DEERE TAKING THE LARGER VIEW
Published in: Diesel Progress North American Edition
Date: 3/1/2000
By: Bode, Dave
Following rollout of compact machines, new articulated trucks and hydraulic excavators unveiled; large crawler dozers updated
The last few months have been a busy time for John Deere Construction Equipment Co. First, the Moline, Ill.-based division of Deere & Co. unveiled a range of smaller equipment, including compact four-wheel drive loaders and compact excavators such as new ZTS (zero tail swing) series machines with rated capacities of 2.7, 3.5 and 5.0 metric tons (see January 2000, Diesel Progress).
Shortly after that introduction, the company underscored its commitment to larger equipment by rolling out a new line of 25- to 40-ton articulated dump trucks (ADTs), two new excavator models targeting the 50 to 90 metric ton classes and updated C-Series crawler dozers.
“Earlier this year (1999), we announced a strategic alliance with Bell Equipment Ltd. of South Africa,” explained Jim White, senior vice-president, marketing & sales, for Deere’s Worldwide Construction Equipment Division, at the product rollout. “Our minority interest in Bell gives us exclusive rights to market a line of articulated dump trucks in the Western hemisphere. We believe that our product and manufacturing expertise, plus our strong customer support and dealer network, will give customers a new choice in the growing articulated dump truck market.”
JDCEC’s decision to enter the ADT market was primarily, “because it’s been growing,” according to White. “Industry sales have nearly doubled between 1992 and 1998,” he said. “Although sales have tapered off since March (1999), we expect long term sales growth to continue due to initiatives like the TEA-21 federal spending for streets and high-ways. Also, there’s been a shift to larger capacity articulated dump trucks. When teamed with a large excavator, these machines are very cost-effective in moving materials, in many cases replacing the traditional scraper.
“Which is why I’m also pleased to announce that we are introducing two new models of large excavators, the 550 LC and the 750,” White continued. “The 550 LC will compete in the 50 to 66 metric ton class, and the 750 will compete in the 66 to 90 metric ton class. These machines offer a computerized engine/hydraulic management system that allows the operator to set power and work modes for the most efficient operation in a variety of applications. The cabs are wider and more comfortable than their competitors. And they’re available in both standard and mass excavation models.”
Similar to its decision to enter the ADT marker, JDCEC is moving into the large excavator market because it’s growing, White explained.
“The North American market for the 50 to 90 metric ton excavator class grew by 52 percent from 1994 to 1998, with the 66 to 90 ton class growing the most,” he said. “These machines are used most in water, sewer and pipeline applications, followed by road building and general excavation. That reflects the general growth in homebuilding and the expansion of our cities over the last few years. The residential and commercial building markets have traditionally been Deere’s strengths.”
Deere’s new line of oscillating ADTs consists of four models – 250C, 300C, 350C and 400C (model numbers indicate the trucks’ rated payloads, e.g., the 250C’s payload is approximately 25 tons or 50,706 lb.) The 250C, 350C and 400C were available in late 1999, while the start of sales for the 300C is scheduled for March.
Manufactured by Bell Equipment in Richards Bay, South Africa, the DaimlerChrysler diesel-powered haul trucks are designed for applications including site preparation, roadbuilding, land reclamation, landfill construction, waste management, mining and quarrying. They offer power-to-weight ratios developed to permit faster acceleration, haul speeds and overall cycle times. The vehicles also feature heavy-duty ribbed dump bodies that allow for larger loads, resulting in higher productivity and less spillage.
The 250C truck features the six-cylinder in-line, 6 L displacement, turbo-charged and aftercooled OM 366 LA engine rated 237 SAE net hp at 2500 rpm. Maximum net torque is 592 ft.lb. at 1600 rpm. The 15.1 L, naturally aspirated OM 442 V-8 diesel powers the 300C, supplying 251 SAE net hp at 2100 rpm with maximum net torque of 723 ft.lb. at 1300 rpm.
The 350C ADT is equipped with a turbocharged OM 442 A engine rated 335 SAE net hp at 2100 rpm (maximum net torque is 1184 ft.lb. at 1000 to 1500 rpm), while the 400C is powered by a turbo/aftercooled OM 442 LA diesel rated 410 SAE net hp at 2100 rpm with maximum torque of 1290 ft.lb. at 1200 rpm). Both the OM 442 A and OM 442 LA engines are 14.6 L displacement V-8s with integral engine valve brakes.
