Baby Bavarian Dozer

by Nick Drew | Tue 27 Jun 2017

Baby Bavarian Dozer

Looking back at another of my articles which first appeared in Earthmovers Magazine last year and bringing it to life here on the internet.

On the Liebherr stand at Bauma last year the theme was “Be Part of Something Bigger” and while there were a lot of big machines to be seen on the massive plot that has become an iconic part of the triennial machinery fest, there were other smaller new products to see like the PR 716 Litronic crawler tractor, which looked dwarfed on the stand as it sat next to Liebherr’s giant PR 776 which is the firm’s biggest-ever bulldozer and also the first hydrostatically-powered crawler dozer from any manufacturer to compete in the 70tonne weight class.

However the all new PR 716 fits in at the other end of the scale in the Liebherr range of hydrostatically driven crawler tractors tipping the scales between 13,200 and 15,200kgs depending on customer’s specification, which pits the machine against the likes of Caterpillars D6K and Komatsu’s D51PXi-22 models as its main competitors. One of the first to arrive in the UK was delivered to Somerset based David Civil Engineering Ltd. The business was founded by Shane David in 2002, initially starting out as a sole trader before becoming a limited company in 2006. Shane is a Civil Engineer by profession having worked as a Contracts Manager for Atkins previously and now runs his business with his wife Karen.

The company used to run a mixed fleet of dozers including a Cat D6K, Komatsu D65 and a Liebherr PR 736 which is still in the fleet. With the arrival of the Austrian built PR 716 as the replacement for the outgoing Cat machine, the dozer fleet is now dominated by the German brand in addition to a couple of Liebherr excavators including R 914 Compact and R 922 models . Talking about the machines Shane said, “Liebherr is great- the build quality is outstanding and functionality is military like. The guys all have reservations when asked to move from one of our Volvo’s onto a Liebherr for a week, but after a couple of days they have nothing but praise for them. Bad points on the excavators include a silly slew brake on the R 914 and the fact you cannot set up your own hydraulic attachment profiles. The good points are as I said, build quality, no DPF and no AdBlue which in my book are major selling points!” Shane continued, “As far as I’m concerned the dozers are just brilliant, we previously ran Cat and then moved to Komatsu. I first looked at the PR 736 when we were changing one of our Komatsu D65 units, I was impressed by the Liebherr build quality so decided to give them a go, since then we have changed all our other makes out and will only run Liebherr for the foreseeable future, especially with the superb service and support we get from them”.

When doing his research on his next new replacement for the Cat machine Shane was invited out to the Liebherr dozer factory which is situated in the Austrian town of Telfs, for a hands on experience with the new machine, Shane said, “Our local sales representative at the time Stuart Ameer-Ali took me out to visit the factory where I was able to try out the prototype PR 716 machine prior to its general release. The machine outperformed our Cat D6K which I was looking to replace in just about every aspect and the machine just looked right. We then had a meeting with the product manager for dozers to discuss our individual requirements and to talk about the things we would like to see on the dozer. On our return home we placed an order on the strength of what we had seen. When the machine finally arrived all our requirements had been addressed and incorporated into the machine, including it being Leica ready from the factory, all very impressive!”

Walking around the machine, on the left hand side of the tractor we find a wide opening panel which allows access to the Liebherr D 924 A7 engine. This Stage IV/Tier 4 final emissions compliant 4 cylinder engine offers a net power output rating of 93kw (126hp) @2,100rpm. The direct injection, common rail engine features well proven Selective Catalytic Reduction technology (SCR) without the need for a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and uses AdBlue fuel additive to achieve its emissions rating. Immediately to hand behind this panel one finds the fuel and engine oil filters and the air filter as well as the dipstick for easy daily checking.

To the left hand rear of the machine behind another panel we discover the electric refuelling pump, which also features a hand held on and off switch panel which has a long lead on it so the operator can remove it from its storage position which pumping fuel out of a bunded tank or drum. This is also home to the machines 50 litre/11 gallon diesel exhaust fluid (AdBlue) tank. This tank is re-filled by unlocking a hinged flap on the rear of the housing from the inside, at first glance I thought this looked like filling up could be a bit awkward as is often the case with AdBlue tanks on many machines. On the opposite right hand side a similar sized panel door gives access to the battery compartment and main electrical isolation switch. In addition you also find a small hydraulic pump which allows an engineer to tilt the cab rearwards to work on any components that are under the cab, a great addition to any machine as opposed to having to lift off the entire cab structure or work through cab floor panels which can be tricky at the best of times. Walking around to the front of the machine we note the high position of the main blade lift rams, this high mounting ensures the rams are kept well out of the way of any debris build up on the tracks resulting in less damage to the components. The blade itself is a 6-way PAT set up with guarding for the hydraulic cylinders and this example was also fitted with bolt on side wings as requested by the customer.

On the rear of the machine we find a 320 litre (70.4 imp gallon) fuel tank with lockable cap which is easily accessible from the left hand side of the machine. Below that is a 3 tyne ripper assembly which is powered by a single centrally mounted hydraulic ram. The ripper assembly frame also incorporates a towing pin point to facilitate the towing of rollers and compactors.

