 | | Caterpillar branded box. |  |  | | Nice graphics. Upward movement on the hammer is limited to the pose shown. |  | | There is some detail on the underside of the body. |  | | Handrail is plastic and a little thick. |  | | Hydraulic hoses add detail. |  | | Loaded on a Rogers trailer. |
|  Comment on this model.
The CAT 323D L is an excavator in the 25 tonne class. It is a general utility machine with a wide variety of applications in civil engineering and construction.
This model is fitted with the Caterpillar H120E S hydraulic hammer which weighs 1.6 tonnes.
Packaging
The model comes in a Caterpillar box style with windows on two sides and it is fixed to the plastic base with tightly wound ties. The review model had no defects or missing parts, and there is no assembly to perform.
The box has no information about the real machine, but some of the features of the model are described.
Detail
The tracks are metal and are mounted on reasonably detailed frames, but without working rollers.
The cab has a metal frame with forward facing lights, and the mirror and grab rails are in plastic. The roof window is a separate part and feels like it might open but it is not hinged. Inside, the cab detail is good with the main controls replicated.
The rest of the body is nicely cast, with grilles and access panel handles formed. The counterweight slab has tabs for lifting eyes but these are solid and without a hole. The boom and stick are well formed with hydraulic pipe work within the casting, and neat hydraulic hosing at the base of the boom, and to the hydraulic rams. A neat touch is that the rivets are painted which improves the look of the model.
The hammer is a quite good metal part with a plastic chisel and it has the rock edge modelled at the bottom, but it lacks any hydraulic connections.
Features
The tracks roll very freely, and one of the sprockets on each track frame is spring loaded which keeps the tension in the track, and allows it to be removed.
It rotates smoothly , and the boom, stick can be posed in any position as the rams are stiff enough.
The range of upward movement on the hammer and stick is limited and appears to be because the end of the piston clashes internally with the hydraulic hose connection points, so posing opportunities are limited.
The chisel in the hammer is spring loaded.
Quality
The model is solidly made with good casting.
The paintwork and graphics are also good.
Price
It is on the expensive side compared to the bucket version of the model.
Overall
A variant to the usual Caterpillar excavator models is welcome and this one is implemented reasonably well.
Footnotes
The model was first shown at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2012.
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|  | | Hammer is metal, chisel is plastic. |  | | Track frames look fine, but they do not have working rollers. |  | | Window on top looks like it should open but it does not.. |  | | Engine cover detailing is good, with hydraulic hoses at the boom foot. |  | | Profile view. |  | | Convincing load. |  | | At work with a big CAT Shear. |
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