Darren Zechner
Works Manager
District Council of Franklin Harbour, Cowell, SA
The council area stretches along the coastline from about 30 kilometres south to 40km north of Cowell, as well as about 50km inland, incorporating a 600km network of unsealed roads.
What prompted the invitation to Lewis Ag & Construction to participate in the tender for a new grader to replace one of the existing Caterpillar rigs, which have been used exclusively by the council?
“We viewed a LiuGong roller and wheel loader being used locally and we were impressed with the build quality.’’
How did the purchase of the 19-20 tonne LiuGong 4230D motor grader and trade-in on the existing machine go with Lewis Ag & Construction?
“We couldn’t afford not to take the punt and we have been pleasantly surprised. If you can keep $200,000 in the bank and still get the machine to do the job, it’s a win.’’
How does the LiuGong grader compare with the Caterpillar machines on overall performance?
“Earthmoving is about power and weight and the LiuGong has a 9-litre Cummins engine compared with a 7.2L motor in the Caterpillar. The blades and tyres used on the machines are the same. The LiuGong is missing a few creature comforts and frills, and initially operators were reluctant to accept it over the CAT, but Lewis (Ag & Construction) went above and beyond. The gear ratio selection is the main difference between the LiuGong and the CAT, with the LiuGong having a six-speed transmission and the CAT having 12 speeds.’’
