the snow, rain, and wind, keeping the operator protected while he operates his machine. An all-weather skid steer cab enclosure will fit right over the existing steel cab of the skid steer machine and, even in the foulest of weather conditions, keeps a skid steer driver dry and warm long after others have thrown in the towel and called it a day. The most advanced cab enclosure is a superb invention. With pliable side panels and a hard front hatch, foot flap, and large windows all the way round, the cab enclosure is an affordable answer to the potential of lost work days. And probably best of all, there is no more climbing into the cab to find frozen controls and ice on the seat.

CAB HEATER

There are only a few ways to improve on a weather-cheating cab enclosure. (Fuzzy dice do not count there is no place to hang them.) But a skid steer-mounted stereo system is excellent once there is a roof and side to quell the din of the motor. But the only other way that anyone can improve on a cab is with a cab heater. A well-made cab heater will weigh about 20 pounds, provide high-efficiency heat. Most cab heaters will fit in every conceivable model of skid loader and uses the machine's existing cooling system to provide heat for the driver. The installation process will definitely take the better part of a Saturday, and should be done by a professional. The result is well worth the effort.

CLEATS

On the market today there are excellent snow cleats for the skid loader. At 18-inches wide, their super high-strength steel mechanisms come in sets of 36, 48, and 54. Once the snow cleats have been installed on the tracks of a skid steer loader, hilly terrain that would have otherwise been impassable is no longer a problem. Slick conditions, like snow, sleet and ice that would otherwise have certainly kept the skid steer loader tracks from biting in and really grabbing the ground, are no longer considered a threat to progress.

The snow cleats are clamped onto the skid steer tracks at even intervals. On the outer section are ice bolt-spikes which serve to drastically improve grip in frozen winter conditions. On each of the cleats there is a deeply-recessed center channel that not only provides superb traction in thick snowy terrain, but provides a softer, flexible ride over many of the hard surfaces the skid steer comes in contact with.

The winter months are no excuse to shut down a lucrative snow removal or other skid steer operation. There is a lot of money to be made during the "off season," and it is only a matter of a few accessories to transform the season into something more bearable and comfortable. Keep warm and dry, and keep moving forward this winter with these three essential accessories for the skid loader.