 |
| The box.
|
 |
 |
| Blade details
include anti wear strips. |
 |
| Chunky wheels. |
 |
| Perforated
radiator. |
 |
| View
underneath. |
 |
| Metal handrails
are good.
|
 |
| Detailed
engine. |
|
The Caterpillar 834 was introduced
in 1963 and offered a wheeled dozer with an articulated
frame. It weighed almost 40 tonnes and was sold
throughout the 1960s.
Packaging
The packaging
is to CCM's usual high standard. An outer
cardboard box contains a presentation box wrapped in tissue.
Inside, the model is wrapped in tissue and held between polystyrene trays. There were no defects or missing
parts on the review model.
There is no information about the real machine or the
model, and there is no assembly required.
Detail
The detail is quite good underneath with the rear drive
differential having bolt details, and a couple of
painted screws attaching the blade frame are modelling
compromises.
The wheels are very good with chunky rubber tyres and
good metal hubs.
The engine area is very good with a perforated radiator
at the rear and a highly detailed plastic engine.
Sharp graphics are applied.
In the centre the operator's platform has a smooth
surface, and the seat has slightly overlarge controls. The handrails are all metal
and look fine. Behind the seat are a couple of
holes which look as though they are for the attachment
of a cab.
Detail around the front axle is very good. There
are counterweight slabs which look realistic, and the
lift cylinder for the blade has plastic and rubber
hydraulic lines. The blade and linkages are metal
with good anti-wear plates on the blade, and the CAT
name is applied to a tab above the blade. Rivets
are painted and do not look obtrusive.
Features
Each wheel rolls independently.
The rear axle floats, and the wheel arches are pivoted
so they can rise up if the wheel movement is
significant.
The articulated steering performs well with an angle of
around 30° to normal.
The blade can be raised and lowered, and it offers a
significant amount of tilt forward.
Quality
It uses little plastic and the castings and paintwork
are very good. The graphics are also very good.
Price
The 834 is good value.
Overall
This is another well executed model by CCM. The
features work well and the detail level is pleasing.
It is certainly highly recommended to anyone with an
interest in historic Caterpillar machines.
Footnotes
This
model was introduced in 2010 in a run of 1000 models.
|
|
|
|
 |
| Profile view. |
 |
| Ready for work. |
 |
| Rear view |
 |
| Rear wheel
arches 'float'.
|
 |
| Tilting blade. |
 |
| Complexity
around the front axle. |
 |
| Steering
linkages. |
|
