Essential Attachments for Compact Wheel Loaders in Municipal Work

Municipal service crews play an important role in keeping a city looking clean and functioning properly. That involves performing a wide range of maintenance activities, such as roadway repairs, snow clearing and landscaping. Compact wheel loaders — equipped with the right attachments — can assist in all those jobs and then some. Emily Pagura, marketing manager at John Deere, shares her picks for the top compact wheel loader attachments for municipal work. They include…

Buckets

Buckets are an obvious choice as they are the most common attachments for a compact wheel loader. However, there are plenty of options to choose from depending on the job. Pagura points out two specific types for municipal work: general purpose and light material. General purpose buckets are used to handle loads of rock, dirt and salt. Light material buckets are a little larger and meant for lighter materials like mulch.

“Municipalities should also consider a specialty option like a roll-out bucket that provides additional reach, which would be a good fit when the machine will be loading trucks,” says Pagura. “They could use light material buckets to maximize volume on lighter loads and leverage roll-out buckets to improve reach and reduce repositioning when loading trucks.”

Pallet Forks

Pagura says pallet forks are another popular option for municipalities. These attachments are perfect for moving pallets of material, lengths of pipe and other large items around a municipal worksite. If height is a concern, Pagura suggests pairing forks with a high-lift or telescoping machine. This combo provides excellent reach for tall racking or shops that have bunks or lofts where materials are stored.

Root Rake/Rock Grapple

Municipal crews are often tasked with keeping things clean around town. This includes keeping public spaces clear and maintaining right-of-ways. To assist, crews can look at a root rake or rock grapple. These attachment options are ideal for gathering and moving large debris or branches. They’re especially useful in cleanup work after natural disasters like floods, tornados and hurricanes.

Snow Blades and Blowers

If a municipality experiences winter weather, a snow attachment is a must for a compact wheel loader. Pagura explains a dedicated snow blade or pusher are popular options in snow removal because operators can move large volumes of snow at a fast rate. These are great for big cleanup jobs like parking lots. A snow blower provides versatility in small areas that a larger snowplow may lack. Snow blowers typically shine in areas such as pathways, equipment yards and wide sidewalks.

“Base your snow attachment buying decision on space, and if storage space is limited, a snow blower may be the better long-term investment,” says Pagura. “A snow blower lets an operator throw snow back from roads and paths, leaving room for future snow by not creating huge drifts right along the roadway, which you may want to consider.”