Buying FileBy WALT MOORE, Editor

Compact Track Loaders

COlDpact Track Loaders

Still Winning ConvertsProduct innovation continues as these versatile machines gain market share

"Hourly rate is the monthly ownership costs divided by 176, plus operatingcosts. Unit prices used in this calculation are diesel fuel at $4.13 per galion,mechanic's wage at $50.76 per hour, and money costs at 2.0 percent.

Source: EquipmentWarch.com. 800.669.3282

The combined North American markets for skid­steer loaders (SSLs) and compact track loaders(CTLs) reached nearly 61,000 units in 2012.CTLs accounted for some 22,500 of those sales,approaching 38 percent of the total. In 2005,

combined sales approximated 81,000 units, with CTLsaccounting for only 15,000 units, about 19 percent. TheCTL obviously is earning its way onto more and morejob sites as equipment users continue to discover that itsflat-footed, high-flotation undercalTiage has the abilityto claim bad-weather days as workdays and to open upnew applications that need a softer touch.

"Many equipment buyers have gravitated to trackmachines, even though they are more expensive and typ­ically have higher maintenance costs," says GeorgeChaney, SSLICTL international sales manager for JCB."The productivity gains and the added work you can dogreatly exceed those factors-making the track machinea great value."

Actually, says Chaney, rental firms were the first tocapitalize on the CTL's potential, because contractorsinitially were apprehensive about investing in a machinethat had a considerably higher price tag than a skid-steerand an undercarriage that might be co tly to maintain.But when the weather got too wet and too muddy andtoo much for their wheeled machines, says Chaney,they'd rent and discover the track machine's benefits.

By Construction Equipment's count, a baker's dozenCTL brands are available in North America, most appear­ing in the market in the last decade. The first appearanceof these machines, however, dates back to the mid-1980s,when Takeuchi and ASV (now Terex) developed compactrubber-track machines that could handle attachments.

From those early days forward, the CTL market hasbeen characterized by continual product innovation andrefinement, yielding machines that are increasinglymore efficient (do more work on a gallon of fuel), morecapable (higher rated operating capacities and gains in

• April 2013 I Construction Equipment

701-975

976-1,250

1,251-1,350

1,351-1,600

1,601-1,750

1.751-2,200

2,201·and more

Average Price

$21,962

$26,613

$36,813

$37,006

$38,660

$44,430

$49,742

$61,436

Hourly Rate*

$17.34

$18.76

$26.26

$28.98

$28.33

$32.63

$34.85

$39.70

The new Deere E-Series machines. as do many of today'scompact track loaders. feature a choice of electro-hydrauliccontrols in various patterns.

hydraulic horsepower), and more accommodating of theoperator's safety, comfort, and convenience (sealed-and­pressurized cabs and selectable joystick controls, for in­stance). The refinement process has been particularly inevidence during the past two years or so as manufactur­ers have introduced new models with honed designs.

Product refinementBobcat, for example, has been at work introducing

its new M-Selies models, featuring redesigned hydraulicsystems, new lift arms (with hefty increases in section

Constru ctionEquipment.com

height and width), higher rated operating capacities,cooling system enhancements, longer tracks, and all­new cab. The M-Series range was completed in early2013 with the SOO-frame-size models. Says MikeFitzgerald, Bobcat's loader product specialist, operatorsof M-Series models comment most about the new mod­els' hydraulic power and operator amenities-largercab, ease of entry/exit, heating/cooling capacity, soundreduction, and visibility.

Just announced are four new John Deere E-SeriesCTL models that have up to 10 percent more horsepowerthan their D-Series predecessors and offer electro-hy­draulic controls available in an ISO, H, or foot-controlconfiguration-with an optional system that allowsswitching among the patterns. Auxiliary couplers have anew connect-under-pressure design, and mid-framemodels feature greater lift height and reach. D-Seriesfeatures retained, says Gregg Zupancic, product market­ing manager, include sealed-and-pressurized cabs andfuel-saving auto-idle systems. Options include keylessstart, ride control, and reversing fan.

Among Caterpillar's most recent CLT introductionsare the 299D and 299D XHP, which, says Kevin Cole­man, senior product engineer for compact equipment,"raise the bar for premium control features." Specifi­cally, says Coleman, the Cat Intelligent Leveling system(ILEV) enables three features: electronic dual self-level­ing (levels the load when both raising and lowering);work-tool return to dig; and work-tool positioner, thelatter automatically returning the work tool to a presetangle. An electronic throttle pedal provides a "decel"feature, which, says Coleman, is an industry exclusive.

For the past two years or so, JCB has been bringing tomarket its New Generation CTLs, seven models in all, en­gineered and manufactured at JCE' North Americanheadquarters in Savannah, Ga. Designed with the compa­ny's hallmark feature, the single-lift-arm PowerBoom,New Generation models use JCB's Ecomax engine thatmeets current Tier 4 regulation without after treatment.Features include a 17-percent larger, sealed-and-pressur­ized cab that tilts for service access, multifimction joy­sticks, hydraulic quick hitch, O-ring face seals for hydrau­lic connections, and optional heated air-suspension seat.

