<p>Abrasive and sliding wear are the primary damage and failure mechanisms for mining, earthmoving, and ground-engaging components. This study explores the use of laser surface cladding (LSC) to enhance the surface properties of AISI 4140 steel, widely used in the above applications, by employing two nickel-based self-fluxing alloys: Cr-containing Ni-Cr-B-Si and Cr-free Ni-B-Si alloys. A comprehensive parametric study was conducted to identify optimal laser power, scan speed, and powder feed rate for defect-free clad deposition. Detailed characterisation was performed on the resulting clads for microstructure, micro-composition, phase evolution, microhardness, and wear resistance under both sliding and abrasive regimes. The optimised LSC process yielded good metallurgically bonded and crack-free clads with ultrafine cellular–dendritic microstructures. Both alloys produced microhardness values exceeding 700&#xa0;HV_0.3, marking a more than threefold increase compared to the base AISI 4140 steel (~210&#xa0;HV). Despite the absence of Cr, the NiBSi clads exhibited comparable or superior (by 10-40%) wear resistance, incurring a lower volume loss and specific wear rate than Ni-Cr-B-Si under comparable test conditions. This improved tribological behaviour is attributed to the formation of uniformly distributed hard boride and silicide phases and reduced interfacial reactivity. Thus, this study establishes that Cr-free Ni-B-Si alloys can effectively replace conventional Ni-Cr-B-Si clads without compromising wear resistance, eliminate issues such as carbide decomposition typically associated with Cr-rich systems, and offer a sustainable and cost-effective alternative.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>