|
As Case Construction
Equipment produces its 500,000th unit, the category reaches new heights
in sophistication and variety.
 Perhaps
no construction machine is more identified with the North American
market than the backhoe loader. Born in the 1950s, the forerunner of the
versatile machine was an agricultural tractor with a loader bucket on
one end and a digging arm on the other. Even today, these machines are
often referred to as tractor loader backhoes, or TLBs.
There is some debate over what company made the
first truly integrated backhoe loader, designed from the ground up to be
a construction machine. Claimants include the Bucyrus Erie Company,
British-owned JCB, and
Case Construction Equipment.
Regardless of who came first, the backhoe loader
was made famous by Case. Since creating their first model in 1957, the
company’s name became synonymous with the backhoe loader. In addition to
leading the category in sales for decades, the Case backhoe loader was
recognized by Fortune magazine as one of the 100 products America makes
best in 1988 and again in 1991. This year, Case celebrated another
remarkable milestone: the production of its 500,000th backhoe loader.
The category has become hotly competitive in recent years, with
traditional rivals Case,
Deere, and
New Holland joined by the likes of
Caterpillar in the 1980s and Komatsu and
Volvo more recently. The past
decade has also brought the emergence of the compact backhoe loader
category. These smaller, lighter machines pack enough power to perform
many of the utility chores once done by bigger units, and are popular
staples in many rental fleets. While equipment market experts have been
forecasting the decline of the category for decades, backhoe loaders
remain one of the most popular construction machines in the U.S. and
Canada, and the market leaders continue to make the base machine ever
more sophisticated and easy to operate.
Caterpillar
More power for big unit
 Caterpillar dialed up the power and performance on
its top-of-the-line 446 backhoe loader when it introduced the D-series
version of the machine early this year. The 102-horsepower unit also
features a new operator station and offers optional joystick controls.
Bucket dig forces have increased about 10% on the backhoe. Standard dig
depth is 16 feet, 10 inches, and
Caterpillar
says its high-rotation linkage
eliminates the need to change pin position when moving from loading
trucks to vertical wall trenching. On the loader end, increased lift and
breakout forces give the 446D a full-height lift capacity of 9,572
pounds and a bucket breakout force of 13,838 pounds with the standard
1.5-cubic-yard bucket. The loader also features self-leveling and
return-to-dig.
Click 14 on
ROADFAX card
Bobcat
B-Series gets a power boost
 Bobcat gave its compact backhoe loaders a major
power boost when the company introduced the line’s second-generation
B-Series last year. The 31.5-horsepower B100 got a 45% increase in
backhoe bucket breakout force and a 27% jump in dipper breakout force.
The 46-horsepower B300 got a 44% increase in dipper breakout force and a
21% boost in bucket breakout force. The three-model line also includes
the B250, a 31.5-horsepower sideshift unit. Like the larger B300, the
B250 features all-wheel steering and four-wheel drive. All three models
use the Bob-Tach mounting system and accept
Bobcat’s extensive family of
attachments for compact machines.
Click 12 on
ROADFAX card
New Holland
Low-effort pilot controls
 All four models in
New Holland’s
backhoe loader
line use a new 4.5-liter turbocharged Tier-2 engine. The new engine and
a number of other upgrades were the basis for the B series machines
which feature low-effort pilot controls which offer a choice between
excavator or loader-backhoe patterns. The LB units feature inline loader
linkage, high-capacity hydraulics capable of up to 42 gpm flows, and net
horsepower ratings ranging from the LB75.B at 89 horsepower to the
LB115.B at 108 horsepower. Options include a 4x4 Power Shuttle, and
Glide Ride which allows the machine to travel faster over rough ground
without losing material in the bucket.
Click 20 on
ROADFAX card
Volvo Construction Equipment
New two-model line
 Volvo jumped into the backhoe loader market in 2003
with the introduction of the 90-horsepower BL70, a
new-from-the-ground-up unit with a standard dig depth of 14 feet, 9
inches. Features include a narrow, S-style boom and 13,310 pounds of
bucket dig force. The boom’s narrow profile enhances visibility in
trenching and loading operations, and
Volvo says its closed-box
construction is stronger and requires fewer components and fewer welds
than other designs. Cushioned boom, swing, and dipper cylinders deliver
excavator-like smoothness and precision to digging operations. At the
other end of the machine, the loader features a patented self-leveling
bucket system and a return-to-dig function for productivity. It uses a
single, center-mounted dump cylinder to enhance visibility and shorten
dump times. With a 1.3-cubic-yard general-purpose bucket, the loader has
12,038 pounds of breakout force. Last year, the 83-horsepower BL60
debuted. The turbocharged machine has a 14-foot, 9-inch digging depth
and 11,864 pounds-foot of backhoe bucket digging force. It has a
1.3-cubic-yard loader bucket and develops 8,936 pounds-foot of bucket
breakout force. Designed for governmental agencies and construction
contractors, the BL60 can be ordered in two- or four-wheel drive, with
an enclosed cab or open canopy, and with a standard or extendible
dipper.
