Skid Steer Trailer Movers

Skid Steer Trailer Mover Attachments: What Is On This Page

Both products here do the same job, putting a trailer coupler on the front of a loader, but they are built differently. The Loflin Fabrication Skid Steer Reese Trailer Hitch Adapter is a welded steel, powder coated unit with a 2" industry standard Reese-style receiver on a 1/4" quick attach plate. It has no moving parts, so there is nothing to grease and no hydraulic line to connect. The Star Industries Skid Steer Trailer Spotter (Model 155) is a purpose-built frame: 45" wide, 19.5" high, 29" long without the hitch adapter and roughly 39" with the combo hitch adapter, 180 lbs empty, rated for 2,000 lbs maximum tongue weight and vertical lift and 10,000 lbs maximum gross towing weight. Both use a universal quick-attach mount and a standard 2" receiver.

Choosing a Heavy Duty Trailer Mover for Your Yard

Start with the trailer, not the attachment. Weigh the loaded tongue and the gross trailer weight, then compare them against the Star 155's 2,000 lb and 10,000 lb ratings. If your trailers are heavier than that, this is not the right tool. Next, check the loader. Skid steer capacity is published as rated operating capacity, defined for skid steer loaders by SAE J818 as a fraction of tipping load, and both the attachment's own weight and the tongue load count against it, so a 180 lb spotter plus a heavy tongue eats into what a small machine can safely handle. Site conditions matter as much as capacity: a loader that spots a trailer easily on level asphalt can lose traction on gravel or a grade, and the trailer's brakes are not connected when you move it this way. Chock the trailer before unhooking and keep the load low.

Full-Size vs. Mini Skid Steer Trailer Movers

Mount plates are the first thing to verify. Both attachments here use the universal skid steer quick attach system found on full-size loaders. Mini and compact loaders from several manufacturers use a smaller plate, and while adapters exist, they add weight and push the load further ahead of the machine. Measure your plate before ordering. Compare width as well: the spotter is 45" wide, which has to clear the gate, bay door and aisle you work in.