Loader Attachments: Which One Is Best for the Job

When you have a job for a skid steer or track loader, the first thing to figure out is which attachment is built for it. The auger drills post holes, the breaker breaks up a concrete slab, the brush grapple carries off a pile of brush, the Rockhound picks the rock out of ground you’re seeding, and there are ten more on our rental list. The next thing to figure out is whether the machine will run it. An attachment latches onto the quick attach plate at the front of the loader arms, and the powered ones also run off the machine’s hydraulics, so some of them need a high flow machine. We rent fourteen attachments for skid steers and track loaders, plus forks for wheel loaders, and if you’re buying, we sell Paladin attachments for skid steers, wheel loaders, backhoes, and tractors.
The list, and what each one does
Everything below is in our 2026 rental rate guide.
- Auger drive unit. Drills post holes, footings, and tree holes. Bits come in 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 inch sizes, with an extension for a deeper hole.
- Breaker. Breaks up concrete and asphalt. Of our Kent breakers, the FX55 is the one listed for a skid steer.
- Angle broom. Sweeps a job site entrance, a street, or a parking lot, and angles to push the dirt off to one side as you drive.
- Bucket broom. Sweeps into a bucket, so you carry the debris off instead of leaving a row behind you.
- Brush cutter, 72 inch. Mows brush and saplings in a 6 foot swath.
- Brush grapple. Clamps a load of brush or branches so you can carry it to the truck.
- Root rake grapple. Rakes roots, rock, and debris out of the dirt with its tines, then clamps them to carry them off.
- Grapple bucket. A bucket with a clamp on top, for mixed debris that a plain bucket can’t hold.
- Extra bucket. A second bucket to go out with the machine.
- Rock bucket. A bucket with slots in the bottom and sides, so the dirt falls through and the rock stays.
- Harley rake. A power rake for finish grading. It levels the ground, pulls rock and debris out of the soil, and leaves a seedbed.
- Rockhound. A rake that picks rock from three-quarters of an inch up to 8 inches out of the soil, collects it in a bucket, and leaves the ground level and ready for sod or seed.
- Pallet forks. Carry pallets of block, sod, or pavers, within the machine’s capacity.
- Trencher. Cuts a narrow trench for pipe, cable, or irrigation line.
Will the machine run it
The question for a powered attachment is hydraulic flow. Forks, the extra bucket, and the rock bucket need no hydraulics at all. Everything else on the list runs off the machine’s auxiliary hydraulics, the circuit that feeds the hoses at the end of the arms, and each one needs a certain flow, measured in gallons a minute, to run the way it was built to. Some need more than a standard circuit puts out, and those take a high flow machine. Tell us the machine the attachment is going on, and we’ll match the two. Our guide to what fits your machine goes through the check.
Forks for wheel loaders
For wheel loaders with 2 to 4 cubic yard buckets, the Hitachi/Landcros ZW120-7 through the ZW180-7 in our fleet, we rent forks in 60 to 72 inch lengths. The forks are listed at 19,700 pounds, and that figure is the forks’ own capacity. The loader’s operator’s manual says how much it can lift on them. The ZW150PL-6 has parallel lift arms that keep the forks level as they rise, so it’s the one for pallets.
For sale
We sell Paladin attachments for skid steers, wheel loaders, backhoes, and tractors, and we carry mulchers.
Renting
Every attachment on the list rents, and so do the forks. Rentals don’t include an operator. Our guide to how renting works covers hours, fuel, insurance, and returns. Grease the quick attach pivot points and pins so the plate keeps latching smoothly when you change attachments, and our Best Practices article on attachment maintenance covers pins, teeth, and hoses.
What to tell us when you reserve
Tell us the job, the machine the attachment is going on, and, for forks or a bucket, the heaviest load. If the machine is yours, give us the make and model so we can check its flow. With that, we can send the attachment that fits and runs.
Talk to a location near you
Call or text, or send us the question through our contact page.



