Skid Steer Tree Pullers

What a skid steer tree puller does

A tree puller is a hydraulic jaw that clamps a trunk at ground level so the loader can lever the stem out with its root ball attached. That is the practical difference between a tree puller attachment and a brush cutter or saw: cutting leaves a stump that has to be ground out in a second pass or sends up regrowth, while pulling removes the whole plant in one operation. Typical work is clearing saplings and volunteer trees from fence lines, pastures, ditch banks and right-of-way, plus pulling fence and sign posts. The trade-off is soil disturbance — every pull leaves a hole and a root ball to haul off, so it suits reclamation and land clearing more than finished landscaping.

Matching the tree puller to your machine and your stems

Two things decide whether this works on a given job. The first is stem diameter. The Loflin Fabrication Skid Steer Tree Puller has a 10 3/4" opening, so that is the hard limit on what fits in the jaws; anything thicker has to be cut instead. Four rows of 1/2" thick steel gripping teeth do the biting, which matters on smooth or wet bark where a plain jaw slips. The second is the carrier. Pulling force comes from the machine's traction and lift geometry, not the attachment alone — SAE J818 defines a skid steer loader's rated operating capacity as 50% of its tipping load, and a light machine on turf will spin or lift a rear wheel before a stubborn taproot lets go. Ground conditions matter as much as horsepower: moist, loose soil releases roots, while dry clay, rock and frozen ground fight back.

Hydraulics, mounting and upkeep

This puller runs a fully enclosed, double-acting cylinder, so the machine needs working auxiliary hydraulics and a matched pair of couplers — one line to open the jaw, one to close it. The enclosed cylinder keeps the rod out of brush and debris, which is what usually kills an exposed cylinder in clearing work. Hoses, fittings and couplers are Parker, and the pins are oversized and greaseable, so maintenance stays routine: grease the pins on schedule, cap the couplers when the attachment is off the machine, and check hoses for chafe where they run along the frame. The mount is a universal skid steer quick-attach plate, which fits standard full-size skid steer and compact track loader plates.