Get FinancingCaterpillar’s Next Generation 538 Forest Machine: Improvements In Every Department
Caterpillar has announced its Next Generation 538 Forest Machine, which is available in Log Loader and General Forestry configurations. The Tier 4 Final/Stage V machine comes with 10% more swing torque, 12% higher travel speed, and 15% greater ground clearance, plus a 25% more spacious cabin with 50% greater visibility. It also has up to 15% lower maintenance costs.
“The 538 has a reputation as a solid performer with rugged reliability,” says the worldwide director for Caterpillar’s forestry and medium excavator family, Giacomo Bottone. “The Next Generation 538 builds on this foundation by being more productive, more comfortable, and costing less to maintain so owners can spend their time moving more timber, loading more trucks, and maximizing their profit potential.”
Built To Stay On The Job
The new Next Generation 538 has an operating weight of 65,268 to 69,357 pounds (29,600 to 31,460 kilograms). Its maximum reach is 32 feet, 3 inches (9.8 meters) with a road builder attachment and 37 ft, 10 in. (11.5 m) as a log loader. Its swing torque has been increased to 72,281 pound-force feet (98 kilonewton-meters).
The 538 gets its power from a 174-horsepower (129.4-kilowatt) Cat 7.1 engine that can run on biodiesel up to B20. Its much larger fuel tank keeps the engine going for up to five working shifts between refills. The engine can start up with a push of a button at temperatures as low as -25 degrees Fahrenheit (-32 degrees Celsius), and it can operate in temps of up to 118 F (48 C) and at altitudes of up to 9,842 feet (3,000 meters) without derating. A smart power mode improves fuel economy up to 5%.
Cat gave the 538 a new electrohydraulic control system that doesn’t need a pilot filter or pilot oil. Fuel filters last twice as long (1,000 hours) in the new machine, and the more capable hydraulic oil return filter has a 50% longer service life (3,000 hours). A new ground-level dipstick for checking the engine oil joins other service points accessible from the ground.
Certified Forestry Cabin
A heated seat and a new dual HVAC system can keep the operator of the Next Generation 538 comfortable in its new, larger Certified Forestry cab. It’s easier to enter and exit the sound-insulated cab thanks to its larger door and tilt-up seat console.
Cat recessed the right front part of the 538 to improve operator visibility; the larger polycarbonate front window is 1.25 in. (32 millimeters) thick for safety. Cab riser options include a fixed, 6.5-in (165-mm) unit and a hydraulic tilt riser with 48 in. (1,219 mm) of elevation. A rearview camera comes standard, and it feeds video to the cab’s 10-in. touchscreen display. A sideview camera is optional.
The Cat 538 can be programmed to remember each operator’s machine and attachment settings with the new Operator ID feature. The machine supports Cat’s Product Link telematics technology, including Remote Troubleshoot and Remote Flash services when the machine is within cell tower range. A useful option is the Cat PL161 Attachment Locator for finding work tools that may be hidden by vegetation or debris.
Source: Caterpillar