Because wheel loaders have become the (almost) all-rounders on the site, we restrict to those with buckets and no additional equipment. They are available in smallest size that fits through the door up to more than 200 tonnes empty weight with man-sized bucket and even larger wheels. They can be driven mechanically or hydrostatically, a transfer of engine torque to the drive by hydraulics.

The bucket is mounted either fixed or easy to change at a kind of supporting structure. That are two connected support arms, which are fixed to the frame of the front axle, pivotable over an angle of approximately 90°. For loading over very high side walls, with grain for example, the support arms can be hydraulically extendable, even more steps at greater demand.

At the other end of the support arms, the bucket likewise is mounted pivotable. Here are two tilt cylinders necessary additionally to the already existing lifting ones. They may be arranged so that they will have to develop significantly greater force, which is to fold the bucket upwards, by pulling or pushing. The latter is achieved by reversing levers, called Z-kinematics (video 1) in contrast to P-kinematics (pictures above).

The bucket must be in the lowest positon of the support arms still be adjusted at least horizontally and in the highest tiltable, even if the wheel loader itself is tilted to the maximum. Significantly more complex is the linkage of bucket, if it is to be tilted laterally or changed quickly. In the latter case it is hooked on at the top and secured below by bolts. Important characteristics of wheel loaders are the bucket size, the maximum lift capacity and the possible overturning moment forward. 04/16