Skid Steer Loader


Skid Steer Loader History

Skid Steer Parts Inside ...

Two brothers from Minnesota first invented the skid steer loader in the late 1950’s. The Keller brothers, Cyril and Louis had a small machine shop and designed the first skid steer loader as a 3 wheel loading machine. It was not originally for large-scale commercial production, but was to help a local turkey farmer to have a loader that he could use in a small space that would enable him to keep his sheds clear. Only the two front wheels on the were driven with the back wheel being able to spin round so that the machine could turn in a very small space.

The potential of the skid steer loader was seen by two more brothers that had a manufacturing company a year later. They not only bought the rights to the skid steer loader but they also took on the Keller's to refine the design and make it even better. Later that year they made their first production model. The first skid steer loader had a small 13 hp motor and the 2 front wheels were able to turn independently from each other. This gave it the ability to turn in the same space that it was standing in and made it a very versatile piece of machinery.

More Skid Steer Loaders Inside ...

  • BobCat Skid Steer Loaders
  • - The Bobcat skid steer loader is the original skid steer loader and many think that it is still one of the best. The Bobcat skid steer loader was the first one to be built from the original design in the late fifties. But the company has not stood still and they are still bringing out new and innovative designs for new Bobcat skid steer loaders.

    The design was revised when they introduced a 4-wheel skid steer loader that had better stability, but still kept its maneuverability. The skid steer loader is so maneuverable because it's wheels do not move in the same way that a cars wheels do. The front and rear left hand wheels move together as do the right hand front and back wheels. This gives the skid steer loader the ability to turn in its own length, as the whole side of the machine moves in the direction that it is being driven and the other side skids round. Another of it's most useful features is that the arms are not connected to the front of the machine, as in conventional loaders, but towards the rear. This means that it can be used in a very small space, as it does not need a lot of room to extend the arms.

    In 1962 the Bobcat got its name and this has since been used as a general name to refer to any skid steer loader. There have been a lot of new features added in the years since it's original design, but the skid steer loader is still as useful as ever and if you need something to work in a limited space then a skid steer loader is a very useful machine.

    Latest Skid Steer Loader News and Resources:

    • Header heaven for top John Deere dealer (Queensland Country Life)
      WITH the season as good as it?s been for the last 10 or 15 years, there's another reason for the mood of optimism at leading southern Queensland John Deere distributor, Chesterfield Australia.
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009
    • Recreation Digest (The Bismarck Tribune)
      GOLF DJGA TWO-PERSON BEST BALL TOURNAMENT At Mandan Municipal Golf Course June 26 10-12 Year-Olds: 1. Brett Jobe and Logan Boese, 46. 2. Carter Luck andEthan Luck, 48. 3. Andrew Hopkins andBrady Jochim, 48.
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009
    • Gehl announces layoffs (Madison Daily Leader)
      The corporate offices at Gehl Co. announced Wednesday that the manufacturing company will reduce its workforce by 72 persons from Gehl's total of 540 U.S.-based employees.
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009
    • DewEze 165ss round bale handler (Iowa Farmer)
      Harper Industries Inc. has introduced the DewEze 165ss round bale handler, according to a news release. It is for all skid steers or skid steer-attach front end loaders.
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009
    • Young drivers learn what it takes to survive behind the wheel (The Post and Courier)
      Imagine you?re a teen or young driver, and the instructor makes you steer through soapy water, or pulls the emergency brake to send you into a skid. That doesn?t sound like much of a driver?s school. Yet it?s just what 23 youngsters agreed to take part in for an 8.5-hour event, on a Saturday no less, at North Charleston Coliseum?s parking lot.
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009
    • Mandan police investigate threat to Sen. Specter (The Bismarck Tribune)
      Mandan police assisted a law enforcement agency that doesn't usually call on them for help - the U.S. Capitol Police.
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009
    • Lift buys Bobcat dealer (Lancaster Online)
      Lift Inc. was looking for new markets.It found them at Bobcat of Lancaster.The material-handling equipment firm acquired the local Bobcat dealership, effective June 1, for an undisclosed price.Lift Inc. president Don Herman said Monday that the Bobcat dealership serves the same market as Lift Inc., ...
      skid steer 03 Jul 2009