Wheel loader

The wheel loader is a special kind of a construction machine. It is applied for the transport of goods over short distances. The wheel loader is fitted with a shovel for earthmoving work. The weight of this construction machine is between 2 t and over 200 t. Wheel loader are often equipped with a scale to recognize the weight and the mass of the load.
The relative of the wheel loader is called front-loader which is mostly a tractor or Unimog. A smaller version of the wheel loader is the skid steer loader. This one improves by its small size and manoeuvrability.

The first wheel loaders were invented between 1920 and 1930 as agricultural machines with shovels driven by ropes. In the following decades began the mass production by different international companies. A wheel loader consists generally of an articulated joint, a shovel in the front, a motor and a driver’s cabin.
Wheel loaders are produced in many different sizes. Smaller wheel loaders have a performance of 20-60 kW and weigh 7,5 t. Bigger wheel loaders weigh up to 90 t and have a capacity of 70-590 kW. The frontshovel of a wheel loader has a capacity of 0,8-10,5 m². While the loaded wheel loader reaches 15 km/h, unloaded on an empty trip it reaches up to 40 km/h.
Wheel loaders can be fitted with different special equipment for fulfilling special purposes. The normal frontshovel is suitable for bulk materials like gravel and sand. The lightweight shovel is applied for higher volumes but less weight, for example cereals. Also a pallet fork handler can be attached on the wheel loader for transporting palletized goods.

The largest wheel loader broke all records with a weight of 262,174 t and a payload of 72.574 t. The wheel loader with the name LeTourneau L-2350 has a capacity of 2300 PS and is able to contain up to 40,52 m² in it’s shovel. The biggest wheel loader is applied in open-cast mining.
Well-known manufacturers of wheel loaders are Gehl, Kramer, Caterpillar, Liebherr, Volvo, Atlas Weyhausen, Terex and many more. The company Margaritis Trucks GmbH offers different kinds of wheel loaders and other construction machines by the best brands. Further the company has a large portfolio of trucks and utility vehicles. If you are interested in wheel loaders or other utility vehicles, our team of experts is pleased to advice you and to answer all your questions.