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Compact wheel loaders are handy little machines, and their North American sales have been growing in recent years, especially in the under-60-horsepower class.

By Daniel C. Brown


	Three New Compact Track Loaders

“Our experience is that the larger sizes of compact loaders are more popular in North America as a result of the dominance of the skid-steer loader and the growing popularity of the compact track loader,” says David Caldwell, product marketing manager for Komatsu. “Loaders less than 40 horsepower are a very small segment of the total market. The 40- to 60-horsepower class is still popular. However, we expect that most units sold in this class are closer to 60 horsepower than 40.”

“Sales of smaller loaders are tied to the skid-steer market,” says Doug Laufenberg, product marketing manager for compact wheel loaders at John Deere. “A compact wheel loader brings more to the table than a skid-steer. You can lift and carry heavier loads than with most skid-steers.”

Plus, a compact loader won’t tear up the turf when it turns the way a skid-steer loader does. Visibility is better on a compact loader, because the operator sits up higher. And compact loaders offer greater operator comfort—the cab is larger and the seat is usually improved over a skid-steer.

Virtually all compact loaders feature hydrostatic drive systems. Usually such systems consist of a single high-pressure variable displacement hydraulic pump and a single hydraulic motor. In most machines the hydraulic motor drives through a mechanical gearbox to conventional planetary axles. Sealed, wet disk brakes are typical. And compact loaders can travel up to about 25 miles per hour.

Most manufacturers offer articulated frame steering, but there are exceptions. Gehl’s and Mustang’s compact wheel loaders generally feature a one-piece frame with all-wheel steering.

Deere offers a system called Stereo Steering, which features both an articulated frame and rear-wheel steering. “That gives you a tight turn radius with a high full-turn tip load,” says Laufenberg. “When you have Stereo Steering, you don’t have to articulate as far because the rear-wheel steering will complete the circle of your turn, and you can carry a heavier load while turning.”

Compact loaders vary in the ways they pivot vertically. Deere’s machines have both frame oscillation and rear-axle oscillation. The machine can pivot vertically at the oscillation joint in the rear axle from the center. Some machines aren’t hinged in either place, or are hinged at only one of those places.

On many machines, ride control can cushion the shock of rough ground on the machine’s lift cylinders and minimize spillage of material in load-and-carry operations. “Ride control is an important feature,” says Laufenberg. “Once an operator has it, he doesn’t want to be without it.”

Some suppliers offer high-flow hydraulic systems that enable compact loaders to run such attachments as snow blowers. “Users need higher-flow hydraulics to run the same attachments as a skid-steer loader,” Laufenberg says.

The ability to use skid-steer attachments on a compact wheel loader “has really come on strong,” says Laufenberg. A skid-steer coupler is the only one some manufacturers offer, while others offer a European style—or top-hook coupler—that is unique to compact loaders.

Volvo's quick-change coupling brackets and selection of attachments are standard.

Based on ergonomic principles, the Mustang cab is one of the most spacious on the market.

Caterpillar’s 904B compact wheel loader has 52 horsepower and uses skid-steer tires.

Buyers need to take care when mounting skid-steer attachments on compact loaders, because the larger loaders can generate higher breakout forces than some skid-steer attachments can stand. Laufenberg says it’s best to check with your equipment dealer for attachment compatibility when mounting skid-steer attachments on a compact wheel-loader.

Gehl offers four all-wheel-steer loader models that range from 39 to 75 horsepower and from 7,055 to 12,015 pounds of operating weight. Gehl says its one-piece frame improves safety, stability, and performance by remaining fixed throughout the turning circle. Gehl’s loader design uses Z-bar linkage to optimize parallel lifts; pallets can remain horizontal through the lift range without the need to readjust the forks.

From Mustang Manufacturing Co., a division of Gehl Co., comes four upgraded all-wheel-steer models—the ML28, the ML48, the ML48T, and the ML68. “Contractors looking for the safest, most reliable option in compact equipment really need to look at the all-wheel-steer loader,” says Doug Snorek, Mustang marketing manager. “The units are built with the same proven steering technology you’ll find on many telehandlers and other tight-turning compact equipment.”

Mustang says that because its loaders are designed with a load stabilizer, operators can carry a full bucket of material at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.

Using ergonomic principles to guide them, engineers redesigned the Mustang cab to be one of the most spacious on the market. “Everything from the pilot controls to the air vents is right where you need it,” says Snorek. “Inside the cab, the sight lines are excellent, and the operator’s seat can be adjusted to create a comfortable environment.”

A major goal of the redesign was to increase operator visibility from inside the cab. Excellent visibility is especially important for operators because of the Mustang’s quick-hitch attachment system. The operator needs a clear view of the system to allow for hookup and release of attachments directly from the cab.

Caterpillar’s 904B compact wheel loader has 52 horsepower, uses skid-steer tires, and features a skid-steer loader quick coupler, higher-flow hydraulics, and a Z-bar boom linkage. Caterpillar says the 904B can use a mechanical or hydraulic quick coupler to handle a wide range of Caterpillar skid-steer-loader tools, as well as compact wheel-loader tools. An auxiliary hydraulic flow of 22 gallons per minute enables the loader to work productively with such attachments as tillers, trenchers, snowblowers, and cold-asphalt planers.

Caterpillar says the Z-bar linkage gives the 904B excellent digging capability. Breakout force is 8,010 pounds. Large floor-length windows and the compact dash provide a clear line of sight to the work tool. The joystick implement control uses low-effort pilot hydraulics, and the auxiliary hydraulic circuit uses a proportional electrohydraulic control system for precise control. Operating weight is 9,810 pounds.

