Manitou went big in September, rolling out a completely redesigned lineup of large-frame skid steers and compact track loaders.
The 3250V will replace the 3300V skid steer, and the 3350VT will replace the 3200VT compact track loader in Manitou’s current lineup. All-new models include the 3350V and 3600V skid steers and Manitou’s largest-ever compact track loader, the 3600VT.
Equipment World Chief Editor Jordanne Waldschmidt stopped by Manitou's North American headquarters in West Bend, Wisconsin, to get a closer look at the new compact loaders from Global Product Manager Nathan Ryan.
"We were getting a lot of requests from customers who liked the large-frame loaders that we had, but they wanted a little bit more variation," says Ryan of the redesign.
Ryan gives us a rundown on all the key specs and new features, including:
- A new, larger one-piece cab with an intuitive 7-inch display, a seat-integrated keypad with a jog dial, keyless start and more.
- An enhanced undercarriage featuring steel forged hardened sprockets with a corrosion inhibitor, dual-flange idlers in both the front and rear, triple-flange rollers and Manitou's Ideal Trax automatic track tensioning system.
- Improved hydraulic flow and pressure for both standard flow and high-flow models, allowing high-power attachments. Standard flow units offer up to 25 gallons per minute and 3,450 psi, while high-flow machines provide 40 gallons per minute and up to 3,450 psi.
- Easier engine and component access thanks to a tilt-up hydraulic cooler and tilt-up cab.
For a comprehensive walkaround of Manitou's latest compact loaders, check out the video above.
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In This Video:
00:00 – Manitou’s New Large Frame CTLs and SSLs
00:46 – Why Launch These Larger Models?
02:43 – Work Applications and Performance Upgrades
04:13 – Key Features
05:42 – Sloped Arms
07:00 – Undercarriage Improvements
07:57 – IdealTrax System
09:09 – Attachment Capabilities
10:54 – Cab
13:48 – IdealAccess Door
16:35 – Forward Sloping Roof
17:20 – Serviceability
19:10 – Site Preparation Package
Transcript:
00:00:02:20 - 00:00:28:26
Jordanne Waldschmidt
Hey, everyone. I'm Jordane Waldschmidt, chief editor of Equipment World, joined here today with Nathan Ryan, global product manager for Manitou. We're standing here with one of their brand new compact track loaders, the 3350 VT But Nathan, this is just one of many new models that you guys have rolled out. And these are all large frame compact track loaders and skid steers.
00:00:28:28 - 00:00:46:05
Jordanne Waldschmidt
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00:00:46:08 - 00:00:50:14
Jordanne Waldschmidt
Tell us what prompted you guys to launch these new, larger models?
00:00:50:16 - 00:01:24:15
Nathan Ryan
This is part of our five year strategic plan. We first revamped the medium frame loaders, and now we're carrying forward a lot of the design attributes and the features that went into the medium frame loaders, into our large frame loaders. So there's five total models, three skid steers, two track loaders. We start out on the skid steer model with a 3250 V, which has a low horsepower but large frame machine, and then you have a 3350 V and a 3600 V that are both large frame, high horsepower models.
00:01:24:18 - 00:01:52:03
Nathan Ryan
And then on the track loader side, we have two different models, the 3350 BT and the 3600 VTi. Both of those are going to be high horsepower large frame models. And we were getting a lot of requests from our customers who liked our large frame loaders that we have, but they wanted a little bit more variation. So in our previous leather trim offering, we had a model called the 3300 V, which was a low horsepower, low train model.
00:01:52:06 - 00:02:16:26
Nathan Ryan
That's what your 3250 D replaces. But we always got some requests for a higher horsepower model, even a very large horsepower model like we used to have in our 4200 V. So then we developed the 3600 V kind of to replace that 4200 V, and we get a mix of the two with our 3350 V as a brand new outstanding skid steer model.
