Takeuchi Track Loaders: Which Model for Which Job
When you’re choosing a Takeuchi track loader, the first thing to figure out is the heaviest load you’ll be lifting. We rent six Takeuchi models, from the TL6R, with a capacity of 1,841 pounds, to the TL12V2 at 4,107. Make sure the model you pick can handle your heaviest load with room to spare and fits through the narrowest opening on the way in. If you’re hauling it yourself, the machine and your trailer together have to come in under the load rating on the trailer’s plate and what your truck can tow. In the two larger sizes, you also get a choice of lift design, and the letter in the model name tells you which one you’re looking at. An R model is radial lift, which digs harder and suits loading flatbed trucks. A V model is vertical lift, which generally reaches farther out at full height, so it’s the one for dumping into trucks and hoppers with high sides. We sell Takeuchi track loaders new, too.
Pick the size by your heaviest load
Capacity is the most weight a machine can safely lift and carry. The TL6R and TL8R2 are our two smallest Takeuchis, with capacities of 1,841 and 2,116 pounds, and both are radial lift. In the middle size, the TL10V2 is listed at 2,522 pounds and the TL11R3 at 2,738. At the top, the TL12R2 comes in at 2,975 pounds and the TL12V2 at 4,107, the highest capacity of any track loader we rent. On the job, go by the rated operating capacity in the operator’s manual for the machine you have, and never go over it.
Takeuchi lists capacity at 35 percent of the weight in the bucket that would tip the machine forward, which is on the conservative side. A skid steer’s capacity is half that weight, so next to it, a Takeuchi’s number looks low. If you’re comparing the two, divide the track loader’s capacity by 0.7 first. Our guide to skid steer and track loader sizes explains the comparison and lists every skid steer and track loader we rent.
One thing to know about the middle size: the TL11R3 lifts a bit more than the TL10V2, but it also weighs about 1,700 pounds more, which matters if you’re hauling it yourself.
Radial lift or vertical lift
On our Takeuchis, the R models are radial lift and the V models are vertical lift.
- Radial lift: TL6R, TL8R2, TL11R3, TL12R2. The arms swing up on a single pivot, so the bucket moves in an arc and reaches out farthest partway up. That reach suits loading and unloading flatbed trucks. A radial lift machine also has more breakout force than a vertical lift machine its size, so it’s strong at digging and grading.
- Vertical lift: TL10V2, TL12V2. The arms keep the load close in as it rises, and the bucket generally reaches farther out at full height. That helps when you’re dumping into trucks and hoppers with high sides. In our fleet, the vertical models also lift more for their weight: the TL12V2 weighs 600 pounds more than the TL12R2, but its capacity is 1,132 pounds higher.
So in the two larger sizes, pick the R model for digging, grading, and flatbed trucks, and the V model for trucks and hoppers with high sides. If the weight of your load is what decides it, pick the one with the higher capacity.
Measuring the way in
The widths in our rate guide are bucket widths, and the bucket can be wider than the machine behind it. The TL6R is just over 5 feet wide, for example, but it carries a 68-inch bucket. So even our smallest Takeuchi needs an opening wider than 68 inches, with room on each side for the operator to steer.
If the way in goes under a garage door or a low roof, check the height too. The TL6R stands 6 feet 6 inches tall, and the other five run from 7 feet 4 inches on the TL8R2 to 7 feet 10 inches on the TL12R2 and TL12V2. Treat those heights as close, not exact, and leave a little room overhead.
Every Takeuchi track loader we rent
These are the six Takeuchi track loaders in our 2026 rental rate guide, lightest first.
| Model | Lift | Capacity (pounds) | Bucket width | Height | Weight (pounds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL6R | Radial | 1,841 | 68″ | 6′ 6″ | 7,780 |
| TL8R2 | Radial | 2,116 | 72″ | 7′ 4″ | 9,182 |
| TL10V2 | Vertical | 2,522 | 76″ | 7′ 5″ | 10,270 |
| TL11R3 | Radial | 2,738 | 76″ | 7′ 8″ | 11,982 |
| TL12R2 | Radial | 2,975 | 80″ | 7′ 10″ | 12,590 |
| TL12V2 | Vertical | 4,107 | 84″ | 7′ 10″ | 13,190 |
Buying a Takeuchi
We sell Takeuchi track loaders new, with capacities from 1,841 to 4,107 pounds, and every rental machine has a rent-to-purchase option, so you can run one on your own work before you buy. With Takeuchi Fleet Management telematics, you can check fuel level, hours, and performance and get maintenance alerts. Financing and leasing are available through Takeuchi Financial Services.
We stock Takeuchi parts, and our technicians service the machines in our shops and on job sites. Takeuchi has given us its Parts Excellence Awards and named us a Tier 1 Service Provider. Our guide to Takeuchi parts covers what wears first, and our guide to undercarriage wear and track tension covers the daily track check.
What to tell us when you reserve
Tell us the heaviest load you’ll be lifting, the narrowest opening on the way in, and anything overhead along the route. If you’ll be loading trucks, say whether they’re flatbeds or high-sided, since that points to radial or vertical lift. Let us know which attachments you need and whether you’re hauling the machine yourself, and we’ll match the Takeuchi model to your job. Rentals don’t include an operator. Our guide to how renting works covers hours, fuel, insurance, and returns.
Talk to a location near you
Call or text, or send us the question through our contact page.