Built For Every Season: How Operators Are Maximizing Their Compact Track Loaders Year-Round Through Attachments

Mon March 25, 2024
Olamiposi Agboola, Bobcat

When it comes to versatility and durability, it's hard to beat a compact track loader fleet with a well-rounded attachment lineup. The machine's power and performance, coupled with the numerous attachments on the market, make this machine an obvious choice for your toughest jobs, season after season.

While you can't control the weather or change of seasons, you can control how you work despite what Mother Nature delivers. That's why owners and operators of compact track loaders rely on these powerful machines to accomplish more throughout the year — and get a greater return on their investment.

Compact track loaders power a wide range of attachments that are efficient, productive and effective no matter the season.

Let's take a closer look at how different attachments and their uses can help keep your compact track loader active all year.

Winter

No matter what method you use to move snow, equipping your compact track loader with the right set of attachments is essential. Bobcat offers trusted and versatile attachments to help operators accomplish more on their snow removal job sites including angle brooms, snow pushers and snowblowers.

• Angle Broom — The angle broom attachment is perfect for multi-directional sweeping of light snow from driveways, sidewalks and parking lots. Fingertip controls allow operators to angle the broom up to 25 degrees either direction and finish their jobs quickly and efficiently.
• Snow Pushers — Snow pushers make light work of heavy snow removal by collecting and holding snow. They allow you to clear large areas quickly. Both standard snow pushers and snow pusher pro units are available. The snow pusher pro is designed to support commercial snow removal operations, and functions as a snow pusher and snow blade all in one. The blade features a tall, 9-in. trip-edge which prevents accidental damage when encountering hidden obstacles. The snow pusher pro is best for large snow removal projects including parking lots and commercial building sites.
• Snowblower — Bobcat snowblower attachments are designed to cut a clean, clear path through deep snow: banking it high or throwing it far. Snowblower attachments are available in nine widths to match customers' specific snow-removal needs. Several models are compatible with the high-flow and super-flow auxiliary hydraulics options on select Bobcat loader models. High-flow and super-flow hydraulics translate to maximized snowblower performance.
  

  Photo courtesy of Bobcat

Spring

From wet, muddy ground to sensitive landscaped areas, compact track loaders will help you stay productive on all terrains. Compact track loaders are an ideal solution for spring jobs including site preparation and land clearing. These machines are popular for this type of work due to their efficient grading capabilities, substantial pushing power and significant lifting potential. When clearing trees or thinning wooded areas it is best to have job specific attachments. Here are a few Bobcat forestry attachments that will make your project move forward more efficiently.

• Root Grapple — This attachment is perfect for ripping through forestry tasks including clearing roots, overgrowth and rocks. The root grapple has curved, skeletal teeth that are designed for tearing out debris with minimal ground disturbance and its dual clamps provide strong, steady clamping forces and long wear.
• Stump Grinder — The stump grinder reduces stubborn tree stumps to mulch and is mounted at a 90-degree angle to the operator for increased visibility to the cutting area. Carbide-tipped teeth efficiently rip through hard wood, providing long life and uptime protection.
• Brushcat Rotary Cutter — Built for heavy-duty cutting, the Brushcat rotary cutter mulches small branches and saplings — up to 3 in. in diameter — and powers through the thickest grass and brush. Its unique oscillating and short deck design allows the cutter to follow the ground contour and provides maximum working visibility and a tighter turning radius around trees, fences and other obstacles.
  

  Photo courtesy of Bobcat

Summer

Landscaping projects are an ideal fit for compact track loaders' performance capabilities. The right landscaping equipment gives you the versatility you need to tackle a wide range of projects, reducing manual labor and finishing jobs more efficiently.

Additionally, compact track loaders are an excellent choice for both residential and commercial landscaping applications due to their tracks, which minimize damage to turf and other landscaped surfaces. Key landscaping attachments from Bobcat including various style buckets, soil conditioners, landscape rakes, augers and seeders allow operators to work efficiently around small, medium and large-sized yards, gardens and municipal grounds. Other landscaping attachments that will maximize your efficiency on your next project include the tree spade, drum mulcher and light material bucket.

• Tree Spade — The tree spade digs and transplants trees with speed and efficiency. With its ability to work in a variety of soil conditions, this attachment can dig, transplant and package trees and easily maneuver in tight spaces.
• Drum Mulcher — The drum mulcher is the ideal attachment when you need to turn trees and overgrowth into mulch. Its carbide teeth tear apart the hardest of woods. Take on the most demanding tasks with the super-flower drum mulcher paired with the Bobcat T86 compact track loader — the only compact track loader to offer standard-flow, high-flow and super-flow auxiliary hydraulics in one machine.
• Light Material Bucket — The light material bucket's high-back design assists with handling large volumes of mulch and other low density materials with precision and ease. This bucket's high-back design allows you to move low-density material with minimal spillage.
  

  Photo courtesy of Bobcat

Fall

It's time to finish construction and roadwork projects before winter weather sets in. For this type of work, compact track loaders are an incredible asset to any job site. These workhorses are the go-to solution for taking on complex projects that require power and attachment versatility.

A compact track loader's weight is spread out over a wider area, enabling increased flotation and minimal ground disturbance when compared to wheeled equipment. If you're expecting rain on your job site — that's no problem. The compact track loader's low ground pressure significantly increases its mobility. This means that soft, wet or muddy ground conditions won't stop your productivity. Attachments that can help move construction work along more efficiently and effectively when mated to a compact track loader include:

• Breakers — Breakers reduce concrete, rock and asphalt surfaces to removable rubble — an incredibly effective tool when it comes to construction and demolition work. Bobcat's nitrogen breakers boast a long piston stroke which maximizes impact energy and reduces recoil, and its unique valve design reduces pressure fluctuations and strain on the carrier's hydraulic pumps.
• Planers — Planer attachments are designed to cut and mill concrete and asphalt. Different models can be mated to specific hydraulic flow and horsepower. Each variation provides versatility, durability and high torque for maximum cutting and milling performance. Bobcat also offers a super-flow planer for its T86.
• Sweeper Buckets — Sweeper buckets collect and dump dust, dirt and debris from your job site. This one tool can accomplish the work of multiple clean-up attachments with optimal bristle-to-surface contact — making it an excellent choice for site cleanup, daily dust abatement, road construction, airport maintenance and more.
• Grader — The grader attachment turns your Bobcat compact track loader into a high-performance grading machine. Your Bobcat loader and the grader make a powerful grading combo, enabling you to level materials with precision. This tough attachment is ideal for landscaping, asphalt, and concrete contractors, and also works well for trail and path construction. For even smoother operation and greater precision, pair the grader with a laser receiver. Choose from any of Bobcat's two options — Topcon LS LS-B200W and Trimble LR410 — to deliver on-grade accuracy within ¼ in. for excellent grading results every time.

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.