00:02:16:29 - 00:02:41:03
Nathan Ryan
So then on our track loaders for a large frame, we really previously only offered one low trim track loader, the 3200 VTi. We replaced that single model with two new models, our 3600 VTi, and the model that really replaces the 3200 is the 3350 RT. The bigger model just gives our customers another new model they've never had experience with before.
00:02:41:09 - 00:02:43:22
Nathan Ryan
And a little bit more power of Steve McLaren.
00:02:43:25 - 00:02:54:10
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And these are all vertical lift machines. So what type of work are these best suited for and what type of performance upgrades have you guys given these machines to do that type of work?
00:02:54:12 - 00:03:15:18
Nathan Ryan
They are all vertical lift machines. We just see that on pretty much all medium and large frames in the industry anymore. As far as the work they're suited for, primarily for construction, road work, and I guess you could use them on farms as well. But we're really targeting the construction segment and that carries over, of course, into some of the rental parts of the market as well.
00:03:15:22 - 00:03:48:29
Nathan Ryan
Performance updates to go along with a true luxury motor. We've pushed all of our high flow options up to 40 GPM with 3450 psi, giving you some of the highest hydraulic horsepower to run your high powered attachments in the industry. Also, all of the high horsepower models are now powered with a Deutz 3.6l engine. We get a little bit more torque even at low rpm, so you don't have to have the machine running at high RPMs in a very loud state to get the power out of the engine that you need to do your job.
00:03:49:01 - 00:04:10:25
Nathan Ryan
And then another thing that all four of the high horsepower models have is a load sensing system mode sensing flow sharing, which is more efficient. It doesn't just pump oil back to tank when you're not using it. It delivers the oil to the exact function the operator is trying to use. And if you're not requiring that oil flow, it doesn't pump it.
00:04:10:25 - 00:04:13:06
Nathan Ryan
So your engine is saving fuel.
00:04:13:09 - 00:04:28:07
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And I know the product management process takes years. So you know every inch of these machines inside and out. But what really stands out to you as some of those key features or creature comforts that you think owners and operators are really going to appreciate about these new machines?
00:04:28:12 - 00:04:50:11
Nathan Ryan
Well, if you talk about the operators, they're going to be in probably the best cab on the market. The visibility is unparalleled, but owners as well, they're going to appreciate the reduction in maintenance. Maintenance on these machines is so much easier with your ideal tracks. Track tensioning system, maintaining the track tension at all times. Operator worry free. It's no longer a daily maintenance point.
00:04:50:14 - 00:05:27:18
Nathan Ryan
We've improved engine access. You have the back door to get you into the engine compartment, but the cooler flips up 23 degrees. The cab itself is now a one piece pod style. That's something the operator and the owner will appreciate, because the operator is now subject to less dust and noise getting into the cab, and the owner can have easier maintenance should he need the cab flips up 62 degrees, give you complete access to everything underneath the cab, and then another daily maintenance point that's been made easier on these machines is the addition to grease zerks on the pins along the side of the machine.
00:05:27:20 - 00:05:42:22
Nathan Ryan
That's supposed to be a daily maintenance function. As you can see here, it's as simple as going along the machine and hitting all of the grease. There's no looking for them under cylinders or around corners to lift on, and everything's very transparent and easy to locate.
00:05:42:24 - 00:05:53:14
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And one of the things I think everyone will notice about your guys's machines, compared to some other OEMs, is really the ARM design. Can you tell us a little bit about these sloped arms and the benefits that those bring.
00:05:53:20 - 00:06:13:25
Nathan Ryan
Our sloped arm design? Well, it's to reduce buildup of material on the lift arm. So as you can see it slopes away from the cab. So anything that falls back in stone, dirt, something from the farm, it all slides right off the lift on a byproduct of the design. However, we saw was that you get so much more additional visibility from the operator seat.
00:06:13:28 - 00:06:32:11
Nathan Ryan
So where you might gain an inch or two up at the edge of the lift arm down to the ground, you're actually gaining about two feet of extra visibility along the side of the machine. And then some of the practices we even carried forward from our previous designs is to keep the hydraulic lines rotate inside the arm. That protects them from getting damaged.
