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The right excavator attachments turn one machine into a clearing crew, a loading rig, and a material handler. For farms, ranches, and land owners who already run an excavator, loader, dozer, or skid steer, a well-chosen grapple, thumb, or stump puller adds capability without the cost of buying another machine. Bierman Equipment is a dealer for Solesbee's heavy equipment attachments, built for brush, roots, rocks, stumps, and debris. Request dealer pricing and a compatibility check, and our team will help match each tool to the machine you already own. |
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Excavator Attachments for Land Clearing and Farm Projects
Clearing fence rows, removing stumps, stacking brush, and loading debris all eat hours when they are done by hand or with the wrong tool. Attachments let the excavator do the heavy lifting while the operator stays in the cab. Solesbee's builds a full range of excavator tools, including buckets, couplers, grapples, rakes, rippers, shears, and thumbs.
Excavator Thumbs for Grabbing and Stacking
A thumb works with the bucket to pinch and hold material, which turns a digging machine into a handling machine. Solesbee's offers manual and hydraulic thumbs for any size and model of excavator, so an operator can move from one application to another, such as moving dirt and then picking up logs or rock, without changing attachments. A hydraulic thumb adds control from the cab, while a manual thumb is a simple, economical option for work that stays in one pattern.
Grapples for Brush, Roots, and Debris
Grapples grip bulky, awkward loads that a bucket cannot hold, such as uprooted trees, root balls, logs, and brush piles. They are a good fit for clearing a new pasture, cleaning up after a storm, or preparing a building site. When a job also involves fence lines, the same machine can clear the route before you install new pen gates and livestock fencing.
Stump Pullers for Land Clearing
The Solesbee's stump puller, called the Stumper, is designed for efficient stump removal and land clearing. It uses replaceable wear tips, and claws on the back of each shank push stumps away from the excavator. Paired with a thumb, it can lift and stack stumps, limbs, and debris, so one machine can pull, move, and pile stumps and debris.
Buckets, Rippers, and Shears
Buckets handle digging and loading, rippers break up hard or compacted ground, and shears cut through material that would otherwise need a chainsaw or a second crew. Matching the right bucket width and ripper style to your soil and machine size is where a compatibility check pays off.
Quick Couplers for Faster Attachment Changes
A quick coupler lets the operator exchange excavator attachments from the safety of the cab instead of climbing down to pull pins. On a farm or clearing job where you switch between a bucket, thumb, and grapple several times a day, that saves time and keeps the operator out of the work zone. Always confirm the coupler is locked before lifting, and follow the machine and attachment operator manuals.
Skid Steer Attachments, Loader Tools, and Dozer Rakes
Excavators are not the only machines that benefit. Skid steers, loaders, and dozers are common on farms, and each has attachments that fit its strengths.
| Machine | Attachment Options | Typical Farm and Land Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Excavators | Thumbs, grapples, stump pullers, buckets, rippers, shears, quick couplers | Stump removal, brush piles, clearing fence rows, loading debris |
| Front-end and back-end loaders | Buckets, grapples, rakes | Moving brush, soil, and debris around the property |
| Dozers | Blade-mounted dozer rakes | Raking roots, rocks, and debris from cleared ground |
| Skid steers | Rock grapples, grapples, earth drills, trenchers | Rock and root removal, boring holes, trenching |
Skid Steer Attachments for Rocks and Roots
A skid steer with a rock grapple can pick up rocks, roots, and brush that would damage a standard bucket, and the compact machine gets into tight spots around barns and fence lines. Auger Torque earth drills and trenchers expand the same machine into drilling and trenching work. Confirm available models against your carrier machine in the brochure or with our team.
Dozer Rakes and Loader Tools
Blade-mounted dozer rakes lift and move material while leaving good ground behind, which helps when you are cleaning up a cleared area. Loader buckets and grapples handle day-to-day moving and loading. These tools slot in alongside the rest of the livestock and feed equipment lineup that keeps a working farm running.
Ready to match an attachment to your machine? Tell us what you run and what you need to move, and we will confirm fit.
Putting Heavy Equipment Attachments to Work on the Farm
Most farms do not need a full-time clearing crew, but nearly every farm has seasonal jobs that are slow and punishing without the right tool. Attachments let a machine you already own cover those jobs on your own schedule, instead of waiting on a contractor or renting a specialty machine.
Clearing Pasture and Fence Rows
Overgrown fence rows hide stumps, rocks, and tangled brush that slow every other task. An excavator with a thumb or grapple can pull brush and small trees out in manageable loads, a stump puller can take the stumps that remain, and a dozer rake or skid steer rock grapple can clean up the roots and stones left behind. Clear ground means straighter fence lines, easier mowing, and more usable pasture.
Storm Cleanup and Brush Piles
After a storm, downed limbs and trees block lanes, gates, and field access. A grapple picks up awkward, tangled loads that a bucket cannot hold, and a thumb lets the operator sort, stack, and load debris in one setup. The same tools make routine brush pile management far less work throughout the year.