Click 22 on
ROADFAX card
Case
Tier-2 generation debuts
 A switch to Case Family-3 engines to meet Tier-2
emissions standards inspired
Case to add a number of other improvements
to its M-series backhoe loaders last year. The new M Series 2 machines
have quieter, larger-displacement engines for greater lugging capacity.
They also have increased torque rise for faster loader and backhoe
cycles, 500-hour oil-change intervals, and easy-access
transmission-mounted hydraulic pumps. The series 2 models also got
comfort and control upgrades, including infinitely adjustable control
positioning, exclusive height-adjustable wrist rests, and
thumb-proportional control for the Extendahoe feature. The
multi-function control system for the backhoe is said to let the
operator feel buried objects. The five-model line ranges from the
76-horsepower 580M to the 98-horsepower 580 Super M+.
Click 13 on
ROADFAX card
Ingersoll-Rand
Compact digs 12-feet deep
 Ingersoll-Rand's newest compact backhoe loader can
reach digging depths of 12 feet with its backhoe. As a loader, the
BL-570 has a rated operating capacity of 3,406 pounds and a breakout
force of 9,370 pounds. Both the loader and backhoe are equipped with
standard auxiliary hydraulics with two-way flow to accommodate a variety
of attachments, including booms, breakers, augers, and compactors. Other
features include hydrostatic four-wheel drive for power and traction,
and all-wheel steering for a tight turning radius. The unit has a large
platform-style, shock-mounted operator platform, and an enclosed cab is
optional.
Click 15 on
ROADFAX card
John Deere
Completely integrated control system
 John Deere says it has introduced the first backhoe
loader to feature a completely integrated control system. The hallmark
of the new 92-horsepower 410H is the company’s Total Machine Control
system, which integrates control for the engine, transmission,
hydraulics, and brakes so the systems can respond in a coordinated,
efficient way to different job demands. In startup mode, the 410H digs
at the same speed as the 410G, but in "Fast" mode, it will dig 30%
faster and in "Slow" mode (for precision work) it digs 20% slower. New
automated features include return-to-carry which returns the loader boom
to travel height after dumping, and boom height kick-out, which allows
the operator to set the loader boom height to fit working conditions. In
addition to the 410H, the company’s backhoe loader line includes the
70-horsepower 310G, the 86-horsepower 310SG, and the 118-horsepower
710G.
Click 17 on
ROADFAX card
Komatsu
New options and upgrades
Komatsu has announced that optional excavator-style
joystick controls will be offered on its five-model line of backhoe
loaders. The line has also been upgraded with increased hydraulic speed,
stronger components, and Tier 2 engines. The Komatsu line consists of
the 87-horsepower WB140 series, and the 94-horsepower WB150 series. The
standard model in each series features a four-speed mechanical
transmission with a torque converter. Each series also has a PS model
featuring a powershift transmission. The fifth model is the
top-of-the-line WB150AWS-2N, an all-wheel-steer design with powershift
transmission and self-diagnostic and anti-theft systems.
Click 18 on
ROADFAX card
Bobcat
Cuts and mulches grass and brush
 Bobcat’s
flail cutter attachment works with the company’s backhoe loaders just as
it does with its skid-steer and compact loaders. The flail cutter is
designed to cut and mulch the thickest grass and brush along ditches,
power line access roads, trails, and other overgrown areas. It has a
cutting width of 79 inches and can mulch small branches and saplings up
to 3 inches in diameter. Its hammers cut vertically, so debris is thrown
down on the ground and not out to the side.
Click 23 on
ROADFAX card
Kubota
Smooth working compact
Kubota’s newest backhoe loader is the L39, a
39-horsepower compact with a three-point hitch and independent PTO
capabilities. Designed for low noise and vibration levels, the L39 has
an electronically controlled hydraulic transmission with 12 forward
speeds for what the company calls clutchless, shock-free shifting.
Shuttle shifting allows the operator to shift from forward to reverse
and back again without clutching or braking.
