How to Lower Operating Costs With the Right Wheel Loader

Posted By Kevin Cowan On 25 Nov 2025

The versatile wheel loader is an essential piece of heavy equipment that empowers operators to perform a wide range of projects. Whether you are a large-scale construction company or a local landscaping contractor, in this blog, we will share tips on how to lower operating costs with the right compact wheel loader.

Focus on Project Scope to Find the Right Wheel Loader

Lowering operating costs begins by identifying the scope of the projects you complete. Outlining the tasks typically performed for your projects allows you to find the wheel loader that is able to tackle them efficiently. The right wheel loader should deliver superior power and performance without costly “bells and whistles” that you are unlikely to use.

Focusing on project types and tasks improves your return on investment by reducing unnecessary features and maximizing productivity. Typically, you want a model that provides the following:

High bucket capacity
High lift height
Manoeuvrability in tight spaces
Speed

You then need to consider the following:

Types of Projects:

Demolition
Construction site preparation
General landscaping
Yardwork or farm work
Material handling
Snow removal

Project Tasks:

Grading & levelling
Site cleanup
Snow pushing or lifting
Lifting of loose materials
Moving large debris
Soil preparation
Moving material skids

Terrain

The type of terrain you typically encounter at job sites is also important. Wheel loaders are suited to flat, open terrain, while track loaders offer better manoeuvrability and stability on rough, tight job sites.

Understand the Types of Wheel Loaders for Sale

Bobcat construction equipment offers a full range of compact wheel loaders suited to the demands of your industry, whether you complete large-scale infrastructure projects for municipalities or provide residential services for small-scale landscaping jobs.

By investing in a wheel loader capable of covering the full scope of your project demands, you will manage your workload seamlessly, shifting from task to task with improved efficiency.

Bobcat L65

The Bobcat L65 is suited to a wide range of jobs where material handling capabilities are essential, from landscaping and nursery work to construction sites and agricultural tasks. They are also a popular piece of equipment for one-off projects, offering a lucrative option for equipment rental companies. Attachments enhance the versatility of the Bobcat L65, allowing you to pivot from project to project, such as property maintenance work, where you need to manage street cleaning in the summer and snow removal in the winter.

Bobcat L85

The Bobcat L85 compact wheel loader does everything the L65 can do and more. The enhanced hydraulic power improves manoeuvrability and increases pushing power, while the design optimizes visibility with a higher vantage point. The high-flow hydraulics and advanced attachment operations expand your capabilities for increased profitability in projects that require loading trucks, handling pallets, moving materials, backfilling, and more.

Bobcat L95

The Bobcat L95 compact wheel loader delivers high bucket capacity, fast travel speeds and excellent maneuverability to help you move more material in less time. With a 3,981-lb ROC, 1.2-yard bucket, 10.5-ft lift height and travel speeds up to 38.6 k/h, it’s built for productivity. Three drive modes, high-flow hydraulics up to 27 gpm and a heated air-ride seat support both precision and operator comfort. Its compact size, tight turning radius and Power Bob-Tach system expand versatility across countless jobs. The Bobcat L95 is the largest model of compact loader that Bobcat carries before upgrading to a “non-compact” wheel loader size.

Wheel Loader Attachments

Attachments bridge the gaps that limit your capabilities. With the right compact wheel loader, you can adapt your performance to suit the changing demands of your customers, from buckets to pallet forks and augers to grapples. You can also expand to an all-season provider, switching from summer projects to winter maintenance with a few simple attachments, such as:

Buckets to scoop, load, and move debris and materials
Forks to lift pallets
Angle brooms to clear debris
Snow pushers and blowers for efficient snow removal
Grapples to manage tasks such as lifting logs when clearing land
Augers to drill for projects such as installing fences or planting trees
Rotary tillers to break up clumps of dirt, manage composting, etc.
Landplanes for efficient site prep work

Fuel Efficiency

Fuel efficiency allows you to lower operational costs by reducing fuel consumption. The following factors have the most impact on fuel efficiency:

Engine: Tier 4 engines offer advanced fuel injection systems and air filtration to reduce fuel consumption.
Hydraulics: Hydraulic systems can increase fuel use if you don’t choose a wheel loader suited to perform specific tasks. The right hydraulic system, on the other hand, will decrease fuel consumption. For example, both the Bobcat L65 and L85 have an auxiliary STD flow of 19.8 gal/min and pump capacity of 19.8 gal/min. If you choose a system with higher flow when standard flow will do, you decrease efficiency by overpowering the loader and consuming more fuel.
Speed: Wheel loaders that offer a high-speed option improve efficiency by reducing engine RPMs. By learning to use this feature wisely, operators can reduce fuel consumption using the higher speed when necessary for situations when extra load is needed. It can also improve overall efficiency when travelling through large job sites by reducing the time it takes to reach destinations, which in turn reduces fuel consumption.
Payload: Payload is a major factor in a wheel loader’s efficiency, determining how much weight and material the equipment can handle before it’s overloaded. You want to manage enough weight that you don’t reduce productivity by limited loading capability, while ensuring you don’t put the operator or loader at risk.

Constant overloading to keep up with the workload can lead to rollovers that can cause serious operator injury and destroy your loader. Additionally, overloading trucks can create unstable loads that can present risks for dump truck drivers. The right payload ensures you can move the maximum amount to improve efficiency, so operators increase productivity with fewer load cycles.

Operator Training

One last consideration is proper training. Operators who understand the features of their compact wheel loader will avoid issues that increase risks for damage, such as early wheel wear and rollovers. As mentioned above, knowing when to engage the high-speed feature to reduce fuel consumption will also help reduce operational costs.

Premium Compact Wheel Loaders for Sale from Oaken Equipment

At Oaken Equipment, we are Canada’s largest Bobcat dealer network, with a team ready to help you find the right compact wheel loader for sale. Our wheel loaders and attachments are designed to maximize productivity, optimize efficiency, and reduce your operating costs.

Our knowledgeable team is here to help you navigate your options with confidence and find equipment that works as hard as you do. For more information on our wheel loaders for sale, call us at 1-888-861-1447 or click here to find a location near you.

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