Adding to the construction giant’s offering for farmers and agricultural contractors, Caterpillar has begun to showcase its recently-launched 918M wheeled loader at exhibitions and events.
The new machine was unveiled by Caterpillar last year, but examples are now appearing around Europe in increasing numbers. In the agricultural sphere here in Ireland, they are poised to tackle the likes of JCB, Volvo and Komatsu.
It should be noted that Caterpillar also offers larger (and very much larger, of course) loaders – such as the new 926M, 930M and 938M. Those, says Caterpillar, are for heavy-duty contracting work.
The 938M, which is substantially bigger than the 918M, can tackle heavier-duty contracting work
The 918M is built on the same frame as the lower-powered 910M and 914M. In the case of the 918M, additional rear ballast is fitted – to balance out a hike in lift capacity.
The 918M is part of the new M-Series “compact” line-up, which replaces outgoing K-Series models – namely the 910K and 914K. That means the 918M is effectively an all-new addition to Caterpillar’s range.
The 115hp machine can muster a modest top speed of 40kph (courtesy of a 2-speed hydrostatic transmission). According to Caterpillar, it is aimed at agricultural, utility and waste-handling applications.
A new Cat 4.4L, 4-cylinder ACERT engine provides the muscle; it employs SCR (selective catalytic reduction) to clean up emissions. To save on fuel, it incorporates features such as ‘auto-engine-idle shut-down’.
‘Rim-pull Control‘, which allows operators to reduce tyre slip in poor underfoot conditions, promises easier bucket loading. The operator can select any of four settings to adjust power reaching the wheels, based on working conditions.
A variable-speed ‘Creeper Control‘, managed by the left pedal, permits control of ground speed independent of engine speed – by functioning as an inching pedal during the first half of its stroke. By adjusting the hydrostatic drive system to match ground speed to the task (i.e. to go slow), the engine can operate at high speed for “optimum hydraulic performance” and “precise control” of continuous-operation attachments – such as snow blowers and brooms.
The optional ‘Ride-Control‘ boom suspension system allows the rams (cylinders) to act as dampers, when traversing rough terrain.
For loading work, the ‘Return-To-Dig‘ feature allows the operator to automatically re-position the bucket to the desired position for the next loading cycle – by moving the joystick into a detent position. A lift kick-out feature stops the loader arms at a pre-determined height, when the operator detents the joystick.
Vital statistics
The 918M weighs almost 9.5t and has a full-turn static tipping load of almost 5.7t. The lower-powered 910M weighs just over 8.1t and manages a full-turn static tipping load of almost 5t.
It’s worth noting that the earlier Caterpillar (or Cat, if you prefer) 910 loaders were quite well-known in some quarters – including parts of Ireland. In fact, the original 910 is almost iconic now. These machines were gainfully employed on dung-loading and pit-rolling duties – right through the 1980s and beyond.
While Caterpillar is now a global giant – and dominates many construction equipment markets worldwide – it is not the first brand-name that springs to mind when one thinks of agricultural-spec loaders here in Ireland. Will the advent of the latest M-Series help to change that?
