World's first High Track Doosan 18 tonner lands in the Highlands

Tue 25 Jul 2017

World's first High Track Doosan 18 tonner lands in the Highlands

Company owner, James Cox, commented: “The majority of our business is in the forestry sector, building and maintaining the infrastructure including roads and drainage. The bulk of our contracts are for Scottish Woodlands and Tilhill Forestry. “We explained our needs to David Moir, the local Construction Sales Executive for Balgownie, and he suggested this new machine to us. The DX180LC-5 High Track machine is perfect for all aspects of work in this environment, including the mounding projects that form part of the restocking phase after a forest has been cut down. The high track design and the narrow track width of the machine allow us to easily negotiate all the stumps that are left after the wood is cut – it’s a fact that the stumps and other debris are as dangerous to the underbelly of machines as passing over large rocks when moving about the forest floor.”

Like its sister DX160LC-5 HT 16.8 tonne model, the new DX180LC-5 HT 18.5 tonne High Track model is designed to meet the needs of customers requiring a combination of higher ground clearance, a reinforced track frame and a strong traction system with reinforced upper rollers for work in harsh environments and on projects where larger travelling distances are involved. These machines are particularly suited to the forestry industry, where the higher ground clearance, durable travelling system and the traction force allow them to move with ease over rough terrain, negotiate obstacles such as fallen tree trunks and to pull trailers loaded with wood. James Cox added: “As well as helping to replant the trees, the DX180LC-5 HT excavator is ideal for the infrastructure work, building and repairing the roadways needed for the harvesters, forwarders, articulated trucks and other large vehicles to move easily in the forests. Much of the stone used in the road building, we win ourselves using the DX180LC-5 HT excavator equipped with a breaker.” High Ground Clearance The DX180LC-5 HT is an enhanced version of the Doosan DX180LC-5 excavator, incorporating a reinforced structure and a carefully re-engineered, high performance braking system, offering a ground clearance of 615 mm, compared to 460 mm in the DX180LC-5.

Part of Doosan’s new generation ‘LC-5’ range of machines meeting the latest Stage IV emission regulations, the DX180LC-5 HT is powered by the Perkins 1204F engine, which combines reduced fuel consumption with the power and torque of larger engines with a smaller displacement. The Perkins 1204F engine provides an output of 94.9 kW (127 HP) at 2000 rpm using an electronically controlled, high-pressure common-rail fuel system (2000 bar) – which reduces particulate matter emissions from the cylinder – and a waste-gate turbocharger. The Perkins 1204F engine also guarantees trouble-free operation by meeting Stage IV emission regulations without the need for a diesel particulate filter (DPF), through the use of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and selective catalyst reduction (SCR) after-treatment technologies. New systems and functions have also been incorporated which reduce fuel consumption. For example, the current fuel consumption can be read directly on the LCD panel, and the engine can be shut off automatically after a pre-set time when the machine is not being operated. In addition, to save fuel, Doosan has developed a proprietary system – called SPC (Smart Power Control) – to optimise the balance between the pumps’ output and the diesel engine. Increased Comfort and Controllability The features offered as standard in the operator’s cab in the DX180LC-5 HT are among the best in the market. Already excelling in spaciousness and ergonomics, the cab has been further refined for outstanding operator comfort and ease of operation. The cab offers super controllability with a novel system that enables attachments to be operated from either the joystick or a two-way pedal.

Being able to switch control of the auxiliary lines between the joystick and the two-way pedal greatly lessens any discomfort that may be caused by extended or repetitive use of the joystick alone to control attachments (such as a shear or a breaker). It is also helpful when precision is required – as the operator can keep full control of the excavator via the joystick while using the two-way pedal for attachments. As well as the full range of Doosan crawler excavator models, Balgownie is responsible for sales and servicing of the Doosan wheeled excavator, wheel loader and articulated dump truck ranges in Aberdeenshire, Morayshire, Angus and for much of the Highlands and Perthshire and Kinross-shire. The company is also the Authorised Bobcat dealer for the same area.

The magazine for owners + operators

News

Digging deep into construction machinery news

World's first High Track Doosan 18 tonner lands in the Highlands

Loads more

New Komatsu electric mini-excavators

Yanmar electric range at Intermat

New Michelin tyres for loaders and dump trucks

Subscribe to Earthmovers