00:06:32:16 - 00:06:51:16
Nathan Ryan
It's been a great arm for us. I say that because my next point I want to talk about the crossbar in the back. You can still find that crossbar on 3300 V's out in the field. It's a very narrow crossmember. When you look at the competition, they will have six eight inch round tubes across the back. That's a blind spot for your operators.
00:06:51:19 - 00:07:00:09
Nathan Ryan
And with this design they can easily see under or above it. It gives them so much more visibility to the rear of the machine. It's all around but a very good lift down, of course.
00:07:00:11 - 00:07:09:09
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And I understand you guys have beefed up the undercarriage as well. Could you tell me a little bit about some of those design changes to really help extend that track life?
00:07:09:11 - 00:07:29:04
Nathan Ryan
So the undercarriage was beefed up a little bit, but more so just to handle the weight of these machines. And we did had a roller to the bottom because it's a longer track that's worn on most of our medium frames. But the big changes I think you're referring to are the idlers in the front and rear are both double flange idlers.
00:07:29:06 - 00:07:48:17
Nathan Ryan
And those rollers I mentioned along the middle, those are triple flange rollers. And what that does for you is it helps keep the track up. So when you combine those changes with our ideal track tensioning system, the track is almost impossible to get off. But the ideal track tensioning system completely relieves attention on the track and allows you to roll the track off.
00:07:48:19 - 00:08:16:18
Nathan Ryan
You can get the track off in about 15 minutes or less. So it's so much easier than the competition system. But yes, the track stays on and keeps the machine working for you. So ideal track system is a patent that Manitou holds. And essentially it's hydraulically powered. And it pushes the front idler forward tensioning the track. So it's supposed to be a daily function or responsibility of your operators to check the track tension every day.
00:08:16:20 - 00:08:36:22
Nathan Ryan
And with this system, they don't have to do that. But you'll see perfect tension. And by just jumping in the cab, pushing a button on the screen, all the tension will be relieved. The track will sag. We actually get comments at trade shows sometimes where people will say, look at your your track is sagging, there must be something broken.
00:08:36:24 - 00:08:59:02
Nathan Ryan
And we say, no, it actually does that because when the machine is powered off, it allows that tension to be relieved. And the result of that is your track life is about 15% longer. And that's because if it's a silly example, but if you think about a rubber band, you wrap around some pencils, you throw that in a drawer, you come back two years later, try and take a pencil and rubber band snaps.
00:08:59:04 - 00:09:08:21
Nathan Ryan
All that tension in rubber deteriorates the rubber over time. And so, by relieving the tension whenever you're not using the machine, it gives you a longer track life.
00:09:08:24 - 00:09:15:03
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And what type of attachments are these machines capable of running, and what type of coupler options do they come with?
00:09:15:09 - 00:09:48:04
Nathan Ryan
So these machines are capable of running any attachments. They have the skid steer attachment interface plate. From a hydraulic connection standpoint, you have your standard flow couplers are standard on every machine. Give you about 25 gpm at 3450 psi. And then you have an option to get high flow couplers that get you up to 34 gpm on the 32, 50 to 40 GPM and everything else, again at 3450 PSI, giving you the high horsepower I referenced earlier.
00:09:48:06 - 00:10:12:21
Nathan Ryan
The hydraulic horsepower exceeds most of the competition in this size class loaders. And then if you need some extra controls, you can see on the top of the lift arm of the 33 50ft. Here, 14 pin connection is available with an all new 14 pin handle in the cab. It's more compact than our previous design. So again, it's more comfortable in your hand and there's better visibility to the left lower corner of your bucket.
00:10:12:23 - 00:10:37:02
Nathan Ryan
Another feature that you're going to find on our large frame loaders for running those attachments is the variable flow. So previously we had roller controls which gave you variable flow. And then a D tended in the high output position on these machines. You can go in your display and you can set what level flow you want coming out of the attachment forward or reverse.
