Case 1021F loader review
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Ed had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Case 1021F loader recently, and came away pleased with the results. See what he had to say in this review from issue #261 of Deals on Wheels.
About three years ago, I was sitting on a bar stool talking to some buddies about why Case construction equipment was absent from our shores. Being a very well-respected brand overseas, surely someone would take the bull by the horns before too long and do something about it.
Well, lo and behold, not too much longer after that, equipment supplier Advancequip stepped up and announced that they were about to start distributing the Case brand in New Zealand.
Now, approximately 18 months later, Advancequip has decided to rattle cages once again with the introduction of a larger-sized loader range.
The machine
The Case 1021F weighs in at around 24 tonnes (24,399kg to be exact). The size of the machine means it can handle a bucket between 3.5- and 4.2m3, and the one we tested had a 4.2 m3 bucket fitted.
With all that size and power, the 1021F is equipped and primarily intended for serious work at medium-to-large-sized quarries. Designed to be quick and manoeuvrable around the worksite or quarry floor, Case has done its best to provide clear all-round vision and make the surroundings as comfortable as possible for the machine’s operator.
Daily check points are kept within easy reach, and an electric self-raising hood ensures any strains to muscles are minimised.
Engine
Case has installed a Fiat Iveco six-cylinder 8.7-litre turbo-charged engine that outputs 239kW (320HP), producing a net peak torque of 1479Nm (1091 ft-lbs), compliant with Tier 2 emission control regulations. An interesting fact is that the Fiat Iveco Group’s FPT industrial engine manufacturing facility is said to be the biggest in the world by units produced, exceeding one million per year.
The highly efficient ‘cooling cube’ has five radiators mounted to form a cube rather than the usual ‘stack’, ensuring each radiator directly receives fresh air to maintain constant fluid temperatures. The wide opening rear door allows excellent access to the cube for cleaning and servicing.
Something that is sure to be popular with operators working in air-contaminated environments is the mid-mounted cooling module on the smaller models (10 tonne to 20 tonne range).
Essentially, Case has moved the radiator unit from the rear of the machine to the middle, and is something that I predict will become more popular with other brands before too long. This provides a cleaner air intake and has the added advantage of placing the engine right at the rear of the machine giving greater stability and lifting capacity.
The cab
The climb to the cab places the operator in quite a lofty position, and there are sufficient railings and steps to ensure that three points of contact can always be maintained.
Once inside the cab, both position and seating give a comfortable ready-to-work feel. Gauges and switches fall easily to the eye and hand, and as expected air conditioning is standard fare.
It would probably be difficult to get better vision from a machine of this size, as the front screen glass drops down to floor level to the left and right, and there are no front pillars to create any blind spots. The sloping rear-end does its best to give the operator as much vision as possible when reversing, and an optional rear-view camera is available.
The test
The Case 1021F is actually a pretty decent-sized machine and if you’re not paying attention, it wouldn’t take a lot to do some damage to a blinged-out truck and trailer unit. And while that could cause a chuckle in the lunchroom later on, it certainly wouldn’t be a laughing matter to an owner/driver if their truck or trailer needed to be off the road for repairs.
Luckily, the feeling from the cab makes the machine seem smaller than it is, but still lets you know that you are behind the wheel of some serious piece of kit. With the good visibility from the operator’s seat, Case designers have done their best to ensure that no anger is ever directed at the operator for an error.
Unfortunately for us, we had missed the trucks carting out of the quarry for the day, so I had to be content with tidying up some stockpiles. While this gave an opportunity to check out the power and the sheer liftability of the Case 1021F, it didn’t allow for trying out of the POWERINCH system, which is said to "provide incredible accuracy and control in tight loading areas".
It didn’t take long to feel comfortable operating the 1021F. The combination forward/reverse and bucket control joystick was precise and coupled with the smooth transmission came together to form a complete, well-designed package.
There was the occasional instance where the machine lost traction as it pushed material up into the stockpile, but a foot to the diff-lock button positioned on the floor, immediately started things moving again.
The verdict
I found the machine very hard to fault, and the whole operation was a positive experience. It was comfortable to drive with excellent vision for a machine of its size; lots of thought has gone into making servicing and access to regularly checked items easy; and on top of all that it had plenty of power to boot. No wonder the first unit has already been sold.
Read the full article in issue #261 of Deals on Wheels magazine. Subscribe here.
Keep up to date in the industry by signing up to Deals on Wheels' free newsletter or liking us on Facebook.
.jpg)
