Loader Overview: Small Articulated Loaders Give Big Machine Power in Tight, Delicate Workspaces
Small articulated loaders are the smallest breed of sit-down wheel loaders on the market. The category is not new. As has often been the case with new compact equipment concepts, small articulated loaders began life in Europe. This makes sense as the machines’ small footprint and maneuverability are an advantage in the old country’s narrow streets and tight modern cities. Euro companies like MultiOne and Avant Tecno have been producing these cool articulating tool carriers since the 1990s, but recently two important American machine brands got into the market — Bobcat and Vermeer. The latter purchased a minority equity investment in MultiOne and works together with the Italian-based manufacturer to sell Vermeer’s compact articulated loader line.
“In Europe, those confined operating environments can be a big challenge to transport a full-size wheel loader and for operators to work efficiently on smaller jobsites,” explains Trevor Koolmees, sales manager for Vermeer Environmental Equipment. “Because of those advantages, the use of small articulated loaders is expanding in North America today. Vermeer made the decision to expand into this product category a couple of years ago at the request of our dealers and customers.”
These units are like traditional wheel loaders in many ways, including fast travel speeds and articulating steering, but are super small. Compared to a skid steer or mini skid steer that employs zero turn skidding, articulation is easier on tires, easier on turf and better on fuel efficiency.
How do these units differ from smaller wheel loaders? For starters, different jobs. Small articulated loaders excel at backyard work, where units can carry small pallets of block or landscape materials with minimal turf disturbance because of the unit’s articulation. They are also sized to fit on most sidewalks and walking paths for snow removal and general debris cleanup. They are super easy to transport compared to a compact wheel loader or skid steer, and the smaller variety definitely sports a more economical price tag. Many tree care contractors are pairing these small, nimble loaders with brush chippers, for example.
Rayco’s Monster Model
Morbark LLC debuted the Rayco 4000AWL articulated wheel loader late last year. The 4000AWL is outfitted with a standard skid steer attachment plate and can accommodate many attachments. The telescoping boom provides excellent lifting and dumping height, enabling loading on high-sided trucks and other applications that require extended reach. The 4000AWL has a maximum lift height (measured at the hinge pin) of 126 in. With its 48-hp Isuzu 4LE2T diesel engine, the 4000AWL generates a working lift capacity of 4,000 lbs. The small footprint (the 4000AWL is only 56.63 in. wide) and articulating design give operators the agility they need to maneuver in close quarters, such as small yards or narrow pathways. At the same time, the turf tires provide minimal turf disruption when making turns. For more info, visit morbark.com/brand/rayco.
“The loaders help them move material from wherever a tree was taken down to the chipper, usually parked on the street during residential jobs,” Koolmees notes. “Other types of loaders [skid steers or compact track loaders] tend to cause a lot of turf damage, and larger loaders don’t fit where crews need them to go. The Vermeer ATX line gives contractors an ideal solution for getting bulky chunks of wood where they need to go.”
Of course, the originators of these tool carriers are still heavily invested in America. One of them is Avant Tecno U.S.A., a Finnish OEM. Avant offers 14 loaders and over 200 attachments in North America that are designed to provide minimal ground damage, increase efficiency and reduce labor on jobsites including tree care, landscaping, property maintenance, construction, demolition and more. Beau Slavens is president of the company, and he says that the biggest hurdle for Avant in the beginning was that the United States was a very skid steer-driven market. In the 10 years since Avant entered the American market, many of those skid steer owners have become Avant owners themselves.
“Everyone in the U.S. seemed to have a skid steer for all applications and jobs. Avant was a foreign concept and people were confused by it,” he explains. “Now, we’re becoming a well-respected brand in the industry. Just to put it into perspective: The big players are now manufacturing compact loaders because they see the kind of buzz and brand loyalty we’re earning in this space.”
He’s right, and they’re collectively just scratching the surface. Small articulated loaders have lots of potential in a variety of segments.
“Any operator looking to get excellent lifting capacity in a compact machine will appreciate Bobcat’s small articulated loaders,” says Sarah Peckskamp, marketing manager, Doosan Bobcat North America. “Not only do small articulated loaders lift and handle heavy loads, they deliver precise maneuverability thanks to the articulation joint that enables the rear tires of the loader to match the path of the front tires as they turn. This results in a highly nimble machine that navigates around obstacles with ease and works well in enclosed yards and small work zones.”
A Different Kind of Compact Loader
With their tight-turning articulation and light overall footprint, small articulated loaders limit cuts or tears when turning or hauling a load. “This leads to fewer surface repairs after the job is complete,” Peckskamp says. “And, in addition, small articulated loaders are a highly transportable and relatively lightweight solution that enables customers to quickly get their machine to the jobsite and get to work. It will easily fit on pan trailers, dump trailers — and even some enclosed trailers that are utilized for small-frame skid steer loaders.”
One reason Peckskamp thinks compact articulated loaders are gaining in popularity is because they are — in many respects — the smallest machine on the market today featuring an operator’s seat.
“It’s true that [stand-on] mini skid steer loaders can do many of the same jobs as compact articulated loaders and are just as easy to maneuver and transport,” she notes. “But for applications that require long hours of operation, most contractors prefer to sit behind the controls instead of standing. Also, compact articulated loaders carry the weight of the machine higher and articulate on turns, resulting in less turf damage when transporting material.”