00:10:37:08 - 00:10:54:28
Nathan Ryan
And you can detent it to lock on at whatever GPM you desire. And it has a memory. So when the machine is turned off and you come back to it, it will continue running at that flow. So that's perfect for attachments where you don't want to overpower them. Waste fuel, pumping oil. You don't need.
00:10:55:00 - 00:11:04:13
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And then taking a little deeper dive inside the cab. What type of new features have you guys put in there? I understand you're using pilot controls still on this machine?
00:11:04:15 - 00:11:32:13
Nathan Ryan
Yes, we we continue to listen to our customers. And pilot control is the control preference of the operators in the field. It doesn't matter the brand or the industry that they work in. The pilot controls are the number one customer requested option. Our pilot controls are different than anyone else. It still has pilot controls available because we have a patented system where the controls move with you up and down in the seat and front to back, just like they do on designs.
00:11:32:15 - 00:11:54:24
Nathan Ryan
Also, in the cab you're going to find a brand new seat option came out on our medium frame. It's cloth heated seat. It's available on most of the models we have here today. With us, we carried forward from our medium frames to large footwell that's in the bottom of the machine. People can put the largest boots you can possibly imagine down there, and still have room to shuffle our feet around.
00:11:54:27 - 00:12:16:20
Nathan Ryan
Additionally, down there you're going to find a patent pending feature for Manitou, which is a drain plug. Now, what this is, is when you get a machine returned to you, or if you're using the machine and you have stone, dirt, manure, anything build up in that footwell from your boots, you can simply take a garden hose, pull that plug and wash all of it through the bottom of the machine.
00:12:16:22 - 00:12:42:28
Nathan Ryan
Additionally, in the cab, you'll see our seven inch color display, which gives you maintenance indicators, diagnostic systems, as well as your performance indicators and some menus to go in and change machine functions. Then another feature that we rolled into our large frames from our medium frame is our intuitive keypad. Now the intuitive keypad has some lighting functionality that doesn't come with competitive machines.
00:12:43:01 - 00:13:02:23
Nathan Ryan
We had heard from competitive owners that they get a machine from the factory. It doesn't have all of the options installed, but it has a single keypad. So they're pushing a creep mode button or, comfort ride control button. And it's not functioning. And they don't know why they call the dealer. He says it's because you didn't order that option in our machine.
00:13:02:23 - 00:13:26:28
Nathan Ryan
The intuitive keypad lights up white. If the function is installed, it remains blank if it isn't installed. So anything that's lit up at least tells you you should have it. When you activate it, it turns green. Now, keypad also guides the operator for people that aren't familiar with the machine. When you sit in the seat, the start button or on button, we should call it starts to blink white at you.
00:13:27:03 - 00:13:47:21
Nathan Ryan
So when you're looking around, what should I do to start this machine? You push the button that's blinking. After it's pushed, it turns green. If passcode is enabled, it'll ask you for a passcode. If not, you push that green button now and it starts the machine. So we're trying to make it easier for anybody to jump in these machines and use them, yet they're still secure with the operator passcode.
00:13:47:24 - 00:14:00:17
Jordanne Waldschmidt
Yeah, really? Sounds like you guys have packed these machines full of features. And there's a lot of managed to exclusive features that you guys have really been the first to the industry with. Can you tell me more about your guys's ideal access door?
00:14:00:18 - 00:14:26:14
Nathan Ryan
Our ideal access door is our most popular door option. By far, we do still offer a traditional swing out door and an impact door, but the ideal access door is probably installed at about 90% of our cabin machines from the factory. And this is version 2.0 of our ideal access door. So some of the improvements include the latching mechanisms.
00:14:26:16 - 00:14:47:08
Nathan Ryan
We now have a single handle, very ergonomic latch to open the door down at the bottom. We've gone to a stamped steel, seal along the bottom, which improves the ceiling, reduces noise and dust getting into the cab. This is about three inches lower with this lower section, so it gives you better visibility to your bucket while you're working.
