“Quieter and Smoother”: Liebherr Dozers Mark 8th Generation

On this episode of The Dirt, we take a look at Liebherr’s dozers, which host and professional operator Bryan Furnace calls one of the quietest and smoothest machines he has operated. The 75-year-old German-based company, which has been selling and producing construction equipment in the U.S. since 1970, offers seven models of dozers. The lineup is now in its eight generation and covers class sizes from 29,000 to 160,000 pounds. The dozers all are equipped with hydrostatic drive – including the PR 776, which is the world’s largest dozer with the technology. Guest Emanuel Vasquez, Liebherr’s product manager for crawler dozers and loaders, explains that the company has been deploying hydrostatic drive since the 1950s for its reduced noise and smoother ride, as well as other advantages, which he outlines on the show. He also discusses other benefits of Liebherr dozers and gives a rundown of the next-generation PR 776, which runs on a 768-horsepower diesel engine and weighs 72 metric tons. So to find out more about Liebherr’s dozer lineup, check out the latest episode of The Dirt. Equipment World serves up weekly videos on the latest in construction equipment, work trucks and pickup trucks – everything contractors need to get their work done. Subscribe and visit us at equipmentworld.com! Newsletter Signup: https://randallreilly.dragonforms.com... In This Episode: 00:00 – Liebherr Dozers 00:29 – The Types of Liebherr Dozers 01:25 – Hydrostatic Drive Advantages 02:05 – Advantages of Liebherr Dozers 05:33 – PR 776 Updates 06:26 – Final Thoughts AI Video Transcript: Bryan Furnace Today we're here to talk about dozers, but we're here to talk about a name that's not as well known here in the US. We're here to talk about Lee bear. We're going to go through their dozer lineup, give you a quick rundown and then tell you some of the things that sets Lee bear apart in the dozer space. Bryan Furnace Here in the US especially, you don't hear the Liebherr brand thrown around all that much. And so I'm excited to talk to you guys and kind of shed some more light on the product line. So for starters, can you give us just kind of a breakdown of the dozer lineup and what you guys offer in the dozer category? Emanuel Vasquez Yeah. So we in the market, we play with seven classic models and we're currently in our generation eight. So we start with a 29,000-pound unit, and we go all the way up to a burly 160,000-pound machine. The complete portfolio is offered with a hydrostatic drive. We've been doing this since the 70s, when we started with the dozers, and we've been hydrostatic since the 50s throughout all our equipment. Emanuel Vasquez So we offer that, unlike every other OEM out there, which may have a mix of both, hydrostatic and torque converter, and as well I'd like to say, you know, as an OEM, we're the only manufacturer that offers a 50 and a 70-ton machine with a hydrostatic drive. Bryan Furnace So we're kind of on the subject. What is the significance of a hydrostatic drive over a traditional like torque converter drive? Emanuel Vasquez Well, for us, we feel that, you know, we have, great maneuverability in these machines and ease of use. Very intuitive. With our joystick controls, we find that there's, fuel efficiency. That happens when, you pair the hydrostatic drive with our, lever engines. So not having a transmission to to deal with more mechanical wear, more parts. Emanuel Vasquez So that means less noise and more fluid maneuverability with the machines during any application. Bryan Furnace Gotcha. So what are some of the advantages, that Liebherr offers over competitors outside of the hydrostatic transmission? Emanuel Vasquez Well, you know, I'll continue with the hydrostatic because, you know, a lot of things come back to the hydrostatic. And, you know, why do we continue to use it? Right. The high cost that offers us the opportunity to, you know, have a machine that you can operate very intuitively with, simple joystick controls, ease of use and maneuverability in confined spaces is greatly observed by operators. Emanuel Vasquez And this comes throughout the whole portfolio. And that same manner, it also offers great pushing performance and while still offering a good fuel efficiency. Also, you know, with our cabs, it's a big deal because we want to offer as much operator comfort, you know, in these machines while still integrating ROPS and FOPS. You know, we have A-pillars that allow for big single pane windows throughout the cab, we align our lift cylinders and exhaust stacks behind the A-pillars. Emanuel Vasquez So kind of clearing the field of view for the operator, it creates a nice sense of space. So you're not confined. So there's an embedded better 360-degree view. Peripheral vision is enhanced when you have a cab designed in that manner. And it just helps the operator be more productive. And all of our cabs, from the smallest to the largest...