Wheel loaders, also known as front end loaders or bucket loaders,are used primarily for material handling, digging, road building, site preparation and load-and-carry. The earliest versions were actually small agricultural tractors outfitted with a loader bucket to transport light materials. Over time these machines evolved, first as rigid frame wheel loaders in the late 1930s, then to articulated wheel loaders in the 1940s.
Wheel loaders, also known as front end loaders or bucket loaders,are used primarily for material handling, digging, road building, site preparation and load-and-carry. The earliest versions were actually small agricultural tractors outfitted with a loader bucket to transport light materials. Over time these machines evolved, first as rigid frame wheel loaders in the late 1930s, then to articulated wheel loaders in the 1940s.
As wheel loaders increased in size, safety concerns arose, particularly concerning the positioning of the loader pivot arm. These concerns ledto the adoption of a front mounted pivot in the late 1950s. Hough was one of the first manufacturers to produce a wheel loader with a safer design, followed quickly by Caterpillar, Case and Allis-Chalmers.
Today's wheel loaders are comprised of a pivoted frame with the engine mounted over the rear wheels. A cab or canopy rests over the frame. The machine's pivot arrangement gives the wheel loader the ability to work in small turning circles.
Wheel Loaders News and New Products
Fri September 01, 2017
Strategy Improves Total Operation for Britton Industries
Family-owned and operated Britton Industries, a producer of natural and dyed mulches, screened topsoil, leaf compost and aggregate products, has been servicing the landscaping and construction markets of central New Jersey and southern Pennsylvania for more than 28 years....
Thu May 28, 2020
Volvo H-Series 2.0 Wheel Loaders: New Hydraulics and Optimized Transmission for Faster Cycle Times
The H-Series wheel loaders from Volvo Construction Equipment take a proven machine and add the latest technology, including the next-generation OptiShift and new load-sensing hydraulics and transmission....
Tue April 28, 2020
Komatsu WA800-8 Wheel Loader Increases Fuel Efficiency, Features New Technology
With newly designed front and rear frame and loader linkages, the Tier IV Komatsu WA800-8 wheel loader has the most durable chassis in model history, according to the manufacturer.* On display at the Komatsu booth at ConExpo-Con/AGG 2020, the 254,700 lb....
Thu April 16, 2020
Doosan Introduces DL580-5 Wheel Loader to Serve Aggregate, Mining, Construction Markets
Doosan Infracore North America LLC is expanding its wheel loader lineup with the new DL580-5 wheel loader. This machine offers customers a two-pass fill wheel loader for over-the-road, 24-ton capacity trucks, improving operational efficiency and reducing load-out cycle times....
Wed April 15, 2020
ESCO Ultralok U60 Adapters Now Offered With Wear Cap Option for Loaders and Excavators
Working closely with customers in demanding wheel loader and excavator applications, ESCO identified the need for additional adapter protection. Large quarry and small mining class loader conditions can be extremely abrasive, accelerating top adapter wear....
Wed April 08, 2020
ESCO Nemisys Lip System for Wheel Loaders
With more than 4,000 digging hours of testing and validation, ESCO's Nemisys Lip System for wheel loaders offers a distinct advantage for global mining operations, according to the manufacturer. The Nemisys tooth system is a field-proven performer with installations on more than 500 machines worldwide....
Sat April 04, 2020
Doosan Showcases DL Hybrid Wheel Loader
A prototype hybrid iteration of the Doosan DL200-5 wheel loader — simply designated as DL Hybrid — was shown for the first time in North America during ConExpo-Con/AGG 2020, March 10-14. Hybrid model configurations could be available in North America as early as 2023....
Sat March 28, 2020
Wacker Neuson Articulated Wheel Loader Line Expands
In 2019, Wacker Neuson introduced its largest articulated wheel loader model, the WL95, and has additional models planned for later in 2020. The WL95 has received excellent reviews for its performance and high payload in a compact design, allowing operators to load, move and place material more efficiently, according to the manufacturer....
Tue March 24, 2020
Hyundai Launches A Series Wheel Loaders, Introduces HL930A, Adds CVT to HL975 Model
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas introduced the HL930A and HL975CVT wheel loader models, and launches the first models in its new A Series that feature Cummins Performance Series engines at at ConExpo-Con/AGG....
Mon March 23, 2020
Caterpillar Expands Cat Command for Loading to Small Wheel Loaders
Caterpillar announces the expansion of Cat Command for Loading to its small wheel loader line. Removing the operator from the machine, Command provides semi-autonomous remote operation of Cat 926M, 930M and 938M models to increase operating safety in potentially hazardous operating environments....
Thu March 12, 2020
Hyundai Debuts New Models, New Services at ConExpo-Con/AGG 2020
Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas this week at ConExpo-Con/AGG 2020 introduces new and enhanced models, A Series models exclusively powered by Cummins Performance Series engines, and the integration of new services under the Hyundai Intelligence Care brand....
