Skid Steer Rated Operating Capacity: Why 600 kg Doesn't Mean 600 kg
Rated load, tipping load and lift capacity are three different numbers. Knowing the difference stops you buying a loader that can't lift the pallet you had in mind.
A skid steer is a lever. The load sits out the front, the operator and engine sit behind the pivot, and at some point the back wheels or tracks come off the ground. The spec sheet numbers all describe where that point is.
Tipping load
The load in the bucket, at full reach, that lifts the rear of the machine. Nobody should ever carry this much; it is the limit, not the target.
Rated operating capacity (ROC)
The safe working load, defined as a fixed proportion of the tipping load. For wheeled skid steers the convention is 50 percent of the tipping load. For tracked loaders the convention is 35 percent, because tracks tip more abruptly. Rippa lists its figures as rated load.
| Model | Rated load |
|---|---|
| RS03 | 140 kg |
| RS04 | 175 kg |
| RS06 | 600 kg |
| RS20 | 1,050 kg |
The RS07 and RS10 are listed by engine power; ask Rippa Perth for the rated load of the current unit.
What those numbers carry
- A bucket of dry Perth sand weighs roughly 1.5 tonnes per cubic metre. An RS06 with 600 kg rated load carries about 0.4 m³ safely, which is a normal-sized bucket heaped.
- A pallet of pavers is often 1,000 to 1,400 kg. Only the RS20 class moves that on forks without exceeding the rating.
- A round bale of hay is 250 to 400 kg, comfortably inside the RS06 rating.
- Wet material is heavier than dry. The same bucket of sand after winter rain can be 20 percent heavier.
Forks change the maths
Rated load is measured at the bucket's load centre, close to the machine. Forks put the load further out, so the effective capacity drops. Rule of thumb: with forks and a 600 mm load centre, count on 70 to 80 percent of the bucket rating.
Lift height and reach
Rated load says nothing about how high you can lift it. Radial-lift loaders (the common design on compact machines) reach highest at mid-height and come back toward the machine at the top, which suits digging and loading a ute. Vertical-lift loaders keep the load further forward at height for loading trucks. Check the dump height figure for the loader you are considering against the side of your trailer or truck.
Choosing
If your work is moving sand, mulch and gravel around a property, an RS06 is the balance of capacity and size. If you regularly handle pallets or load trucks, the rated load of the RS10 and RS20 is what you need. Compare them in the specification table.