Valuable Used Skid Steer Tips

No one would argue that skid steers loaders aren’t a popular piece of equipment, known for their power and versatility. However, not everyone that needs a skid steer can afford a new one. In this Shop Talk blog post, we are going to discuss four useful tips to help you get started in finding a used skid steer loader.

Used Skid Steers Tip #1: Do Some Research on Brands

The first thing you need to do — whether you are buying a new or used skid steer — is research the brands. For example, you will need to find out how expensive are the replacement parts and whether or not they are easy to get. Parts that are hard to get, even if the cost is reasonable, can end up costing you more money in the long run because of the down-time involved. You also need to consider how much the replacement tires are going to cost, because eventually they will need to be replaced.

Used Skid Steers Tip #2: Look for Machines Used Only Part-Time

Here’s our next tip: look for machines that were used part-time as opposed to full time. Consider this: full-time use for a typical skid steer is about 6 hours per day, or 30 hours per week; a skid steer that has been worked part-time usually clocks about 15 hours per week. If a 2-year old skid steer has 1,500 hours on it, it hasn’t been worked full-time. That skid steer is going to have a longer useful life remaining.

Used Skid Steers Tip #3: Larger Horsepower Machines Last Longer

Here’s a useful tip about hours and horsepower: the larger the machine, the longer it can go before a total engine overhaul is necessary. As a rule of thumb, an 80 hp machine won’t require an engine overhaul until its passed 8,000 hours. However, a 40 hp machine usually needs an overhaul after about 4,000 hours.

Tip #4: Older Machines May Be A Better Deal

Also, note that older machines with fewer hours are typically going to be a better deal than newer machines with more hours. Why? A newer machine with more hours has probably been worked very, very hard and undergone more wear and tear. Finally, take note that a skid steer used on a farm or for snowplowing doesn’t suffer the same kind of wear and tear that is inevitable when its been used for construction projects.

Skid Steer Significant Investment

A skid steer is a significant investment, whether you buy a new one or a used one. When shopping for a used one, make sure to do some background research on the brands, try to get a machine only used part time, keep in mind that smaller horsepower machines need an overhaul sooner, and that older machines may actually have less wear and tear than newer machines depending on the hours used.

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