Introduced in 2017 as a concept, Case Construction Equipment, Racine, Wis., launched the Minotaur™ DL550 compact dozer loader, a product the company says is a first-of-its-kind machine.
The event to highlight the dozer loader was held at the Case Customer Center in Tomahawk, Wis., on Aug. 2, and provided a look into the machine, which holds 29 patents and has pushed through more than 10,000 hours of field tests, along with customer clinics and lab and engineering testing.
Jeff Jacobsmeyer, product manager, Case Construction Equipment, calls the Minotaur a fleet of one. The 114-hp machine weighs in at more than 18,000 lbs.
“It’s what the industry has asked for,” Jacobsmeyer says, adding customer input has been a major part of the design and engineering process.
What distinguishes the Minotaur is a chassis-integrated C-frame and six-way blade for the dozer along with a heavy-duty 1.25-cu.-yd. bucket. The C-frame allows it to be used with hundreds of common loader attachments many equipment owners may already have in their fleet or that rental stores have available to rent. The dozer, according to Case representatives, is a true dozer, providing more than simply a dozer blade attachment to a traditional compact track loader.
The machine also features a three-shank rear ripper that is controlled from within the cab. The three shanks can be expanded to five shanks for more aggressive ripping. The rear ripper feature must be selected when ordering and cannot be added after the time of purchase.
“I think it will be good for the rental industry,” Jacobsmeyer says. “First of all, you have basically a two-in-one machine. You have some integrated features when it’s operating as a compact dozer/loader. As a compact dozer, it’s a very effective, small-footprint machine with lots of power. And, we have that integrated C frame and six-way blade. So, that makes it a true dozer. But then, you have the opportunity to make it into a site loader. I think some of your smaller rental yards are going to look for it, because, again, it doesn’t take a lot of truck to move it around.”
Terry Dolan, vice president, Case Construction Equipment, North America, says the Minotaur DL550 is a dozer first.
“This is the same size dozer blade that you would find on a Case 650 dozer,” Dolan says.
Dolan says with multiple uses, the machine provides great incentive for a rental yard investment, enabling improved rental rates.
“There’s not a lot of independent rental houses that have a lot of dozers,” Dolan says. “Dozers are unique in a lot of markets, especially the smaller dozers. This is going to come in and be a dozer first. Contractors who were once looking to rent a small dozer, rent maybe a compact track loader, they have it in this product. So, I think that’s what is going to give your rental companies a real competitive advantage.”
Case Universal Machine Control provides universal harnesses and brackets to integrate machine control solutions from any of the main providers of precision construction solutions — Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble. This allows equipment owners to add the machine to their fleet and can be integrated directly into preferred/existing machine control ecosystems. It also provides rental fleets the ability to switch between machine control brands, which allows for rental flexibility based on customer preference.
Serviceability is another consideration Case addressed.
“If it’s handy, there’s a better chance it’s going to get done,” Jacobsmeyer says. “We’ve made it to where you can step in there, get to all the dipsticks, air filter and hydraulic oil. A big reversing fan keeps it cool and moves a lot of air.”
As for fuel economy, Jacobsmeyer says in dozer mode, the Minotaur can drop down and run at 85 hp and provide better fuel savings although some operators will need to keep it running at 114 hp all of the time if it’s going to be handling heavy ripping and dozing.
“It has that adjustability, and it does make a difference on fuel economy,” he says. “You can save quite a bit when you drop down to that 85 hp.”
The Case Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader features:
- 114 hp.
- Three track options — 14-in. single-grouser steel tracks, 18-in. triple-grouser steel tracks and 17.7-in. rubber tracks.
- 5,500-lb. rated operating capacity (50 percent of tipping load).
- 12,907 lbs. of breakout force.
- 90- or 96-in. six-way blade connected to integrated C-frame, the same blade featured on the Case 650M dozer.
- Service intervals and machine operating information are accessed in the machine’s 8-in. LCD display in the cab.
- Vertical lift.
- Remote service capabilities through Case SiteManager App (iOS and Android). Pairs the operator’s phone or device to the machine to enable remote analysis by a certified Case technician.
Click here for more about the Case Minotaur DL550 compact dozer loader.