Earthmovers & Excavators – October 2019

34 TradeEarthmovers.com.au

ON THE JOB

Once in the cabin you realise just how much one

has grown in such a short 40 year period. My

days of running mini diggers are well and truly

behind me, especially with the push towards zero

or close radius rear swing machines.

This style ensures everything has to be

engineered into a smaller, tighter compartment

somewhere on the digger and that means lateral,

rear vision and height are compromised. That

noted and accepted this machine is exactly what

Howarth specialises in – accessing those tight

areas with the very small machines and you can’t

have a small machine in design then a huge cabin

restricting your access points.

Therewas plenty of dirt to push around as we

backfilled the trenches and did more digging, and

plentyof room to do it all as we were about as far

removed from a tight area as one could imagine.

Powerful in the dig mode, with an interesting

slewarrangement that enables the operator to

choosea separate speed for slew left over slew

rightand vice-versa, the machine also has a

very handy removable bottom window which,

to improve operator vision, can be taken out

and placed in a purpose built latch above the

operator’s head. Very handy for those deep

trenches and holes perfectly suited to a machine

of this size.

Push power is up there with the best and the

blade is perfectly positioned and out front to

enable extra stability and operator vision when

digging or pushing. I was impressed.

IN THE CAB

Forward vision is good but the rear takes a

bit of getting used to. Purely in the design of

compactness but some things have to suffer.

Blade control is easy and the dashboard and

monitor covers all the bases for a really pleasant

day at the office.

The air conditioner (a must for me) worked a

treat and the local radio station 2GZ blasted away

with John Laws preaching to me about something

or other.

The cabin has a certified rollover protection

Above: Powerful in the dig
mode, with an interesting
slew arrangement

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2013 HitachiZX33U. Tilt/straightmud,350/450

trenchbuckets,ripper. • VIC 07 30738184

$27,500 TA951263

2013 YanmarVIO55-5B. AC ROPScab, quick

hitch& rubbertracks. • QLD 07 31711739

$39,500 TA934527

NEW MACHINERY REVIEW