Skid Steer Buying Guide
What to look for when buying a used skid steer or compact track loader.
Quick answer
Choose between a wheeled skid steer and a compact track loader based on your ground conditions, match rated operating capacity to your loads, confirm standard vs high-flow hydraulics for your attachments, and inspect the drivetrain, hydraulics, and undercarriage before buying.
Key facts
- Wheels suit hard, finished surfaces; tracks suit soft, wet, or uneven ground.
- Rated operating capacity must match your heaviest routine load.
- High-flow hydraulics are required for many demanding attachments.
- On track machines, undercarriage wear is a major cost to inspect for.
Wheeled skid steer or compact track loader?
The biggest decision is wheels versus tracks. Wheeled skid steers are typically better on hard, finished, or abrasive surfaces and are simpler to maintain. Compact track loaders float better on soft, wet, or uneven ground and cause less surface disturbance.
Match this to where you actually work most of the time. Buying tracks for occasional soft-ground work — or wheels for a site that's usually muddy — leads to frustration and extra wear.
Size capacity and hydraulics to the job
Match rated operating capacity to your heaviest routine load with margin, rather than buying the biggest machine you can afford. An oversized unit costs more to buy, run, and transport.
Confirm whether your attachments need high-flow hydraulics. Running a high-flow attachment on a standard-flow machine underperforms, so verify the machine's hydraulic configuration matches your attachment plans before buying.
Inspection focus areas
Check the hydraulics for leaks and weak or slow function, test the drive and lift under load, and look closely at the undercarriage on a track machine — worn tracks, rollers, and sprockets are expensive to replace.
Inspect the loader arms, pins, and bushings for slop, and confirm the attachment coupler works cleanly. Weigh hours against documented maintenance rather than treating a low hour count as proof of condition.
Buyer checklist
- Wheels vs tracks matched to typical ground conditions
- Rated operating capacity confirmed against your loads
- Standard vs high-flow hydraulics verified for attachments
- Undercarriage/drivetrain inspected for wear
- Hydraulics and lift tested under load
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Frequently asked questions
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