Skid Steer Push Broom: Width, Bristle and Fit Guide

A push broom on a skid steer turns a machine you already own into a sweeper, and the first choice to make is width. Parking lots, shop floors, loading docks and finished jobsites all need cleaning, and a skid steer push broom does it faster than a crew with hand brooms. Chupp Industrial, a family business in Chouteau, Oklahoma, sells skid steer and mini skid steer attachments and ships nationwide.

What width skid steer push broom should you pick?

For parking lots and other big paved areas, most people choose a 72-inch or 84-inch broom. Width also has to match your machine and your space.

A 72-inch broom suits most mid-size skid steers and gives you good control around parked cars, curbs and light poles. An 84-inch broom sweeps a wider path and pays off on large open lots. But a wider broom needs a machine with the lift and hydraulic flow to turn it properly, and it is harder to steer around obstacles.

Will a skid steer broom attachment fit my machine?

A skid steer push broom must match the machine's mounting plate, hydraulic flow and rated capacity. Before you buy any attachment, get your machine's make and model in front of you and check those three things. A broom that is too big or too heavy can strain the loader arms.

If you send Chupp Industrial your machine's make and model, our sales team can help you match the right broom to it. Matching the broom first is a better plan than guessing and returning a heavy attachment.

Small machines are a special case. A mini skid steer has less lift and less flow than a full-size one. Attachments are not interchangeable between the two, so never assume a full-size broom fits a mini; ask before you buy.

Poly, wire or mixed bristle: which do you need?

Poly bristle is the general choice for a skid steer broom; wire bristle is for scraping caked mud and rough sites. The bristle material matters as much as the width.

• Poly bristle sweeps dirt, gravel, sand, leaves and light debris, and it is gentle on asphalt and concrete. Most buyers start here.
• Wire bristle is more aggressive. It scrapes off caked mud, dried material and rust, but it wears surfaces faster and is not for finished pavement.
• Mixed bristle puts the two together, giving you sweeping power and some scrubbing action.

Think about what you actually clear. A landscaper cleaning a finished driveway wants poly. A crew cleaning a rough site after demolition may want something tougher.

Do you need an angle broom or a collecting sweeper?

Choose an angle broom if you want to push debris to the side, and a collecting sweeper if you cannot leave piles behind. An angle broom turns left and right, which moves debris out of your way and leaves a clean windrow on roads and lots. A straight broom is fine if you sweep in a pattern and gather piles later.

A broom moves material and leaves it in a pile or windrow. A collecting sweeper picks it up.

How do you make a skid steer broom last?

Set the broom so the bristles just touch the surface, and sweep in slow, even passes.

• Pressing the broom down wears the bristles out quickly.
• Speed throws debris and leaves streaks.
• Wet dust is harder to move, so sweep before rain, or use water in a controlled way.
• Look at the bristles after each job and replace them before they wear to the core.
• Store the broom flat, off its bristles, so they hold their shape.

Is it worth buying a skid steer broom instead of renting?

Owning a skid steer broom attachment makes sense if you sweep regularly; renting a sweeper is fine for a one-off job. If you have regular lots, seasonal cleanup, or contract work, owning the attachment turns it into a tool you can put on any job, including spring cleanup after the snow melts and the sand shows up.

Who can help you pick a skid steer broom?

Chupp Industrial sells skid steer and mini skid steer attachments, excavator attachments and other equipment online. We know which questions to ask before you buy, so tell us your machine's make and model if you want help picking a push broom for it.