CASE 865B grader: Machine Spotlight

The new kid on the road gang from CASE hits a very specialised market but comes armed with an impressive set of skills, including the 865B's Leica Geosystems machine control unit – a $90,000-plus option – that follows a surveyor's marks to within millimetres.

The Leica system has changed the way roads are constructed and brought accuracy down to unprecedented levels. It has also meant long road base programs can be designed and constructed and grader work carried out over the program's duration with no interruption to quality and accuracy regardless of distance, weather conditions and different machine operators behind the wheel.

The 800 series is CASE's premium grader range and comes after a development program over a decade, lifting efficiencies in performance, economy, ownership and driver visibility and control.

On show at the recent Dowerin Field Days in Western Australia, the 865B has already found at least three owners despite its relatively tiny market. The sales come on the back of increased road works throughout Australia – and in this case in WA – amounting to an average of $620 million a year with additional funds from state and territory governments.

Funding under the Roads To Recovery program goes to maintain roads and constructing highways to extend road links and create safer road networks, involving capital-intensive projects and equipment.

This is in addition to private road contracts, including the extensive construction and maintenance of the network of roads servicing the resources industry, particularly in the creation of roads needed for exploration machinery.

Distributors for the Case New Holland machinery, McIntosh and Son, have already sold three 865B graders, with the potential for more in the near future.

McIntosh sales representative Kye Keenan said one grader was being used on Cocos Keeling Islands (a part of the state of Western Australia despite being 2750km offshore from Perth) and the others in rural shires.

"Local government is a big user of equipment including graders and they own the asset, rather than contract it out," he said.

"Nearly all are purchased with the GPS machine control system such as the one at Dowerin that had a Leica unit. Leica is one of the three biggest sellers of machine control units and is generally paired with CASE products."

Mr Keenan said the GPS made a considerable difference to the accuracy of the job and meant different operators of different skill levels could use the grader and achieve the same high-quality results.

"The grader operator historically ran the road projects, setting the pace for the trucks and other machinery," he said.

"That's still the case even though the job is more reliant today on electronics."

The latest series of the 800 grader is improved with the addition of bigger wheels and tyres – from 14.0 to 17.50 radials – and an onboard air compressor for cleaning air filters and pumping up tyre pressures. It also has blade accumulators, fold-out lower windows and adjustable wipers.

The 800 series has an A-frame construction for stability and is available in standard two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

Case claims one of the design's best user features is the cutter shape – it's a multi-radius involuted shape that can move a greater volume of dirt with less engine power, therefore improving fuel economy.

This moldboard design has three radii that creates a rolling effect, so the dirt moves more quickly and easily across the moldboard face.

The standard moldboard is 4.3m long and operates at 47 degrees, with a minimum of 42 degrees and a maximum of 87 degrees. It has a maximum lift of 445mm and maximum ground penetration of 711mm. Options include moldboards with a 3.7m or 4.3m length, plus 610mm extensions.

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Case says the slide is easier to replace than rivals because it uses bolts for attachment to the hydraulically operated circle. This circle, which operates at 1.2rpm, has a diameter of 1.75m.

The rear ripper has three teeth and the option of five, with a 2.2m-wide cut with maximum ground penetration of 437mm. The front scarifier has five teeth (option of 11) and a 1.2m wide cut with a 318mm depth.

The 865B uses one of engine supplier FPT's latest low-emission six-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled engines, rated at 153kW and 880Nm at 1500rpm.

It drives an eight-speed forward, four-speed reverse and electronically controlled transmission with a bump shifter, through to an operator-controlled lockable differential.

There is an optional all-wheel drive (AWD) model for snow, wet, sand and muddy conditions that maximises traction and steering control.

Mr Keenan said the AWD version wasn't popular in Australia because most weather and geological conditions didn't called for the option.

"The tandem drive is sufficient for what we deal with," he said.

The cabin is ROPS/FOPS rated with a fully sealed safety-glass surround to maximise visibility. Its features include suspension seat, pressuriser for the air conditioner, noise suppression and a radio and CD audio system.

The design benefits from a one-piece flip-up hood that makes maintenance and general engine access very easy. Fill ports – including the fuel filler with its lockable cap – can be accessed from ground level.