There was a time when skid steers defined the compact equipment market.
For all intents and purposes, they were the only machines in that category. Then came compact excavators, compact track loaders, compact utility loaders, compact wheel loaders, compact everything, it seemed.
At first, these compact machines were pretenders to the throne as kings of compact, but they got bigger, stronger and more capable, and skid steers consistently lost ground, especially to CTLs.
As of last year, that regression seems to be over. Skid steer sales have not fully recovered (and may never do so), but the losses have stopped, and sales have plateaued. This is partly because some compact machines lack a skid steer’s versatility. “Mini excavators aren’t direct competitors because, while they can be prime movers, mostly they’re used for digging and trenching,” says Tyler Zima, senior product specialist, Bobcat.
The Bobcat S66 has a 7,154-pound operating weight and 2,400-pound rated operating capacity. Travel speed is 7.4 mph, or 11 mph with optional two-speed drive. System pressure at the quick couplers is 3,500 pounds per square inch. Standard auxiliary flow is 17.6 gallons per minute, with an available 26.9 gpm high-flow option. The engine is rated at 74 horsepower.
“Customers have developed a greater understanding of where tracks have advantages and where tires have advantages,” says George MacIntyre, product manager, Case Construction Equipment. “You are seeing fleet managers and business owners segment their fleets accordingly.”
He confirms the accepted industry wisdom that tires are better on hard and improved surfaces, while tracks are better on turf and other soft surfaces. “There are exceptions and considerations for every application,” says MacIntyre, “but you’re seeing managers become more sophisticated and intelligent in how they integrate both machine styles into their operations.”