The engines power the full-time six-wheel drive ADTs to a top travel speed of 30 mph. All engines are EPA and CARB certified for off-road applications, according to JDCEC.
Each ADT’s engine drives the three outboard, heavy-duty design Bell Equipment planetary reduction type axles through a fully automatic, electronically controlled transmission. The 250C features Allison’s MD3560P automatic planetary unit, while the 300C uses a ZF 6WG 210 countershaf transmission with integral drop box. The 350C and 400C trucks have Allison HD4560 transmissions. The hydrodynamic torque converters in all the transmissions can be locked up in all gears for faster haul speeds and better fuel efficiency, the company said.
Deere’s ADTs feature dual-circuit, hydraulic or air-over-hydraulic dry type disc service brakes on all six wheels. Engine valve braking and hydraulic retarders provide additional braking capacity for excellent control, while reducing service brake wear. Park and secondary braking is via spring-applied, air-released driveline-mounted dry type discs.
In each ADT’s closed-center, load-sensing type hydraulic system, a Rex-roth variable displacement axial piston pump services the prioritized steering, body-tipping and braking functions. A ground-driven, load-sensing Rexroth axial piston, variable displacement emergency steering pump is integrated into the system. Main pump hydraulic flow/pressure at governed engine speed range from 39.6 gpm at 3625 psi for the 250C, to 58 gpm at 3625 psi for the 400C machine. Emergency pump hydraulic flow at fill ground speed ranges from 22 gpm for the 250C to 32 gpm for the 400C.
The 25-ton 250C’s rated payload is 50,706 lb. Load capacity is 15 cu.yd. struck and 18 cu.yd. heaped. Its empty operating weight is 35,534 lb. The 30-ton 300C has a struck capacity of 17 cu.yd., a heaped capacity of 22 cu.yd. and a rated payload of 59,524 lb., with an empty operating weight of 40,124 lb.
With an empty operating weight of 57,099 lb., the 350C offers a rated payload of 70,547 lb. (35 tons). It has a struck capacity of 19.6 cu.yd. and a heaped capacity of 25.6 cu.yd. The 400C, with a rated payload of 80,468 lb. (40 tons), has a load capacity of 22 cu.yd. struck and 29 cu.yd. heaped. Its empty operating weight is 63,493 lb.
The ADTs’ FOPS/ROPS cabs are sound attenuated to offer low interior noise levels. Each cab is centrally mounted behind the front axle where the truck’s movement has minimal effect on the operator. The operator’s seat with seat belt is air-suspended and fully adjustable. Additionally, the cab and hood are designed to provide excellent visibility all around, Deere said.
The hydraulically operated, hydrostatically propelled John Deere 550 LC and 750 excavators are now the largest machines in the company’s excavator line. Produced through the Deere Hitachi Joint Venture in Tsuchiura, Japan, they are designed to offer high productivity with operator-focused hydraulic systems that allow operation at peak performance, whether trenching, leveling or material handling.
The 550 LC has an operating weight of 127,394 lb., a 47 ft. 5 in. maximum reach, a 32 ft. 2 in. maximum digging depth and 49,200 lb. of lift capacity (over the front). Its heavy-duty design undercarriage and 18 ft. 8 in. overall track length are intended to give it an effective base for trenching.
The 750 has an operating weight of 167,602 lb., a 51 ft. 6 in. maximum reach, a 34 ft. 8 in. maximum digging depth and a 62,160 lb. lift capacity (over the front). The machine offers 20 ft. 10 m. of track length.
Booms and arms are of all-welded, box-section design. The boom is made of thickened plates at the boom foot and four inside bulkheads. The arm has thickened plates at its top, sides and bottom to increase ruggedness and resist twisting. The 550 LC has a 24 ft. 11 in. boom with four arm length options ranging from 9 ft. 6 in. to 17 ft. 1 in. For mass material excavation applications, a Mass Excavating (ME) front configuration is available with a 21 ft. 8 in. boom and 9 ft. 6 in. arm.
The 750 is available with a 27 ft. 1 in. boom. Three arm length options range from 9 ft. 8 in. to 17 ft. 9 in. Additionally an ME front configuration is available, including a 23 ft. 4 in. boom and 9 ft. 8 in. arm.
