LiuGong North America, headquartered in Katy, Texas, has announced the arrival of its first new F-series excavators for dealer review. The 9018F is a reduced tail-swing, 1.8 metric ton mini-class excavator presently undergoing evaluation. It has been designed to meet or exceed North American market design specifications.
The 9018F represents the smallest of the powerfully efficient, 6th generation LiuGong F-Series excavator models. Its compact dimensions and retractable undercarriage alone give its users several transportation and application benefits.
The unit is available with both a closed pressurized cab, featuring heater and window defroster, as well as a canopy design. The closed cab 9018F version stands just 7 feet 9 inches tall, resulting in a lower height that all but eliminates headspace concerns while traveling through tunnels and beneath overpasses.
The 9018F unit’s short stature combined with a retractable undercarriage give its operator access to the most restrictive workspaces. Its 51-inch outside tread to outside tread measurement retracts to just 39 inches, allowing it to easily pass between onsite obstructions and through almost any bay door.
Application Versatility
Its versatility is not solely a result of its compact size. The 9018F is a powerful, robust base unit for a variety of attachments. It also supports the installation of consumer-requested aftermarket add-ons.
Mike Watt, Product Manager, LiuGong NA Excavators, said, “Right now we’re working toward 2D control on our full-size excavators, and in the future this technology will be available to our compact excavator line. Additional technology will be made available later, pending customer review.” The upgrades may include electronic monitoring of bucket trajectory and operator assist for better efficiency of the excavator on work sites, Watt said.
F-Series excavators like the 9018F also permit consumers to install most of the latest 3rd-party technologies such as offered by Trimble for gradeability. Telematics will also be available as an aftermarket add-on.
Standard 9018F features include a low-speed, high-torque, Tier 4 Final, Yanmar engine rated at 18 gross hp (17 net hp).
Back-filling or dozer operation no longer requires the operator to remove his or her hand from blade control to change travel speed. By simply pressing the top of the handle, an operator can now select high-rabbit or low-turtle speed travel.
Better fuel consumption is achieved through a more efficient hydraulic system using 15 to 20 percent less engine power than that of its predecessor. An improved load-sensitive hydraulic system with 14.5 gpm main pump displacement utilizes a proportional control valve for better management of flow distribution for all attachments.
Flow rate for the hammer-shear and hydraulic thumb is set right from the operator’s monitor. A LiuGong hydraulic thumb (“bucket grabber”) comes standard with the unit.
Travel pedals and joysticks give an operator hydraulic control for machine fuctions: travel, boom, boom swing, arm, and bucket. Auxiliary hydraulic functions are controled by electrical proportional solenoids for precise control.
LiuGong NA offers one of the best warranties in the industry for its 9018F, with 3 year / 4,000 hour end-to-end coverage.
9018F Specifications
- Operating weight (with cab): 4,189 lb.
- T4F Yanmar engine: 18 hp (gross), 17 hp (net)
- Max pump flow rate: 14.5 gpm
- Max pressure: 3,046 psi
- Standard bucket capacity: 0.06 cu. yd.
- Bucket/cutting width: 19.5 in.
- Bucket breakout force: 3,597 lbf
- Arms stick force: 2,023 lbf
- Digging depth: 7 ft. 6 in.
- Swing speed: 9.5 rpm
- Arm length: 3 ft. 6 in.
- Max dump height: 7 ft. 9 in. (digging height 11 ft. 1 in.)
- Horizontal reach: 10 ft. 11 in. (at 3 ft. 3 in. height)
