Choosing a skid steer compactor

[BucketX44]

Trying to sort out whether a vibratory roller is the right attachment for a skid steer doing granular base and occasional trench backfill. At what point do you go roller versus plate or padded drum, assuming the loader has the hydraulic flow and capacity for it?

 

[ironandsteel]

For granular base with room to make passes, a smooth vibratory roller is usually the better fit. It covers a wider path and works the whole lift more evenly than chasing it around with a plate.

A plate makes more sense in narrow trenches, against walls, and other spots the roller can’t get into. Padfoot is for cohesive soil like clay, where the feet can knead the material. It’s generally not the first pick for clean granular base.

Hydraulic flow matching matters, but so do attachment weight and the machine’s rated operating capacity, especially if the roller will be carried over uneven ground. Check the attachment manual for required flow, pressure, and case-drain requirements before assuming high flow means it’s compatible.

 

[DonJose]

Attachment choice won’t fix lifts that are too thick or material that’s out of moisture. A roller can cover ground fast, but it still needs the base placed in lifts the spec calls for.

 

[QElizabeth]

A roller can be the wrong tool near foundations, shallow utilities, or other stuff that doesn't like vibration. A plate gives more control in those spots, even if the open base area favors the roller.

 

[Cyber]

Trench width matters beyond just whether the roller physically fits. If the drum can't stay supported across its width, edge passes can leave uneven compaction and make the attachment less stable. That's where a plate is usually the cleaner choice, even in granular fill

 

[Louis10]

If the jobs are mostly mixed small areas, a plate can be the more useful attachment to own and the roller can be rented for the bigger open pads. A roller is fast when it has room, but it’s a bulky attachment to haul around for occasional trench work.