Caterpillar also offers the 914G and the IT14G small wheel loaders, which a spokesman says have been very popular with governmental fleet managers. The IT front allows parallel lift for easier handling of palletized materials. The 914G has 90 net horsepower and can travel up to 21.7 miles per hour in high gear.

Last year Case introduced its new E series of four compact wheel-loaders: the 21E, the 121E, the 221E, and the 321E. They produce 52, 57, 59, and 72 horsepower respectively. Operating weights of the machines range from 10,168 to 12,676 pounds.

Each of the E series loaders is equipped with a two-speed, hydrostatic transmission that allows travel speeds up to 12.4 miles per hour. An optional high-speed transmission on the two larger models can deliver a top speed of 21.7 miles per hour. Limited-slip front axles combined with excellent weight distribution give these compact wheel loaders the traction to cope efficiently with changing work conditions, Case says.

An articulated frame gives the machines a tight 41-degree turning radius for good maneuverability. An optional Ride Control feature provides improved material retention while reducing shock loads on the machine and the operator.

Case says a standard hydraulic skid-steer quick coupler system adapts to a number of Case 400 series skid-steer attachments, providing increased machine utilization. The loaders can be equipped with general-purpose buckets, 4-in-1 buckets, pallet forks, snow blades, angle brooms, augers, scrap grapple buckets, a jib boom, and more.

“Bucket rollback on the new compact wheel loaders has been increased, which means better material retention and increased productivity,” says David Wolf, marketing manager for Case Construction Equipment. “The operator can invert the bucket completely over to pull material away from walls or foundations during snow removal or landscaping operations.”

New Holland weighs into the compact loader market with two models, the W50TC and the W80TC, powered by oil-cooled Deutz engines that produce 55 and 75 gross horsepower. Operating weights are 10,173 and 12,727 pounds, and bucket capacities are 1.0 and 1.44 cubic yards.

The new boom design on the New Holland loaders features one lift cylinder and one bucket cylinder. That provides better visibility and increased dump reach, so operators can focus more on load placement and decreasing cycle times.

An integrated hydraulic coupler, a quick-attach mounting system, and built-in, front-mounted hydraulic disconnects allow the operator to move quickly and easily between job applications, New Holland says.

A two-speed, hydrostatic transmission allows travel speeds up to 12.4 miles per hour—and an optional high-speed transmission on the W80TC can produce a top speed of 21.7 miles per hour. The high-speed option includes two electronic ranges: 0 to 3.1 miles per hour and 0 to 9.9 miles per hour, plus the mechanical gear, high-speed range of 0 to 21.7 miles per hour.

“The 41-degree frame articulation allows the operator to negotiate obstacles and squeeze into the tightest spaces,” says Eric Winkler, brand marketing manager for New Holland. “The independent rear axle oscillates a full 12 degrees in either direction to climb over uneven terrain and provide stability on rough ground.”

Limited-slip front axles—combined with two outboard wet disc brakes on the front axles and excellent weight distribution—give the New Holland compact wheel loaders the traction to continue working under changing job-site conditions. Ride Control is optional.

Deere offers three compact wheel loaders with fewer than 2 cubic yards of bucket capacity. They are the 244J, the 304J, and the 324H, which have 59, 73, and 80 horsepower, respectively. Deere uses a skid-steer-type coupler.

Two-speed hydrostatic drivetrains deliver infinite travel speeds from 0 to 19 miles per hour on the 244J and the 304J. Both of those machines feature wet disc brakes in heavy-duty axles, hydraulically driven fans that run only as needed, and fuel-efficient Deere engines that run 500 hours between oil changes. Deere says the hydraulic valve lifters and serpentine belt never need adjustment. Features such as the return-to-dig, quick couple, and a high-speed travel range are standard.

Volvo Construction Equipment offers six models of compact wheel loaders with horsepower ratings that range from 54 to 100. Operating weights range from 10,030 pounds on the L20B to 18,518 pounds on the L45B. Full-turn tip loads with bucket range from 6,393 pounds to 12,125 pounds on the L45B.

Volvo says its quick-change coupling bracket and a selection of more than 60 attachments are standard. Articulating and oscillating steering provides good maneuverability, and 100% differential locks give good mobility in rough terrain.

From Komatsu come six models of compact wheel loaders. They range from the WA30-5 at 29 horsepower to the WA100-5 at 82 horsepower. Bucket capacities range from about half a cubic yard to 1.6 cubic yards. The loaders were introduced to North America in 2005.

Komatsu’s Caldwell says the features that distinguish his loaders from others include:

A delta-boom that widens from the hinge points down to the bucket connections. This provides improved visibility from the operator to the quick coupler pins and bucket.
Parallel movement of the forks.
A tilting canopy or cab that provides “unequaled access” to engine and hydraulic components.

Certain models of Komatsu’s compact wheel-loader line have a manual speed selection allowing the separation of engine speed from travel speed. That way, an operator can provide maximum hydraulic power to a front-mounted hydraulic attachment without operating the machine at maximum travel speed. Travel speed is infinitely adjustable up to maximum by simply turning a knob located at the right of the operator’s seat.

So while compact wheel loaders are not quite as maneuverable as skid-steer loaders, in general they can get more done. Your choice of machine depends on the nature of your work, your job-site conditions, and the features you need on your loader or loaders. As always, an informed buyer can make a more intelligent choice.

Daniel C. Brown owns TechniComm, a communications business.

GEC - January 2008

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