The new machines weigh from 39,099 to 41,138 pounds and crank out 130 to 160 horsepower with their new Tier 4 Interim engines. The standard machine (EX) has longer track on the ground measurements than the line it replaces (the D51-22), and there is also a low ground pressure option (PX) for increased flotation.
The real fun starts with the blade and what you can do with it. The newly designed Power-Angle-Tilt (PAT) blade is designed with a curved profile to roll up material efficiency, and the adjustable pitch enables you to fine tune the aggressiveness of the cut to suit different conditions. Thanks to electro-hydraulics you can change the blade pitch or set it to float by simply thumbing a toggle switch. To improve visibility to the blade, Komatsu steeply sloped the engine hood and moved the operator’s seat further forward.
A new joystick, what the company calls its Palm Command Control System, has thumb buttons for transmission speed settings and the travel lever turning sensitivity can be adjusted in the monitor to better match operator preference.
The new dozers come pre-wired and pre-plumbed to accept a Topcon Plug-N-Play kit with no more than a simple bolt-on option. Rear hydraulics for a winch or ripper also come standard.
Also new for the D61-23 is a hydrostatic transmission pump that improves efficiency and reduces fuel consumption compared to a conventional hydrostatic transmission. The company claims fuel savings of up to 10 percent in the “P” or power mode and up to 20 percent in the “E” or low power range.
To eliminate concerns about DPF maintenance and other Tier 4 Interim issues, Komatsu is offering three years of free scheduled maintenance and replacement of the DPF at 4,500 hours and 9,000 hours during the first five years of ownership. (We’ll have more on Komatsu’s Tier 4 Interim engine technology is the October issue of Equipment World.)
