Small Machine, Big Potential

Recognize the versatility of the compact tool carrier for low-cost hauling.

Compact tool carriers (CTC) may not be as well-known as loader-backhoes and skid-steer loaders, but a growing number of construction businesses find these versatile little machines to be indispensable. 

Advantages

The first tool carrier models, often called mini skid steers, first appeared on jobsites about 10 years ago. Unlike conventional wheel-mounted skid-steer loaders, tool carriers mount on rubber tracks. Today’s tool carrier models are available with several types and sizes of loader buckets and specialized attachments.

Tool carriers have rapidly become popular rental machines. And they are well-suited for landscape contractors, utility contractors and electrical contractors. On typical jobs, the rugged machine is used for site preparation, including light grading, moving material around work sites, digging fence and post holes and trenching for pipe installation.

One primary advantage of tool carriers is their compact footprint. Many models can travel through 36-inch yard gates to work where larger equipment cannot be used. One tool carrier with a selection of attachments can be carried on a trailer pulled by a pickup truck.

Plus, the interchangeable attachments allow the machine to perform many different jobs. Some of the following attachments can be purchased: vibratory plow, trencher, auger, hammer, concrete mixer, rake, plate compactor, clamp bucket, stump grinder, tiller, tree trimmer and snow blower. The compact machines can speed completion of many jobs by doing work that otherwise would require hand labor.

Instead of operating the machine from the cab like conventional skid-steer loaders, the operator stands on a platform on the rear of the CTC, which provides 360-degree visibility. And stepping off and on the machine for work-related tasks is quick and easy. 

Maintenance

Regular maintenance checks must be performed to get the most out of the equipment. “We recommend, first and foremost, that you get comfortable with everything in the operator’s manual,” says Matt Collins, compact product manager for Ditch Witch. “There are recommended maintenance procedures in the manual that, if followed, will keep the machine operating at peak performance for many years.”

Manuals usually include a checklist that makes it easy to keep track of service. The manual recommends minimum service requirements, and the machine should be serviced more frequently in extreme conditions. Collins says the operator can perform most maintenance and routine repairs, but authorized service personnel should perform major repairs.

A CTC is typically operated in dusty, dirty conditions, which means keeping the outside of the machine clean and functioning properly is essential for machine longevity and safety. “Lift arm bushings, operator controls, the operator platform, the track and undercarriage—all of these are important to stay on top of,” says Collins. “The track and undercarriage components are particularly important to the function of the machine. They bear the bulk of the stress these machines endure, so it is vital to check track tension regularly and keep all the components clean.”

Collins emphasizes that adopting a preventive-maintenance attitude is the best way to avoid major problems. “For example, avoid skidding tracks and tires on concrete and asphalt,” he says. If you do this, it will dissolve the rubber, and you will have to replace one of the CTC’s most expensive components.

With a low initial investment, inexpensive maintenance, easy and low-cost hauling and versatility, owners who use tool carriers say these machines positively impact their bottom lines.

Maintenance Checklist

Require your operators to use this maintenance schedule to ensure your compact tool carriers are up and running:

• Every 10 hours—Check the engine and hydraulic oil levels, hydraulic hoses and the air filter.
• Every 50 hours—Clean the air filter, and check the battery.
• Every 100 hours—Change the engine’s oil.
• Every 200 hours—Change the engine’s oil filter.
• Every 250 hours—Change the hydraulic fluid filter.
• Every 300 hours—Change the fuel/air filters.

Construction Business Owner, October 2011