Volvo Construction Equipment has adapted its tried-and-true L180H wheel loader to tackle three-pass rehandling.
Volvo took its L180H, swapped in larger 875/65 R29 tires and a long boom, added a rehandling counterweight, and created a new truck-loading variation called the L180 3-Pass Rehandler.
The machine is designed for rehandling applications, with a higher tipping load, better fuel efficiency and longer reach to fill a truck in three passes.
“We’ve had this concept in mind for several years, driven from conversations with our quarry and aggregate customers,” said Eric Yeomans, Product Manager, Wheel Loaders at Volvo CE.
“The new L180 3-Pass Rehandler will take operators to the next level of loading efficiency. It’s exciting to introduce this game-changer to the market and see the response.”
The larger tires provide lateral traction and flotation, durability and resistance to cuts and impacts, a stable and comfortable ride and good fuel economy.
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The long boom brings an additional 675-foot pounds in breakout force and an additional 60 cm of dump clearance.
The longer reach also allows the operator to maintain distance from the truck while still dumping material into the centre of it.
“The worst thing you can have is the load sitting toward one side of the truck, because when you drive around a corner you run the risk of the material spilling out,” Yeomans said.
The machine’s configuration also decreases the risk of wheel spin and protects the tires as operators are able to stay farther from the pile where the ground is less stable and away from rocks that can damage the tires.
“These tires are what we typically spec for our larger L220 and L260 wheel loaders, so the added traction and rimpull are really noticeable in the L180 size,” Yeomans said.
The rehandling counterweight allows for a bucket that is about 0.19 cubic metres larger than the standard L180H bucket. Customers can choose between four different buckets to find the right fit based on material density, including 4.8 cubic metres, 5.2 cubic metres, 5.5 cubic metres and 5.8 cubic metres.
“The goal is to make three full bucket passes to maximize productivity and fuel efficiency,” Yeomans said. “No more wasting time on two full buckets and a partial bucket with a larger machine, or several passes with a smaller one.”
Improved cycle times
Cycle times are also improved by the higher reach because the operator doesn’t have to roll the bucket back to move away from the truck, especially when dumping the last bucket.
Ultimately, every second shaved off a cycle saves fuel and time, which can add up quickly. Having a slightly smaller class of machine can save owners on purchase and transport costs, and the optimizations can help operators improve their skills.
The L180 3-Pass Rehandler supports a variety of Volvo services, including Load Assist with On-Board Weighing, Connected Map and ActiveCare Direct advanced telematics.
