One of the loudest most aggressive skid steer, backhoe or excavator attachment on the market is a breaker hammer. It gets its name from the fact that it uses a hydraulic hammer to drive a chisel or moil point tool into concrete or other hard surface and breaks them into smaller pieces. Other terms for this attachment are jackhammer or demolition hammer.

Popular applications for breaker hammer attachments are breaking up old concrete such as sidewalks, driveways or inside garages in order to clear it away easier and replace with fresh concrete. Another application this attachment is used in is demolition. The skid steer breaker hammer attachment is a pro at breaking up old concrete floors or tearing down walls inside old buildings for remodelling or for complete building demolition.

If you are in the market for a breaker hammer attachment for your skid steer or excavator, you will need to know the following about the host machine before deciding what size breaker to go with. If you are looking to purchase this attachment for your skid steer, there really is only a couple of specifications to look for. You will need to know your flow rate GPM (Gallons Per Minute) and hydraulic pressure. Once you know these two specifications you can match your machine to the right size breaker hammer. You will want to match the unit as close to the host machine specification as possible. For an excavator, you will not only want to know the flow rate GPM but also the overall weight of you’re excavator. The reason for wanting to know the weight of the host machine is for safety reasons. When you are reaching with the stick of the excavator, the longer you reach out, the larger the possibility of tipping.

The weight breakdowns are as follows:

carrier weight 1500-2650 lbs = 132 lb. breaker

• carrier weight 2650-4000 lbs = 220 lb. breaker
• carrier weight 4000-6600 lbs = 363 lb. breaker
• carrier weight 6100-8350 lbs = 463 lb. breaker
• carrier weight 8350-12100 lbs = 661 lb. breaker
• carrier weight 14350-20900 lbs = 904 lb. breaker
• carrier weight 17650-25350 lbs = 1169 lb. breaker
• carrier weight 20900-29750 lbs = 2095 lb. breaker

Features to look for when purchasing a hydraulic breaker hammer:

1. A good warranty, preferably more than 1 year.
2. No regassing needed.
3. Less moving parts
4. Make sure there are components that can limit the incoming and outgoing flow so as not to blow out seals
5. Make sure it is equipped with a hydraulic break on the piston to stop the breaker from blank firing
6. If the unit you are looking at is “underwater ready” this means the breaker is well designed with better seals.
7. Make sure that if you need to rebuild it on the jobsite that it can be done in less than 30 minutes.

Hopefully this article helps you make the best decision on what to look for when in the market for a breaker hammer attachment. You can find more information in the best stocked skid steers attachments store.