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....
Tue September 08, 2020
Volvo Updates, Expands Load Assist Across Wheel Loader Line; Announces Machine Updates
Volvo Construction Equipment is making its Load Assist machine control applications compatible on a wider range of Volvo CE wheel loaders, from the L60H to the L350H, and is introducing several new Load Assist applications....
Tue August 04, 2020
Volvo CE Electric Machines to Be Available for Online Booking
Volvo Construction Equipment's drive to electromobility continues to expand with the opportunity for customers in North America to prebook the ECR25 electric excavator and L25 electric wheel loader starting Aug.19....
Thu July 23, 2020
Volvo CE L45H, L50H Wheel Loaders Now Offered With High-Speed Driveline
A high-speed driveline option is now available on Volvo Construction Equipment L45H and L50H compact wheel loaders, which more than doubles top speeds from 12 to 31 mph. This allows the machines to travel more quickly between job sites and also can reduce cycle times....
Thu July 09, 2020
Takeuchi Announces EquipmentShare as New Dealer in Columbia, Mo.
Takeuchi-US has introduced EquipmentShare as a new dealer. Located in Columbia, Mo., it will be selling the full range of Takeuchi track loaders, excavators and wheel loaders. In addition to stocking parts, this location also will be an authorized Takeuchi equipment repair center to support new and existing customers....
Wed July 01, 2020
Wheel Loaders Get the Snow-Clearing Edge
Motor graders are the industry's go-to solution for clearing snow, and with good reason. It's hard to find a way to move large amounts of snow more efficiently than this tried-and-true machine....
Wed July 01, 2020
HCMA Introduces Its Newest Wheel Loader For High-Volume Production
Hitachi Construction Machinery Loaders America Inc. (HCMA) is introducing the new ZW330-6 wheel loader on the heels of the ZW370-6, recently introduced during ConExpo 2020. Designed and engineered to meet the demands of the North American market, the new model offers exceptional levels of performance without compromising on efficiency, according to the manufacturer....
Tue June 09, 2020
Case Technology Enhancements for G Series Wheel Loaders
Case Construction Equipment's G Series wheel loaders feature increased technology to improve production and the overall operating experience. These latest enhancements (standard or optionally fit based on feature) are anchored by a large touchscreen display that serves as the command center for the new integrated onboard payload system, control customizations, improved telematics and streamlined operating parameters....
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....
