A skid steer loader is such a piece of construction equipment that you will see on almost every worksite. The performance of the skid steer loader makes it the workhorse of the job site. Its compact size has made it a widely used machine, especially in smaller work locations and projects. Usually, the skid steer weight ranges between 2500 lbs to 11000 lbs.
But the question that arises is how much does a skid steer weigh? Well, it depends on the brand and type of skid steer that you are operating. Usually, the weight ranges between 2500 lbs to 11000 lbs. (That is around 1100 kg to 5000 kg). This gives the average skid steer weight closer to 8000 lbs (or 3600 kg). The skid steer loaders can do some serious and heavy work, but the carelessness of the operator can also cause serious damage to the machine. And hence, the user or the operator must know the technical details of the machine including its weight.
How much does a Skid Steer Weight? Important terms
Let us understand a few important terms related to the skid steer and see how they differ from each other.
Rated Operating Capacity: Rated operating capacity denoted as ROC is the measurement of stability by which the skid steers are compared and rated. Rated operating capacity is calculated as 50% of the tipping load of the machine.
Tipping Load: Tipping Load is the maximum amount of weight that your skid steer loader can carry in an attachment that is front-loaded without tipping over.
Operating Weight: Operating weight of the skid steer is the basic weight of that machine or vehicle including its fuel, driver (or operator).
Let us now compare the rated operating capacity, tipping load, and operating weight of few skid steer brands like Bobcat, Kubota, John Deere, etc.
| Skid Steer Brand and Model | Rated Operating Capacity | Tipping Load | Operating Weight | |||
| (In lb) | (In kg) | (In lb) | (In kg) | (In lb) | (In kg) | |
| Bobcat S64 | 2300 lb | 1043 kg | 4600 lb | 2086 kg | 6974 lb | 3163 kg |
| Kubota SVL 75 | 3278 lb | 1486 kg | 6556 lb | 2974 kg | 9039 lb | 4100 kg |
| John Deere 332G | 3600 lb | 1633 kg | 7200 lb | 3266 kg | 10000 lb | 4536 kg |
The skid steers mentioned above are full-size skid steers. Currently, the heaviest skid steer loader sold is the Gehl V420. It weighs around 11665 pounds (or 5291 kg) and has a rated operating capacity (ROC) of 4200 pounds (or 1905 kg). We also have mini skid steer loaders, and they weigh almost 1/3rd of the full-size skid steer loader’s weight.
The mini skid steer ranges between 1500 to 4000 pounds (or 680 to 1815 kg), having an average weight of 3300 pounds (or 1497 kg). The most commonly used mini skid steer loader brands are Ditch witch, Dingo, Vermeer, Bobcat, Toro, Ramrod, etc. All of these brands have different models and types to choose from, having varying mini skid steer weights.
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Now we have an answer to “How much does a skid steer weigh?”. It must be known that most of the weight of the skid steer loader is actually in its counterweight (or equilibrium). The counterweight is important because without it you will only be able to lift limited weight and also without counterweight your machine can tip over when working. These days machines have the option of adding more counterweight if the owner or operator would like to use the ROC in the best possible way.
