(Photo courtesy of Case Construction Equipment)
Case Construction Equipment says it has created an all-new, industry-first equipment category with the introduction of its Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader. Weighing in at more than 18,000 pounds and working with 114 horsepower, the machine is designed to deliver true dozing and grading performance, as well as site loading capabilities. It is compatible with hundreds of attachments.
“The Minotaur is truly a fleet of one, that is second to none,” says Jeff Jacobsmeyer, product manager for the manufacturer. “Business owners and fleet managers looking for a compact solution that delivers countless benefits in a single footprint will immediately see the versatility this exciting new machine brings to their fleets and will quickly understand what a ‘compact dozer loader’ is capable of accomplishing.”
The machine features a chassis-integrated C-frame with six-way dozer blade. The C-frame hydraulically couples into both the chassis of the machine, as well as the attachment coupler. This design provides the stability and smooth operating plane of a small dozer while ensuring that all operating power is channeled through the whole body of the machine.
It also comes standard with Case Universal Machine Control, which makes the machine ready for machine control technology, which is sold separately. It’s also available with an optional fully integrated ripper for tearing up tough terrain to simplify dozing and earthmoving operations.
As a loader, it can be used with a heavy-duty 1.25-cubic-yard bucket, or with hundreds of common loader attachments that many equipment owners already have in their fleet.
Built on a dozer-style undercarriage and pushing with more than 25,000 pounds of drawbar pull, the machine is available with three different track options to meet operator preference and jobsite profiles: 14-inch single-grouser steel tracks; 18-inch triple-grouser steel tracks; or 17.7-inch rubber tracks.
The 90- or 96-inch six-way blade connected to the integrated C-frame is the same blade featured on the Case 650M dozer and gives the operator a full range of dozer controls and movements. The machine’s electro-hydraulic controls also offer the ability to adjust blade, steering and shuttle sensitivity to smooth, moderate or aggressive to meet the operator’s preference. Blade responsiveness can be further dialed in to operator preference by independently setting the speed of the blade tilt, lift and angle.
In its loader configuration, it features a 5,500-pound rated operating capacity (50 per cent of tipping load) with 12,907 pounds of breakout force. It features a vertical lift pattern and operates in the ISO control pattern.