The latest Takeuchi models, the TL-lO and TL-12,feature a selectable attachment-control system that pro­vides three adjustable settings for programming specifichydraulic flow rates. According to David Steger, productmanager, the new models use larger, sealed-and-pressur­ized cabs and pilot-hydraulic joysticks with a pattern

Construction Equipment I April 2013 •

Buying Fi Ie Compact Track Loader

Basic Choices for CTL Purchases

changer for selecting either an ISO or H configurations.Heavy frames with integrated cross members distributeworking stresses, says Steger, and the tracks use an opti­mized rubber compound and feature steel pads that pro­vide a riding surface for the track rollers.

Terex most recently introduced its PT-110 and PT­110 Forestry models with rated operating capacities, re­spectively, of 3,800 and 4,300 pounds at 50 percent oftipping load. Common to all Terex CTLs, says JamieWright, product manager, the new models are purpose­built to run on a suspended undercarriage designed foroptimum traction, flotation and ground clearance-andusing proprietary rubber tracks that have no internalsteel. A load-sensing, high-flow auxiliary hydraulic sys­tem provides flows to 45 gpm and delivers 98.7 hydrau­lic horsepower at 3,800 psi.

Gehl's aU-new RT-Series models (RT175 andRT210)-built in the company's plant in Yankton,S.D.-feature a patented HydraTrac automatic track­tensioning system that pressurizes a load device at ma-

A basic choice when buying a com­pact track loader, says Mike Fitzgerald,Bobcat loader product specialist, is de­ciding whether a radial- or vertical-lift­path model is best for the buyer's typicalapplications.

The vertical-lift loader provides morelift capacity and more reach atfuilliftheight, says Fitzgerald, and because max­imum reach is achieved at full lift height,

Vertical-lift loader linkage providesincreased reach at full dump height.

• April 2013 I Construction Equipment

the machine is adept at performing jobsthat require repeated lifting at tallerheights, such as clearing high-sidedtrucks and hoppers. Although the vertical­lift loader may have a higher initial cost,he says, its expanded utilization potentialtypically pays dividends-plus it usuallyhas a higher resale value.

On the other hand, says Fitzgerald, aradius-lift loader-which raises the loadin an arc that yields maximum reach atabout truck-bed height-excels at workdone repeatedly atthe mid-range (orlower) point ofthe lift are, such as dump­ing material over a wall, backfilling, load­ing and unloading flatbed trucks, and lev­eling or grading.

Fitzgerald suggests, too, that buyersassess the value of a high-flow auxiliaryhydraulic system: "If using attachmentsmakes up a significant portion of your op­erational time," he says, "a high-flow sys­tem can increase productivity and overallreturn on investment."

chine startup for optimally tensioning the track, and thenreleases tension at machine shutdown. Says Gehl, thesystem reduces both track wear and horsepower require­ments at the tracks. A new electro-hydraulic "5 x 5Drive-Control" feature allows choosing from five driv­ability settings to suit operating preferences.

A relative newcomer to the CTL market, Kubotahas been successful with its SVL75-2 and SVL90-2models. According to Erik Ouwersloot, CTL productmanager, the Kubota models are purpose-built as CTLsand, therefore, can integrate the undercarriage framewith the mainframe, a design, he says, that contributes torigidity and balance. The Kubota cab has especially gen­erous dimensions, says Ouwersloot, and features a tilt­up front door to facilitate cab entry/exit, attachmentchanges and crew communication.

New Holland's 200 Series CTLs are the company'ssecond-generation models, and the two largest featurethe company's patented, vertical-lift Super Boom. Ac­cording to Paul Wade, brand marketing manager, thenew models feature a dozer-style undercarriage withcrawler-style rollers that use metal face seals and a largeinner-diameter flange to prevent "de-tracking" on in­clines. Convenience features include keyless start, GlideRide option, available heated or air-ride seat, and self­leveling bucket.

According to Case, the sealed-and-pressurized cabsfor its Alpha Series CTLs are up to 25 percent largerthan those of predecessor models and are available witha choice of controls: mechanical and mechanical/servoin the Case hands-only H-pattern (which can convert toa hand-and-foot configuration) and available electro­hydraulic controls that switch between H and ISO pat­terns with a touch of a button. Three auxiliary-hydraulicpackages are available: standard, high-flow, and en­hanced high-flow (high-pressurelhigh-f1ow).

The Volvo C-Series range, MCT85C, MCT125C andMCT135C, is manufactured by JCB through an agree­ment of cooperation for the engineering and manufactur­ing of CLTs for global distJibution under their respectivebrands. As such, the latest Volvo models feature single­loader-arm design, large left-side door, hydraulic connec­tors with O-ring face seals, tilt cab, and joystick controls.

According to Mustang, design features for its latestand all-new CTL pair, the 1750RT and 2100RT, includeand automatic track-tensioning system and a new con­trol system that provides "customized operation" by al­lowing operators to vary operating parameters to suit theapplication or personal preference. (i%