3 New Deere Attachments for Skid Steers Target Cleanup, Grading, Compaction

John Deere released three new attachments for skid steers and compact track loaders: brush grapples, box blades and vibratory rollers.

Equipment World got a closer look at the new offerings at Deere’s recent Compact Construction Equipment Days in Dubuque, Iowa.

To get a complete overview of the attachments, check out the videos below with Deere Division Sales Manager Doug Laufenberg.

Brush Grapples

Compared to Deere’s other grapple offerings, the new brush grapples feature a wider tooth spacing design, allowing smaller material to fall through while picking up larger logs and brush.

Models range from 66 to 84 inches wide and consist of the GB66B, GB72B, GB78B and GB84B.

The tines are curved and serrated to help operators dig up stubborn roots and clear debris, while the teeth are designed to hold in debris whether the grapple is open or closed. The two sections of the grapple operate independently for better control of irregularly sized objects.

“If you’re doing storm cleanup, you can come in with this, pick up debris, furniture from houses or whatever flood-damaged stuff. It’s a great bucket for cleanup from any disaster or vegetation management,” Laufenberg says.

John Deere Brush Grapple Specs

Box Blades

The new Box Blade attachments turn Deere’s largest compact track loaders, the 333 or 335 P-Tier, into efficient finish grading machines. The BX07 is 7 feet wide, and the BX08 is 8 feet wide.

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Using the attachment, operators can grade in forward or reverse. For increased accuracy, operators can add 2D grade control. The front wheels can flip up, allowing operators to grade next to a building or edge.

“If you’re doing big pads for restaurants or parking lots, that’s a perfect application for that,” says Laufenberg. “With laser, you could be inside a building if you’re leveling out before you pour concrete, get it down to that minutia that you need so you can save on bedding material or concrete material.”

John Deere Box Blade Specs

Vibratory Rollers

The new Vibratory Rollers are Deere’s second joint design with sister company Wirtgen Group. Hamm compactor technology has been implemented inside the drum to control vibration and oscillation sequences.

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The knockdown blade on the front can be adjusted for the application, from leveling the site to scooping material.

The roller can also operate in both forward and reverse. “Depending on which direction the hydraulics are activated, the drum will turn a certain way, you’ll pack that direction. If you want to back up and pack, you change the hydraulics and reverse in that direction,” Laufenberg says.

Two sizes are available, the 78-inch-wide VR73D or the 88.7-inch VR84D. The VR73D can be equipped with an optional padfoot clamp. The models are compatible with Deere’s mid-frame and large-frame compact track loaders and skid steers.

The VR73D and VR84D are intended for use with gravel or aggregate; it should not be used with asphalt.

John Deere Vibratory Roller Specs