Snow removal sizing starts with the machine, not the lot: the loader's operating weight and horsepower decide how wide a pusher it can run, and the pusher width decides how fast the lot gets cleared. The weight classes and pusher widths below come from published sizing guidance by KAGE Innovation and Pro-Tech Sno Pusher, two snow-attachment manufacturers. The SDLG figures come from TerraX's own catalogue pages. Confirm the final match with the attachment maker for your exact machine.
If you already know your class and want to see machines, go to SDLG wheel loaders at TerraX. For year-round buying questions such as bucket size, rated load and engines, see the wheel loader buying guide.
Step 1: Pick the weight class
A pusher contains snow and shoves it into a pile, so the loader has to be heavy enough to push a full box without losing traction and to carry the pusher itself. KAGE groups wheel loaders by operating weight and lists the plow widths it offers for each class:
| Loader class | Operating weight | Plow widths KAGE offers | What KAGE says the class suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini loader | Lighter than the compact class | 4.5 and 6 ft | Light-duty snow removal in tight spaces |
| Compact wheel loader | 5,000–15,000 lb | 8, 9, 10 and 12 ft | Medium-sized areas such as small commercial lots |
| Mid-size wheel loader | 15,000–30,000 lb | 10, 12 and 14 ft | Heavier snow loads |
| Large wheel loader | 30,000–50,000 lb | 12 to 20 ft | Large parking lots and industrial areas |
KAGE also notes that counterweight matters on mini loaders, and recommends running only the blade, without the box, on very small machines with little counterweight.
Step 2: Check horsepower against the pusher width
Weight keeps the machine planted; horsepower keeps a full box moving. Pro-Tech publishes a minimum machine power for each width of its loader pusher:
| Pusher width | Minimum machine power (Pro-Tech loader pusher) |
|---|---|
| 10 ft | 75 hp |
| 12 ft | 100 hp |
| 14 ft | 120 hp |
| 16 ft | 125 hp |
| 18 and 20 ft | 140 hp |
For wheel loaders of 150 hp and up, Pro-Tech asks owners to contact it directly for a recommendation. Its separate compact wheel loader pusher comes in 8, 10 and 12 ft. The 8 and 10 ft sizes are listed for machines of 60 to 100 hp and 12,000 to 20,000 lb; the 12 ft size is listed for 80 to 120 hp and 16,000 to 20,000 lb.
When a machine sits at the bottom of a pusher's listed range, take the narrower size.
Step 3: Fit the lot, and the drive between lots
- Islands, curbs and drive aisles. A wider pusher clears more per pass but has to fit between light-pole bases, curb islands and parked cars. Measure the narrowest drive aisle you clear regularly and keep the pusher comfortably inside it.
- Where the snow goes. A pusher builds piles. Decide before the first storm where piles can sit without blocking parking, sightlines or drainage.
- Moving between sites. Ontario's oversize/overweight guide lists 2.6 m as the maximum width for a vehicle including its load, and wider loads need an oversize/overweight permit. That matters when one loader serves several lots, and a pusher carried on the same trailer counts toward the width.
- Sidewalks. Walkway clearing is a different job. A wheel loader with a lot-sized pusher is not a sidewalk machine.
Where the SDLG wheel loaders at TerraX land
The figures below are from TerraX's catalogue page for each model. Confirm the current spec sheet, and the coupler your pusher needs, with a sales representative before ordering an attachment.
