Top loader
The Blaney wheeled loader concept has been 12 years in the making, reports
IT’S been 12 years on the design bench but finally the Blaney wheeled loader concept has become a reality as machines have been sold and are currently being manufactured.
The mastermind behind the new range of machines is Sean Blaney and his team at Blaney Motors in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Sean and his team are no strangers to engineering and manufacturing as they already operate Quad-X, Blaney Agri, Load-X and Blaney Gears divisions at their premises near Ahoghill.
The goal was to introduce a range of loaders keeping the design simple yet effective and that’s what has been achieved with the first model off the production line, the L1 10-27. Sales are already in the book for this model which are currently being built for customers in livestock farming and construction. Powered by a Yanmar 40 horsepower engine this loader can lift a maximum pay load of one tonne to a maximum height of 2.75m.
It has a maximum lift capacity (hydraulic) of 1500kgs which is the market sector Sean wanted to focus on as he saw many applications for it on farms, in garden centres and in construction.
Measuring a compact 3.14m long, 2.2m high and 1.34m wide on the wider tyres, this L1 1027 will fit into all those ‘nooks and crannies’ that have been avoided in the past with bigger machines.
Essentially this is a pivot steer loader and has a remarkable tight turning circle of only 2.05m. Weighing 1,790kgs unladen the L1 10-27 has enough ballast to handle round bales of fodder or big bags of fertiliser with ease. The most important aspect of any loading shovel is visibility and Blaney say it has mastered that in the L1 10-27 with a 360 degree view from the cab.
A low pivot on the loading arms means the operator has excellent visibility for all operations without having to stick his head out the side to see what is going on.
Blaney has coined the phrase ‘zero back end’ which it says refers to the lack of obstruction at the rear of the machine therefore allowing the operator to see directly behind him as well as a clear view of the adjustable tow hitch.
The machine is propelled via a two speed hydrostatic transmission up to a top speed of 20km per hour.
Designers used an aluminium radiator to increase its longevity and used rams to elevate the seat so that the engine can be accessed with ease.
The steering column must be locked upwards by manually unscrewing the locking handle in order for the seat/engine hood to be lifted.
All loader and transmission motions are controlled via a joystick which has a simple switch on top for forward/reverse and a secondary button to change from low to high speeds.
The joystick controls the loading arm actions and a secondary lever operates the third function, albeit when another lever behind the boom is turned to alternate from the locking quick attach to auxiliary use. Axles for this machine are made in-house by Blaney.
The company has also manufactured another small telescopic loader and have a further three prototypes yet to be unveiled. Prices for the basic version of the L1 10-27 starts at £24,975 excluding VAT. BLANEY SAYS it wanted to manufacture a wheeled loader with characteristics as close to a skid steer as possible but essentially having the tight turning circle and making their machines more manoeuvrable.
This brave little loader certainly has the design sense to make it stand out from its closest competitors in order to succeed.
Handling this machine at top speed was very comfortable, even doing tight turning circles or ‘doughnuts’ in the shed was carried out with ease and plenty of visibility and safety.
The plastic windscreen, Blaney assures us, is just there on this pre-production vehicle. Customers can order their loader with a simple roll frame, open sided cab or fully enclosed cab depending on requirements.
If Blaney can figure out an all in one joystick and add a foot pedal to shift the steering column, then this L1 10-27 brings a lot to the table in this loader sector market.