Getting Attached
Equipment is truly scheduled on job sites today. “You can’t leave equipment sitting on the job site, waiting to be used,” Fitzgerald insists. “It used to be no big deal to have it sit, but now, everyone’s watching costs, tracking usage. [Equipment] is an investment and contractors know the cost of operation.”
Compact equipment attachments allow equipment to be versatile, enhancing its value. While machine selection is based on job-site conditions, attachment selection is based on the different tasks required on any given job site. For example, a compact loader coupled with a variety of attachments can revolutionize a construction business, enabling contractors to bid on more projects and work in all weather and ground conditions, says Ferguson.
Getting Attached Equipment is truly scheduled on job sites today. “You can’t leave equipment sitting on the job site, waiting to be used,” Fitzgerald insists. “It used to be no big deal to have it sit, but now, everyone’s watching costs, tracking usage. [Equipment] is an investment and contractors know the cost of operation.” Compact equipment attachments allow equipment to be versatile, enhancing its value. While machine selection is based on job-site conditions, attachment selection is based on the different tasks required on any given job site. For example, a compact loader coupled with a variety of attachments can revolutionize a construction business, enabling contractors to bid on more projects and work in all weather and ground conditions, says Ferguson. [text_ad] But, he cautions, it’s important that the attachment is correctly sized for the machine. One size does not fit all. The wrong size of attachment can cause the machine to become off-balance during operation, which could result in extra stress on the machine’s components and result in accelerated wear. “For instance, an oversized attachment may become too heavy for the loader to repeatedly lift overhead, causing premature wear to the loader’s lift arm cylinders.” Correctly sizing the attachment to the loader’s capacity will increase cycle times and utilization rates. Most attachments are used for one specific duty; others are more versatile. One of the more popular attachments for compact equipment is the bucket. Used for digging, lifting, loading, dozing, scraping and spreading, or leveling materials, a bucket can also excavate some material, like sand and dirt. The addition of bolt-on teeth or a reversible cutting edge allows a bucket to work in tougher material. Specialty buckets enhance a loader’s job-site capabilities, points out Ferguson. A self-leveling bucket reduces spillage and retains its load at full height. Heavy-duty buckets are ideal for moving concrete and other road-maintenance applications. A multi-purpose bucket attachment is great for spreading and leveling job-site materials, like fill dirt, over larger areas. Ditch-cleaning buckets are primarily used for shaping and contouring existing ditches. A lot of contractors get buckets with the machine, says Jeffords. He recommends also buying a hammer and thumb when you purchase the machine. A hydraulic thumb allows you to pick up tree limbs, pipe, and other material. “It’s huge for initial grading.” A hydraulic hammer works on concrete and a ripper bucket is good for hard ground, roots, gravel, and to loosen dirt. Pallet forks carry pallets or other stacked materials, such as cable, pipes, and tiling. Buckets and pallet forks don’t need hydraulics, says Zupancic, but hundreds of other attachments plug into the hydraulic lines. If you use attachments a lot, auxiliary hydraulics help them perform faster and better. Forty percent of machines feature a high flow system—a high performance option that costs about $1,500–2,500. “It increases productivity, resale value, and versatility,” says Zupancic. It’s important to match the attachment’s hydraulic needs to the loader’s specifications, adds Ferguson. “Attachments that require continuous or high hydraulic flow, such as augers, stump grinders, and brooms, do not work as efficiently if the loader’s hydraulic specifications do not meet the attachment’s needs.” What’s the first thing you do on a job site? Fitzgerald asks. Get a trencher to put in silt fences and underground lines. He also recommends a dozer blade for pushing material, finishing, leveling, and loading materials. “You want an auger for fences and footings,” says Comrie, “a dozer blade for leveling, a preparatory attachment for prepping for grass, trencher attachment for pipe and electrical, rock hammers for demolition, and tilt buckets for fine finishing.” Other popular attachments include booms, mulching heads, and a cold planer for grinding asphalt and concrete. Grapples are good for picking up and placing heavy materials like storm drains and sewer lines. In northern regions, you want snow blowers and blades to keep your equipment in operation year-round. In Arizona, you may prefer a hydraulic breaker to break through concrete or caliche in order to dig footings and tear out or install pools. “The attachments you choose depend on the ground conditions and location,” notes Fitzgerald. Deciding whether to purchase or rent depends on how often you use them, he adds. Although the number of attachments seems vast, when they can’t find exactly what they need, some customers even make their own by buying a blank plate and welding something on it. The possibilities are virtually endless. Whatever attachments you use, Comrie recommends quick attachment brackets so you don’t knock pins out when you swap them out.But, he cautions, it’s important that the attachment is correctly sized for the machine. One size does not fit all. The wrong size of attachment can cause the machine to become off-balance during operation, which could result in extra stress on the machine’s components and result in accelerated wear. “For instance, an oversized attachment may become too heavy for the loader to repeatedly lift overhead, causing premature wear to the loader’s lift arm cylinders.” Correctly sizing the attachment to the loader’s capacity will increase cycle times and utilization rates.
