8 Most Common Wheel Loader Attachments
What are common wheel loader attachments?
- General Buckets
- Grapple Bucket
- Forks
- Rock Bucket
- Couplers
- Hay Handlers
- Rakes
- Tree Shears
A wheel loader is one of the most important heavy machines to have on any job site. Many common wheel loader attachments allow it to perform various tasks. From handling heavy objects to transporting materials, a wheel loader can do many things required for various projects.
This article runs through some of the most common attachments used on wheel loaders. Keep reading to learn more!
General Buckets
The standard attachment for a wheel loader is its bucket. It is available in many sizes and configurations depending on what it’s used for. Bucket attachments are used to hold dirt, clay, gravel, and loam. However, some configurations of buckets can hold aggregates and heavier materials. Most manufacturers place reflective stickers inside to guide workers while filling.
Here are some common types of bucket attachments used in the construction industry.
- General Purpose Bucket
- Light Material Bucket
- Woodchip Bucket
- Rock Bucket
These are made with different configurations to handle the materials placed inside. To avoid damage to attachments, it’s based that you use a bucket fit for the job.
Grapple Bucket
When transporting odd-sized items, construction workers turn to grapple bucket attachments. This is a flat-bottom grapple used during demolition, land clearing, and recycling plants. It comes in handy when the material being picked up does not neatly fall into your bucket.
By equipping a wheel loader with a grapple attachment, it can clear space much faster. The edge of the bucket allows it to clear trees, brushes, and various materials faster than a normal bucket. Most importantly, it can do this on a flat surface. That’s why it comes useful during demolition and clearing projects.
Forks
A wheel loader can easily become an enormous forklift with its fork attachment. This allows it to lift and move objects on crates. The pallet forks are often adjustable so that they can accommodate various sizes of pallets. Operators know how to make these forks wider or narrower depending on what is used.
There are many forks available depending on the material to be transported. Here are some common types used:
- Hydraulic Tilting Forks
- Lumber Forks
- Pallet Forks
- Hay Forks
- Block Handling Forks
- Forks, or pallet forks, make it easier to lift and move objects on pallets.
Rock Bucket
As mentioned above, there are different types of bucket attachments. One of the most used variations is the rock bucket. These are specifically made to be able to dig up rock piles and more abrasive materials. The bucket has teeth that allow it to be more durable when handling harder materials.
Aside from transporting and holding rocks, these can also be used to sort them. It can leave behind finer materials while picking up large solid rocks.
Couplers
A coupler is a special wheel loader attachment that is used to aid in changing attachments. When you attach a coupler, operators are able to switch out attachments faster and more efficiently. It eliminates the need to manually remove other forms of attachments.
With a coupler attached, it makes equipping a non-hydraulic attachment a breeze since you won’t need to leave the cab of the wheel loader. It also makes it possible to put on attachments that are from different manufacturers.
Hay Handlers
As its name suggests, a hay handler is meant to handle hay. This includes both big bales and loose hay. Hay handlers allow operators to lift, move, and stack up hay bales.
This allows them to safely transport and protects the bale from damage. Aside from that, hay can also be trimmed using a hay handler. Some attachments come with bale shears, allowing you to trim the hay bale.
Rakes
Clearing a construction site is made easier thanks to a rake attachment. These can be either a rake bucket or a rake grapple. It allows operators on a construction site to gather and collect debris found on the surface. After, the teeth of the rake help them smooth and level the soil. If it comes as a rake bucket, the excess debris can be placed inside the bucket for a clean finish.
Key Takeaway
Those were the most common wheel loader attachments. Equipping this heavy-duty machine with one of them allows them to perform more jobs, making each construction project more efficient and productive. As you embark on new projects, assess what kind of attachments you can use.
At Multico, we offer the best wheel loaders from Sinomach! They are known for their strong power system and easy operation. It can deliver maximum traction under different kinds of environments.
Aside from wheel loaders, we are also a one-stop shop for forms of heavy-duty equipment. We are here to assist you with your construction needs. Don’t hesitate to contact us here today!
