About Wheel Loaders
Wheel loaders are some of the most versatile and widely used machines in industries like construction, mining, agriculture, forestry, landscaping, recycling, and landfill operations. Their ability to work with a variety of front-mounted buckets—such as general-purpose, multipurpose, wood chip, rock, and more—makes them ideal for excavating, scooping, lifting, and transporting materials like rocks, bricks, snow, mulch, and other aggregates. Additionally, by swapping out the bucket for attachments like forks, blades, grapples, or rippers, wheel loaders can take on tasks like demolition, backfilling, scrapping, ripping, and more.
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Cost & Size Categories
Wheel loaders, also known as “tire loaders,” vary widely in cost, with prices ranging from a few thousand dollars to over $1 million, depending on size, capacity, and features. These machines are typically grouped into four size categories: compact, small, medium, and large.
- Compact Wheel Loaders: These machines usually have engines producing less than 80 horsepower (60 kilowatts) and operating weights under 1 ton (0.91 metric tons). They are ideal for smaller jobs where agility and precision are critical.
- Small & Medium Wheel Loaders: These models offer more power and greater bucket capacities for handling moderate to heavy loads, making them suitable for medium-scale construction projects, landscaping, and agricultural use.
- Large Wheel Loaders: At the upper end of the spectrum, large wheel loaders can have engines producing anywhere from 250 to over 1,000 horsepower (186 to 745 kilowatts), with operating weights exceeding 260 tons (235 metric tons). These models are typically found in heavy-duty applications such as mining and large-scale material handling.
When selecting a wheel loader, important factors to consider include engine size, lift reach, lift capacity, bucket capacity, breakout force, and operating weight. You’ll also want to think about the type of material you’ll be moving regularly and whether you’ll need to pair the loader with other equipment. Although crawler loaders offer better traction and stability on rough terrain, wheel loaders are generally faster, more maneuverable, quieter, and more fuel-efficient.
Popular Brands & Models
Popular manufacturers of new and used wheel loaders include CASE, Caterpillar, John Deere, Hyundai, JCB, Komatsu, and Volvo. These companies offer models across all size categories, catering to a wide range of applications.
For example, Volvo offers wheel loaders ranging from a compact 64-horsepower (47-kilowatt) model with a 0.9-cubic-yard (0.7-cubic-meter) bucket and an operating weight of 9,877 pounds (4,480 kilograms) to a 532-horsepower (396-kilowatt) model with a 16.6-cubic-yard (12.7-cubic-meter) bucket and an operating weight of 123,459 pounds (56,000 kilograms). Similarly, Caterpillar has models from a compact 42-horsepower (31-kilowatt) machine with a 1.3-cubic-yard (1-cubic-meter) bucket and a 9,414-pound (4,270-kilogram) operating weight to a giant 1,739-horsepower (1,296-kilowatt) model with a 57-cubic-yard (43.5-cubic-meter) bucket, an operating weight of 534,852 pounds (242,604 kilograms), and a massive 45-ton (40.8-metric-ton) carrying capacity per pass.
Find the Right Wheel Loader
BestUsedEquipment.com offers a broad selection of new and used wheel loaders from leading manufacturers like CASE, Caterpillar, John Deere, Volvo, Hyundai, Komatsu, and more. Whether you need a compact model for smaller jobs or a large machine for heavy-duty applications, we have the perfect wheel loader to meet your requirements.