Most attachments are used for one specific duty; others are more versatile. One of the more popular attachments for compact equipment is the bucket. Used for digging, lifting, loading, dozing, scraping and spreading, or leveling materials, a bucket can also excavate some material, like sand and dirt. The addition of bolt-on teeth or a reversible cutting edge allows a bucket to work in tougher material.
Specialty buckets enhance a loader’s job-site capabilities, points out Ferguson. A self-leveling bucket reduces spillage and retains its load at full height. Heavy-duty buckets are ideal for moving concrete and other road-maintenance applications. A multi-purpose bucket attachment is great for spreading and leveling job-site materials, like fill dirt, over larger areas. Ditch-cleaning buckets are primarily used for shaping and contouring existing ditches.
A lot of contractors get buckets with the machine, says Jeffords. He recommends also buying a hammer and thumb when you purchase the machine. A hydraulic thumb allows you to pick up tree limbs, pipe, and other material. “It’s huge for initial grading.” A hydraulic hammer works on concrete and a ripper bucket is good for hard ground, roots, gravel, and to loosen dirt.
Pallet forks carry pallets or other stacked materials, such as cable, pipes, and tiling. Buckets and pallet forks don’t need hydraulics, says Zupancic, but hundreds of other attachments plug into the hydraulic lines.
If you use attachments a lot, auxiliary hydraulics help them perform faster and better. Forty percent of machines feature a high flow system—a high performance option that costs about $1,500–2,500.
“It increases productivity, resale value, and versatility,” says Zupancic.
It’s important to match the attachment’s hydraulic needs to the loader’s specifications, adds Ferguson. “Attachments that require continuous or high hydraulic flow, such as augers, stump grinders, and brooms, do not work as efficiently if the loader’s hydraulic specifications do not meet the attachment’s needs.”
What’s the first thing you do on a job site? Fitzgerald asks. Get a trencher to put in silt fences and underground lines. He also recommends a dozer blade for pushing material, finishing, leveling, and loading materials.
“You want an auger for fences and footings,” says Comrie, “a dozer blade for leveling, a preparatory attachment for prepping for grass, trencher attachment for pipe and electrical, rock hammers for demolition, and tilt buckets for fine finishing.”
Other popular attachments include booms, mulching heads, and a cold planer for grinding asphalt and concrete. Grapples are good for picking up and placing heavy materials like storm drains and sewer lines.
In northern regions, you want snow blowers and blades to keep your equipment in operation year-round. In Arizona, you may prefer a hydraulic breaker to break through concrete or caliche in order to dig footings and tear out or install pools. “The attachments you choose depend on the ground conditions and location,” notes Fitzgerald. Deciding whether to purchase or rent depends on how often you use them, he adds.
Although the number of attachments seems vast, when they can’t find exactly what they need, some customers even make their own by buying a blank plate and welding something on it. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Whatever attachments you use, Comrie recommends quick attachment brackets so you don’t knock pins out when you swap them out.
