Many people have heard about skid steer loaders at least once, but sometimes even machine operators have no idea where this name comes from and what exactly it means. Curious to learn everything about it? Well, you are in the right place then.

It’s all about wheels!

Like many other types of earthmoving machines, skid steer loaders have wheels. Those wheels typically have no steering mechanism, and just like the rear wheels of automobiles, they stay in a fixed straight line relative to the body of the machine. But how is steering accomplished then?  Well, turning the left and right wheel pairs at different speeds makes a skid steer loader drag or skid its wheels on one side while turning in that direction. Despite the compact size skid steer loaders are on the heavy side, which helps to provide a rigid structure to prevent damage. Interesting, right?

CTLs, SSLs and MTLs

To learn even more about skid steer loaders let’s talk about their categories. You have probably seen the abbreviations CTL, SSL, and MTL. Do you know what they stand for? As you can probably guess, SSL is a skid steer loader, and it refers to a standard 4 wheeled type. CTL is a compact track loader, and MTL is a multi-terrain loader. Both refer to different undercarriage designs. Compact track loaders have steel tracks and steel undercarriage components which provide maximum durability. Multi-terrain ones feature rubber track undercarriages and deliver lower ground pressure. As you can guess, different types of loaders serve different purposes. For example, some of them are perfect for rocky sites, while others work better on a plain surface.

WEITAI has a great variety of standard skid steer loaders and compact track loaders, or as you’ve already learned, SSLs and CTLs. High efficiency, advanced structure, different attachments, and reasonable prices make our machines highly competitive in the global construction equipment industry. To learn more, please fill in the form below, and our sales team will contact you shortly.