Bobcat Skid Steer Loaders: Models, Variants and Specs

Bobcat skid steer loaders are compact, four-wheeled loaders that steer by driving the wheels on each side at different speeds, which lets them turn within their own length and work in tight spaces. They carry a front lift arm with a quick-change attachment plate, so the same machine can run a bucket, pallet forks, an auger, a breaker, a sweeper and many other tools. Bobcat helped define this asset type and remains one of the most recognised makes in it, so its range is one of the widest available under a single make. This profile is based on AssetBase data.

The datasheet-covered range spans more than 20 models, from the sub-compact S70 up to the heavy S850, and includes both current Stage V machines and earlier generations. Across that range, engine power runs from about 17.5 kW on the S70 to 78.3 kW on the R-Series S86, rated operating capacity from 343 kg to 1,850 kg, and operating weight from roughly 1,268 kg to 4,643 kg. In practice, that covers everything from a narrow machine for indoor and landscaping work to a high-capacity loader for demanding construction and demolition sites.

In the wider construction taxonomy, skid steer loaders sit in the loader category alongside Bobcat's compact track loaders, compact wheel loaders, small articulated loaders and telehandlers, and overlap in role with mini excavators. The model groups below reflect the datasheet-covered range and mix current and historical models.

The main takeaway: one make covers the full skid steer size spectrum, so the model number is the first thing to read when sizing a Bobcat machine.

Bobcat skid steer loaders models covered

Bobcat groups its skid steer loaders mainly by frame size and lifting capacity, with the model number rising as the machine gets larger and stronger. The current range uses the 400 to 800 series numbering plus the newer R-Series (S62, S64, S66, S76 and S86), while earlier generations used model codes such as 463, 553 and the S130 to S330 series. The compact S70 sits below the rest as a sub-compact machine for confined work.

The main range takeaway: as the model number climbs, power, lift capacity and weight all rise together, so the right choice depends on the load size and the space available on site.

What Bobcat skid steer loaders are used for

Skid steer loaders are built for loading, carrying and tool-carrying in confined spaces. The skid-steer drive lets the machine pivot on the spot, which makes it well suited to tight yards, narrow site access, indoor work and jobs where a larger loader cannot turn. For operators, the combination of a small footprint and a strong lift arm is what makes these machines so common on mixed sites.

The quick-change attachment plate is central to how the asset type is used. With one carrier, a contractor can switch between a general-purpose bucket, pallet forks, an auger, a breaker, a sweeper, a grapple or a snow tool, which spreads the cost of the machine across many tasks. The S70 supports a wide attachment list despite its size, and the larger models add the hydraulic flow needed to run heavier powered tools.

Across the range, the practical sorting factor is rated operating capacity, which runs from 343 kg on the S70 to 1,850 kg on the S850. Smaller models suit landscaping, indoor demolition and light utility work, mid-range models suit general construction and groundworks, and the 600 to 800 series and R-Series suit heavier loading, demolition and high-output attachment work.

Model families, variants and configurations explained

Bobcat skid steer model numbers and suffixes describe real operational differences rather than trim levels. The leading "S" marks a wheeled skid steer loader, as opposed to the "T" used for Bobcat compact track loaders. The number reflects frame size and capacity, so an S450 is a smaller, lighter machine than an S850. Older "H" suffixes, as seen on models such as the S220H, indicated a high-flow hydraulic build, which adds slightly to operating weight.

The most important configuration choice for buyers and fleet teams is hydraulic flow. Standard-flow machines suit buckets, forks and general tools, while the high-flow option raises pump output to run demanding powered attachments such as cold planers, large augers and mulchers. Lift path (radial versus vertical) is a further design difference across the range, so buyers should confirm the lift path and hydraulic option on each specific model.

The main operational difference between variants is hydraulic flow, which decides how heavy and how powered an attachment the machine can run.

Key specification signals

For comparing skid steer loaders, the most useful signals are engine power, rated operating capacity, tipping load and operating weight. Rated operating capacity (ISO 14397-1) is the standard measure of how much the machine can safely carry, and it tracks closely with tipping load, which is the point at which a loaded machine would begin to tip forward. Operating weight matters for transport planning and for stability on soft ground.

These four signals move together across the range, so they give a quick read on where a model sits. The table below uses representative current models with full comparable data, from the sub-compact S70 up to the S850 and the R-Series S86.

The practical takeaway: rated operating capacity and power rise with model size, so matching the load and attachment to capacity is the key sizing decision. A more detailed technical profile is available in AssetBase.

Energy use and lifecycle CO₂ context

Every skid steer loader in the datasheet-covered range is diesel-powered, with current models using Bobcat Stage V engines (the 2.4 L unit on mid-range models and the larger D34 on the S770, S850 and S86) and Kubota engines on the S70 and some earlier models. Fuel use, and therefore operational CO₂, depends heavily on how intensively the machine works: a loader running powered attachments at high hydraulic flow for long shifts will burn far more fuel than one doing occasional light loading.

Because of this, operational energy and lifecycle CO₂ are best understood separately. Operational CO₂ comes from fuel burned during use, while lifecycle CO₂ also includes production, the engine and hydraulic system, transport, maintenance and end-of-life treatment. EmissionBase® helps separate operational energy from broader lifecycle CO₂ assumptions such as production, battery or engine system, transport, maintenance and end-of-life treatment.

Comparable per-model CO₂ values are not published for this range, so this profile focuses on the energy logic rather than a model-by-model emissions comparison.

How Bobcat skid steer loaders fit into wider loader coverage

Within Bobcat's own range, skid steer loaders sit next to compact track loaders (the T-series, such as the T66, T76 and T450 to T870), which share the same attachment system but use rubber tracks for soft ground and flotation. They also sit alongside Bobcat compact wheel loaders, small articulated loaders (L23, L28, L85) and telehandlers (the TL series), and overlap in role with Bobcat mini excavators for digging tasks.

Against other makes, Bobcat skid steers compete with skid steer ranges from Caterpillar, Case, John Deere, New Holland, JCB, Gehl and Kubota. The shared attachment concept means the buying decision often comes down to capacity, hydraulic flow, cab comfort, dealer support and resale value rather than a single headline number.

Skid steer loaders are the wheeled, tight-turning core of Bobcat's compact loader line-up, with track and wheel alternatives covering the same jobs on different ground.