Skid Steer Loader Buyer's Guide | Equipment Solutions

Buyer's Guide · 2026-06-05

A skid steer is usually the first machine on a fresh job site and the last one to leave. It digs, it grades, it loads trucks, it runs attachments, and it turns in its own length so you can work in spots a bigger machine can't reach. If you're shopping for your first one or replacing a tired old unit, here's how we'd walk you through the decision.

We carry the Gehl R-series and V-series skid loaders, so we'll point to those along the way. The thinking applies no matter what brand you end up with.

Start with operating capacity, not horsepower

The number that matters most is rated operating capacity. That's roughly half of the machine's tipping load, and it tells you how much you can safely lift and carry. Buy too small and you'll be making two trips for everything. Buy too big and you're paying for muscle you don't use and fighting a machine that won't fit where you need it.

Here's the quick way to think about it:

• Under 1,500 lbs - landscapers, small contractors, tight residential lots. The Gehl R105 at 1,050 lbs is our most compact pick.
• 1,350 to 1,650 lbs - the all-around sweet spot for most contractors. The R135 GEN:2 and R165 live here.
• 1,900 lbs and up - heavier daily work, bigger attachments, more truck loading. The R190 GEN:2 is the flagship radial machine, and the V330 GEN:2 jumps all the way to 3,300 lbs when capacity is the whole point.

A good rule of thumb: figure out the heaviest thing you lift on a normal day, then size up one notch. You want headroom, not a machine that's always maxed out.

Radial lift or vertical lift?

This is the second big fork in the road, and it comes down to what you do most.

Radial lift arms swing in an arc, so they reach out farthest around the middle of the lift path. That's great for digging, grading, backfilling, and anything at or below truck-bed height. Radial machines are simpler and tend to be the value pick for dirt work. Our R-series loaders are radial.

Vertical lift arms travel straight up and keep the load closer to the machine at full height. You get more reach and lift at the top of the stroke, which is what you want for loading high-sided trucks, stacking pallets, and dumping into hoppers. The V330 GEN:2 is our vertical machine.

We wrote a whole separate breakdown on this if you want to go deeper. The short version: if you mostly move dirt, go radial. If you mostly load and stack up high, go vertical.

Engine, hydraulics, and the stuff that runs your attachments

Most skid steers in this class run a clean-burning Tier 4 diesel. You don't need to obsess over horsepower, but you do want enough auxiliary hydraulic flow to run the attachments you care about.

Standard-flow hydraulics handle buckets, pallet forks, augers, and basic attachments just fine. If you plan to run a cold planer, a snow blower, a stump grinder, or a mulching head, ask about a high-flow option. Our bigger R-series and the V330 offer it. Running a high-flow attachment on a standard-flow machine just won't work right, so sort this out before you buy.

Two-speed travel is another option worth asking about. It nearly doubles your top travel speed, which adds up fast when you're crossing a big site all day.

Fit, comfort, and serviceability

A few practical things that get overlooked until you're stuck:

• Width. Measure your gates, barn doors, and trailer. A machine that's a few inches too wide is a daily headache. The R105 is under 49 inches less bucket, which slips through a lot of openings.
• Cab and controls. You'll spend hours in the seat. Look for good visibility, a comfortable ride, and a control pattern you like. Many machines offer hand-foot, T-bar, or joystick controls.
• Service access. Easy access to the chain drive, filters, and grease points means less downtime. Gehl builds these for quick service, which keeps you on the job instead of in the shop.

Don't forget the trailer and the attachments

The machine is only half the purchase. Make sure your truck and trailer can legally haul the operating weight, and budget for the attachments that actually make a skid steer earn its keep. A bucket comes with it. Pallet forks, a grapple, an auger, and a set of forks will pay for themselves fast.

Talk to us before you commit

We're a local dealer, not a call center. Tell us what you're trying to get done and where, and we'll point you to the right size machine instead of the biggest one on the lot. Browse the full skid loader lineup and request a quote on any model, or reach out and we'll help you sort it out.

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