Cat puts economy in Utility Plus backhoe

Finning and Caterpillar have joined forces to produce a lower price UK special version of the 432 backhoe loader aimed at the utilities market. The machine, called the Utility Plus, is up to £4,000 cheaper than the standard 432 and is the result of Finning feeding-back customers' comments and wishes to the R&D team at Caterpillar's Desford production plant.

The Utility Plus is essentially a 432 with the 428's 70.8kW engine replacing the usual 75.3kW unit. It is fitted with an air-suspended seat, but without adjustable lumber support in a cab with non-opening rear side windows and lacking a 'Caterpillar' sun strip. Utility Plus versions make do with a single front counterweight and without the propshaft guard, while the auto-up stabiliser function is replaced by an alarm.

However, the five-speed Autoshift transmission is retained, as are pilot controls for the backhoe (which can swap between ISO and SAE patterns at the flick of a switch). Utility Plus versions get special decals and a Union Jack on the engine side covers to highlight the British design and production of the sideshift machine.

In addition to the lower cost price, the 70.8kW engine gives a 5% fuel saving during road and loading operations. The machine retains the 40km/h roading speed "but it might take a little longer to get up to speed," said Finning's product manager Robert Doble.

Lower engine power slightly reduces forward pushing power with the loader on stockpile entry, but the breakout and digging performance of the backhoe are the same as the 432's thanks to the load sensing hydraulics: "You can't use more than about 45kW when digging with the backhoe," Doble said.

He hopes the machine will help increase Cat's share of the UK backhoe market from 12% towards its European average of 19%.