Nicely placed steps and grab rails enable easy and safe access up into the cab. Once ensconced in the seat one cannot fail to be impressed with the quality of the fitments inside the cab. It’s a case of classic German ergonomics with all main controls nicely laid out and close to hand. To the operators left we find the multi-function dozer blade control, which is nicely shaped to suit to contours of the operators hand, to the right of that we find a simple lever arrangement for the raising and lowering of the ripper. Just to the left of what Liebherr describe as a 3D adjustable arm rest, we find the ignition switch, emergency stop button and audible warning buzzer.

In the right hand roof of the cab we find a really decent Liebherr branded Kenwood FM radio, which is iPod and iPhone compatible, essential for those long hours in the seat on site and a bank of rocker switches for wipers and lights. In the roof space on the left hand side On the opposite side in the roof space we have the air conditioning controls, which supplies hot or cool air around the cab by a number of vents located all around the cabin space. Sliding side windows allow optional air flow for those who prefer the traditional fresh air approach. Back down at arm rest level on this side we find the travel control joystick and simplistic throttle dial and parking brake rocker switch.

To the front of the cabin we have the centrally mounted multi-purpose information screen, this looks like another well engineered piece of German kit with a metal surround that could withstand any amount of punishment! The screen via its various menus gives the operator all the information he needs on the machines status and for example how much fuel he is using an hour, which on the day of our visit was around the 12 litres per hour mark. The monitor also doubles up as a rear view camera which is extremely handy on a machine of this type.

Below the monitor Liebherr have factory fitted the mounting plate and electrical socket for a Leica system which will be fitted shortly, this factory fitting of all the necessary infrastructure was a big plus point for Shane and his father Tony who operates the machine, as its often the case that when retro-fitting such things that the fittings within the cab rarely go back quite the same. Visibility all around in this panoramic cab is excellent and with the exhaust pipe neatly positioned behind the A-post, forward vision is virtually uninterrupted and according to the operator it’s an incredibly quiet environment to work in. According to Liebherr in cab sound exposure is just 75dB(A) with outside sound levels are just 109 dB(A). Shane also specified high performance LED lighting all around the machine for maximum illumination during the long winter months. In line with all the hydrostatic Generation 6 crawler tractors from Liebherr, the PR716 features a clever electronic drive management system that automatically adjusts the travel speed and drawbar pull to match the changing load conditions. The system allows for the operator to select between high performance or maximum economy. When working on light to medium duty applications the operator can select ECO mode which can offer significant savings in fuel.

When the going gets heavy the machines proactive power control system is activated, which in turn temporarily increases the engine power to suit the machines needs under load. With the hydrostatic drive offering infinitely variable travel speed and contra rotation of tracks the PR 716 is a smooth looking dozer when working and the dozing looks effortless as if the thing barley breaks into a sweat! But just what is it like to operate the new PR 716, we spoke to Shane’s dad Tony who at 71 years young, certainly knows a thing or two about dozers. Tony said, “I have to say the machine is very good, fantastic in fact, it’s so responsive and she’s got plenty of push on her! The visibility is the best in class, I really cannot find a fault with her to be honest. I really like the Liebherr dozers in all fairness, I also operate our older PR 736 which I must say is some dozer, we have run them all in the past and we once had our Cat, Komatsu and the PR 736 all pushing in the same field and that Liebherr would out push the lot of them it’s that good, I cannot praise them enough really, good all round dozers”.

Talking about his father Shane said, “Dad really is old school! He started work in agriculture mainly doing tractor driving and milking cows. He then moved on to plant hire where he operated a blade for many years before returning to agricultural contracting again. I bought an old D6H and didn’t have a blade operator at the time, so I managed to convince him to come and work for me. Since then he has driven a D6k, D65 and a PR 736XL. At 71 years old he is still the man on freehand grading! The Leica GPS control fitted to the dozers is fantastic, and makes the rest of us look good, but when there is no model to follow it’s the old school guys that make you the money!” Summarizing about his business Shane said, “We undertake complete civil engineering works from breaking ground to completion. We run GPS controlled dozers, digital terrain models are produced in house and we also have a total station controlled dozer for working within buildings and areas where GPS will not work. We run Leica GPS survey and control systems. We take on earthworks, earthworks design and modelling, drainage, lakes, lagoons, golf courses, pipelines, road construction, RC structures, concrete floors and everything in between. We also provide a full design and build service for civils works. Most recent schemes include the design and construction of large anaerobic digester plants.

The company also run Volvo excavators ranging from 6 to 30 tonnes and have recently taken delivery of brand new ECR145E and EC300E models. Four excavators on the fleet are fitted with Steelwrist tilt-rotators including a Hitachi ZX33U, Liebherr R 914 Compact, And Volvo ECR145E and ECR235D models. These machines are also joined by two Volvo A25D articulated dumptrucks. The company are clearly impressed with the undoubted engineering quality of the Liebherr dozers and I suspect they will be gracing the pages of this magazine with future purchases of the German designed and Austrian built machines again in the future. Check out this professional video from Liebherr showing the PR 716 in action.

The magazine for owners + operators

Digger Man Blog

Baby Bavarian Dozer

Loads more

MWN Civil adds 20th Airman Mini Excavator

Komatsu’s Long Proven Electric Mining Excavators D...

Ollie Gets a DualDrive Opportunity

Subscribe to Earthmovers