On top of the world
IN 20 YEARS OF FORESTRY WORK I CAN definitely say I have never sat in a taller cab.
You do feel like you’re on top of the world looking out from the operator’s seat. Just a great view of the whole site, even close in to the machine because the windows are so deep. And a good view of the tracks through the glass in the floor, although they’d be hard to clean behind the mesh.
As with all diggers, the view to the right is masked by the boom and I had to keep a special eye out for the skidder bringing in more stems. Also, you can’t see what’s directly behind, but a rear-view camera would fix that.
Overall though, I’m very impressed by the new Cat 558.
There’s tonnes of room in the cab, you could almost fit a wardrobe in behind the operator. The seat is nice and comfortable, the controls and switches are within easy reach, all where they should be, and the screens have the information you need but don’t distract from what’s happening outside.
All the access and exits points are great, very easy to get into from the side walkway to the rear door – there’s even steps on the track frame. A boot cleaner on the deck. Nice little touches.
But for me, the mark of a good machine is if you can sit down and get to work without having to stop and think all the time. You’ve got that with the 558.
Although I’ve never used a SATCO head before, the SATCO grips work just like on any other machine I’ve operated and it answers quickly. The faster you work those joysticks the faster it gets and if you slow down, the machine shows down with you. And it’s got power to boot. Generally, speed and power don’t usually go together – you get one or the other. This felt like a small machine on steroids.
The SATCO head is nice, too. Probably not the fastest rollers I’ve experienced, but it is smooth and both saws are lightning quick, when I remembered which one I was supposed to be cutting with – just look at the screen, doh.
One of the most noticeable things is that phenomenal reach. For a processor it stretches out a long way and even at its limit you’ve still got the power to lift a heavy load. Without tipping, too. Yes, it did rock a bit if you stopped in a hurry, but not worryingly so. A very stable machine in my book. It was picking those root balls up and throwing them around like tennis balls.
I never got to try out the radio, but you wouldn’t have to turn up the sound much because you can hardly hear the engine when the cab door is shut – just a bit of a ‘whoosh’ from the AC fan.
No opportunity to try walking, but Luke seems satisfied and looking at the drawbar pull figures, it’s certainly got the grunt.
But most of the day it will be sitting on the skid dealing to stems and for that task the new Cat 558 is extremely well suited.
NZL