Liebherr is modernising the three largest wheel loaders in its series with the new L 550, L 566 and L 580 models, by adopting new technology that will increase performance, productivity and safety during daily use in the resources sector.
Increasing the tip load, bucket sizes and engine power are some of the most important innovations, and the wheel loaders also feature a new electrohydraulic pilot control.
“We also analysed our international customers’ demanding wheel loader operations over a long period,” Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH wheel loader series head of sales Wolfgang Rottensteiner said.
“This included observing different mining operations around the world, some in Africa and South America, coal handling in India and timber work in Russia.
“Our customers’ experiences were crucial to the development of the new wheel loader series.”
The new wheel loaders feature the proven hydrostatic Liebherr travel drive, which is renowned for its great efficiency, and thanks to increases in engine power – approximately 17 per cent for the L 550 – the travel drive is even more powerful while maintaining the same low fuel consumption.
Liebherr has three lift arm versions on offer for the new models; the z-bar kinematics, which come to the fore particularly in the lower lifting range and for the break-out force; the industrial kinematics, which have been designed for working with heavy working tools such as high dump buckets and log grapplers; and the high-lift lift arms – an extended version of the z-bar kinematics with the longest lift arms in this wheel loader segment.
The electrohydraulic pilot control enables operators to perform individual adjustments on the new wheel loaders, where they can set lift limitations and maximum tilt-out heights, thus reducing the risk of accidents in areas where space is restricted.
Liebherr has also invested in the operational reliability of the new wheel loaders by installing larger axles than were fitted on predecessor models.
The new wheel loaders have a reversing camera, which is installed in a protected position in the engine bonnet, that assists the machine operator to keep an eye on the area to the rear.
The new wheel loaders meet the most recent emission regulations for the respective target region.