Built-It-Myself Skid Steer Loader

Built-It-Myself Skid Steer Loader TRACTORS Conversions 18-6-11 Keith Berry built his own skid steer loader about 13 years ago and has used it hard ever since. Dubbed the "Berry Cat", it consists of a pair of 1973 Chevrolet Caprice rear ends narrowed up to 4 ft. wide - from the outsides of each wheel. It's powered by a 1959 Austin 1100 4-cyl. gas engine complete with transmission and differential. The output shaft of the Austin drive axle chain-drives the Chevrolet axles (one of the axles was turned around so they'd both run in the same direction). A hydraulic pump, belt-driven off the engine, is used to operate a pair of cylinders that lift the bucket and another cylinder that tilts it. A single stick control is used for the hydraulics. To steer, he locks the brakes for both wheels on one side at a time. Berry built two quick-tach buckets for the skidsteer - a narrow 28-in. wide digging bucket equipped with a cutting edge made from a truck spring and steel teeth, and a 54-in. wide bucket for moving snow. He also built forks and a 6-ft. long leveling bar to do grading work. "I didn't realize when I built it how handy it would be," says Berry. "It has enough weight and traction to fill the digging bucket even in the hardest ground. I built it extra heavy to make it more stable and to give the 15-in. snow grip tires more traction. I use it a lot to move heavy machinery into my shop in winter. I can re-place the bucket with a quick-tach ball hitch that I use to maneuver trailers into the shop or around the yard. "It lifts up to 10 ft. high and is fitted with roll bars to protect the operator. I used 1/2-in. steel plate to make the frame and 2 by 4 sq. steel tubing to make the lift arms. I always wear a seat belt so if I ever roll it I won't be thrown out." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Keith Berry, Rt. 2, Clementsport, Nova Scotia BOS 1E0 Canada (ph 902 638-3578).

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