Wheel loaders are the heavy construction machinery that are found on most construction sites because of their versatility and powerful performance. They’re available with different types of attachment capabilities to perform multiple functions without wasting time and money. Material handling and transportation is their most common use where they lift aggregates into dump trucks and transport them where needed.
If you want to find some useful information regarding used loader purchase then this article is just for you. Here we’ll cover everything necessary to know about wheel loaders to find the right model for your projects.
Wheel Loaders Uses
Used Wheel Loaders for Sale in HOUSTON, TEXAS are used for a wide range of applications that include construction, agriculture, landscaping, mining, and snow removal. They are mostly used on the construction sites to move materials, digging, trenching, and removing debris to clear the site. In farming areas, they’re important to load and transport the feed and other materials. Contractors use them for landscaping as well, where they’re used for grading, leveling, transportation, and other tasks. They are essential for moving ores and can be fitted with different attachments for crucial tasks like clearing roads, parking lots, construction sites, or snow removal in winter.
Attachments of a Wheel Loader
Wheel loader is not just available with a bucket. This means that bucket is just an attachment that can be replaced by other attachments for performing different tasks like material handling, debris removal, pallet handling, digging, snow removal, etc. Thus we have a variety of attachments for a single piece of equipment to perform multiple tasks at the same time. These are:
Forks: Used for lifting and transporting palletized materials mostly in warehouses and construction sites.
Couplers: allow quick replacement between different attachments like buckets, forks, augers, etc. while improving efficiently.
Grapples: used for handling loose materials or irregularly shaped materials like debris, rocks, scrap material, etc.
Augers: designed for drilling holes in the ground for fencing, planting, construction, and more. Functions of hydraulic power to rotate for digging deep and precise holes.
Snow Blades: designed for snow removal from the roads, parking lots, walkways, etc. Some blades are V-shaped for efficient displacement.
Brooms: used for sweeping debris, dirt, bushes, leaves, light snow, and other loose materials from paved surfaces. They’ve rotating bristles to clean everything from the surface.
Rakes: they could be Landscape rakes – soil leveling, clearing rocks, and surface grading, Rock rakes – to separate and remove the rocks from soil or gravel, and Debris rakes – for clearing brush, roots, and small vegetation.
Thus, the list of capabilities of a wheel loader goes on with these attachments. That’s why they’re a popular demand among contractors in Houston. Available at affordable rates at Mico Equipment used construction equipment inventory from famous manufacturers around the world.
Potential Hazards With a Wheel Loader
Any kind of equipment used on a construction site for lifting heavy leads can have potential hazards, and wheel loaders are no exception. Make sure that there’s no chance of bystander injuries on the site. Be aware of the surroundings and make sure that no one is around the equipment and that all the safety protocols are in place.
Loaders are basically used for carrying and transporting heavy materials on the job site so there could be a chance of tipping. Therefore, it should never be unstable to avoid the danger. Transport the materials as low as possible to the ground and try to place the bucket containing the material below the tractor. This way, it would be more stable and less risky.
Also, avoid carrying the maximum weight because it would make the equipment tilt over, especially on the angled ground. Although wheels have the capability to work on uneven grounds it doesn’t mean you can carry as much as you want. Always carry half of the capacity of the leader and keep the speed slower if the terrain is uneven to avoid the risk of rollovers.
Maintenance Tips For a Wheel Loader
Wheel loaders also require maintenance regularly to function properly. So you need to check the fluids like engine oil, hydraulic fluid, coolant, and transmission fluid regularly and change them as per the manufacturer’s recommendations. Inspect the tires for pressure and wear to ensure good stability on the ground. Lubricate the moving parts regularly i.e. joints and bearings. For that, you can follow the manufacturers’ guidelines.
Also, clean the loader regularly because dirt can significantly affect the functionality of the machine and can cause premature wear. Pay close attention to the air filters and radiator. Inspect the components like bucket teeth, cutting edges, and hydraulic hoses, for wear over time and replace them regularly because it cannot only reduce the functionality and efficiency but can also cause more issues.
Tips to Buy the Right Wheel Loader
Always choose the equipment according to the nature of the job because there are a lot of options to confuse buyers. This means that the right size and attachment consideration would be enough to meet your job requirements. Firstly you have to choose the right type of heavy machine according to the project terrain. The size of the wheel loader depends upon the scale of the project. The bucket capacity and the arm stretch are all you have to consider.
Wheel loader comes in compact, mid, and large sizes;
- The compact or small-sized wheel loaders are commonly used for landscaping projects to dig and move materials. They’ve got an operating range of 1 – 5 tons which is perfect for lawn or patio projects with the attachments like forks and rakes.
- Mid-sized wheel loaders range from 5 – 6.5 tons operating capacity and this is a good option for handling heavy materials on the construction sites.
- Large-sized loaders have an operating range from 7.5 – 17 tons which is enough for loading trucks with gravels and other heavy-duty tasks.
Is it Worth Buying a Used Wheel Loader?
Budget, machine condition, and intended use are all the factors that determine whether buying a used wheel loader is a good decision or not. However, there are many benefits of buying used heavy equipment like wheel loaders;
Lower initial cost: because they are significantly cheaper than the newer models and are ideal for small businesses or startups.
Lower depreciation: as new machines lose value quickly so used models depreciate slower.
Proven reliability: buying used models from reputable companies like Mico Equipment is just the best thing you can do for your business. As we sell used equipment from brands like Caterpillar, Komatsu, Volo, and more, you will never regret investing in our machinery.
Faster availability: doesn’t require waiting for manufacturing your model. Used machinery is always readily available. The best choice for short-time construction projects.
Buy High-Quality Wheel Loaders from Top Manufacturers
For high-quality, affordable, and used Wheel Loaders for Sale in HOUSTON, TEXAS, explore the Mico Equipment Construction Machinery portfolio and choose the right model for your project. Visit our store today in Houston, Texas for a more realistic experience of our large inventory and a wide variety of high-quality loaders from top manufacturing brands like Caterpillar, Jon Deere, Komatsu, Volvo, and more.