An LG959 wheel loader from Shandong Lingong Construction Machiner (SDLG) has demonstrated that it is more than capable of withstanding the toughest ambient temperature conditions working on a ranch in the Australian state of Queensland.
In the hottest-ever February day for the state, a heatwave saw temperatures rise to 47.2°C in southwest Queensland – conditions comparable to the summer highs in the Gulf – but for one cattle ranch owner, no matter how hot it got, his SDLG LG959 wheel loader kept delivering the goods.
The wheel loader in question was purchased back in October 2015 by Dagworth Grazing, 60km north of Georgetown – as a replacement for a 10-year-old SDLG Ranger 950-2 – and according to the owner the new LG959 has delivered improved performance.
“I am very impressed with the technological updates SDLG has made,” said Ian Tincknell, the owner at Dagworth Grazing. “The engine-cooling system has worked extremely well and handled our 40°C temperatures.
“I cannot emphasise enough the importance of the engine-cooling and the air-conditioning systems. As long as these are fit for the heat, you will always be more than halfway there.”
The Dagworth ranch covers over 240,000 acres, and to access different parts of the estate, Tincknell has to regularly clear and maintain roads, erect fences, configured with a stick rake to till soils, and used to desilt dams – and the LG959 has been essential for all of this.
Weighing close to 17 tonnes, the wheel loader is powered by a Tier III Deutz engine, and delivers an engine output of 194HP, a maximum breakout force of 175KN, and a cycle time of 12.6 seconds.
As the machine approaching two years of productive operation, Tincknell is quick to praise value the unit delivers, having proven itself around the station and on occasion working around-the-clock.
“I have recommended SDLG to other people in the area,” said Tincknell. “In my opinion, it would be very hard to find a loader that is as versatile as the SDLG machine. It is hard not to be impressed by anything brand new, but I will have no hesitation in purchasing another SDLG machine when the time comes.”
Having got off to such a successful start, the new loader is on course to surpass the performance of its predecessor. And with maintenance being key to a long working life for any machine, Tincknell is again quick to praise the SDLG.
He noted that the design of the new machine, particularly with regards to the highly accessible to the radiator and oil cooler elements – make it easy to clean and service.
