Q.  Are the machines in the CAT 299D series skid steer loaders?  

A.  The short answer is: NO, they are not. That, of course, begs the question: what are they, then?

          If you go to the official CATERPILLAR website, you will find that the 299D machines are most definitely called Compact Track Loaders or CTL for short. No doubt you have also heard the smaller CAT models, for example, models 239D, 249D, 259D, 279D, and 289D, inaccurately referred to as skid loaders. These models and the new CAT 255 and 265 models are all Compact Track Loaders.

Caterpillar does manufacture Skid Steer Loaders and these SSL machines have model designations like 226D, 232D, 236D, 242D. As a rule of thumb, SSL machines have tires, whereas CTL have tracks.

At your job site, CTL machines and SSL machines may perform many of the same tasks with the same or nearly the same efficiency, but on uneven terrain, or in muddy or sandy conditions, a CTL will likely outperform an SSL of equal weight and power. So, before you decide on whether to get a CTL or a SSL, it s important that you have a clear understanding of the conditions in which you will primarily be using it. Which CTL model and which SSL model has the right level of power and weight for your needs will also be something you need to take into consideration.