Compact telescopic wheel loaders given an upgrade

Manufacturers boost their ranges with better spec, engines and lift capacity

Compact telescopic wheel loaders have come a long way since the days of the Matbro machines with smarter transmissions and better driver accommodation helping sustain their popularity.

It is the relative simplicity, the manoeuvrability of an articulated chassis and the all-round visibility afforded by a high, central driving position that attracts farmers to compact loaders with a telescopic boom, especially among livestock farmers for work in and around buildings.

In addition to the established Dieci

Agri Pivot models and the Kramer KL-T machines – which buck the trend by having a rigid chassis with four-wheel steering – manufacturers have been busy improving and upgrading their compact telescopic wheel loaders.

The focus of upgrades to JCB’s 2.2 tonne lift TM220 and its smaller sibling, the 1.8 tonne TM180, is on reducing fuel consumption.

A new shutdown feature for the 2.5litre JCB Diesel by Kohler engine guards against unnecessary fuel wastage if the machine stands idle for too long during pauses in loading or materials handling operations.

A new addition to the Manitou range

– the MLA-T 516-75 H – is a smaller, lighter machine than the heavier-lift MLA-T 533.

Powered by a 75hp compact fourcylinder Deutz engine, the smaller of the two machines has a rated lift capacity of 1,600kg calculated from a straight tipping load (with bucket) of 2,732kg.

With the boom retracted, it will lift that max capacity to a full height of 4.84m and can still handle 904kg at full forward reach.

Schäffer’s new 3650T compact telescopic loader is one of four upgraded machines and the smallest in the German manufacturer’s comprehensive line-up.

It also offers several spec choices: A 50hp or 58hp Kubota engine; hydrostatic drive with 20kph or 28kph top speeds; 51-or 60-litre/min hydraulics; and a safety frame with weather canopy or a fully-enclosed cab.

There is also an SLT version with a cutdown canopy that trims overall height from 2,250mm to 2,020mm (and from 2,280mm with the cab) for situations where a few centimetres can make all the difference to getting inside buildings with a low doorway or roof.

Up-and-coming Dutch manufacturer Tobroco Giant has topped out loading machinery range with tele-boom versions of its two biggest wheel loaders.

The G5000 Tele gets a more powerful Kubota engine at 75hp, and higher output hydraulics.

These two changes help increase lift capacity to 2.8 tonnes (measured as the safe tipping load), while a further upgrade is the switch to 16-tonne axles.

Among latest updates to the Weidemann wheeled loader and telescopic loader range, the 2080LPT is a lower cab height version of the regular 2080T that packs new engines to meet latest emissions rules.

The ‘LP’ suffix refers to the ‘low position’ or overall height of the safety frame and canopy or the fully-enclosed cab, which makes it easier for operators to frequently hop on and off.