Click 19 on
ROADFAX card
Case
New hammer line
 Case has expanded its line of attachments with the
additions of four new hydraulic hammers. The CH300, CH500, CH750, and
CH1000 range in impact energy ratings from 350 to 1,200 foot-pounds.
The
hammers are designed for use with
Case M series backhoe loaders and the
company’s skid-steer loaders. They feature just two moving parts for
optimum dependability, and Case says, pound for pound, they deliver more
blows per minute than other hammers.
Click 25 on
ROADFAX card
General Equipment
Clamp-on asphalt cutter
General Equipment’s 130C Cut-R-Tach clamps to a
backhoe dipperstick or a loader bucket without need for special tools or
adaptors. Its twin-screw pivot clamp conforms to differences in bucket
shapes and sizes and can be used in forward or reverse cutting. The
13.5-inch diameter cutting blade is made from heat-treated alloy steel
and cuts up to 5-inches deep.
Click 29 on
ROADFAX card
Bradco
Cold planing attachment
Bradco markets a five-model line of cold planing
attachments that feature independent pivoting heads for better contour
tracking, T1 steel construction in high-wear areas, and planetary drives
for high torque. The SP300 operates with standard-flow hydraulics while
four HP models work with high-flow hydraulic systems.
Click 24 on
ROADFAX card
Allmand Brothers
4-wheel-drive compact
Allmand says its four-wheel-drive TLB-6235 compact
backhoe loader is engineered for an extended service life, with
oversized pins, composite bearings, and urethane lip seals in all
working joints to reduce friction. The 35-horsepower machine’s backhoe
features include a 6,000-pound bucket digging force and 9-foot, 10-inch
digging depth. Its loader end features a 0.67-cubic-yard bucket and
extended reach.
Click 11 on
ROADFAX card
Lemac
Long-life tilting bucket
Lemac’s hydraulic tilting bucket pivots 45 degrees
in either direction for slope grading, backfilling, ditch cleaning, and
many other applications. The company says its unique pivot design and
the use of a heat-treated pivot pin provide a long service life.
Heat-treated steel is also used for the base and side leading edges of
the bucket, and the heavy-duty hydraulic cylinders feature
induction-hardened rods, pins, and bushings.
Click 31 on
ROADFAX card
Fecon
New land-clearing attachment
Fecon’s new Bull Hog BH99 wood-grinding attachment
weighs 4,200 pounds and cuts 85-inches wide. It can mulch material 4 to
6 inches in diameter and trees up to 10 inches in diameter, according to
Fecon. Its 48 carbide-tipped tools are secured with a single nut and
bolt and have an average life of 300 to 500 hours.
Click 28 on
ROADFAX card
Terex
Full line of backhoe loaders
Terex
has marketed a full line of backhoe loaders
since acquiring the Fermec line. Models include the 92-horsepower TX760B
and the 100-horsepower TX860B. Also at 100 horsepower are the 860SX, 860
Elite, and 970 Elite. The 760 and 860 models feature four-speed synchro
shuttle gearboxes and travel speeds up to 25.8 miles per hour. The 970
Elite has a four-speed full powershift gearbox with electronic gear
change.
Click 21 on
ROADFAX card
D&M Machine Division
New stump-grinding attachment
D&M Machine Division engineered the Slashbuster SG
240 stump-grinding attachment to work with any 70-horsepower or larger
backhoe loader. It features patented guide cones that shroud the
grinding disc to enhance safety and help prevent stalls by controlling
cutting depth. The unit’s double heel rack also allows it to dig and
trench around stumps so the operator can grind as far below soil level
as the job requires.
Click 27 on
ROADFAX card
Coneqtec/Universal
Patented open-drum planer
Coneqtec/Universal says its AP Backhoe Planers have
a patented open-drum design that avoids re-milling. The planers come
standard with asphalt pics and feature direct-drive, high-torque motors.
They come in 12-, 16-, 18-, and 24-inch widths.
Click 26 on
ROADFAX card
Leading Edge Attachments
High-capacity ripper bucket
Leading Edge has issued a high-capacity version of
its Multi-Ripper Bucket. Designed to handle rock and hard soils, the
bucket’s staggered ripper teeth fracture the substrate in sequential
order. No two ripper teeth align with each other, so the maximum
breakout force is applied sequentially to each tooth. The new Hi-Cap
model is designed to work with backhoe loaders and excavators over
11,000 pounds in operating weight.
Click 30 on
ROADFAX card
Reprinted from Better Roads Magazine
August 2005 |
