I'm absolutely baffled. I don't know who among Cat's BHL marketing or engineering team reads these forum... I'm just completely astounded. I won't jump to conclusions on what engineering reason (first assumption is that it was in fact an engineering decision) fueled this decision, but it does raise a helluva lot of questions. Source.
All of the cat hoes have had the e-stick inside the stick but the E series has a brand new design and it appears to be good because we haven't had any problems with it yet. The B, C and a few D's have problems with the e-sticks.
Yeah, I saw that the original E-series had the outer section, but now, it seems at least some models are going *back* to the inner sliding stick: (not my image; source .)
It looks like the New Holland extendible dipper!! I guess what goes around comes around. All of the Cat backhoes up until the E-series had New Holland axles in them too!!
From your signature you appear to reside in the US. The source you are quoting is from Europe. Are these units slated for the US or for Europe only? The only mention of US bound units is for the "center post units". The one pictured is a sideshift unit (434E I believe) with large front wheels/tires. These, historically, are the way they set them up for European markets. It is sad to see them shift the production of these machines to the UK. From where I stand this is a blemish to their reputation. I will now be more inclined to look at other brands for my next TLB purchases. To bad really. The last Cat backhoe I bought (in '97) is still in use and is still a good machine (currently showing +/- 12,000 hrs).
farm_boy: yeah, yeah. Let's not forget who the inspiration was for Deere's E-series! That being said, I really doubt it's an NH design. DGODGR, yes, both sources are from Europe, but the European construction media tends to do a better job of reporting "cutting-edge" news than the stuff here (nothing against the outlets here). My *suspicion* is that the design will be carried over to the North American machines for two reasons: 1) reduce cost 2) the machines are produced in the same facility now. I'm not sure that it makes sense for European machines to get an inner-slider and for NA machines to get an outer slider... for unregulated markets, perhaps -- and even then it's a stretch -- but for all the touting that went around the original E-series' outer e-stick, this is a huge step in the opposite direction. It might not be wrong, but it's opposite. What are the advantages to having an inner e-stick apart from having less weight out far?
I prefer the extension on the outside myself. Funny how Cat was marketing the inner extension, for so many years, as the way to go. Then they switch to the exterior extension. If they go back again I would hate to be the salesman that tries to sell one to me (or anyone else). It would take one hell of a good reason to justify switching around like that.