Wheel Loaders, also frequently called Front End Loaders (FEL) or Bucket Loaders, have enormous potential in construction zones due to their renowned manoeuvrability and strength to deal with the task at hand.
What is a Wheel Loader?
In simple terms, a wheel loader is similar to a tractor in shape and size, with four large wheels and a front-mounted large capacity bucket on hydraulic arms, which raise and lower the bucket. The wheels cause less damage to roads and paving while providing better mobility than bull dozer tracks.
Due to the tractor-type body with an articulated joint in the middle of the body between the two heavy, weight-bearing axles, the wheel loader is extremely manoeuvrable over all terrains and capable of carrying heavy loads. This flexibility benefits the customer as the wheel loader can be utilised to move materials and products from one part of a site or to load onto trucks for transportation off the site. Front End Loaders are extremely effective at building stockpiles and then transporting the product from there to the conveyor belt, truck, or train wagon to be moved to the product’s next destination.
The design of wheel loaders enables good digging capability, even though this is not the machine’s primary function. In addition, these bucket loaders are also excellent at hauling loads over a distance, whilst maintaining economy of use.
Komatsu’s wheel loader options
From the mighty 217-ton WA1200-6 to the relatively tiny 7.5-ton WA150-5, Komatsu has a suitable wheel loader for every construction site, forestry application, landscaping, farming, or mining where lifting, carrying and moving materials is required. Due to the range of wheel loaders, there is one for every possible size of site, from residential construction through to the largest of mines.
Extra flexibility comes from the various attachments (other than buckets), which can be added to a wheel loader, such as
- Tyre Handler – to change tyres on mine sites with large mining trucks.
- Cable Reeler – for laying cables or removing them.
- Log Grapple – for lifting pipes, logs, or sugar cane.
- Forks – for lifting shipping containers, pallets or hay bales.
In addition, the quick coupler on all Komatsu wheel loaders makes it easy to change from the bucket to an attachment and back again as required.
A common conversion to the wheel loader is the ‘high lift’ configuration which allows for the load to be raised even higher than normal and loaded into taller trucks and wagons. However, it should be remembered that the bucket on the high lift configuration will be smaller than on the standard configuration due to the additional height.
Komatsu is a global leader in the supply of Japanese-engineered mining, construction, earthmoving and utility equipment in Southern Africa. The MoJo Motor Industries (MMI) Team comes with over fifty-four years of combined experience in automotive, construction and mining equipment sales and support. MMI is the official Komatsu dealer for Zimbabwe. Please direct all your pre-sales or equipment enquiries on construction loaders to our friendly staff.