Manitou and subsidiary Gehl have unveiled their first stand-on mini track loaders, joining Caterpillar, John Deere and SDLG in entering the growing U.S. compact utility loader market this year.
The Manitou 1050 SRT and Gehl SRT105 share identical specs and features but keep their separate branding and color schemes. They will be assembled at the France-based manufacturer’s plant in Madison, South Dakota, with machines starting to ship later this year.
“This product category is something the Manitou Group has been keeping an eye on for quite a while, about 10 years,” said Nathan Ryan, Manitou product line manager earthmoving category, during the loaders’ unveiling last month at Equip Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. “And what we've done is study the competition, interview customers and get feedback on what the shortcomings are of the machines that are already in the marketplace.”
To that end, Manitou has added a variety of features it says will set it apart from the increasingly crowded market for compact utility loaders.
Mini track loaders, or compact utility loaders, continue to grow in popularity. More than 11,600 new units were sold from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, a 2.5% increase over the same period last year, according to EDA finance data. They are fourth in top sales by equipment category behind compact track loaders, mini excavators and standard excavators. (EDA and Equipment World are both owned by Fusable.)
Powered byTip-Over Prevention
“On side hills, it's a narrow machine and it's easy to tip it over, especially with a log grapple dangling and changing your center of gravity,” Ryan explained.
To increase stability, Manitou lowered the engine and other components to reduce the center of gravity.
Auto Track Tensioning
“At the beginning of every day, it re-tensions your tracks. At the end of the day, it de-tensions your tracks,” explained Aaron Milleville, Manitou product manager for compact loaders. “By doing so, it helps extend your track life by 15%, and it's one less thing that you have to worry about at the beginning of every day.”
Adjustable Hydraulic Flow
The mini loaders get a max 12.6 gallons per minute of flow at 3,000 psi.
Multiple flow adjustments can also be made from the operator station’s proportional thumb wheel, which has reversible direction. “So, if you get your hoses hooked up wrong, you don't have to get out and replumb your attachment,” Milleville said. “You just get into the display, go to the correct menu and flip the controls over to make it operate the way that you're used to.”
“Selectable auxiliary max flow” is another feature the company added. The operator can select the optimal flow for the attachment at 25%, 50%, 75% or 100%, which is the default setting.
Walk-Behind Mode
By lifting a lever, the operator can raise the platform and stow it vertically. Then by pushing a button, they can walk safely behind to move it on and off trailers and up steep slopes.
Being able to stow the platform also reduces the overall loader’s length by about 2 inches for storage in tight spaces.
Auto Idle and Auto Stop
“We didn't put a little pedal off to one side constraining how you stand on the platform,” Milleville said. “Wherever you're at, however you're comfortable, it will recognize you, and you can operate the machine.”
This feature also enables Manitou’s auto-idle and auto-stop features to reduce fuel consumption.
Operators can set timers for both functions for when they step off the platform. Auto idle brings the machine down to low rpms after a set time. Auto stop also has its own timer and will shut down the machine after a set time of idling.
Configurable Counterweights
That ROC is achieved with two standard bolt-on counterweights. An additional counterweight can be bolted on for a total 1,100-pound ROC. That, however, raises ground pressure to 4.6 psi.
If on the other hand, the operator prefers lower ground pressure, the counterweights can be removed to lessen it to 4.2 psi.
Creep Mode
The mode is activated by a button next to the display screen.
Also, if you’re in creep mode and desire a quick, temporary speed boost for, say, going uphill, you can push a button on the righthand joystick.
Yanmar Engine and Other Highlights
Other highlights include:
- 5-inch LCD color touchscreen, joysticks, ergonomic grips and padding, parking brake switch, hydraulic unlock switch, electric hand throttle and 12-volt charging socket.
- Radial-lift arm with float feature for grading and 64.6-inch dump height.
- Front and rear LED lights. The lights can be folded out to the side of the machine for 360-degree lighting of the work area.
- Cooler placed in the front of the machine to blow the air out and down rather than back across the operator's legs.
- Hydraglide suspension system to prevent bucket spillage when traveling rough terrain.
- Tool-free access covers to all components for maintenance.
- Multiple tie-downs on the lift arm, the center, the frame and rear outside corners for securing the loader on trailers.
- Belly pan opened by lever for washing out debris and dirt from the undercarriage.
- Grille guard to protect the machine and the cooler from debris that comes over the top of the attachment.
- Lockable fuel cap.
- Pins greasable from the side.
Accessories and Attachments
Manitou offers the following attachments for the 1050 SRT and SRT 105: buckets for dirt and snow, hydraulic dozer blade, manual V-blade, trencher, grader, grapples, stump grinder, angle broom, auger, snow blower, breaker, rakes, rotary mowers, soil conditioners and pallet forks on 26- and 42-inch carriages.
The company also plans to offer accessories for the loaders, including a chainsaw holder and side-mount baskets for carrying things like tools, extra fuel or bar chain oil.
Each machine will come standard with a lockable toolbox on the side for chains, hammers, grease gun or other tools.
Specs for Manitou SRT 1050 / Gehl SRT105 Mini Track Loaders
- Operating weight: 3,420 lbs.
- Engine: 23.2 hp Yanmar diesel
- Operating Capacity at 35% of tip load: 1,049 lbs. (1,100 lbs. w/optional counterweight)
- Auxiliary hydraulics flow rate: 13 gpm @ 3,000 psi
- Tipping capacity: 3,000 lbs.
- Bucket breakout: 3,803 lbs.
- Hinge pin height: 7’ 2”
- Overall LxWxH without bucket: 7’ x 3’ x 4’
- Ground pressure: 4 psi
- Ground clearance: 8”
- Top speed: 5 mph