Building Sites, Lanes, and Drainage Work
New barns, equipment pads, lanes, and drainage improvements all start with cleared, workable ground. Buckets handle digging and grading, rippers break up compacted soil, and grapples and rakes clear the roots, rocks, and debris that would otherwise end up buried in a fill. Starting with clean ground saves problems later.
| Job | Best Starting Tool | Why It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Pulling stumps | Stump puller paired with a thumb | Pulls, pushes, and stacks stumps with one machine |
| Stacking brush and logs | Excavator thumb or grapple | Grips bulky, awkward material securely |
| Clearing roots and rocks from cleared ground | Dozer rake or rock grapple | Lifts debris while leaving soil behind |
| Breaking up hard ground | Ripper | Loosens compacted soil before digging or grading |
| Boring holes or trenching | Earth drill or trencher | Adds drilling and trenching to an excavator or skid steer |
| Switching tools through the day | Quick coupler | Changes attachments from the cab |
Solesbee's and Kinshofer: The Makers Behind the Attachments
Solesbee's began as a family business in 1993, with a focus on tools that make excavators and skid steers more versatile. In 2017 the company joined the Kinshofer Group, which was founded in Germany in 1971 and builds attachments for excavators, loader cranes, and skid steer loaders. A trade report on the acquisition notes that it added excavator thumbs, mechanical pulverizers, and other excavator and skid steer products to the Kinshofer line.
The Kinshofer Group also includes Auger Torque, which brings earth drills and trenchers for excavators, backhoes, skid steers, and telehandlers. Featured product lines available through Bierman Equipment include Solesbee's, Auger Torque, Norm Engineering, and Kinshofer attachments.
Matching Attachments to Your Machine
A tool that does not match the carrier either underperforms or wears the machine out early. A short checklist avoids both problems.
Choosing Excavator Attachments by Job and Machine Size
Start with the job, then confirm the machine. Heavy, bulky material points to a grapple, stumps point to a stump puller, and mixed work points to a thumb. Then match the attachment to the weight class of the machine, because an oversized tool is hard on the carrier and an undersized one slows the work.
Information to Bring for a Compatibility Check
- Machine make, model, and size: the weight class drives attachment sizing.
- Mounting style: pin-on or quick coupler, and which coupler type you run.
- Hydraulics: whether the machine has an auxiliary circuit for hydraulic thumbs, grapples, or drills, and its flow rating.
- Main jobs: stumps, brush, rock, loading, drilling, or a mix.
- Ground conditions: heavy clay, rocky soil, or mixed woodland change which tools last longest.
Send those details through the contact form for a fit check and dealer pricing, and our team will recommend attachments for your equipment and projects.
Keeping Attachments Working Longer
Attachments that work in dirt, rock, and roots take hard wear, and a few habits extend their life. Inspect pins, bushings, and hydraulic hoses before each job, and replace worn tips and wear parts before they damage the main structure. The Stumper, for example, uses replaceable wear tips so the tool can keep working after the tips wear down. Grease moving joints as recommended in the operator manual, and store attachments off the ground so pins and hoses stay clean and free of damage.
Solesbee's Product Brochure
The Solesbee's brochure shows the attachment lineup for excavators, loaders, dozers, and skid steers, so you can compare tools before you call. Download the Solesbee's attachment brochure and note the models that fit your machine.
Request Attachment Pricing and a Fit Check
Get Dealer Pricing and a Compatibility CheckTell us the machine you run and the work you need to do, and our team will follow up with recommended attachments and pricing.
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Bierman Equipment supplies attachments to farms and contractors nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Excavator Attachments
What attachments are available for excavators?
Solesbee's builds buckets, quick couplers, grapples, rakes, rippers, shears, and manual and hydraulic thumbs for excavators, along with a stump puller for land clearing. Share your machine size and jobs with our team to narrow the list.
What is an excavator thumb, and should I choose manual or hydraulic?
A thumb works with the bucket to grip and hold material such as logs, rock, and brush. A hydraulic thumb is controlled from the cab, while a manual thumb is a simpler option set to a fixed position. The better choice depends on how often your tasks change and whether your machine has an auxiliary hydraulic circuit.
What does a stump puller do?
The Solesbee's Stumper is designed for stump removal and land clearing. Claws on the back of each shank push stumps away from the excavator, and when paired with a thumb it can lift and stack stumps, limbs, and debris.
What is a quick coupler?
A quick coupler lets the operator exchange excavator attachments from inside the cab, which saves time and keeps the operator out of the work area. Confirm the coupler is locked before every lift.
Do you have skid steer attachments?
Yes. Featured attachments cover skid steers as well as excavators, loaders, and dozers, including rock grapples and Auger Torque earth drills and trenchers. Check the product brochure or ask our team to confirm models for your machine.
Who makes these attachments?
Solesbee's is a family-founded attachment maker established in 1993 that joined the Kinshofer Group in 2017. Bierman Equipment is a Solesbee's dealer and also features Auger Torque, Norm Engineering, and Kinshofer products.
How do I get pricing and confirm an attachment fits my machine?
Send your machine make, model, and size along with the work you plan to do through the quote request form or contact form. Our team will confirm compatibility and follow up with dealer pricing.