Bradco 48-Inch Trencher for Skid Steers🔵 Mid
🟢 Standard Flow
⚠ High-flow machine required
✓ Compatible with high-flow CTL
⚠ Borderline for small-frame machines — verify ROC
✓ Fits most mid-frame skid steers & CTLs
View on paladinattachments.com →
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
How to Connect
- Attach trencher boom using Bob-Tach
- Connect high-flow hydraulic couplers
- Test chain tension and direction before cutting
- Call 811 and verify all utilities located before first cut
⚠ Safety NoteCanada-wide: call 811 before you dig. Hydraulic trenchers may need 20-35 GPM depending on rock hardness.
⛏️ Before You Buy a Trencher
Most chain trenchers require high-flow hydraulics — confirming your machine's output is the single most important step before purchase.
- Verify your machine outputs 18–30 GPM high-flow Check your flow spec →
- Chain trencher vs rock wheel — match to your soil and rock conditions Chain vs rock wheel →
- Call 811 before any dig — utility locate is required by law in Canada
Find a Trencher Dealer →
Complete the job — you might also need:
✅ Last checked: March 2026
Source: skidsteerattachments.ca/catalog/trenchers/bradco-trencher-48/
Ready to Buy? Check These First
⚙️
Confirm Machine Fit
Verify your machine's hydraulic flow meets this attachment's requirements before ordering. High-flow attachments need 25–45+ GPM — standard flow machines won't run them properly.
Check your machine's flow →
🇨🇦
Find a Canadian Dealer
Buy through a Canadian dealer for warranty support, parts, and service. Avoid grey-market imports on high-ticket attachments.
Find dealers by province →
