Digging Deeper: The Inner Workings of Front-End Loaders
Are you looking to take things deeper with a new front end loader? Whether its loading and transporting material or
clearing large debris, Ritchie List has a huge assortment of various wheel loaders that your business and projects
can count on. If you’re a first time loader buyer, no problem, we can help you learn more about the various types,
its functions & more.
If you're looking to accessorize your wheel loader to take it to the next level, we offer a variety of wheel loader attachemtns such as
new buckets, forks, grapples and much more!
What is a wheel loader and what are they used for?
Loaders are heavy machines that are specifically designed to lift and move heavy loads of various types of
material such as dirt, rocks, gravel or debris buy using a large bucket that is attached at the front of the
machine.
The bucket is typically made of steel and can vary in size depending on the application. Front-end loaders are used
in a variety of industries where heavy lifting and transportation is required over short distances. While they do
have the capability to transport their loads over long distances, it’s not the most efficient use of the machine. A
better alternative would be to use a combination of an excavator and a dump truck or articulated dump truck.
Front end loader buckets are designed to be efficient in how much material it contains, and depending on the type of
wheel loader, lifting capacities can range from 1,500 lbs to 60,000 lbs. But front end loaders are often slow
machines, making it inefficient to transport large payloads as opposed to using a dump truck.
Wheel loaders are very common in construction and agriculture, but they can also be used in mining, forestry, and
other industries. In the mining industries, you’ll find wheel loaders like the Cat 998 or the Komatsu WA900 which
move large loads of raw ore, coal and other heavy minerals. Farmers can rely on the strength of wheel loaders,
though smaller in size these types of loaders are used to transport hay bales, transporting livestock feed, and even
loading manure into spreaders.
How are wheel loaders operated?
The lift arm and bucket combination is home to many, like excavators or backhoe loaders. Wheel loaders have two
levers that control the lift arm and the bucket separately. One lever controls the arms upwards & downwards
position where the second arm will control the tilt of the bucket.
What are the different types of front-end loaders
There are two main types of front-end loaders, wheel loaders and tracked loaders. As the name suggests,
wheel loaders have four large rubber wheels which are suited for harder and more stable surfaces such as
roads or dry dirt roads. Due to its simpler wheel system, these loaders have less maintenance and repair
costs as there’s less moving parts.
A tracked wheel system is usually more complex and has more moving parts which require more attention during
ownership. However tracked systems have more ground contact to a rubber wheel system and offers far superior
traction in all environments, especially softer and wet surfaces. Tracked wheel loaders also offer a far
greater turn radius than a wheeled loader as they would have to drive around (think how a skid steer would
turn around).
Skid steer loaders
are essentially smaller versions of a front end loader and are offered in both wheeled
and tracked systems. These smaller loaders are great for projects in urban environments but also pulls its
weight in a construction site.
What's the difference between a front end loader and a backhoe loader
While the backhoe loader is a type of loader,
it's still quite different than a front end loader or wheel loaders
as they serve different purposes and industries.
Wheel loaders are designed to lift and transport large amounts of
material, heavy debris with its large bucket and massive liftting capacities. As mentioned earlier, the wider
bucket at the front of the vehicle is used to
scoop up and move dirt, gravel, sand, or other materials. You'll find front-end loaders are common in mining,
agriculture, and construction projects.
On the other hand, a backhoe is a type of excavating equipment that has a digging bucket on the back of the
vehicle and a loader bucket on the front. Think of it as a smaller wheel loader thats better suited for urban
construction projects. It is designed to dig and excavate materials, as well as to lift and
transport them. The backhoe is capable of digging holes, trenches, and foundations, and is commonly used in
excavation and construction projects which make it a great alternative for mini excavators, but not for a wheel
loader.