Skid Steer Attachment Maintenance During Winter Months

A skid steer loader is a great machine and so are the attachments an operator uses on it. That is why it is so important to keep those attachments in top-notch shape during the winter, so they can be ready to go in the spring when the ground is coming alive and the work is there and ready for the taking.

What makes a skid steer attachment so unique is its ability to do all the different jobs very well. They are durable and efficient tools to use on the job site. But if they are neglected over the winter months, they can have a diminished lifespan.

Just like with a skid steer loader, the attachments need to be kept in a garage away from the winter elements. These attachments may have been built and designed well, but they are still metal, which means they are vulnerable to water, snow, and ice. They have to be treated like the expensive tools they are.

Skid steer equipment, including most attachments and loaders, have hydraulics that also need to be protected from the freezing cold and ice. It might be a wise idea to keep them in a temperature controlled garage, but if that is not available, then they need to be covered up and sheltered away from the elements. The rubber fittings on this equipment can expand and retract when they go from extreme heat to extreme cold. The last thing someone wants is to open up their garage for the winter workload to find hydraulic fluid on the floor.

Keep skid steer loaders and attachments clean. Just like any other automobile, mud and stuck on debris can cause rust. Wash them down before they are packed up and stored away. A clean skid steer does not rust.

If a skid steer attachment is being used during the winter, then it needs to be checked frequently for the correct hydraulic fluid levels. The extreme amount of pressure they use means they need to be full to operate adequately.

Another thing to pay attention to is the location of these attachments in storage and the blades, if they use any. Attachments that use blades need to stay sharpened. If they are stored in garage that floods, they need to be kept away from any potential water. Leaving them in standing water is the quickest way for rust to ruin a skid steer attachment. Storing them on large wood blocks, like 4x4s, can keep them off the ground in case any water does rush in.

So just pay close attention to where an attachment is stored, keep the hydraulic connections dirt free and keep the hydraulic fluid filled. It is not hard to maintain a skid steer attachment during the winter, but it is much harder to restore one to its former glory.

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