They’re called by such names as mini-loaders, mini skid-steers, and compact utility loaders — machines you operate while riding piggyback in a standing position or walking behind. Typically, they measure no more than about 6 or 7 feet long. Some can even slip through doors and gates less than 36 inches wide.
But don’t let their size fool you. These backyard helpers offer the power, performance and ease of operation to let you take on jobs too big to handle with shovels and wheelbarrows in areas too small for skid-steers.
Powered by gasoline or diesel engines, they provide 13 to 32 hp of muscle to save time and back-breaking labor. With hinge pin heights as tall as 6 feet, they can dump a load over the side of lighter-duty dump trucks or haul construction debris to a container. Some can carry a ton or more without tipping forward.
These machines aren’t designed for clearing and leveling land for a shopping center, much less for moving mountains. But mini-loaders can get into and grade a small backyard and tackle a variety of other jobs on residential and commercial projects.
Multipurpose power
The versatility stems from a broad range of attachments, matched by the ability to produce up to 3,000 psi of hydraulic pressure. It is the kind of power that can make easy work of auguring holes, tilling soil, digging trenches, breaking up concrete or asphalt, grinding stumps, and more.
Choose between hydrostatically driven skid-steer wheeled machines for agile maneuvering or dedicated rubber tracks for traction and flotation.
“If you think the mini-loaders are too small to fit your operation, you owe it to yourself to rent one for a day,” suggests Andy Lewis, marketing manager for Compact Power Inc., which makes the Boxer line of compact utility loaders.
“These machines are power plants for operating hydraulic and non-hydraulic implements and solving all kinds of material handling problems in tight spaces,” Lewis says. “More and more contractors realize that, in terms of cutting costs and the ability to handle a wide range of work in tight quarters, often there’s no alternative.”
More work, fewer workers
Depending on the job, a mini-loader and operator can replace two to four workers, Lewis notes. That’s one reason these machines, priced at $13,000 to $27,000, can pay for themselves in short order. They can also replace single-purpose machines such as a trencher or boring machine.
Another plus is ease of operation, with such features as pilot-operated drive system controls and an unobstructed 360-degree view. Learning to operate a mini-loader is simple, adds Neil Borenstein, senior marketing manager with the Toro Co. “With just a few minutes of instruction, you can run one of these machines,” he says.
Mini-loaders are also easy and cheap to transport. The biggest weigh about 2,500 pounds and can be hauled on a trailer pulled by a full-size pickup. Performance and operating and servicing features vary. Here are some basics in choosing a mini-loader:
Wheel versus track. With travel speeds up to 4.5 mph, wheeled machines can complete lift-and-carry jobs faster than tracked models, which travel at 3 to 3.5 mph. Although both types can turn around within their own length, wheeled models are more maneuverable due to their short wheelbase. Also, tires wear longer.
On the other hand, tracks spread the weight over a larger footprint, providing more traction and flotation in wet and muddy conditions. What’s more, a track model can lift more than a comparable size wheel model.
Track choices from some manufacturers include an aggressive tread pattern for more traction or a turf-friendly option to minimize surface disruptions. Meanwhile, Boxer’s largest mini-track loader lets you adjust the machine stance to fit the job. Retract both tracks to reduce the outside width to 36 inches for narrow access points. Then extend the tracks to an outside edge width of 43.5 inches for maximum stability.
Walk, ride on or both. You can select a mini-loader with or without a platform to stand on. Proponents of walk-behind units favor them for traveling over rough terrain and for jobs involving slow ground speeds. The ride-on models are designed for comfort on jobs that involve more hauling and longer hauls and for better attachment visibility.
Choices include permanently mounted, spring-cushioned platforms, removable platforms, and those that flip up or down. You might want to check platform height for adequate ground clearance when backing over curbs or other obstacles.
Controls. The way you control the machine varies. For example, Boxer machines have two finger-touch levers, each of which controls the forward and reverse direction of the wheels or tracks on one side. A third lever raises and lowers the loader arms, while a fourth controls bucket curl. With its single T-bar control, Toro machines can be driven forward or backward and turned using one hand. The other hand operates a joystick to control the loader arms and bucket.
Hydraulic systems. Instead of a single pump to power the drive system and loader arm and attachment, some mini-loaders have two-pump operation. These systems provide both high and low hydraulic flows to match attachment power to performance needs. Several, like Toro and Vermeer Corp. models, offer four-pump systems that let you drive and turn the machine and raise and lower the boom all at the same time. Some machines let you select a high travel-speed range for transporting materials or a low range to direct more power to the attachment.
Safety. To prevent injuries and equipment damage, the travel controls of mini-loaders are self-centering. That way, when you release the controls, they automatically return to neutral. Also, when backing up, a pressure-activated safety bar across the back of the machine stops reverse travel to prevent you from being pinned.
Attachments. At least 70 attach-ments are available, from grapples, power box rakes and vibratory plows to snow blowers and tree forks. Quick-attach systems make switching tools easy. When it comes to buckets and other material-carrying attachments, a self-leveling lift system, like that offered by Ramrod Taskmaster, can be a real convenience. It keeps the attachment level throughout the lift cycle to prevent spilling.
Hydraulic systems with the float feature can add convenience and productivity. DitchWitch mini skid-steers allow buckets, blades and other attachments to follow ground contours.
Serviceability. Look for features that make it easy to access the engine and components. They include a lift-up hood and openings or easy-to-remove covers for reaching filters and fluid fill points. In most cases, you have to raise the loader arms to reach the battery, but you can’t do that if a dead battery prevents you from starting the engine. Some manufacturers offer an outside connection to the positive battery post for jump-starting a machine.
Greg Northcutt is a freelance writer based in Port Orchard, Wash. He can be reached by e-mailing this publication at editor@onsiteinstaller.com.
