Wheeling & dealing: wheel loaders and loader backhoes help contractors and recyclers get the job done.

With the trend toward controlled demolition fostering a growing presence of excavators on demolition sites and construction and demolition recycling yards, loaders haven't been far behind. Capable of being fixed with an arsenal of different attachments, wheel loaders and loader backhoes have earned a place of increasing prominence in the C&D industry as versatile material handling equipment.

"In demolition, [loaders] are not the primary knocking-down unit," says Dave O'Keeffe, product marketing manager for the John Deere Construction and Forest Equipment (headquartered in Moline, Ill.) line of four-wheel drive loaders. "They'd be the ones to move the rubble, to load the material into something that takes the debris away."

Although they're still used primarily for moving material and loading debris into other modes of transportation, wheel loaders and loader backhoes are expanding their areas of use as beneficial tools to contractors and recyclers alike.

ATTACHED TO VERSATILITY

When selecting material handling equipment for a company or particular job, demo contractors and C&D recyclers must take a number of factors into consideration.

"Versatility should be a key consideration when selecting material handling equipment," says Nell LeBlanc, senior marketing consultant for Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill. "Given the cost of ownership and transportation--with today's soaring fuel costs--each machine will be required to perform more tasks at a jobsite."

LeBlanc says given today's market conditions, loaders are called upon to multi-task. "Wheeled loaders will be needed to load stationary processing equipment, load trucks and clean up the site once major demolition activities have concluded."

The wheel loader is traditionally responsible for loading raw material into processing equipment or trucks. But attachments give it the ability to extend its responsibilities on the jobsite, says Dave Hardwick, product manager at JCB Inc., a U.K.-based manufacturer with a U.S. headquarters in Pooler, Ga.

"Many other applications are possible with the addition of attachments, such as pallet forks to lift sorted material, grapples for sorting, hooks for lifting large, single items and sweepers to clean up the working area," he says. Hardwick also says that adding a quick coupler allows for a more rapid interchange of attachments and helps maximize the loader's potential.

The use of quick couplers with loaders, which allow for the easy change-out of attachments, has become an increasingly popular trend as wheel loaders and loader backhoes are required to multi-task on the job, says LeBlanc. "The need for versatility at a jobsite is critical to the success of the contractor/operator," he says.

Another fundamental consideration is matching the loader to the processing equipment or truck it's working with, says O'Keeffe. "From a loading standpoint, you have to understand what you're loading into," he says. "If you're using higher trucks, you might need to look at a high-reach boom."

Hardwick says environmental issues and timing are also important to consider for finding a loader to fit a particular job. He says site location, access and storage space, as well as noise considerations and the type of materials to be encountered, are all important factors.

WORKING IN CLOSE QUARTERS 

Restrictions of the work area, like height, width and turning area, can't be overlooked when choosing a loader, says O'Keeffe. "You have to ask if they're going to be in tight quarters," he says.

And if that answer is "yes," some manufacturers suggest that a backhoe loader might be better suited for small jobs in tight fits like metropolitan jobsites. "Given the relatively compact size of a backhoe loader, this class of machine is best suited as a tool carrier in applications where operating space is limited, or where machine weight might be a concern," says LeBlanc.

Backhoes, like wheel loaders, can also be fitted with a number of attachments to make them a versatile tool in smaller-sized demolition and recycling applications, according to Rusty Schaefer, brand marketing manager for Case Construction, Racine, Wis. Schaefer says the ability of backhoes to be equipped with front and rear couplers lets the machine accomplish a number of diverse tasks with a store of attachments, including forks, scrap grapples and brooms on the front and hammers, thumbs, rippers and buckets on the back.

"Backhoes are best suited to smaller demolition tasks, particularly jobs where the backhoe can be utilized to knock down the structure, then the front bucket can be used to move the material," he says. "The ability to fit a hammer on a backhoe loader does increase its versatility. The choice of a backhoe vs. a wheel loader really depends on how large the job is."

But backhoes don't have the market locked down when it comes to working in tight job spaces. Compact loaders are also available and are particularly useful "where the site is tight, but high outputs are still required," says Hardwick.

"These machines are also very easy to transport and can pick up a huge range of attachments if they are fitted with a quick coupler," he says.

Hardwick also says that depending on the jobsite, two compact loaders might be able to work for longer periods of time and generate less dust and noise than a loader of a larger capacity. That equipment setup may not be as cost-effective per ton of material moved, but sometimes, environmental considerations trump other issues, Hardwick says.

EQUIPPED FOR SUCCESS

Dusty demo sites and abrasive C&D debris provide a challenging work environment for any piece of equipment. Contractors and recyclers can take advantage of a number of features to properly equip their loaders for C&D applications.

"This is all about protection and operator safety," says Hardwick. Tires are especially vulnerable to damage and have to be able to withstand the tough conditions and likely puncture sources, he says.

Schaefer suggests foam-filled tires with the liners on the front and rear for adequate protection.

O'Keeffe agrees. "With foam-filled tires, you can eliminate or at least decrease the chance of damage."

Dust is another unavoidable factor in C&D applications, says O'Keeffe. "You're going to have that plaster dust, concrete dust in a demo-type environment, even if [loaders] are there afterwards, they're going to be kicking that debris up," he says.

To protect against air-born debris that inevitably gets kicked up on demo sites and C&D recycling yards, operators should look for special protection for the loader's axels, underbelly and fuel tank, recommends Hardwick.

LeBlanc recommends axel seal guards, a front drive shaft guard, a hydraulic tank guard and rubber-mounted cab glass.

"Usually the air quality is very poor, so engine and operator need to be protected," Hardwick agrees. "For the engine, this means a pre-cleaner and an auto-reversing fan, while the cab needs a good quality high-capacity inlet filter."

O'Keeffe also recommends a good cooling system and a reversing fan to clear out dust. "You don't want things to get in there and settle and clog up your system," he says.

Schaefer says cylinder and boom guards are also important to help reduce damage from solid debris.

Additional helpful safety features include rear vision cameras and reverse alarms, which are becoming more common on loaders, says Hardwick. He says "smart alarms" are growing more popular because they make just enough noise to warn nearby personnel, but limit the amount of noise pollution in the area.

With some special modifications and a little extra protection, wheel loaders and loader backhoes remain an integral tool for demo contractors and C&D recyclers alike.

The author is assistant editor of Construction and Demolition Recycling and can be reached at [e-mail].