Post Driver for Skid Steers and Mini Excavators: How to Choose One
A post driver for a skid steer or mini excavator has to match your machine, your ground and your posts, and here is how to choose one.
A post driver pushes or hammers fence posts into the ground, and the right one comes down to three things: your machine, your ground and your posts. If you build fence for a living, or even a few hundred feet a year, a post driver on your skid steer or mini excavator saves a lot of sore backs.
Chupp Industrial, in Chouteau, Oklahoma, sells skid steer, mini skid steer and excavator attachments and ships nationwide. Here is what we tell buyers who ask.
What does a post driver do?
A post driver pushes or hammers a post into the ground, in line and plumb, faster than you can by hand or with a bucket. Most run on the hydraulics of the machine carrying them. Some hit like a hammer; others push and vibrate. Which style fits depends on your soil.
Will a post driver fit my skid steer or mini excavator?
Not every post driver fits every machine. Match it to your carrier's hydraulic flow, pressure and lift capacity. Before you shop, write down:
- Make and model of the carrier
- Whether it is a full-size skid steer, a mini skid steer or an excavator
- Its auxiliary hydraulic flow and pressure
- Its lift capacity, and the weight of the attachment
An attachment that works on a full-size skid steer may not fit a mini. Send us your machine's make and model and our sales team can match it to what will work.
Should I drive posts with a skid steer or an excavator?
Use the carrier you already own if you can. A skid steer puts the driver at the front of a compact machine and moves quickly along a fence line. An excavator gives you reach and a steadier hold on the post, which helps on slopes and uneven ground.
What post driver do I need for rocky or clay ground?
A heavier-hitting driver, or a pilot hole first. Soft, loamy soil is easy on any driver. Rocky ground, clay, hardpan and frozen dirt are where a weak driver stalls. Do not buy for your easiest field. Buy for your worst.
What post sizes can a post driver handle?
It depends on the driver. Wood posts, T-posts and heavier steel posts do not take the same treatment. Ask what post size range the driver handles and whether it has a guide that fits your post shape. A driver that damages post tops is more trouble than it saves.
How do I keep fence posts straight?
Choose a driver whose mast or guide holds the post plumb while it goes in, and that lets you see the post and correct as you go. A fast driver that sets posts crooked costs you rework.
Where can I get a post driver manual?
Ask us for it. For some attachments and machines we sell, the operation and maintenance manual is a free download under the Manual tab on the product page. If yours is not there, send us the exact model name and we will help you get the right manual. Model names can differ by one letter, so we do not guess. Either way, read the manual before you run the driver.
How do I maintain a hydraulic post driver?
A little care makes a hydraulic attachment last longer:
- Check hose connections and fittings for leaks before each day
- Grease the pivot points as the maker recommends
- Keep the guide and striking parts clean and free of debris
- Store it out of the weather when you can
How do I run a post driver safely on a fence line?
A post driver is loud and strikes hard. Keep people back from the work area, wear hearing protection, and check for buried lines before you drive. Call before you dig or drive anywhere near utilities. Never hold a post by hand while the driver is running.
Should I buy a post driver or hire a fence crew?
If you set only a few posts a year, hiring a fence crew may make more sense. If you fence every season, or you run a farm with miles of line, owning is usually the better call. Count the fence you expect to build over the next few years before you decide.
What should I ask before I buy a post driver?
- Will it work with my machine's flow and pressure?
- What post sizes does it accept?
- Can it handle my soil?
- What manual and support are available?
- Who do I call if something goes wrong?
Tell us your machine and your fence line and we will point you the right way.
Questions on the right machine for the job?
Straight answers on stock, freight, and what actually fits — no pressure.