Excavator To Skid Steer Adapter

What's the most useful but underrated excavator attachment on the market? It's the excavator to skid steer adapter! And once you see how many ways you can use one, you'll agree!

Key Take Aways

• An excavator-to-skid steer adapter allows you to use skid steer attachments with your excavator.
• Using skid steer attachments with your mini excavator increases buying and rental options, saves money, and increases efficiency.

What is an Excavator to Skid Steer Adapter?

Excavator-to-skid steer adapters allow equipment owners to use skid steer attachments on their excavators. This allows for increased versatility and cost savings, eliminating the need to purchase multiple pieces of equipment.

The design of the adapter plate is very straightforward. The attachment is a steel frame with a mini excavator mount on one side and a skid steer quick attach plate on the opposite side. Your excavator will couple to the excavator side and then be able to pick up and use skid steer attachments on the other side.

Because mini excavator mounts vary in design between manufacturers and models, the excavator to skid steer adapter will have a blank plate only on the excavator side, and the coupler specific to your machine will have to be bolted or welded on.

The skid steer side will be a universal skid steer mount and have the standard two locking pins with levers to couple to attachments. This will require the mini excavator operator to exit the machine to operate the pins or have outside assistance.

Benefits of an Excavator to Skid Steer Adapter

Attachment Cost Savings

Given that the market for skid steer attachments is wider, deeper, and more competitive than the mini excavator attachments, having an adapter allows you to have more buying options at lower prices when shopping for attachments.

More Attachment Options

Some attachments are handy on a mini excavator and are often only available in the skid steer market. Examples are fence dispensers, log splitters, concrete mixers, trailer movers, and salt spreaders.

Also, some attachments are easier to use with a mini excavator. For example, using a post driver with your mini excavator is easier on uneven terrain or with longer posts than with a skid steer.

Cross Compatibility For Business Owners

Many businesses own both skid steers and mini excavators. Using your attachments with both machines helps with planning, organizing, and investment value. This increase in resource efficiency plays through right to your bottom line.

For example, having a set of pallet forks on a job site means you need to ensure your skid steer is available. However, a mini excavator with an adapter plate can move light loads on its own with the same pallet forks.

Draw Backs of the Excavator to Skid Steer Adapter

The adapter plate adds about 200 pounds to any attachment you are using. This is an important consideration because, in general, mini excavators have a lower lifting capacity than skid steers. This lower lifting capacity is even more pronounced with the boom extended.

Be sure to consider the weight of the adapter and skid steer attachment you are using to ensure you stay within the tipping capacity of your mini excavator.

Get The Most Out Of Your Mini Excavator

These adapters allow excavators to perform a wide range of tasks, from grading and digging to demolition and can save time and money by reducing the need for multiple pieces of equipment on a job site.

If you're looking to expand the capabilities of your excavator, consider investing in an excavator to skid steer adapter.