Skid Steer Dumpster and Hopper Attachments

Skid Steer Hoppers and Dumpsters: What They Actually Do

A skid steer dumpster is a self-contained bin that mounts to a loader so debris gets collected where it is generated and moved in one trip. On demolition and remodel jobs, in shops, and on farms, the alternative is usually a wheelbarrow line or a crew walking scrap out to a roll-off. A hopper replaces that with one operator and one machine.

It is not the same tool as a bucket. A bucket is open at the front lip and sheds loose material on grade changes and over speed bumps. A hopper is a four-sided bin with taller walls, which is why it suits drywall scrap, roofing tear-off, packaging, sweepings and green waste — light, bulky, awkward material that a bucket spills across the yard. Dense material you scoop off grade is still bucket work.

Sizing a Skid Steer Dump Hopper: Cubic Yards Against Rated Load

Two numbers govern the choice, and they are not interchangeable. Volume capacity is how much the bin holds. Load capacity is what the structure is rated to carry. In this collection the Apex Hoppers line runs 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 cubic yards, with load ratings of 4,000 lbs on the 0.25 and 0.5 yard units, 5,000 lbs on the 0.75 yard unit, 6,000 lbs on the 1, 1.5 and 2 yard units, and 8,000 lbs from 2.5 through 5 cubic yards.

Notice that volume climbs far faster than rating. The 5 cubic yard hopper holds twenty times the volume of the 0.25 yard hopper but carries twice the rated load. That is deliberate: large hoppers exist for bulky, low-density material. Load a 5 cubic yard bin with wet waste or masonry rubble and you will reach the 8,000 lb rating long before the bin looks full.

Then subtract the hopper itself. Apex lists 325 lbs empty for the 0.25 yard HD25, 436 lbs for the 0.5 yard HD50, 561 lbs for the 0.75 yard HD75 and 859 lbs for the 2 yard HD200. Star Industries lists 558 lbs for the 48" model 151 and 700 lbs for the 72" model 152. That weight comes out of your machine's capacity before any debris goes in, and it sits out in front of the coupler — the HD200 measures 75 3/4" overall length, so its center of gravity is well forward of the mounting face.

The limiting number is almost always the machine, not the bin. ISO 14397-1 and SAE J818 define rated operating capacity for skid steer loaders as half of tipping load, and that figure has to cover the attachment plus its contents. Compare your loader's rated operating capacity — not the hopper's structural rating — against the weight you plan to move.

Mounting: Quick-Attach, Fork Pockets and What to Verify

Full-size skid steers in North America almost all use the universal quick-attach plate, and Star Industries lists its Trash and Waste Hopper with a skid steer/loader quick-attach mount. Apex publishes a fork clearance dimension of 2 3/4" on the HD25, HD50, HD75 and HD200, which points to a fork-carriage interface rather than a coupler plate. Those are different mounting systems, and a photograph will not tell you which one you are looking at.

Confirm three things with us before ordering: the mounting interface your machine actually has, how the unit discharges (by curling the loader arms, or through a separate latch or trip mechanism), and whether empty weight plus intended load stays inside your machine's rating. Also check overall width against the doorways and aisles you have to pass through — the HD200 is 50 1/4" wide overall, and the Star Industries model 153 is 84" wide.

What's in This Collection

Twelve units: ten from Apex Hoppers, one from Vestil and one from Star Industries, spanning $964 to $4,938. Apex builds from 7GA and 1/4" steel, 100% MIG welded, made in the USA. The Vestil Skid Steer Hopper is model EA-SKHH-200 at $1,679.92, made in the USA with a 1-year limited warranty. Star Industries offers models 151, 152 and 153 in heavy-duty steel with a quick-attach mount, with C versions that add castor wheels; the 151 is 48" wide and holds 1 cubic yard, the 152 is 72" wide and holds 1.5 cubic yards.

Ask us for full dimensional drawings on the remaining Apex sizes before you commit to a footprint.

Operating Rules That Apply to Hopper Attachments

If you are hanging a hopper on a forklift rather than a loader, OSHA 1910.178 governs the work. OSHA 1910.178(a)(4) prohibits modifications and additions affecting capacity and safe operation without the manufacturer's prior written approval. OSHA 1910.178(a)(5) requires that a truck equipped with front-end attachments be marked to identify the attachments and show the truck-plus-attachment weight and capacity. OSHA 1910.178(l) requires operator training and evaluation before an employee operates a powered industrial truck, and OSHA 1910.178(m)(2) prohibits anyone from standing or passing under the elevated portion of a truck, loaded or empty — worth repeating to the crew that wants to pitch scrap into a raised hopper. OSHA 1910.178(m)(12) requires a securely attached safety platform when a forklift is used to elevate personnel; a hopper is not one.

On construction sites, OSHA 1926.602 sets requirements for material handling equipment, including seat belts on equipment fitted with rollover protective structures. ANSI/ITSDF B56.1 covers low lift and high lift trucks, including capacity marking and the effect of attachments on rated capacity.

Maintenance and the Mistakes Buyers Make

Inspect the mounting plate, pockets and welds for cracks before each shift, and confirm the coupler pins are fully engaged visually, not just by feel. Empty the bin completely at end of shift — residue that hardens or freezes becomes dead weight you pay for on every lift afterward. Rinse out corrosive material, and touch up gouges in the coating before rust gets under it.

• Buying on volume alone. Rated load is the constraint on dense material; volume is the constraint on bulky material.
• Ignoring empty weight. The hopper's own weight comes off your loader's capacity first.
• Assuming it will fit. Quick-attach and fork-pocket mounting are not interchangeable.
• Oversizing. A bigger bin your loader can only fill halfway moves less per trip than a smaller one it can fill.
• Forgetting the route. Check overall width and height against doors, aisles and dock openings.