 | | Liebherr branded box. |  |  | | Metal grab rails. |  | | Decent turning angle. |  | | Plastic steering pistons. |  | | Nicely modelled grilles. |  | | Good carry angle. |  | | Extreme lift height. |  | | Being unloaded. |
|  Comment on this model.
The Liebherr L 538 is a wheel loader with an operating weight of around 13 tonnes. It has a bucket capacity of 2.3 - 6.5m³.
Packaging
The model comes in a Liebherr-branded box and inside the model is protected within foam rubber.
There were no missing parts or defects on the review model.
No instructions are provided and there is no information about the real machine. Two door mirrors have to be fitted.
Detail
The transmission is modelled underneath with a plastic drive shaft which flexes as the model steers. The large tyres have a good tread pattern and are mounted on detailed wheels.
The handrails and grab rails are metal and are reasonably thin enough to look good, and there are stairs with textured non-slip surfaces. The cab has window seals, wipers as applied graphics, and the door mirrors have silvered surfaces. Inside the detail is good with identifiable controls.
The engine compartment has nicely formed grilles including the mesh grille made in plastic. At the rear there are painted lights and sharp graphics including a warning sign.
At the front the wheel arches carry plastic chocks, and the light stalks are good with highlighted amber indicators. The centre pivot point has plastic steering pistons.
The Z-frame loader mechanism is modelled well but there are no hydraulic hoses on the model.
The metal bucket is a decent casting.
Features
The wheels roll well and the rear axle floats with a good range of movement.
Steering at the centre pivot point is a little loose but it achieves a realistic angle.
The loader mechanism is very good. It can hold any pose and probably over-achieves on height. The tipping angle on the bucket is very good and a realistic low carry angle can be achieved.
Quality
The model is well made with a reasonably high metal content.
The paintwork is good and the graphics are sharp.
Price
The model is priced competitively.
Overall
This is a good quality model which has functionality as its main strength and it the loader arm is particularly good in this regard. Although some more detailing would have added to make a more realistic appearance, it is highly recommended.
Footnotes
This model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2014.
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|  | | Smaller-sized machine. |  | | Wheels are good. |  | | Flexing drive shaft. | |
|  | | Profile view. |  | | No hydraulic hoses. |  | | One for the road. |  | | Loading a tipper Truck. |
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