Why Your Skid Steer Needs the Right Track Pattern

With a wide range of available attachments and a powerful engine to put those attachments into motion, the skid steer loader is perhaps the most versatile offering in any heavy-equipment arsenal. Whether digging with more precision than larger excavators, transporting materials in bucket attachments, or plowing snow, the skid steer is ready for whatever its next assignment is.
How do you get it fully ready? That’s where track pattern selection comes in. Just as a variety of occasions calls for owning a few pairs of shoes, the different jobs a skid steer performs call for specific track patterns. Let’s learn why your skid steer needs the right track pattern and what a few of those patterns are.

Safety First
You wouldn’t shovel your driveway in dress shoes and expect not to slip. The same concept can be applied when choosing track patterns for your skid steer. Choosing a pattern that is unsuitable for the terrain you’re working on can be unsafe, especially in inclement weather. Unbalanced loads can cause skid steers to tip over, and uneasy footing can only exacerbate that risk.

Getting the Most Out of a Job
If you’re deploying your equipment in a more specialized application, finding the right track pattern for your skid steer can help you optimize its performance with more specific patterns. If you’re working construction in a wet climate, you can expect to deal with slick conditions and a lot of mud. A zigzag track pattern negotiates these surfaces extremely well and keeps your loader stable. Turf patterns have a smooth tread that reduces traction but puts less pressure on the ground. When you’re working with more delicate landscaping and need a lighter touch, you’ll need lighter treads, too. Barred patterns with deep treads are best for construction sites that see quick transitions in terrain. That deftness with changing terrain also makes barred tracks great for snow removal.

How Many Track Patterns Are There?
When it comes to available patterns, you have many options for your tracks. Fortunately, there’s no need to worry about paralysis by analysis—manufacturers have thought one step ahead and devised multi-purpose products that are equally suitable for diverse jobs. Block and C-shaped patterns may not be perfect for any specific or specialized task, but they have the traction for all kinds of action, and for many owners and operators, “all kinds of action” is exactly what their skid steers see.