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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JANUARY
2016
EQUIPMENT
Who would have guessed that back
in the 1980s Caterpillar had yet to
field its first backhoe loader, when
today these Cat® units are an inte-
gral part of the earthmoving landscape, with
more than 300 000 units now sold worldwide?
It all began with the roll-out of the A-Se-
ries in 1985. The B Series followed in 1989 and
built on the solid foundation established by
the first generation models to firmly entrench
the Cat backhoe as a class leader. The year
1996 saw the launch of the C Series, followed
subsequently by the D, E, F and now F2, in
2001, 2006, 2012 and 2015 respectively.
Historically, the first exploratory engi-
neering drawings for the A Series were put
to paper in 1982, and in 1983 Caterpillar’s
Desford manufacturing plant, situated near
Leicester, England (at the time responsible
for the assembly of forklifts trucks), was
chosen as the fabrication centre for the first
Cat backhoe. History has shown that their
pioneering efforts have been a major success.
Caterpillar’s introductory unit, the Cat
416A (in centre pivot configuration) was
immediately recognisable by its distinctive
boom tilt cylinder design, narrow loader
tower and divergent loader arms. Launched
with an operating weigh of approximately
6 087 kg and a lift capacity (at full height) of
2 381 kg, the engine delivered a net flywheel
power of 46 kW at 2 400 rpm.
Technological advancements over
time have included the development of the
industry’s first true excavator style boom
(enabling excellent clearance over objects),
which remains a signature trademark of the
Cat backhoe.
Coupled with this, production capabilities
have been further enhanced by the develop-
ment of a 205 degree rotation bucket linkage:
the high degree of rotation enables deeper
vertical wall excavation, which simplifies
trenching tasks, thus in turn increasing
productivity. Meanwhile, overall durability
has been further enhanced by industry
leading hydraulic and electrical components,
plus heavy duty linkages and structures.
Key focus areas for Caterpillar’s research
and development engineers include safety,
ergonomics, operator functionality, fuel
efficiency and enhanced power delivery,
all of which feature prominently on the F2
model line-up, comprising the Cat 416F2
centre pivot model, and the Cat 422F2, 428F2,
432F2, 434F2 and 444F2 side-shift units. All
are powered by fuel efficient Tier II Cat 3054C
mechanically turbo charged engines.
Machines sold into southern Africa come
equipped with a new generation four speed
manual transmission (in forward and reverse).
Top speed remains at around 40 km/h.
The F2’s upgraded hydraulics system
provides improvements in oil flow for
optimum delivery: the 422F2 from 125 litres
per minute (L/m) to 132 l/min; the 428F2 and
434F2 from 125 l/min to 160 l/min; and the
432F2 and 444F2 from 156 l/min to 163 l/min.
“Essentially, what this means is the
achievement of high bucket dig forces what-
ever the engine speed, providing excellent
control, whilst reducing fuel consumption,”
explains Barloworld Equipment product
marketing manager for Cat Building Construc-
tion products, Desigen Naicker.
Pilot controls (where specified) provide
low effort operation, with the ability to
switch between excavator or backhoe control
patterns with the press of a button.
A hydraulic quick coupler for the hoe is
available direct from the factory, whilst ‘twist
to disconnect’ couplings are fitted for all work
tools. The previous F Series features ‘push to
connect’ quick disconnect couplings.
F2 models feature a restyled cab for a
more modern look, which has been designed
throughout with the operator in mind,
including enhanced visibility to the loader
attachment when at full height. Except for the
curved front window, all other glass areas are
flat, enabling quick, low-cost replacement.
Sound levels in the cab are now best in class
at 74 dB.
As an option, F2-Series units can be fitted
with a radio featuring blue-tooth connectivity,
facilitating communication with job-site
personnel. A new keypad security system
(with up to 25 unique codes) provides added
protection for the machine, and a choice of
cellular or satellite technology is available for
use with the ProductLink™ telematics system.
ProductLink enables machine owners
to view near real-time machine positioning,
utilisation and mechanical health data via
the VisonLink™ online portal. This capa-
bility forms part of Barloworld’s Equipment
Management Solutions (EMS) suite.
“Helping to build the world’s infrastruc-
ture for the past three decades, Caterpillar’s
backhoes loaders keep on working and are
certain to continue playing their part in
building the future for many subsequent
generations,” adds Naicker.
Today, Cat backhoe loaders command
a global footprint, with 11 models manufac-
tured across three plants, namely Desford;
Thiruvallur, India; and Campo Largo, Brazil.
F2 machines destined for the southern
African regional will continue to be sourced
from the UK.
>
EVOLVING
backhoe loader
LEGEND
The year 2015 marks
the 30
th
anniversary of
Caterpillar’s first backhoe
loader and coincides with
the worldwide release of
the latest generation F2
series – the next advance in
on-site performance, where
lowest cost of ownership is
the deciding key factor.
The Cat 428F2 is powered by a Cat 3054C engine with a net power rating (ISO 9249) of 64,9 kW.
F2 units feature a new step design with reduced height, which enhances cab access/egress
safety, with a bottom step that is resiliently mounted to prevent damage from debris.