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Loaders, whether wheel or track, play a specific role at job sites and recycling facilities by smoothly and efficiently moving debris and materials for a variety of reasons. Demolition contractors and C&D recyclers rely on wheel loaders for loading, carrying and transporting materials while track loaders are useful when working in tight spaces or on certain terrains.

Without wheel loaders and track loaders, the production process on a jobsite would be slow and disjointed.

It is important for contractors and C&D recyclers to be aware of their needs and knowledgeable of the machines they wish to purchase in order to get the most out of them.

"Demo contractors and recyclers should purchase a machine capable of meeting their production requirements," says David Wolf, marketing manager, Case Construction Equipment Inc., Racine, Wis. For example, if an operator largely works on muddy jobsites, then a track loader would be more beneficial than a wheel loader, which is built to handle larger loads and move at faster speeds.

"As far as wheel loaders vs. track loaders, it really depends on the application," says David O’Keeffe, product marketing manager - wheel loaders, John Deere, Moline, Ill. Since wheel loaders tend to have more capacity and travel at faster speeds, if there is a need for transporting across some distance, the wheel loader cycle time would be quicker, he adds.

Kelly Moore, product manager - skid steers and compact track loaders, for Gehl, West Bend, Wis., says contractors and recyclers should keep certain terrain limitations in mind when considering a track loader for a given operation. "In harsh applications track loaders have high potential for wear and accelerated problems with tracks," Moore says. "Track loaders are better used for landscaping and construction purposes," he adds.

Finding a machine that is comfortable for the operator is also a necessity. Manufacturers suggest purchasing a wheel loader with ride control to give the operator better machine control. With this feature, the lift cylinders act as shock absorbers to cushion the load when the machine travels over rough conditions. The smoother the ride, the more work the operator will be able to accomplish, according to manufacturers.

Purchasing the right size machine is also critical. Wheel loaders come in many sizes, ranging from compact to massive. "Each loader is picked per application based on criteria like production, space and owning and operating costs," says Nick Tullo, market communicator and product specialist for the Hauler and Loader business line for Volvo Construction Equipment Inc., Asheville, N.C.

If a demo contractor or C&D recycler purchases a machine that is too small for his operation, he could force the machine to load more than it can handle, which contributes to early wear and tear. "We strongly suggest that a recycling operation carefully consider its load requirements," Wolf says.

Ease of service and maintenance is another factor contractors and recyclers need to take into consideration. Busy recyclers and contractors don’t want to waste time accessing the parts to be cleaned. "For wheel loaders, contractors and C&D recyclers should look for ground-line daily maintenance checks, fluid sight gages and easy access to all components," Wolf says.

When looking to purchase a track loader, Gregg Zupancic, product marketing manager, skid steers & compact track loaders, John Deere, Moline, Ill., suggests purchasers ask the dealer about the expected life of the undercarriage and tracks in hours under given conditions. He also suggests asking for a parts price summary of all the parts needed to rebuild the undercarriage as well as the cost of the rubber tracks.

A mistake some contractors and C&D recyclers make when purchasing any type of equipment is choosing a manufacturer based solely on initial cost. "Initial cost is only one part of the story," says Tullo. "Dealer relationships/location, life of machine, owning and operating costs and financing all play a vital role in turning profits."

Contractors and C&D recyclers should also consider the service level of dealerships, plus parts availability and training. It would be in their best interest to talk to their peers who own this type of equipment if they have had any problems or if they can offer any advice.

A challenge contractors and C&D recyclers face when using wheel loaders and track loaders on the jobsite is the damage their tires and tracks can encounter.

The two most common types of tires contractors and recyclers use are solid and foam-filled. "It’s up to the owner to understand his operations and choose which tire is most cost-effective and suitable for the job," Tullo says. "The solid tires are not the most ride-friendly, but offer superior protection from debris; foam-filled, on the other hand, still have the characteristic of a pneumatic tire with the durability of a solid tire," he says.

Moore agrees that purchasing foam-filled or non-pneumatic tires should be mandatory when it comes to maintaining productivity and eliminating the likelihood of getting flat tires.

To expand the lifespan of their tires, contractors and recyclers should always be aware of where the wheel loader is being operated. They should avoid riding over material that could cut, tear or puncture the tires. Manufacturers also recommend not spinning the wheels, as it can cause loss of power.

Tullo says a good way to prevent debris from touching the tires is to equip the loader with a long boom, that way the bucket will be far in front of the tires.

A track loader, on the other hand, eliminates the worry of tire punctures because it runs on a track, but if the track system is damaged it can be costly to repair, manufacturers warn. The maintenance on a track loader versus a wheel loader involves checking track tension once every 50 hours or so. "And if necessary, it is good operator procedure to clean your track undercarriage from debris, especially if overnight conditions will cause freezing," Zupancic says.

Wheel loaders are versatile machines that allow contractors to change attachments as needed for particular jobs. The wheel loader attachments range from the bucket, for debris clean-up, to forks, for recyclables/debris separation and/or cleanups, to brooms, for final jobsite clean-ups, Tullo says.

The most popular of the attachments is the bucket which comes in different types including the general purpose bucket, scrap grapple buckets and the four-in-one bucket. The general purpose bucket is useful for digging into piles of material, while the scrap grapple bucket can pick up and move loose and oddly shaped materials. The four-in-one bucket, as its name implies, can be do everything from digging to moving and dozing.

Track loaders also have a variety of attachments that make them more versatile on a jobsite. "Beyond the traditional buckets and pallet forks, you can mount a hydraulic breaker, shears to cut steel, heavy-duty grapples, sweepers and more," Zupancic says. Attachments can be easily switched out on a jobsite as to not disrupt the flow of production.

Machine safety is a large concern among demo contractors and C&D recyclers, and it is up to the manufacturers to go above and beyond when it comes to the loader safety features. "All loader manufacturers are required to provide safe machines, hand rails, anti-slip areas, etc.," Tullo says. Wheel loaders should also have cab protection to prevent damage to the cab and to protect operators from falling debris.

All the features found on both wheel loaders and track loaders add to their value on a jobsite. The easily changeable attachments save time, and with features such as ride control, operators are able to do more work. Without such advantages, C&D recycling and demolition operations wouldn’t run as efficiently.