What should a good loader driver possess?

Turning the steering wheel feels like turning a tire with your own hands

The wheel loader adopts a fully hydraulic steering system. It is very light, flexible and has a small turning Angle during operation, requiring only a gentle turn. Beginners find it very difficult to adapt when operating. There are phenomena such as "drawing a dragon", shaking, turning sharply and colliding. They feel insecure when operating. A good car driver will also have the same phenomenon when they first learn to drive a loader, and it will take a long time to correct it. In this way, on the one hand, the efficiency of engineering construction is reduced, and on the other hand, the rate of mechanical damage is accelerated. Therefore, to find this feeling, beginners need to keep a stable mindset, not be in a hurry for quick success, and practice with a small throttle, slow motion, first break down the practice, then practice continuously, and carefully experience until they have a clear understanding. This is to steadily improve their operational skills without damaging the machinery.

2. The feeling of the correct coordination between the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal

Because the transmission mechanism of wheel loaders does not have a clutch pedal, and up to now, most domestic car driver training institutions still use manual transmission vehicles to train trainees, novice loader drivers habitually think that the left foot brake pedal is the clutch pedal. Trainees often apply sudden emergency braking to the machinery without realizing it, which can easily lead to accidents. To get this feeling, beginners need to have sufficient theoretical knowledge and adequate simulation training. When practicing shifting gears, the coach can sit on the left side of the trainee. When shifting gears, the coach can hook the trainee's left foot with his right foot. After shifting gears, release it to allow the trainee to gradually adapt and prevent mechanical damage caused by incorrect operation. When downshifting, the instructor can assist the trainee in stepping on the brake pedal (due to the mechanical inertia of the loader, there is a significant speed difference between first and second gears. When downshifting, the brake must be applied to reduce the vehicle speed to first gear before downshifting; otherwise, it is very easy to damage the transmission components). After the trainee can adapt well, let them drive alone.

3. The feeling of clear division of labor between the left and right hands

The gearshift lever of a loader is located below the left side of the steering wheel. When operating, the operator must use their left hand. However, the gearshift lever of a car is on the right side of the operator's seat, which makes beginners of loaders habitually think that they should first operate the steering wheel with their right hand and then switch to operating the gearshift lever with their left hand. Sometimes, they mistakenly operate the gearshift lever directly with their right hand. In addition, when a loader is in operation, it is required that the left hand control the steering wheel and the gear lever, while the right hand control the working device lever. This demands that beginners be meticulous and well-organized during practice, gradually improving their skills.

4. The feeling of the accelerator pedal fully cooperating with the control lever of the working device

The quality of the coordination between the accelerator pedal and the control lever of the working device during the operation of a loader will directly affect the operation efficiency and fuel consumption. Beginners find it hard to master this point. During practice, it often leads to significant fuel consumption and mechanical damage. No matter how the coach explains the operation essentials in detail, beginners still feel at a loss when operating. Theoretical requirements stipulate that when a loader is in operation, the boom should be raised, the bucket should be turned to increase the throttle, and the bucket should be loosened without increasing the throttle. When the mechanical distance from the material pile is 1-2 meters, slow down and adjust the scraper to slowly insert into the material pile. The size of the throttle and the number of lifting arms (buckets) should be determined according to the looseness or hardness of the material pile. These key points can be summarized as how to master the coordination between the accelerator pedal and the control lever of the working device. This feeling is also a relatively important part of loader operation. How to find this feeling is of vital importance to beginners. Beginners often make the mistake of lowering the boom and loosening the bucket while stepping on the accelerator, and always using a large throttle when loading materials at the beginning. As long as they study the theoretical knowledge carefully and under the guidance of the coach, they will surely correct this mistake and learn to master this important feeling.

5. The feeling of the hand shoveling the material pile

This feeling is the most important and crucial in the operation of a loader, that is, operating the working device control lever with the right hand to make the bucket shovel, load, level and dig the material pile just like one's own hand. Beginners sometimes can't find a level position for the bucket, and sometimes when they do find it, the bucket becomes uneven as soon as it touches the material pile. It's either too deep or too shallow, making it impossible to fill the bucket. When I tried to keep the bucket close to the ground, it ended up sinking into the ground. It is quite common for beginners to encounter such phenomena as their hands trying to level the ground but the bucket fluctuating up and down, and their hands trying to dig into the ground but the bucket just not going underground. To find this feeling, the practitioner needs to be patient, meticulous, have sufficient theoretical knowledge, and remember the following mnemonic:

The shovel is placed flat and dug with the right hand.

The key points of the movement must be remembered.

Lay the bucket flat and look at the sign.

The excavation is inclined downward by 30 degrees.

The above mnemonics are the key points that a loader should master when operating, such as loading materials, leveling the ground, and digging soil piles. The practitioner should keep a close eye on the bucket, grasp the key points with their heart, and control the speed with their hands, so that the control lever can accurately and promptly express the movement their hands want to convey. The throttle should be moderate, and the force applied should be gentle. Do not be too hasty or too forceful. With attention to detail, patience and perseverance, this feeling will be found soon.