The arm on a wheel loader is designed to work under incredible pressure, absorb impacts, and stand up to nearly whatever a construction site throws at it, but sometimes, over time, what a construction site throws at the loader arm (loader boom) is more than any part can handle. 

Whether your loader arm is starting to look like more welds and plates than original steel, you’ve found the play on your pin holes affecting the rest of the machine, or you’re searching for a replacement wheel loader arm to better match your working conditions, the good news is that this tough part can often be found in great condition from a salvaged machine.

To help in your search for a replacement loader arm, we’ve put together this short guide to make connecting you to your replacement that much easier.

 

Print Our Loader Boom Measuring Guide »

 

Matching Your Loader Boom to Your Loader

The first step to your search is simple terminology. You’ll find this part is commonly referred to as both a loader arm and a loader boom. Open up your search options by using both terms in your searching, just in case a seller only refers to the part using one of the terms. 

If you’re looking for an exact replacement of your current loader arm, the fastest path is by using your machine’s make, model, and serial number. Using that information you’ll be able to find the available inventory that’s been salvaged from the same machine you own or built for your machine. 

Often wheel loader arms will work across machine models and serial numbers. That’s where a few minutes spent with your current loader boom and a tape measure can unlock a whole new selection of available loader booms for sale. With those measurements in hand, a call to a parts supplier can turn up a wider inventory with more options in both quality and pricing.

What Measurements Do I Need to Search for a Used Wheel Loader Arm?

To get the dimensions you’ll need to search for a salvaged loader arm, you’ll just need to grab your tape and start measuring your current arm (depending on the machine a long tape might be necessary). For a few measurements, a second set of hands can be helpful. Below, you’ll find descriptions with images to help identify what exactly to measure and, if you’re a paper and pencil person, you can grab our printable loader boom measuring guide.

Bucket Connection Pin Hole Diameter [View Image]

Measure the diameter of one of the pin holes in a pin ear that is used to connect the bucket to the boom.

Bellcrank / Tilt Cylinder Connection Pin Hole Diameter [View Image]

Measure the diameter of one of the pin holes in a pin ear on the top of the boom that is used to connect the bellcrank (single tilt cylinder design) or one of the tilt cylinders (dual tilt cylinder design) to the boom. 

Lift Cylinder Connection Pin Hole Diameter [View Image]

Measure the diameter of one of the pin holes that is used to connect the boom lift cylinder to the side of the boom.

Machine Connection Pin Hole Diameter [View Image]

Measure the diameter of one of the pin holes that is used to connect the base of the boom to the loader.

Bucket Connection Pin Hole to Lift Cylinder Connection Pin Hole Distance [View Image]

Measure the distance from the center of one of the bucket connection pin holes to the center of one of the boom lift cylinder connection pin holes.

Lift Cylinder Connection Pin Hole to Machine Connection Pin Hole Distance [View Image]

Measure the distance from the center of one of the boom lift cylinder connection pin holes to the center of one of the machine connection pin holes.

Boom Arms Width, Center to Center [View Image]

Measure the distance from the center of one boom arm to the center of the other boom arm at two points directly across from each other.

Boom Arms Inside Width (Bucket Side) [View Image]

Determine the inside distance of the boom arms where they connect to the bucket by measuring from the inside of one boom arm to the inside of the opposite arm on the end of the boom that would connect to the bucket.

Bellcrank / Tilt Cylinder Connection Pin Ears Inside Width [View Image]

Measure the inside width of the pin ears on the top of the boom that are used to connect the bellcrank (single tilt cylinder design) or one of the tilt cylinders (dual tilt cylinder design) to the boom.

Boom Arms Inside Width (Machine Side) [View Image]

Determine the inside distance of the boom arms where they connect to the machine by measuring from the inside of one boom arm to the inside of the opposite arm on the end of the boom that would connect to the machine. 

With those simple measurements in hand, hopefully you’ve unlocked a wide range of available replacement wheel loader booms. There’s often a lot riding on your loader arm (literally) and making sure it’ll stand up to those loads is important.

If you need help in your search, our Parts Specialists are always here to help. As a top wheel loader dismantler, our wheel loader parts inventory is both deep and robust. With the help of our processing and shipping experts, we take pride in getting our customers their parts quickly and simply and always at a great price. Just drop our Parts Specialists a message.

Loader Boom Measuring Diagram Gallery