Deere offers a wide range of buckets to support the wide range of applications for the 550LC and 750 excavators. Available in heavy duty, heavy-duty high capacity and extreme-duty configurations, the buckets are also designed to accept tooth configurations that optimize machine productivity and bucket fill. Bucket widths are available from 36 to 80 in., with available capacities ranging from 1.97 to 7.37 cu.yd.
Under the hood, the 550 LC is powered by a Cummins N14 turbocharged diesel engine providing 361 SAE net hp at 1800 rpm and maximum net torque of 1240 ft.lb. at 1400 rpm. The 750 has a turbocharged and aftercooled Cummins N14 engine supplying 434 SAE net hp at 1800 rpm, with maximum net torque of 1290 ft.lb. at 1400 rpm. Both engines are 14 L, in-line ‘six-cylinder, direct-injected units. JDCEC noted that all engines are EPA certified for off-road applications.
Each excavator’s Powerwize engine/hydraulic management system is powered by two variable-displacement, axial piston open center main pumps (Uchida Rexroth pumps in the 550 LC, Kawasaki pumps in the 750), and is designed to provide smooth movement by keeping a constant balance between pressure and flow. The controls provide quick, accurate response to multifunction swing-lift-bucket operations.
Maximum/minimum oil flows in the 550 LC’s hydraulic system are 2 x 101 gpm/2 x 2l.1 gpm and 2 x l29 gpm/2 x 21.7 gpm, respectively in the 750. System operating pressures in the 550LC are: implement circuits — 4340 psi, travel circuits — 4980 psi, swing circuits — 4550 psi and power boost — 4552 psi. The corresponding pressures for the 750 are 4480 psi, 4620 psi, 4120 psi and 1977 psi.
The machines’ hydraulic systems also include Shibaura control valves, Kawasaki swing motors, Kayaba propel motors and Hitachi rotary manifolds. Hydraulic system capacities are 153.2 gal. for the 550LC and 174.4 gal. for the 750; respective reservoir capacities are 76.6 gal. and 89.8 gal. A steel bulkhead separates the hydraulic pumps and engine to minimize noise and keep the engine and pump compartments cleaner for easier maintenance.
Operators can choose from three power modes that regulate engine rpm. The Standard mode offers fast cycle times for normal or average applications, delivering an efficient engine speed and 100 percent hydraulic pump output. The Economy mode is for lighter-duty applications where productivity and fuel economy are musts. The S/P mode for the 550 LC supplies maximum power in heavy-duty applications, increasing engine rpm when activated.
Operators can also select from four work modes that prioritize hydraulic flow. The work modes operate independently from power modes to allow the operators to fit machine performance to any job.
Both the 550 LC and 750 include an auto-idle system to save fuel by decreasing engine speed by 20 percent whenever the control levers are in neutral for four seconds. Further, the 750 has a quick idle switch mounted to the hydraulic pilot control lever, which when engaged reduces engine speed to 60 percent of full throttle. A power boost feature, available on the 550 LC, can be activated by pushing a thumb button on the right control lever to provide eight percent more hydraulic power for 10 seconds.
Both models feature adjustable track frames that extend for maximum machine productivity and retract to aid in transporting. Other track features include premium-grade tracks with large links fitted with struts for added durability, pin seals to prevent dirt from entering the bushings, track center guards on both sides to protect the lower rollers and three track shoe options available to suit differing footing conditions. The 550 LC’s low/high travel speeds are zero to 2.0 mph and zero to 2.9 mph, while the 750’s corresponding travel speeds are zero to 2.1 mph and zero to 2.9 mph. Drawbar pull is 83,800 lb. for the 550 LC and 110,300 lb. for the 750. Swing speeds are zero to 8.0 rpm for the 550 LC and zero to 8.6 rpm for the 750.
The 550 LC and 750 operator-friendly design cab is mounted on six silicone-filled mounts to isolate the operator from noise and vibration. The hand control levers can be raised or lowered to match the operator’s build, while the controls can glide forward or back with the seat, or remain fixed while the seat moves. A machine walkway or “Deere-walk,” runs from the cab to the engine area to allow easy access to the side service compartments.
More than 250 refinements have been made to the John Deere C-Series dozers, which are manufactured in Dubuque, Iowa, since their introduction in 1995. Both C-Series II units were expected to be available for sale in March.
