Ask any Australian contractor about all the compact equipment that are available for hire from heavy machine rental companies, and they would point out the compact wheel loader as being the most frequently machine taken for hire. Apart from the excavator, the versatility and practicality of compact loaders is second only to a mini excavator.
Compact wheel loaders also known as Dingoes generally have the ability and functionality of both an excavator and a skid steer when it involves manoeuvrability which is the reason behind compact wheel loaders is preferred by contractors for all sorts of projects, especially smaller projects such as home improvement projects and landscaping projects or wherever the compactness of the machine becomes applicable.
Standard loaders are equipped with a front mounted bucket that vary in size and type (dependent on digging requirements) or as it is the case at times fitted with an extended hydraulic tool (attachment). These hydraulic attachments range from hydraulic hammers, crushers, augers, compactors and even grapplers which can be fitted to the loader without the operator having to leave the cab. It is mainly due to this feature that makes compact wheel loaders for hire the ideal machine chosen by contractors as these machines are able to handle a wide variety of tasks.
Most compact wheel loader models are strapped with high torque engines that also power the hydraulics that allow these loaders to manage heavy duty tasks despite their small size. From moving about heavy debris and material to digging, drilling and loading these machines could be easily purposed for different construction scenarios. The ride-on design of the machine enable operator to work in confined spaces or indoors with ease.
The compact wheel loader offers advantages that other machines are not capable of and this advantage mainly revolves around the level of versatility and practicality that they offer. They are not just solutions for construction sites that are congested, but they are also seen as solutions for landscaping projects due to their lightweight which reduces the amount of damage that landscaped surfaces would have to suffer from heavier machines.
Loaders are also used in farms for agricultural purposes and even used for removing snow. However, it is important to know that the extended hydraulic attachments are offered for hire separately and the cost of taking these attachments on rental vary significantly, depending on the type of attachment and the duration (longer rental durations command lower prorated or discounted prices).
With regards to hiring compact loaders, it is advisable to apply the Japanese JIT concept (Just in Time) given the fact that most equipment rental companies provide a drop-off and pick-up service for the equipment that they offer for rentals, scheduling optimally would be a cost saving solution and the machine is used adequately throughout the duration of the rental period.
This strategy should also be applied to the hydraulic attachment so that they may only be taken for hire as and when they are needed specifically.
