 | | Caterpillar branded box. |  |  | | Rear engine grilles would have looked better with black paint to represent perforations. |  | | Fairly simple detail underneath. |  | | Hand rails are soft plastic. |  | | Loading rocks. |  | | Standing with the material handling version on the left. |
|  Comment on this model.
The Caterpillar 980K has an operating weight of around 31 tonnes and bucket capacities of 4 - 12m³.
This model is in a rock configuration with appropriate tyres and bucket.
Packaging
The model comes in a Caterpillar box style with windows and it is fixed to the plastic base with tightly wound ties.
The review model had no 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
Looking underneath the main transmission is represented simply and there is a plastic plate at the rear end. The rubber rock tyres have a deep tread pattern and they are mounted on detailed plastic wheels which are slightly off colour.
The cab is detailed with wipers front and back, mirrors and grab rails all modelled in plastic. Interior detail is good. Plastic ladders lead up to the cab and there are soft but nicely thin plastic handrails. On the left hand side an off-colour plastic plate includes a filler cap. Walking surfaces are textured.
Under the cab the steering pistons are visible as is the drive shaft to the front axle.
The engine cover has the grilles detailed within the casting although they are not true perforations so they do not stand out as much as those on the real machine. At the rear the slatted grille is good and painted lights enhance the look.
The front axle arrangement looks fine and the black mud flaps are metal. Plastic lights are mounted on each side.
The Z-bar Linkage for raising the bucket is modelled well. The pistons controlling the bucket are hooked bars which would be alright except that they are on the large size so they stand out somewhat. On the plus side the connection rivets have painted heads so they are not obvious.
The rock bucket is a nice casting and only lacks perforations in the top grillage.
Features
The wheels roll well although there is no oscillation of the rear axle.
The model steers across the pivot point but the range of movement is not as much as the real machine.
The range of movement on the loader arms and bucket is very good with a realistic tipping angle.
Quality
The overall quality is good with a robust model being the result.
The paint finish is very good but the colour match of some plastic parts is a little off. The graphics are sharp.
Price
It is a little pricey.
Overall
Overall this is a decent-looking representation of the 980K with enough detail and some good functionality.
Footnotes
The model was released in 2013 and was also available in a 'material handling' configuration as model 55289.
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|  | | Big rock bucket. |  | | Rear end looks good. |  | | Rivets are painted. |  | | Fairly large machine. |  | | Profile view. |  | | Loaded on a Drake Trailer. |  | | A good transport load. |
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