Loading big - the world’s biggest front-end wheel loaders

Joy Global, Komatsu and Caterpillar manufacture some of the world’s biggest front end wheel loaders. Mining-technology.com lists the world’s 10 biggest front-end wheel loaders based on bucket capacity, operating weight and net engine power.

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P&H L-2350

Joy Global's P&H L-2350 has a 40.52m3 capacity shovel bucket and offers a payload of 72,574kg. Powered by a 2,300hp (1,715kW) engine, the rubber tired giant loader, with 272t operating weight, up to 26.4ft dump clearance and 11.5ft reach at full lift, is designed for centre loading of ultra-class haul trucks of 363t or higher payload capacity.

The front-end loader, originally designed and developed by LeTourneau Technologies, a subsidiary of the Rowan Companies based in the US, was introduced in October 2000. Joy Global acquired LeTourneau Technologies from Rowan Companies for $1.1bn in May 2011.

P&H L-1850

The P&H L-2350 front-end wheel loader, also from Joy Global, comes with 30.58m3 bucket and 2,000hp (1,491kW) engine, and is capable of scooping 54,431kg of load in standard lift configuration.

The L-1850 wheel loader has an operating weight of 246t and provides up to 24.3ft of dump clearance and 10.7ft reach at full lift. It is ideal for centre-loading of haul trucks with rated payloads of between 218t and 327t.

Komatsu WA1200-6

Komatsu's WA1200-6 wheel loader comes with 18m3 to 35m3 bucket size and is powered by 1,765hp (1,316kW) engine. The WA1200-6 loader with high-lift boom configuration has 216t operating weight and offers up to 23.2ft of dump clearance and 9.7ft of dumping reach.

WA1200-6 entered market in 2011 as an improvement of Komatsu's WA1200-3 wheel loader which was introduced in 1999. The WA1200-3 is powered with 1,560hp (1,165kW) engine and has an operating weight of 205t. WA1200-6 came with similar bucket capacity but a higher capacity fuel-efficient engine as well as a new boom design providing increased dump clearance.

P&H L-1350

Joy Global's P&H L-1350 wheel loader with 22.94m3 bucket and 1,600hp (1,193kW) engine offers a payload capacity of 40,823kg with standard lift boom configuration.

The front-end loader has 186t operating weight and offers up to 23.2ft dump clearance and 9.2ft reach at full lift. The P&H L-1350 is designed to centre-load 181t to 236t capacity haulage trucks.

Cat 994H

Cat 994H, the newest model in Caterpillar's 994 class wheel loaders, is fitted with 14m3 to 36m3 bucket and 1,463hp (1,078kw) engine and offers a rated payload of 34,473kg at standard lift. The operating weight of the wheel loader is 195t.

The Cat 994H loader equipped with super high lift boom configuration offering 22.2ft dump clearance and 10.5ft dumping reach. It can be used for centre-loading of Cat 785, 789 and 793 haulage trucks of rated payload capacities ranging between 136t and 226t.

P&H L-1150

Joy Global's P&H L-1150 wheel loader, originally introduced by LeTourneau in 2008, is equipped with 23m3 bucket and 1,205hp (899kW) engine. The payload offered by the front-end loader at standard lift is 34,473kg.

The loader's operating weight is 140t. P&H L-1150 offers up to 20.7ft dump clearance and 9.5ft of dumping reach. It is targeted for loading operations into 136t to 181t capacity haulage trucks.

P&H L-950

Joy Global's P&H L-950 wheel loader comes with 13.76m3 bucket and 1,050hp (783kw) engine, and offers a payload of 24,494kg at standard lift. The operating weight of the wheel loader is up to 110t.

The L-950 loader has a high lift configuration and offers 17.3ft of dump clearance and 7.3ft of dumping reach. It is designed to centre-load haulage trucks of payload capacity between 68t and 136t.

Komatsu WA900-3E0

Bucket capacity of 11.5m3 to 13m3 and operating weight of 107.3t make Komatsu's WA900-3E0 wheel loader with 856hp (638kW) engine the world's eighth biggest front end loader.

The WA900-3E0 in high-lift boom configuration offers 17.3ft of dump clearance and 7.4ft of dumping reach. The operating height of the loader in fully raised condition is 32.5ft, while the overall length with bucket on the ground is 48.2ft.

Cat 992K

Cat 992K, the latest series in Caterpillar's 992 make front-end wheel loaders, offers 10.7m3 to 12.3m3 bucket capacity and is powered by 814hp (607kW) engine. Rated payload of the loader in standard lift configuration is 21,700kg.

Operating weight of the Cat 992K is up to 100.6t, while the dump clearance and dumping reach are 15.1ft and 6.9ft respectively. The machine is suitable for loading operations into Caterpillar's 775 and 777 haulage trucks of payload capacity between 164t and 190t.

Komatsu WA800-3E0

Komatsu's WA800-3E0 front-end wheel loader comes with 10m3 to 14m3bucket capacity and is powered by 808hp (603kW) engine. The operating weight of the loader is up to 102.6t.

The WA800-3E0 with high-lift boom configuration offers up to 17.1ft of dump clearance and 7.1ft of dumping reach. The operating height of the loader in fully raised condition is 31.7ft and its overall length with the bucket placed on ground is 48.3ft.