Bobcat offers two small articulated loaders. Powered by 24.8-hp, 2,600-rpm engines, the L23 and L28 are compact enough to fit in small lots, backyards and other tight jobsites and tough enough to take on the job with minimal ground disturbance. Operators will use a steering wheel and joystick to operate, a heated cab enclosure and heated seat are options and there are loads of attachments to choose from due to utilizing a Bob-Tach interface. The bigger Bobcat L28 model even has a telescoping lift arm that extends up to 24 more in. to a lift height of 104 in. The telescoping lift arm includes an innovative dual-cylinder design that keeps the load level as you move the bucket.
Vermeer offers three models in its compact articulated loader (ATX) lineup — the ATX530, ATX720 and ATX850. These ATX mini compact loaders also feature telescopic booms, allowing customers great reach on the jobsite.
“This feature is really what separates this equipment class from other compact loaders,” Koolmees notes. “The design of the boom allows these machines to lift radially and vertically. They follow a radial path when raising the arm in the air, and once they are fully raised, they will vertically extend. This is a unique quality because it allows the loader to position itself close to a dump trailer, retaining wall, fence or whatever, lift the arms and then extend over. With traditional loaders, operators typically only have the option of getting close or extending over — not both.”
Small articulated loaders have multiple advantages for their size — faster travel speeds, gentler on turf (especially when turning) and a higher dump height than a similar-sized machine. “These loaders also come with a steering wheel, making it easier to train a new operator,” Koolmees notes. “The suspension system gives operators superior ride comfort, and the operator station sits higher for better visibility of the surrounding area.”
As with any attachment/tool carrier, compact articulated loaders are designed to be versatile. These machines take lots of powered and non-powered hydraulic implements, and usually the auxiliary hydraulic power to the attachment hovers around 12 to 15 gpm. The Vermeer ATX530 compact articulated loader comes with a 25-hp Kubota D1305 diesel engine and has an impressive telescopic boom that extends 21.6 in. for loading materials to a dump height of 108.3 in. (hinge pin height). It has a rated operating capacity (straight) of 933 lbs, while having a standard weight of 2,711 lbs with rear weights and without attachments. This lift-capacity-to-weight ratio allows contractors to use a lighter machine, while still being able to carry heavy materials on the jobsite.
“Applications we see these machines being used for most frequently involve moving material, whether with a set of forks for palleted material or a bucket for loose landscaping material,” Koolmees notes. “The telescopic boom also gives these units an excellent reach for loading material onto or into a truck. The other thing to note is that compact articulated loaders have fast travel speeds compared to different compact loader types and excellent ride comfort for the operator.”
Got Grapples? Consider Bobcat’s Log Grapple for Mini Skid Steers and Small Articulated Loaders
To meet the challenging demands of landscaping and site clearing jobs, Bobcat Co. announced the launch of a log grapple attachment last year for its mini track loaders and small articulated loaders. Whether felling trees, loading logs onto trailers or transporting material, this free-hanging attachment adds superior force and agility where operators need it most. The log grapple comes equipped with heavy-duty teeth and reinforced tines, providing outstanding grip when managing unwieldy logs and brush. Rope bollards provide an additional anchor point, assisting with stability while at work. Operators will appreciate the log grapple’s 56-in. wide opening and rotation in all directions for increased productivity, reliability and ease of use. The design allows for easy clamping of logs and piles of brush, clearing areas — even in confined spaces — more quickly. For more info, visit bobcat.com.
Vermeer also makes the beastly ATX850 compact articulated loader, which boasts a rated operating capacity (straight) of 1,590 lbs and a tip capacity (straight) of 3,177 lbs, with a telescopic boom extending 29.1 in. for loading materials to a dump height of 117.3 in. All of these specs come with pros and cons, depending on the application and operation.
“Articulated loaders’ weight distribution differs from skid steers and compact track loaders, making them a good option for pairing with attachments designed to transport material or along a surface,” Koolmees says. “However, there is a trade off. When digging or pushing dense, heavy material, these units will not be as productive as other loader types.”
Generally speaking, Koolmees says, manufacturers offer compact articulated loaders ranging from 1,000 to 3,500 lbs in lift capacity with an engine range from 25- to 57-hp.
“Those specifications are important because not every contractor’s needs are the same,” he notes. “Some may be looking for a machine with a high lift capacity, while others need a unit with more auxiliary hydraulic flow for running ground engaging attachments. The Vermeer compact articulated loader line has units designed to address both of those needs.”
Also, varying brands will offer varying options to entice customers — full cab enclosers, air conditioning and heat, plexiglass windows, LED working lights and beacons, quick-attach systems, engine block heaters, counterweights, torque dividers and tire and tread options. Bobcat even offers two operational modes. When utilizing Bobcat’s small articulated loaders, Peckskamp explains, the machine automatically enables one of two traction modes, based on operation — high traction and turf safe. When the steering wheel is not turning, high traction mode provides excellent control and mobility over rough or slippery terrain. The turf-safe mode keeps the wheels from scrubbing on the ground while actively steering, causing the least possible ground disturbance. The result…
“Doosan Bobcat compact articulated loaders are proving very popular with landscapers today, because our engineers have taken care to make sure the machines can work effectively while inflicting minimal wear and tear on lawns,” Peckskamp says.
But we suspect more and more trade pros will see the advantages of these articulating tool carriers, and we’ll keep you updated on their progress.
Jack Roberts is a freelance writer for Compact Equipment.
