The Classic Machinery Network

Well they all carry 100 ton in the back, i know the fitter was kept fair busy keeping these 4 gals on the road, but they weren't exactly young steel..... awful slow on the ramps fully loaded though......

SB

Mike d550 wrote:Those Komatsu haulers to me are copies of Cats popular 777 ! They should be called copycatmatsu's ! Get your own design ideas Komatsu !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They even use similar model no's (I.E cat have a 785 in their lineup)

Rant over!

Mike D550

The Komatsu trucks have a different front suspension layout, diff and transmission configuration and driveshaft park brake so they really aint much like a Caterpillar truck!
Lots of manufactuers use the same model numbers how many makes of 210 excavator is or has there been.
Dont be fooled into thinking that the mighty Caterpillar come up with all the right ideas and dont use or abuse other manufactuers solutions to a particular problem.

I think the comment made by myself earlier has been taken a little out of context and some people are taking things a little too seriously!!!!

The point i was trying to make was as follows!

Regarding the copycatmatsu comment i made - this was reffering to the look of the machine as opposed to the individual mechanical components of the machine, it stands to reason that different companies use different axles, transmissions etc, what i was getting at was the Komatsu looks very similar to the Cat truck in so far as the cab, skip, bonnet layout are very similar to the cats! If you look at the cat and Komatsu shovels, personally i think they resemble one another, in there looks!

If you look at other manufacturers they tend to have there own design stamped on their machines, take for example Terex trucks, they have there own dinstinctive skip shape and the classic long nosed bonnets which set them appart! Likewise Volvo shovels have their own linkage design and the cabs etc have their own character!

If i remember rightly it was caterpillar who came up with the classic hauler design with the 769 many many moons ago, this has formed the basis of modern off highway trucks ever since! I think Komatsu colsely resemble cat as it costs less in R&D to have a product that is popular and is a known quantity and takes less time/money to create! (only my opinion)

I agree my rant about the similar model no's was not really justified as many model no's relate to the weight or capacity of the machine, but some people are taking the initial copycatmatsu think way too seriously. I am perfectly aware "the mighty" caterpillar dont have all the right ideas but they are not the biggest and most popular earthmoving equipment in the world for nothing!

I will add some photos at some point to give an idea on what i am on about! I did not realise my comments would evoke such interest/ comments!!!!!!!!

Peace and love man

Regards

Mike D550

They are not a bad truck for sure and the current model does lap the current model 777F in some areas.

Current model is noted for front tire wear being a bit of an issue but they sure do turn on a dime.

The older girls had the stupid 2 fuel pumps for each bank of the engine which were OK till they lost sync and the cab with the rear mount ROPS was a real bad design, especially if you got in a front to rear accident which i have seen quite a few pics of with very bad results.

Good to have such a good No 2 manufacturer as this keeps No 1 on there toes!!!!!!!

I agree with SRB they are hellish slow on ramps when loaded, could of Dozed off a couple of times .
Have a look in the Work places section for Whatley Quarry and view more pic of these trucks Gizzy and I have posted.

Jim

Going through some old pics and found these of a couple of HD785's parked up, had just been replaced by Cat 777F's.
This was in West Gorgas, Alabama last year.

SB

Nice ones mate

Cracking Pic's

Keep going through the old Pics Stu/Jim and get em posted fella's

Oh yeah and I didnt mean to open a can of worms with the Not Copies Statement

Nice pictures stuart

the 785s were a tad more awkward to move on a low loader if it had new tyres fitted to the front owing to the design heigth we moved them at a running heigth of 16ft 3ins from selar to a site just off the A1 near newark notts.the777s A B C Ds not a problem but the Fs just cant do it with the front wheels on as they stand with the legs dumped at 16ft 5ins before you start.going back to the earlier comment i have also heard many favourable comments on this model.