Bradco 48-Inch Trencher for Skid Steers
🟢 Standard Flow
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Overview
Bradco is one of the oldest North American trencher manufacturers, making skid steer trenching attachments for irrigation, drainage, conduit, and utility work. The 48-inch depth model handles most irrigation mainline and deeper utility burial applications. Bradco trenchers are distributed through Canadian construction and agricultural equipment dealers, making them accessible across the country.
Canada Availability
Available in Canada through authorized Bradco / Paladin equipment dealers.
Key Facts
- Digging depth: 48 inches
- Type: chain trencher
- Application: irrigation mains, utility conduit, drainage tile
- Drive: hydraulic motor
- Mount: universal skid steer quick attach (SSQA)
- Weight: 550–1600 lbs
- Hydraulic flow: 15–30 GPM
Is This Right For You?
✅ Buy if…
- You trench through soft to moderate soil for utilities, drainage, or irrigation lines at 36–60 inch depth
- Your soil is clay, loam, sandy loam, or river bottom — chain trenchers cut fast in these conditions
⛔ Skip if…
- Your soil is solid rock, dense caliche, or Shield granite — chain links and sprockets wear out fast in rock
- You trench in deeply frozen Prairie ground regularly — rock chain at 3–5× wear rate makes winter trenching expensive
🔍 Also consider…
- Rock wheel trencher if your ground is consistently rocky or hardpan
- Standard auger if you're drilling individual holes rather than continuous trench lines
🔧 Machine Compatibility
Compatible with all skid steer brands and compact track loaders via universal SSQA quick attach. Mid-frame machines (S450–S650 class) are the most common fit.
About Bradco in Canada
Bradco is a legacy attachment brand under the Paladin Attachments (Epiroc) family, offering a broad range of skid steer attachments. Bradco-branded products are available through equipment dealers across Canada, backed by Epiroc's national parts and service network.
Care & Maintenance
- Inspect chain teeth after every use — worn teeth slow penetration dramatically and increase drive motor load; a full day's work can dull a chain in abrasive soil
- Lubricate the drive chain and boom sprockets before each use and again after every 4 hours of continuous trenching
- Check the boom bar for cracking or deformation after work in rocky or abrasive conditions — boom cracks propagate quickly under the bending loads of trenching
- Clean soil from the drive motor cooling fins and chain case after summer use — compacted soil on the motor causes overheating on long cuts
- Store the chain with teeth protected from ground contact — resting a chain on carbide tips on concrete chips the teeth before you've even used it
✅ Last checked: March 2026
Source: skidsteerattachments.ca/catalog/trenchers/bradco-trencher-48/
