Big wheel loader gets bigger, faster

With its 1,577-horsepower engine the new Caterpillar 994F wheel loader cranks out 14-percent more power and 10-percent more rimpull than its predecessor, the 994D. The Cat 3516B HD EUI engine features new turbochargers, high capacity air cleaners and dual 80-amp alternators for fast response and fuel efficiency. Cat redesigned the drivetrain to include larger gears, high capacity bearings and a wider ring gear assembly. Oil flow through the power train was boosted 26 percent and two oil-to-air coolers were added to lower temperatures and increase component life. Increased hydraulic flow and a new valve section boost bucket lift and tilt speed 10 percent. In the standard lift arrangement, the new loader takes a payload of 38 tons and wields a rock bucket with a capacity of 24.5 cubic yards. The 994F high-lift version has a payload of 34 tons and a 22.5-cubic-yard bucket.