Loader (equipment)

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A Volvo L120E front loader.

A loader clearing a landslide.

A Komatsu front loader with articulated steering.

A parked Hanomag loader

A loader backhoe

A loader with a specialized claw used to carry logs around a sawmill

A loader, also called a front loader, front end loader, bucket loader, scoop loader or shovel, is a type of tractor, usually wheeled, that uses a wide square tilting bucket on the end of movable arms to lift and move material.

The loader assembly may be a removable attachment or permanently mounted. Often the bucket can be replaced with other devices or tools--for example, many can mount forks to lift heavy pallets or shipping containers, and a hydraulically-opening "clamshell" bucket allows a loader to act as a light dozer or scraper. The bucket can also be augmented with devices like a bale grappler for handling large bales of hay or straw.

Large loaders, such as the Caterpillar 950G, Volvo L120E, Caterpillar 966G, or Hitachi ZW310 usually have only a front bucket and are called Front Loaders, whereas small loader tractors are often also equipped with a small backhoe and are called backhoe loaders or loader backhoes.

Loaders are used mainly for uploading materials into trucks, laying pipe, clearing rubble, and digging. A loader is not the most efficient machine for digging as it cannot dig very deep below the level of its wheels, like a backhoe can. Their deep bucket can usually store about 3-6 cubic meters (exact number varies with the model) of earth. The front loader's bucket capacity is much bigger than a bucket capacity of a backhoe loader. Loaders are not classified as earthmoving machinery, as their primary purpose is other than earthmoving.

In construction areas loaders are also used to transport building materials - such as bricks, pipe, metal bars, and digging tools - over short distances.

Loaders are also used for snow removal, using their bucket or a snowbasket but usually they use a snowplow attachment. They clear snow from streets and highways and also parking lots. They sometimes load the snow into dump trucks which haul it away

Unlike most bulldozers, some loaders are wheeled and not tracked. However, track loaders do exist. They are sucessful where sharp edged materials or nails in construction debris would damage rubber wheels. Wheels provide better mobility and speed and do not damage paved roads as much as tracks, but this comes at the cost of reduced traction.

Unlike backhoes or standard tractors fitted with a front bucket, many large loaders do not use automotive steering mechanisms. Instead, they steer by a hydraulically actuated pivot point set exactly between the front and rear axles. This is referred to as "articulated steering" and allows the front axle to be solid, allowing it to carry a heavier weight. Articulated steering also gives reduced turning radius (and therefore higher maneuverability) for a given wheelbase. Since the front wheels and attachment rotate on the same axis, the operator is able to "steer" his load in an arc after positioning the machine, which can come in handy. The problem is that when the machine is "twisted" to one side and a heavy load is lifted high, it has a bigger risk of turning over to the "wide" side.

Front loaders gained popularity during the last two decades, especially in urban engineering projects and small earthmoving works. Many engineering vehicle manufacturers offer a wide range of loaders, the most notable are those of Caterpillar, Volvo, Komatsu and Liebherr.