True, the skid-steer, backhoe-loader and hydraulic excavator are becoming ever more versatile with their ability to han- dle an expanding array of work tools and, thus, legitimately could be called "tool carriers." That term, however, usually is reserved for a special version of the wheel loader, which, according to some, originated the tool-carrier concept more than 50 years ago. Most every conventional wheel loader, of course, can be made more versatile by removing its pin-on bucket and substituting a coupler. The coupler's obvious advantage is that it allows the machine to quickly switch work tools — more often than not, between a bucket and a set of forks. A coupler, however, may not be a good investment for every wheel-loader user. According to Elmer Secker, principal and founder of SAS Quick Coupler Systems, you're probably wasting your money on a coupler if you have opportunity to change work tools only once per month. But if changing tools at least once per week would be beneficial, then the economics, in terms of time saved and production gained, are in your favor. The "gray area" in between requires a judgment call, says Secker, but should be made with an eye toward the possibility of having to occasionally switch tools to handle emergencies.
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