The choice between a wheel loader and a track loader comes down to ground and distance. Tyres travel fast and are gentle on paved surfaces; tracks spread the weight, push harder and keep working on soft, wet or broken ground. LICH builds both, so this comparison uses real figures from our 29.8 t LC-L300 track loader and our wheel loader range. LICH also supplies the road roller fleets that follow loaders on road and site work.
Wheel loader vs track loader at a glance
| Track loader: LC-L300 | Wheel loader: LC-L956G | Wheel loader: LC-L967G | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating weight | 29,800 kg | 16,650–16,950 kg | — |
| Standard bucket | 3.2 m³ (5.3 m³ coal bucket) | 3 m³ | — |
| Engine power | 228 kW | 162 kW | 175 kW |
| Drive | Dual-circuit hydrostatic | Powershift, 4 F / 4 R | Countershaft, 4 F / 4 R |
| Top speed | 11 km/h | 38 km/h | 38 km/h |
| Traction / tractive force | 377.4 kN (theoretical) | ≥145 kN | 180 kN |
| Ground contact | 660 mm shoes (830 mm optional), 75 kPa ground pressure | 23.5-25 tyres | 26.5-25 tyres |
| Climbing | 28.5° | 28° | 30° gradeability |
Figures from the LICH product catalogue, read on 14 October 2026. Each model page lists the full specification.
Where a track loader wins
Tracks put the LC-L300’s 29.8 t on a long footprint at 75 kPa, and the hydrostatic drive delivers up to 377 kN of theoretical traction. That combination keeps a track loader pushing on wet clay, landfill, loose fill, steep pit floors and rocky ground where tyres would spin or cut in. A track loader can also dig: it levels, cuts and pivots on the spot under load, and the tilting cab gives service access on site. Choose the track loader when the machine stays on one rough site and the work mixes loading with dozing and grading.
Where a wheel loader wins
Tyres give the wheel loader speed and mobility. At 38 km/h it shuttles between a stockpile and a hopper, or drives along a haul road, at more than three times a track loader’s 11 km/h. It does not damage concrete or asphalt yards and needs no low-loader to move between nearby sites. For truck loading in quarries, aggregate yards, ports, plants and farms with firm ground, the wheel loader is the faster cycle.
Wheel loader vs track loader by job
- Stockpile and truck loading on firm ground: wheel loader.
- Load-and-carry over more than a short distance: wheel loader.
- Landfill, wet clay, loose fill: track loader.
- Site clearing that mixes loading, dozing and levelling: track loader.
- Paved yards and indoor work: wheel loader; our electric wheel loader models add zero exhaust at the point of work.
- Coal and light bulk material: either; the LC-L300 takes a 5.3 m³ coal bucket.
Running cost differences
On tracks, the undercarriage (chains, rollers, idlers, sprockets) is the biggest wear item and wears faster on sand and abrasive rock. On a wheel loader, tyres are the main wear item and last longest on clean, firm surfaces. The LC-L300 adds an ECO mode that cuts fuel use per unit of earthwork by 15% compared with its standard mode. Send us your material, haul distance and hours per year, and we will compare the two layouts for your site.
Related reading
Read what is a track loader for the tracked machine in depth, or track loader vs dozer if you are deciding between pushing and loading. All our loaders, wheeled and tracked, are on the loader page.
Related reading: bulldozer vs loader, for sites deciding between pushing and loading.
Related reading: a backhoe loader puts a front loader and a rear digging arm on one wheeled chassis; see its parts and models.