00:14:47:10 - 00:15:10:00
Nathan Ryan
The overall door itself is a little bit wider. We've thinned up the frames. The advantages of this door compared to competitors that have an overhead door. This door is going to be lightweight, so it is very easy to operate. It never goes above your head. So when you operate an overhead door, you lean back to try and save your teeth and raise the door over your head.
00:15:10:02 - 00:15:21:11
Nathan Ryan
You also then have a very heavy sheet of glass above you while you operate. If I sit in the cap while I raise this door, you'll see my head never moved.
00:15:21:13 - 00:15:33:19
Nathan Ryan
The handles in the inside have been improved as well, so there is no buttons to push for latching. You just simply pull in the handles like you're going to close the door.
00:15:33:22 - 00:15:52:19
Nathan Ryan
There's a lot of comments from people that haven't operated these types of machines about the visibility that the line goes across the door. And our feedback from most dealers are if they put a customer on the machine, by the end of the day, he no longer sees that line because of where we place the line, it's not randomly placed within the door.
00:15:52:21 - 00:16:15:00
Nathan Ryan
We focus on two major visibility zones, and one is your work area. So the majority of the day you are looking down at your attachment, you're looking under the crack so you never even see it is out in your field of vision. And when you're not working with the machine, you may be transporting it from A to B, in which case you were looking straight forward through the upper section.
00:16:15:03 - 00:16:34:18
Nathan Ryan
There shouldn't be a time at any point during the operation where you're focused looking at the crack, and then maybe you're too tall or too short, and that visibility range changes. If you think about people with bifocal glasses, they do not see a line in their glasses. You become accustomed to it and you don't even notice it after one day of operating.
00:16:34:25 - 00:17:04:09
Nathan Ryan
So another feature within the cab that we're really excited about on these medium frame and large frame machines is made a patent pending forward sloping roof. And we did this for a little bit of styling. But the primary reason is if you are dumping into a truck and you're watching your bucket up at the top, there is a blind spot created by the structure of the cabin, and it stretches across the entire front by bringing the roof forward sloping.
00:17:04:12 - 00:17:20:02
Nathan Ryan
We are able to reduce that total blind spot to 1.25in, giving you better visibility to bucket when you're dumping into a truck watching your cutting edge. You don't catch the edge of the truck. It improves on the overall visibility that we're trying to give our operators.
00:17:20:05 - 00:17:41:02
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And one of the things Manitou is also really prided themselves on is total cost of ownership. I know you guys said during the launch event that you actually won't launch a new machine unless it has a lower TCO than the previous model. So what are some of the things that you guys have done to really ease serviceability and increase uptime on these machines?
00:17:41:05 - 00:18:00:21
Nathan Ryan
It's a great question, Jordan. To do that, I think we're going to have to open one of these machines up and give you a little look under the hood. So let's look at some of these maintenance and service access and features. So first off you can see in the back it's very easy to get access. Simply open the latch.
00:18:00:24 - 00:18:06:22
Nathan Ryan
Our machines feature a flip up cooler.
00:18:06:24 - 00:18:32:05
Nathan Ryan
Which goes up 23 degrees, giving you access to the entire top of the engine. All of your filters. These machines feature two 12 volt batteries, both easily accessible at the rear, especially for jump starting. They do have a battery disconnect feature required for when you're not using the machine for an extended period of time. All of your fuzes have been relocated to the back of the machine for easy access.
00:18:32:07 - 00:18:55:28
Nathan Ryan
And you can see up here your air filter is very accessible as well. And then your remaining filter down to the bottom. Here everything is very accessible. If you come around to the front, you can access anything you didn't in the back. In the front, with a cab that rotates up 62 degrees.
00:18:56:00 - 00:19:10:05
Nathan Ryan
Giving you complete access to the front engine area. However, other than that, there's not much else to access under this machine, and that's intentional. We designed most of it to be more accessible so you don't have to reuse the cab.
