Full Buying Guide on How to Choose Best Skid Steer Brush Cutter for the Money

Quick Comparison Table

	Streamline Industrial	Diamond Mowers	Skidsteers.com	Blue Diamond Attachments	Cat BR160
Price	$	$	$	$	$
Weight	1,375 lbs	2,240 lbs	970 lbs	1,547 lbs	950 lbs
Dimensions	69 x 25 in	n/a	n/a	n/a	62 x 73 x 21 in
Power Source	Hydraulic	Skid steer, hydraulic	Skid steer, hydraulic	Hydraulic motor	Skid steer, hydraulics
Cut Width	60 in	14 inches in diameter	3-inch cutting capacity	6 in	3 in
Warranty	1-year warranty	1-year warranty	1-year warranty	2-year warranty, lifetime warranty against spindle breakage	n/a
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How to Select The Best Skid Steer Brush Cutter Attachment?

If you’ve got a large section of brush to clear but you know a walk-behind brush cutter is no match for it, it’s time to get that skid steer to work. A skid steer with a brush cutter attachment will make quick work of all kinds of undergrowth and brush that has taken over a yard, paddocks, or empty sections.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a landscaper, a contractor or a farmer, you are sure to appreciate the convenience and timeliness of a brush cutter. However, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach, as every brand and model is different.

That’s why it’s important to first establish your skid steer hydraulic requirements, and match those against a particular brush cutter. By reading through our buying guide, you are sure to gain a new understanding of the various brush cutters on the market, and how they can make a difference to your everyday brush-cutting tasks.

Work Type

If you own a skid steer, you will be familiar with the many different attachments you can buy for it. However, just because you can buy an attachment to cut brush, it doesn’t mean you necessarily need one.

As a skid steer operator, it’s vital you weigh up the pros and cons of using a brush cutter attachment versus using a portable or push-behind option. Is the section large enough for a skid steer? Will the cost of the skid steer’s maintenance and the purchase cost of the attachment, be offset by the time saved on the clearing job?

If the work type is deemed suitable for using a skid steer with a brush cutter attachment, it’s now time to review a few different options. We have listed five brush cutter attachments within our buying guide to help you get the perfect tool for the job.

Safety

Brush cutter attachments are exceptionally dangerous for both operators and bystanders. Therefore, it’s important everyone in the vicinity of such an attachment understands just how vital it is to adhere to safety recommendations as per the manufacturer’s manual.

Your place of business may also have their own set of rules, but here are some basic guidelines to follow:

• Never lower the cutting blade if the area isn’t clear of hazardous objects and/or people.
• Wear gloves when undertaking any maintenance on the brush cutter attachment.
• Always wear proper safety clothing, including steel-toe caps. This is important during routine maintenance.
• Always wear safety glasses when operating the brush cutter.
• Maintain a safe speed.
• Keep a good clearance distance between obstacles such as trees and rocks.
• Always check hardware such as bolts and screws, before and after each use.
• Replace or repair broken or worn parts.
• Cut only during daylight hours.
• Do not operate within 50 feet of bystanders.

Efficiency

When time is money, it’s important for contractors, farmers, and landscapers to own machinery and attachments that operate in an efficient manner.

If an attachment is unable to operate effectively in the timeframe necessary, or is not working as it should, it’s obvious that it’s not the perfect match for your skid steer.

Not all skid steer brush cutter attachments will fit your particular skid steer perfectly. Therefore, you should consider the following factors when you’re looking for the best attachment for the job:

Hydraulic flow rate:

Each skid steer has a set minimum and maximum hydraulic flow rate. Some are classed as standard, while others operate with a high flow rate.

It’s important you remember what these rates are when you’re looking for a new brush cutter attachment. Failure to do so could result in a less-than-efficient attachment, or a void warranty.

To ensure your attachment runs efficiently, simply choose a brush cutter that falls within the same high/standard flow rate as your skid steer.

Cutting width:

Brush cutter attachments from various manufacturers come in all shapes and sizes. They are also built with varying cutting capacities and widths.

In order to operate your attachment as efficiently as possible, you should always opt for a cutter that is wider than your skid steer, but is one that is still manageable.

If it’s too short, your skid steer could run over debris to each side of the cutter. However, if it’s too large, your skid steer may struggle to power it effectively.

Features

While most brush cutter attachments offer everything you need to do the task effectively, there are particular features that vary in quality from one machine to the next.

Therefore, when you’re looking at various options to buy online, you should pay attention to the following attributes:

Spindle:

Make sure the spindle is made of durable materials to stand the test of time. Durability is important, as the spindle is responsible for transferring power to the motor, as well as reducing the risk of damage to the hydraulic engine. If it’s not built to handle a bit of impact or damage, your entire attachment’s lifespan is at risk.

Cutter framework:

If the framework of the cutter attachment isn’t made of durable, heavy-duty steel, do not purchase it. Framing needs to have structural integrity in order to withstand the power and general force produced by the blades and flywheel sitting beneath it.

Hydraulic pressure-relief valves:

A brush cutter skid steer attachment gains its power from the skid steer’s hydraulic system. However, when it hits bumps or obstacles, it needs to be able to relieve some of that hydraulic pressure being distributed from the skid steer.

Having a brush cutter with a pressure-relief system is helpful. By releasing hydraulic pressure, it prevents damage from occurring.

Replaceable components:

Brush cutters are exceptionally expensive to purchase in most instances. Therefore, the more parts that can be replaced rather than the attachment itself, the better. Always opt for a brush cutter which can have its skid shoes and blades replaced periodically.

Maintenance

As a contractor or a farmer, it can be easy to forget to maintain your gear. After all, you may own several different attachments, and there’s only so much time in the day! However, maintenance is important, especially if you want to save money in the long run.

If you struggle to remember to maintain your equipment, put a schedule together. Many operator manuals that arrive with your cutter come with maintenance checklists and guides to help with this process.

Brush cutter attachments are very easy to maintain, so take five minutes before and after use to check and control each component.

This can include:

• Replacing or repairing broken or defective parts.
• Keeping the spindle lubricated.
• Replacing or sharpening blades.
• Replacing skid shoes.
• Greasing any components that require lubrication.
• Checking the motor oil levels.

Budget

Your budget can easily be determined by the work you’re needing to have completed. If you have several sections to clear, and ongoing work, a larger cutter will be required. This will also mean a larger budget.

For those smaller cutting jobs, a smaller brush cutter is all you need, along with a smaller budget. For both options though, you will need to spend upwards of $6,000, all the way up to $25,000 and beyond.

Top 5 Skid Steer Brush Cutter Attachments Reviews

Streamline Industrial

Diamond Mowers

Skidsteers.com

Blue Diamond Attachments

Cat BR160

Where to Buy Skid Steer Brush Cutter Attachments?

You would think that for such a high-tech piece of equipment, you would only be able to buy it in stores. While this was the case previously, the internet has changed the game completely. For any kind of skid steer attachment, you can now purchase it online, on websites such as Amazon. Most manufacturers are listing several models and brands in order to appeal to a wider audience, and the customer benefits from the best deal in the process.

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