Will It Fit My Machine?

The Six Things That Decide If It Fits (Most Sites Only Check One)

The plate is not the only thing that decides if an attachment fits your machine. People often hear that "most attachments fit most machines." That is true about the plate. It is false about the other five things on this page — and that is why attachments end up bolted on tight, but not working right.

Check all six things below before you buy. Here, or anywhere else.

1. The Mounting Plate

The mounting plate is the metal piece that locks the attachment onto your machine's arms.

• Most full-size skid steers and track loaders use the same plate. It is called "Universal Skid Steer," or SSL.
• Mini skid steers use a different plate. This is the number one mismatch we see.
• Bobcat's plate has an orange latch. You can spot it just by looking at it.
• Not sure which plate you have? Take a photo of it and send it to us.

2. Hydraulic Flow — Check the Number, Not the Word

Hydraulic flow is the oil that powers the moving parts on an attachment, like a mulcher drum or a trencher chain. It is measured in GPM, which stands for gallons per minute.

• "High flow" is not one fixed number. It is just a marketing word.
• We checked 15 machines from the major brands. We found six different ways brands label "high flow." It meant anywhere from 26.9 to 45 GPM, depending on the brand.
• One brand even sells an "enhanced high flow" option that puts out less GPM than their regular high flow option.
• Find the GPM number on your machine's spec plate. Ignore the word "high flow."

3. Too Much Flow Breaks Things Too

Most people worry their machine is too weak for an attachment. Almost nobody warns you that too much flow causes damage too.

• Example: put 36 GPM into a motor built for 30 GPM, and the motor spins too fast. That is called overspeeding. It heats up the oil and wears the motor out early.
• This kind of damage happens slowly and quietly. It often gets blamed on the operator instead of the mismatch.
• If your machine's flow is higher than the attachment's top number, run your machine in standard-flow mode, or buy the high-flow version of the attachment.

4. Case Drain — The Part Everyone Gets Backwards

A case drain is a return hose. It carries oil that leaks inside the motor back to the tank, so pressure does not build up.

• Whether you need a case drain depends on the motor inside the attachment, not the type of attachment.
• Piston motors need a case drain line. Gear motors usually do not.
• So the question is not "do stump grinders need a case drain." The question is: what motor is inside THIS stump grinder? This one runs a piston motor, so yes, it needs one.
• Run a piston motor with no case drain, and pressure builds up inside and destroys the seals — usually within one season.
• Before you order, check that your machine has a third hydraulic port for the case drain line.

5. Rated Operating Capacity — Do the Subtraction

Rated Operating Capacity, or ROC, is the most weight your machine can lift safely. That weight includes the attachment itself.

• Example: a machine rated for 3,000 lb, carrying a 900 lb bucket, can only lift 2,100 lb of rock. Not 3,000 lb.
• Capacity also drops the farther out your arms reach. A load that lifts fine close to the machine can tip you forward once you reach out, sit on a slope, or roll over a hidden curb.
• With snow attachments, this is a safety problem, not just a performance one. A snow pusher too wide for your loader can tip it forward under a full blade of wet snow.

6. The Working Dimension

This is the one size number that decides if the attachment can actually do your job: trench width, bucket width, cutting width, or bit size.

• Get this number wrong, and it is cheap to buy but impossible to fix after the fact.
• Example: a trencher that digs a 6-inch-wide trench will not fit an 8-inch pipe. It does not matter how well the attachment mounts to your machine.

Or Just Send Us Your Machine

Tell us your machine's make and model. We will check all six things for you — even if that means telling you not to buy. We would rather lose the sale than take a return. We would much rather lose the sale than have you get hurt.

support@rightfitattachments.com