00:19:10:07 - 00:19:21:17
Jordanne Waldschmidt
And there's some additional options that you guys offer for different types of work that contractors are going to be doing. That's a pretty mean looking machine over there. Can you tell me a little bit about this package?
00:19:21:20 - 00:19:45:19
Nathan Ryan
Sure. This is what we're calling our site preparation package and it is new for many to for years, our customers have been taking our machines to third parties and developing their own, forestry or demolition type, accessories, and modifications to the machines. And so we've taken the opportunity to design one ourselves. So there's several parts to it.
00:19:45:22 - 00:20:08:07
Nathan Ryan
One of the things you'll notice are these nice, clear windows. So there's an impact side window. Polycarbonate. Anything hits it. It won't crack, won't hit the operator. And it gives them so much better visibility. That's available as a standalone option on any machine, but it is part of this package. Another part that you'll see at the top here is our FOBs level two bracket.
00:20:08:09 - 00:20:40:22
Nathan Ryan
Vannata is were historically the only pop to level two machines on the market with every machine. But we've added front light protection, beacon protection, wiper protection. Additionally, the lift arm part of the site preparation package. We've designed a auxiliary guard that is substantially larger than our standard guard. Our standard guard protects the block itself. This guard is designed to protect your hoses of your attachment as well.
00:20:40:24 - 00:20:59:01
Nathan Ryan
A couple last points. I wouldn't say small, because the next one's a little bigger, but we do have deflectors back here so that if anything lands on top of your cab, they will deflect the material to the back. But the lift arms can be raised and the material will continue to slide off the back, be it branches, be it, lumber or anything.
00:20:59:04 - 00:21:24:21
Nathan Ryan
The last one in the back here, a couple of them, I guess. One additional small one in the impact rear window area. You can see we've added two new red levers, which allow you to pop out a polycarbonate window from the rear within seconds because the forestry unit, if they're not maintained and material is not, removed from the engine compartment, it will create a fire hazard.
00:21:24:21 - 00:21:55:27
Nathan Ryan
So you see it in the news from time to time, someone's machine catches on fire. We're trying to account for that by providing a safer exit, especially on this type of machine. But the biggest thing to notice in the back is this heavy duty go. So you have three layers of protection on a four stream unit. This is what we call for lack of a better name a bash guard door, very heavy bumper, extended up bumper from a normal machine by about 2 or 3in in the back.
00:21:55:29 - 00:22:16:08
Nathan Ryan
You can back into trees. You can back into walls and even back through doors with this thing. It's very robust. The second level is a little bit smaller. Guard. That's going to catch any small branches, anything that might get through the initial bash guard door. And then finally you have a small screen that prevents fine material from entering the engine compartment.
00:22:16:10 - 00:22:51:12
Nathan Ryan
Because remember, the engine compartment draws air in from the rear, blows out through the top with that reversible fan, which allows you to blow the material back off the door. And finally, there's an electric winch operator. Operates via Bluetooth. So you have the remote so that a second hand person can stand clear of the tension cable when you're trying to pull the machine out, or if you're by yourself, you can hold the remote in one hand and the joystick in the other hand, and try to free yourself using our, retrieval winch.
00:22:51:14 - 00:22:58:28
Jordanne Waldschmidt
Awesome. It sounds like you guys have really thought through everything on these new models. So tell us, when can we expect to see them hit dealer lots?
00:22:59:01 - 00:23:09:06
Nathan Ryan
We're targeting starting production in October, and so I don't have control over operations, but it'd be hard to imagine not to start seeing those within a couple of months of that initial production start.
00:23:09:13 - 00:23:23:19
Jordanne Waldschmidt
Great. Well, thanks everyone for joining us. We hope this helps you and your business. For more news on all things construction, head on over to equipment Worldcom or just click the link in this video below to subscribe to our daily newsletter.
