Living large: recyclers say bigger is better when it comes to choosing a skid steer.

Today, more and more recyclers rely on skid-steer loaders as an integral part of their operations. With an arsenal of attachments at its disposal, the skid steer is among the most versatile pieces of equipment a recycler can employ, a real virtue in a time of rising fuel and operating costs. In a matter of minutes, a skid steer can go from material handler to loader to sweeper, packing the ability to perform several tasks into one machine.

Even though skid steers are known for their relatively compact size, recyclers still have to consider how to match the size and lift capacity of a skid steer to best fit their particular operations. Recyclers can choose between the smaller models--l,300- to 1,700-pound lift capacities--all the way up the scale to the largest machines, which can lift up to 3,000 pounds. While there are many factors to consider when choosing a skid steer, when it comes to size, the advice seems the same: Buy big.

THE BIGGER THE BETTER. Adams Steel, a scrap metal recycling company based in Anaheim Calif., has a Caterpillar Inc. model 252B, which at an operating capacity of 2,500 pounds, leans towards the larger end of the skid-steer scale, says Carl Clark, the company's equipment manager.

Clark says the only factor that would push him to buy a smaller size is a small work footprint. "The only factor that should limit your size is work space," Clark says. "Obviously, if you can't fit it in the space you have, it's not going to do you any good."

Other recyclers echo Clark's sentiment that bigger tends to be better when it comes to choosing a skid-steer loader. "Everybody's got a big model nowadays," says David Gudakunst, materials logistics manager at Midwest Elastomers Inc. (MEI) in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Gudakunst has two Bobcat Co. model $300 skid-steer loaders with operating capacities of 3,000 pounds working at his rubber tire recycling facility. He says both machines have seen more than their fair share of work. "We run them a lot," he says. "We clocked about 5,000 hours in a year between the two of them."

Standing up to that kind of demanding work schedule is why many recyclers opt to buy the biggest machine they can afford. "You want a bigger machine because your employees are going to tend to overwork it," says Clark. "No matter who gets on it, they think it's a big loader and they want to move a mountain with it."

Bruce Blue, CEO of Freedom Metals in Louisville, Ky., says he has a simple rule of thumb when it comes to buying skid-steer loaders. "Always go one [size] higher than what you think you need," he says. Freedom Metals has used Bobcat and New Holland machines and currently has a Cat 252B at work on the yard. "We always seem to find out we never buy one big enough," Blue says.

According to Blue, recyclers would be wise to err on the side of additional strength, because "if you buy the next size bigger, it'll still do what you need and will hold up better."

Gudakunst also recommends determining the weight of the loads that will be handled on the most consistent basis and overestimating a little because cutting it too close will wear out the machine more quickly. "I'd go slightly over because I think they hold up better. A lot of our loads aren't that heavy. You buy [a skid steer] right to your capacity limits, and it wears your machine," he says. "For instance, if you buy a 2,000-pounder and you're trying to lift 1,800 to the full lift height, it might not hold up as well."

Gudakunst also says he would only consider adding a smaller machine to his fleet if he were limited in some way by workspace. "The only time I would buy a smaller one would be if you had two distinct work areas," he says. "Like a really confined space where we're not going to handle as much. Otherwise, when in doubt, buy bigger."

UPGRADE. Aside from the initial monetary investment, owning and operating a larger skid-steer loader isn't any different than maintaining a smaller model. "They may take a little more oil, they may be a little harder to work on and the parts may weigh a little more, but there's really no difference in maintenance between skid steer sizes," says Blue.

In fact, if anything, a larger machine might require less maintenance because it will hold up better with its sturdier build, according to Blue.

Recyclers say larger machines are just as versatile as their smaller counterparts. While he mostly uses his skid steers to feed scrap rubber into primary granulator units, Gudakunst says the machines take on odd jobs like using a bucket for snow removal in the winter.

However, an easy mistake to make with a larger machine is overtaxing it, says Clark. "[Operators] try to do too much with it, they try to pick up everything," he says.

Even larger machines are limited in what they can and can't do, agrees Gudakunst. "You can't use one to replace a forklift," he says. "They're just not made for that--the operator visibility isn't as good."

Pushed to tackle an increasing number of tasks at the average recycling operation, skid steers take their share of punishment on the job. These demands, in addition to the rougher scrap environment, make choosing a sturdy machine all the more important to recyclers. After all, the downtime incurred if the machine breaks down is still the costliest thing of all, says Blue. "When you figure what it's costing you in production, downtime is way more than any cost of the machine," he says.

That's why smart buying practices--like checking with the manufacturer about the availability of spare parts--are important, no matter what size machine a recycler purchases.

Recycling applications are rough on equipment. While skid steers' versatility makes them increasingly valuable in recycling operations, all the hard work takes a toll on the machine, which is why many recyclers recommend buying the biggest a budget can afford.

"Skid steers take a lot of abuse," says Blue. "So we buy the biggest size there is--always."

The author is assistant editor of Recycling Today and can be contacted via email at [e-mail].