What Size Wheel Loader Do I Need? A Practical Guide for Australian Properties
The right wheel loader is the smallest one that can lift your heaviest regular load, fit through your gates and sheds, and run the attachments you need. Here's how to match a HandyMax wheel loader to your property, using the real specifications from our brochures.
The right wheel loader is the smallest one that can lift your heaviest regular load, fit through your gates and sheds, and run the attachments you need. Here's how to match a HandyMax wheel loader to your property, using the real specifications from our brochures.
The short answer
| Your property and jobs | Start with | Lift capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Small blocks and tight access, under 5 acres: garden soil, mulch, feed, small bales | HM07E (electric) or HM08 | 700 kg / 800 kg |
| Lifestyle blocks, horse properties and hobby farms, 5–50 acres: round bales, manure, gravel for tracks, pallets | HM16 or HM18 | 1,600 kg / 1,800 kg |
| Working farms over 50 acres and contractors: heavier bales, stockpiles, earthmoving | HM22, HM22R (with rear ripper), HM24 or HM26 | 2,200 kg / 2,200 kg / 2,400 kg / 3,000 kg |
| Depots, quarries and large stockpiles: loading trucks, bulk material | HM32 | 4,000 kg |
Current prices, including GST, are on each model's product page.
Step 1: Start with the heaviest thing you lift
Lift capacity is the first number to check. Work out the heaviest load you'll lift regularly, such as a wet round bale, a pallet of feed or a full bucket of gravel, and choose a loader whose lift capacity sits comfortably above it. Working at the limit every day is hard on the machine and less stable on uneven ground.
Across the HandyMax range, lift capacity runs from 700 kg on the HM07E to 4,000 kg on the HM32.
Step 2: Check your gates, sheds and ground
Measure your narrowest gate and your lowest shed door, then compare them with the machine width and height in the table below. The bucket can be wider than the machine: the HM18 is 2,060 mm wide, but its GP bucket is 2,200 mm.
Weight matters too. A heavier loader is steadier with big loads but presses harder on soft paddocks. Operating weight runs from 1,700 kg on the HM07E to 9,500 kg on the HM32.
If you load trucks or bins, check the dumping height as well: it has to clear the side you're tipping over.
Step 3: Pick the attachments you'll actually use
Every loader in the range has a hydraulic quick hitch, so buckets, forks and bale spears swap over quickly. The hitch size differs: A2 on the HM08, B2 on the HM16, and C3 on the HM18 and larger models.
Most models come in two packages: a GP bucket on its own, or a package that adds a 4-in-1 bucket and pallet forks. Several models also let you choose construction, agriculture, solid or deep-tread tyres, and the HM08 comes with an open or closed cab. Each option has its own price on the product page.
The HandyMax wheel loader range at a glance
Specifications are from each model's brochure. Current prices and packages are on each model's product page, linked in the table above.
| Model | Lift capacity | Operating weight | Engine | Bucket (heaped) | Max lift height | Dumping height | Machine width | Overall height | Cab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HM07E | 700 kg | 1,700 kg | Battery-electric, 80 V 210 Ah (16.8 kWh), 170 W solar panel | 4-in-1: 160–210 L | 2,320 mm | 2,000 mm | 1,100 mm | 2,150 mm | Not stated |
| HM08 | 800 kg | 2,600 kg | Changchai ZN390Q, 35 HP (25 kW) | 0.45 m³ | 2,750 mm | 2,300 mm | 1,550 mm | 2,510 mm | Open or closed cab |
| HM16 | 1,600 kg | 4,400 kg | Yunnei YN27GBZ turbo, 75 hp | 0.9 m³ | 3,630 mm | 3,200 mm | 1,850 mm | 2,760 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
| HM18 | 1,800 kg | 5,000 kg | Yunnei YN38, 60 kW / 80 hp | 1.5 m³ | 4,080 mm | 3,500 mm | 2,060 mm | 2,720 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
| HM22 | 2,200 kg | 6,000 kg | Yunnei YN38GBZ turbo, 102 hp | 1.2 m³ | 4,080 mm | 3,500 mm | 1,990 mm | 2,850 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
| HM22R | 2,200 kg | 6,000 kg | Yunnei YN38GBZ turbo, 102 hp, plus rear hydraulic ripper | 1.2 m³ | 4,080 mm | 3,500 mm | 1,990 mm | 2,850 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
| HM24 | 2,400 kg | 6,000 kg | Yunnei YN38GBZ turbo, 102 hp | 4-in-1: 1.2 m³ | 4,080 mm | 3,500 mm | 2,080 mm | 2,850 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
| HM26 | 3,000 kg | 7,000 kg | Yunnei YN48GBZ turbo, 125 hp | 1.5 m³ | 4,080 mm | 3,500 mm | 2,050 mm | 3,000 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
| HM32 | 4,000 kg | 9,500 kg | Yuchai YC6J125Z-T20, 125 hp | 2.5 m³ | 4,380 mm | 3,800 mm | 2,480 mm | 3,200 mm | Air-conditioned, rear camera |
The HM07E runs for about 5 hours per charge depending on load, and takes about 5 hours to charge from mains power.
What comes with every HandyMax wheel loader
- Warranty: 12 months or 2,000 hours from the manufacturer.
- Delivery: anywhere in Australia. Each machine is prepared, inspected and dispatched within 2–5 business days, and our driver unloads it where you need it. Delivery cost is shown at checkout.
- Parts: we keep spare parts in stock and sell them through our online store, during and after the warranty.
- Finance: available; get in touch for options.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a HandyMax wheel loader cost?
Current prices, including GST, are on each model's product page. The price depends on the package (a GP bucket, or a 4-in-1 bucket and pallet forks) and, on some models, the tyre or cab option.
What size loader suits a hobby farm?
For round bales, manure and gravel on a lifestyle block, most buyers should start with the HM16 (1,600 kg lift) or HM18 (1,800 kg lift). Check the weight of your heaviest regular load first.
Do HandyMax loaders have a cab?
The HM16 and every larger model have an air-conditioned cab with a rear camera. The HM08 comes with an open or closed cab.
How quickly can I get one?
Machines are dispatched within 2–5 business days, anywhere in Australia.
What warranty do I get?
12 months or 2,000 hours from the manufacturer.
Talk to us
Not sure which size fits? Call us on 03 9769 2888 or 1300 077 999, or visit us at 2/22 Park Drive, Dandenong South VIC 3175.
