 |
| Caterpillar branded
box. |
 |
 |
| Track details. |
 |
| Rear view. |
 |
| Hydraulic lines
at the boom foot. |
 |
| Parked up. |
 |
| Good bucket
detail. |
 |
| A big load for
a
Rogers Trailer. |
|
The Caterpillar 374D is one of the
larger Caterpillar excavators and has an operating
weight of around 70 tonnes.
Packaging
The model comes in a typical Caterpillar box style and
is fixed to the plastic base with tightly wound ties.
The review model had no defects or missing parts.
The box has no information about the real machine,
but some of the features of the model are described.
There is no assembly of the model required as it is
complete out of the box.
Detail
There is little detail underneath but the tracks
are metal and reasonably detailed though the rollers on
the track frames are non-functioning.
The body details are good with some nice grille textures
and there are textured walking surfaces. There is
an unusual mix of both metal and plastic handrails,
whilst the cab has a detailed interior and falling
object guard systems on the windows.
Norscot has paid attention to some of the hydraulics
with plastic lines at the boom foot, and running to the
cylinders on the boom and stick although strangely the
main boom lift cylinders do not have this detailing.
Rivets on the boom, stick and bucket are painted so they
do not look too obtrusive.
The large metal mass excavation bucket is a detailed
casting with good wear plates and teeth.
Features
The track frames are spring loaded for easy removal of
the tracks, and the tracks roll well.
Full body rotation is accommodated, and the boom, stick
and bucket have a good range of movement although the
cylinder controlling the stick cannot be fully closed.
Care is needed when folding the stick over fully so as
not to snag the plastic hydraulic lines on the pivot
point.
Quality
This a strong model which is mainly metal. The
paintwork and graphics are good.
Price
The pricing level is reasonable for an excavator
of this size.
Overall
It is good to see a model of a larger Caterpillar
excavator and this is a reasonably good effort.
Some additional features such as extendible tracks would
have been a good inclusion. Overall it is
recommended however.
Footnotes
The model was shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2011.
|
|
|
|
 |
| Big machine
with a big bucket. |
 |
| Window
protection on the cab. |
 |
| Underside view. |
 |
| Hydraulic
lines.
|
 |
| Profile view. |
 |
| Stretched out
at the maximum on level ground. |
 |
| Track frames
cannot be closed for transport so it sits wide on a low
loader. |
|
