Both a skid steer and compact wheel loader offer numerous advantages for agricultural operations. This guide helps you select the ideal wheeled machinery to build your next farm equipment setup.
If you’re considering adding a wheeled machine to your farm fleet, you might wonder which size or type best suits your operations. A skid steer and compact wheel loader share similarities but also have key differences. Answering the following questions will help you make the right equipment decision for your farm.
How Much Working Space Do You Have?
Will you work in open areas or primarily in fenced enclosures and aisles that require easy turning?
Start by evaluating your space dimensions and comparing machine specifications to determine which model fits your farm. If a compact wheel loader can’t maneuver or turn in your workspace, consider a skid steer with zero-turn capability.
What Tasks Will You Perform?
If both machines fit your workspace, next define how you’ll use the equipment.
For example, if you need to use various hydraulic mechanical tools, a skid steer might be preferable. If you primarily use buckets and forklifts, a compact wheel loader is a good choice.
A skid steer offers more versatility for diverse farm tasks. It provides stronger hydraulic power and precise control, ensuring better performance with complex attachments—whether using an auger to dig fence posts or smart accessories around your farm.
Compact wheel loaders have higher capacity and travel speeds than skid steers. Thus, if you need to lift/transport heavier loads or operate across vast fields, a compact wheel loader may be the better option.
What Materials Will You Handle?
A skid steer and compact wheel loader have different bucket shapes, optimized for their respective capabilities. Comparing bucket capacities, compact wheel loaders typically offer up to 70% higher load-carrying capacity than skid steers.
Another factor is safety: farm work can be slippery or messy. Consider what you might step into when exiting the machine, and prioritize safe entry/exit based on your daily needs.
How High Do You Need to Load?
If you frequently load materials—whether feed bags, fertilizer, mixed feed, hoppers, or snow around barns—estimate the required lift height and bucket capacity. Compact wheel loaders excel in lift height and visibility: their higher seating provides a different vantage point compared to the enclosed cab of skid steers.
What’s the Total Cost of Ownership?
The good news: skid steers and compact wheel loaders have similar maintenance costs. Both are utility-focused machines.
At Hengwang, we prioritize service accessibility, long-life coolant, and long-life hydraulic oil to offer clients the lowest maintenance costs and longest service intervals—because we know your farm work never stops.
After addressing these questions, contact us to view each machine up close and test them through demos. Whichever you choose, you’ll get dedicated customer service and a machine built specifically for your farm’s needs.
