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how much does a skid steer weigh once you count attachments and trailer

C

CMRoad

New member
I started out thinking this was a simple question, but the more I look into it the more I realize it depends what exactly people mean when they ask how much does a skid steer weigh. Some people seem to mean the machine by itself. Others are really asking what it weighs once you add a bucket, forks, counterweights, fuel, and then put it on a trailer. That’s the part I’m trying to sort out.

For example, a machine like a Bobcat S185 is a little over 6,000 lb operating weight, while a compact track loader in a similar working class can be quite a bit heavier. A Cat 249D3 is over 7,800 lb operating weight on paper, which is already a big jump before you even add an attachment.

When someone asks how much does a skid steer weigh, do you usually go by brochure operating weight, machine plus bucket, or total hauling weight with trailer? And if you’ve added counterweights, where do you consider the limit before it starts helping less than it hurts?
 
I always answer with the hauling number, not the brochure number. A lot of people search how much does a skid steer weigh because they’re really trying to figure out whether their truck and trailer setup is enough. In that situation, the machine’s operating weight by itself is only the starting point.
Fuel, bucket, forks, auger, pallet of chains, spare cutting edge, even mud packed into the machine all add up faster than people think.
 
That’s the biggest mistake I see too. Someone reads a spec sheet and says “my skid steer weighs 6,200 pounds” and forgets they’re hauling it with a heavy bucket, maybe rear weights, and a trailer that weighs several thousand pounds on its own. By the time everything is loaded, the whole setup can be way beyond what they had in mind.
 
The short answer is that there is no single number unless you define what you’re measuring.

If you want the clean spec answer, manufacturers usually publish operating weight. That’s the machine in working condition, generally with standard equipment and fluids. Bobcat lists the S185 at about 6,220 lb operating weight, and Cat lists the 249D3 compact track loader at 7,831 lb. That alone already tells you why tracked machines often feel more planted and also why they’re tougher on trailers and trucks.

But in the real world, the more useful question is total jobsite or hauling weight. A bucket can add several hundred pounds. Forks add weight. Counterweights add weight. A heavier enclosed cab or optional counterweight package adds more. Cat even publishes separate notes for optional counterweight additions on some machines, which shows how quickly the real number moves away from the base machine spec.

That’s why when someone asks me how much does a skid steer weigh, I usually ask back:
Do you mean sitting in the yard, working with a bucket, or chained to a trailer ready for transport?

Those are three different answers.
 
Track loaders are what usually surprise people.A wheeled skid steer might sound big on paper until you compare it to a compact track loader of similar horsepower. The CTL is often substantially heavier because of the undercarriage, and you feel that difference in transport and in how the machine plants itself on the ground. Bobcat’s own buyer’s guide basically says operating weight is one of the first specs you should compare when choosing machine size.
 
Counterweights help, but only when they’re mounted intelligently. That old other forum discussion is a good reminder. People were talking about adding weight low on the machine instead of hanging too much in the door area, and that logic still makes sense. If you add ballast high or in the wrong place, you can hurt the center of gravity instead of helping it.
 
If your real question is transport, I would ignore the internet habit of treating machine weight like one magic number. Here’s how I think about it.Start with published operating weight.Then add the actual attachment you keep on the machine most of the time. Then add any counterweight kits. Then remember a trailer isn’t weightless. Then remember tie down chains, toolboxes spare fuel, and all the other stuff people leave onboard.
That’s why 2 guys can both say they’re hauling “a 6,000 pound skid steer” and one combination is comfortably within limits while the other is absolutely not.
It’s also why “how much does a skid steer weigh” is such a misleading search unless the person asking knows what number they really need.
 
Another thing worth mentioning is that older brochures and dealer listings don’t always use the exact same wording. Some say operating weight. Some say shipping weight. Some used equipment sites quote approximate weight. So if someone is comparing an older Case or Bobcat to a newer Cat or Kubota, make sure the numbers are actually the same kind of number before assuming one machine is lighter or heavier.
 
If anyone wants a couple concrete examples; the official Bobcat S185 page lists 6,220 lb operating weight, and the official Cat 249D3 page lists 7,831 lb operating weight. bobcat’s loader size guide also points people to compare operating weight together with rated operating capacity and horsepower rather than in isolation. Those are probably better benchmarks than random classified ads.
 
My rule is simple.

If I’m talking about buying, I use the published operating weight.
If I’m talking about towing, I use the real loaded weight.
If I’m talking about ballast, I think about where the weight sits, not just how many pounds I added.
 
A lot of people ask how much does a skid steer weigh when they’re really trying to answer a different question about towing, trailer capacity, ballast, or machine size. The safest approach is to start with the official operating weight for the exact model, then add the real-world extras like bucket, forks, counterweights, and trailer before making decisions. If anyone wants more exact help, post the model and what attachment normally stays on the machine.
 
One thing a lot of people forget when asking how much does a skid steer weigh is that mini skid steers are a completely different category.

Some of those walk-behind machines are only around 1,500 to 3,500 lbs, which is nothing compared to a full-size skid steer.

So depending on what someone is looking at, the answer can be wildly different.
 
Attachments are where things get sneaky.The standard bucket might not add much, but once you start using things like a brush cutter or breaker, you’re adding serious weight. Some attachments can be 600–900 lbs by themselves.
That’s why two identical machines can feel completely different just based on what’s mounted.
 
If you're asking this question because of transport, here's a simple rule that saved me from making mistakes:

Take the machine’s operating weight
Add your heaviest attachment
Add at least 500–1,000 lbs for “extra stuff”
Then add your trailer weight

That final number is what actually matters, not the spec sheet. A lot of setups end up heavier than expected, especially once you include chains, fuel, and tools.
 
Another thing I’ve noticed is that people compare machines without realizing size classes.The small frame skid steer might be around 3,000–6,000 lbs, while larger machines easily go past 7,000–10,000 lbs depending on the model.So when someone says “my skid steer weighs 7,000 lbs” that’s actually pretty normal, not heavy.
 
Weight also changes how the machine feels more than people expect.
Heavier machines usually:
feel more stable when lifting
handle rough terrain better
don’t bounce as much
But they also:

tear up softer ground more
cost more to transport
can feel less nimble in tight spaces

That’s why weight isn’t just a number, it directly affects how the machine behaves.
 
Tracks vs wheels is another big one.

Tracked machines almost always weigh more because of the undercarriage. That extra weight is part of why they grip better, but it’s also why people run into transport issues when they switch from wheels to tracks.
 
If someone is searching how much does a skid steer weigh, the honest answer is: anywhere from about 3,000 lbs on the small end to over 10,000 lbs on larger machines, with most common models sitting somewhere around the middle range.
But the number that actually matters is the one you’re working or hauling, not the one in the brochure.
 
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