Excavators and wheel loaders are both pivotal to making operations run more smoothly and efficiently on the construction site. Whilst there is some crossover in functionality, both excavators and wheel loaders have distinct features that can help you be more productive on site.
When deciding which piece of hire equipment is more suited to your project, there are a few things to consider, including looking at the type of work being done, access needs at the worksite, the dump height you need, and the bucket capacity.
What’s the difference between an excavator and a wheel loader?
Wheel loaders and excavators both have different purposes:
Excavators are primarily used for digging, trenching, and material removal. They excel in tasks like excavating foundations, demolition and dredging.
Wheel loaders are designed for moving and loading materials like dirt, gravel, sand or debris. They also help workers efficiently load material into trucks.
Hiring an excavator AND a wheel loader
Hiring both machines can often be the most efficient way to move large amounts of dirt or debris.
Wheel loaders are much more efficient at moving material than excavators and have a larger capacity bucket designed for transferring materials quickly, although they can still be used for digging. If you hire an excavator, it is ideal for breaking ground but it can’t transport as much material. For this reason, wheel loaders and excavators often work together to dig and move materials on site.
Things to consider before you hire
Bucket capacity
The bucket of a wheel loader has a larger capacity but its primary purpose is to transfer large amounts of material quickly. Excavators are great for breaking ground, but can’t transport as much material because they are primarily designed for digging. Its smaller bucket is ideal for precision tasks like digging trenches and drains, which are too intricate for the larger size of a wheel loader. However, for bulk material handling, a wheel loader is far more efficient thanks to its significantly larger bucket capacity.
Versatility
With its 360-degree range of motion, an excavator can handle tasks beyond the capabilities of equipment limited to straight-line or right-angle operation. This flexibility is particularly valuable for accessing hard-to-reach areas or navigating challenging sites where other machinery might struggle to operate effectively.
On the other hand, a wheel loader requires ample space to operate efficiently. Its front-facing functionality means it can only be used in areas where it has direct, head-on access.
Dump height
The dump height is another consideration: when you hire an excavator you will have a much higher dump height, meaning you can move materials around more freely. Wheel loaders have a lower dump height which can make them a little more difficult to operate but are generally still suited to transporting materials into large bins or tipper trucks.
Hiring an Excavator or a Wheel Loader? Call Sitex.
Sitex has a wide range of excavators and wheel loaders for hire, and our team is here to support you with a large fleet of reliable, well-maintained equipment.
We’re the experts in equipment hire for civil construction, road construction, rail construction, utility civil works and demolition projects throughout NSW, with branches strategically placed in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Give our friendly team a call or book your equipment hire using our user-friendly online ordering system.