“When we introduced the C-Series crawlers in 1995, customers liked them because they were so easy to operates,” said White. “They had a very smooth hydrostatic drive transmission and a single lever that controlled both steering and direction. The new Series II machines (750C-II and 850C-II) continue with the smooth control, but also add a ground speed control in the same single lever. And, like with our smaller H-Series machines, the controls can be customer tailored to the operator’s preference.”
Other features of the updated C-Series machines include a pinned front cross bar to eliminate diagonal braces, thus greatly reducing mud buildup and making cleanout much easier, as well as improving the machine’s fine grading capabilities, Deere said. An optional new six-way power, angle and tilt blade will be available on the 850C-II to make it easier to work around shapes and contours.
For the first time, ground speed adjustments are incorporated into a single lever that controls steering and direction. The SSD (speed, steer and direction) lever allows the operator to control these three major functions without moving the left hand from the control lever.
Another new feature is the ability to select a reverse speed ratio expressed as a percentage of forward travel speed. This allows the operator to set reverse travel speed for the most efficient operation.
Like Deere’s H-Series crawlers, the C-Series II transmission and steering controls are designed to be intuitive and easy to operate. The brake pedal control has also been improved to operate similar to the H-Series dozers. When the pedal is released after application, the crawler will resume movement at the selected speed setting. Unlike their predecessors, cycling the SSD lever through neutral after braking is not required on the C-Series II machines.
The 850C Series II is available with a factory option Power Angle Tilt (PAT) six-way blade on standard long track (LT), wide track (WT) and low ground pressure (LGP) models, and provides improved visibility, strength and balance for improved grading and durability. The 750C will continue to have a factory six-way blade available on both the standard and LGP models. Both feature a new dozer control valve for easier, more precise, blade metering control.
Powering the 750C Series II dozer is a John Deere Powertech 6.8 L six-cylinder in-line diesel providing 140 net hp. The 850C Series II features a Power-tech 8.1 L in-line-six engine that supplies 185 net hp. The company noted that the turbocharged, direct-injected engines meet all applicable U.S. EPA, CARB and proposed European Economic Community emissions standards for off-road diesel engines.
The C-Series II crawler dozers also feature dual-path hydrostatic transmissions for high productivity, maneuverability and versatility, as well as quiet operation. Other enhancements include: a self-adjusting serpentine belt drive on the engine, sealing of electrical fuse cover, easier access to filters, better seals on track chain, heavier carrier-roller shaft, improved visibility from the operator’s position and an optional noise package.
Along with its new and upgraded machines, White announced that John Deere Construction Equipment Co. was introducing its Internet-based Customer Personal Service (CPS) program. CPS was developed to allow customers password-protected access to vital information to help them make the best and fastest decisions for their businesses.
CPS will give customers visibility to parts availability and prices at their local dealerships. It will let them order both new and rebuilt parts online. Additionally, customers will receive service newsletters and be able to access the latest updates of technical manuals online.
“With our Customer Personal Service program, we have decided to share information that other manufacturers have considered proprietary,” said Tony Worthington, director, customer support. “For example, we will share component life cycle data with customers. That will help customers manage component replacement before failure, saving both the core value of the component and the cost of secondary downstream damage.”
Even without access to the CPS site, Deere Construction Equipment customers are covered by Deere’s Total Repair Cost Management (TRCM) program, a wide range of initiatives designed to support the management of machine uptime. For example, a new global vehicle communication system called Deere Trax is designed to allow customers to track their equipment fleets.
“Customers have told us they are looking for a better solution to tracking machine location and hours,” Worthington explained. “Our new Deere Trax Global Vehicle Communications, or GVC, will let them do that. Eventually, customers will be able to monitor critical machine readings, do remote diagnostics and obtain theft notification with GVC. We plan to evolve GVC as customers decide what is most useful to them.”
JDCEC said that speed also means taking advantage of the Internet. With Deere’s early morning parts delivery promise, according to the company, North American orders received before 7 p.m. Central time will be shipped the same day, and available no later than 7 a.m. the next day at the dealer.
Under its new order fulfillment process, Deere dealers can order new products online at any time, rather than the traditional quarterly forecasting and ordering process. That allows Deere and its dealers to deliver products, configured just as customers want them, in 20 working days, said the company — less than half the time it used to take Deere.
The new programs add to the list of customer support programs currently available, including CounterParts, Certified Dealer Service Techs and Secure Extended warranties — all of which also apply to the new ADTs, large excavators and C-Series II crawlers, JDCEC said.
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