| Model | Operating weight | Overall width | Bucket | Engine power | Snow class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDLG L902H | 2,200 kg (4,850 lb) | 1,220 mm | 0.35 m³ | See spec sheet | Mini: below KAGE's 5,000 lb compact floor |
| SDLG L918H | 6,800 kg (14,991 lb) | 2,140 mm | 0.8 m³ | 55.4 kW (74.3 hp) | Compact, at the top of the class |
| SDLG L938H | See note below | 2,485 mm | 2.1 m³ | 115 kW (154 hp) | Mid-size |
| SDLG L948H | 14,500 kg (31,967 lb) | 2,762 mm | 2.5 m³ | 129.4 kW (173.5 hp) | Large |
| SDLG L959H | 18,750 kg | 3,016 mm | 3.2 m³ | 168 kW | Large |
L918H is the small-commercial-lot machine. At 14,991 lb and 74.3 hp it sits at the top of KAGE's compact class and inside Pro-Tech's 60 to 100 hp range for 8 and 10 ft compact loader pushers. It is below the 16,000 lb Pro-Tech lists for its 12 ft compact pusher, and just under the 75 hp listed for Pro-Tech's full-size 10 ft loader pusher, so plan on a compact-loader pusher of 8 or 10 ft. At 2,140 mm wide the machine itself is inside Ontario's 2.6 m limit; check how the pusher rides on the trailer.
L938H is the step up for larger lots or a route of several lots. Its catalogue page lists the operating weight two ways, 12,600 kg and 13,300 kg; both fall inside KAGE's 15,000–30,000 lb mid-size class. At 154 hp it is past the 150 hp line where Pro-Tech asks to be contacted directly, so get a pusher recommendation for this exact machine. Its page lists an attachment quick-connect function; confirm the pusher's mount matches it. At 2,485 mm it is inside Ontario's 2.6 m width limit.
L948H and L959H are large-lot and industrial-yard machines in KAGE's 30,000–50,000 lb class. Both are wider than 2.6 m (2,762 mm and 3,016 mm), so moving either by road in Ontario needs an oversize/overweight permit. For a single small commercial lot they are more machine than the job needs.
L902H is not a lot-pushing machine. At 4,850 lb and 1,220 mm wide it is in KAGE's mini-loader territory: suited to light-duty clearing in tight spaces with a 4.5 or 6 ft blade, not to pushing a full commercial lot.
Bottom line
For one small commercial lot, a compact loader near the top of the 5,000–15,000 lb class with an 8 or 10 ft pusher is the usual answer; at TerraX that is the SDLG L918H. Bigger lots, several lots on one route or heavier snow point to a mid-size machine such as the L938H with a 10 to 14 ft pusher, sized with the pusher maker for that machine. Bring your lot dimensions to the TerraX showroom at 189 Milner Ave in Toronto.
Frequently asked questions
What size wheel loader do I need to clear snow from a small commercial lot? Usually a compact wheel loader in the 5,000 to 15,000 lb operating-weight class with an 8- to 10-foot snow pusher. KAGE, a snow plow maker, describes that class as suited to small commercial lots. Larger lots or heavier snow call for a mid-size loader of 15,000 to 30,000 lb with a 10- to 14-foot pusher.
What width snow pusher fits a compact wheel loader? Pro-Tech lists its 8 and 10 ft compact wheel loader pushers for machines of 60 to 100 hp and 12,000 to 20,000 lb, and its 12 ft size for 80 to 120 hp and 16,000 to 20,000 lb. KAGE offers 8, 9, 10 and 12 ft plows for compact loaders of 5,000 to 15,000 lb. Confirm the size with the maker for your machine.
Does horsepower matter when choosing a snow pusher? Yes. Pro-Tech sets a minimum machine power for each loader pusher width, from 75 hp for a 10 ft pusher to 140 hp for 18 and 20 ft, and asks owners of loaders of 150 hp and up to contact it directly. Weight keeps the machine planted; horsepower keeps a full box moving.
Can I move a snow loader between lots on Ontario roads without a permit? Ontario's oversize/overweight guide lists 2.6 m as the maximum width for a vehicle including its load, and wider loads need an oversize/overweight permit. The SDLG L918H (2,140 mm) and L938H (2,485 mm) are narrower than that; the L948H and L959H are wider. Weight and height limits also apply, so check the whole combination.
Which SDLG wheel loader suits snow removal on a small commercial lot? The SDLG L918H. At 6,800 kg (14,991 lb) and 74.3 hp it sits at the top of KAGE's compact class and within Pro-Tech's range for 8 and 10 ft compact loader pushers. TerraX carries it at its Toronto showroom.