 |
| Eurovia branded
box. |
 |
 |
| Large
counterweight at the rear. |
 |
| Detail
underneath. Front drive shaft is not run to the
pivot point. |
 |
| No hoses crossing the
pivot point but there are excellent small warning graphics. |
 |
| Cab detail is
reasonable. |
 |
| Loading Eurovia
tippers. |
 |
| Removable
bucket. |
 |
| Poses well with
other Eurovia models. |
|
 Comment on this model.
The Caterpillar 972K wheel loader has an operating
weight of around 26 tonnes
and bucket capacities of 2.9 - 9.9m³.
This model is in the colours of
SNEH Matériaux, the quarrying and materials arm of
Eurovia France. It is part of the VINCI Group.
Packaging
The model comes in a
Eurovia-branded box style with windows. It
is enclosed within a one-piece plastic holder that pops
open to release the model.
The review model had no missing
parts or defects.
There
is no information about the real machine.
Detail
The underside has some detailing with the rear axle
modelled and the transmission to the front axle is
truncated. Nice quality rubber tyres with
a good tread pattern are mounted on wheels with detailed
plastic exterior faces and simple inside faces.
The engine cover has good cast grilles in the sides and
top although they are indentations rather than holes and
would have been better if they were black.
The rear grille has silvered
lights and the SNEH Matériaux logo. There is a towing hitch and
the pin is visible being modelled within the casting.
The walkways around the cab have a non-slip texture and
the metal handrails are very good. The cab is detailed
with wipers front and back, and the mirror and light
assemblies are plastic as is the aerial on the roof.
The interior has the controls modelled although the main
joystick looks
too small. There is a CAT logo on
the seat back.
There are excellent sharp warning graphics below the cab
and at the pivot point but there are no hydraulic hoses
and the front axle drive shaft is not modelled.
The loader arm with the Z-bar linkages is modelled well
with very thin hoses running to the ram jacket, and
decent detail in the metal parts. The rivets in the
loader arm are quite large and visible although they are
touched up with paint which improves it a little.
The material handling bucket has good detailing on the
outside.
Features
The wheels roll well with each pair of tyres fixed to a
common axle. The rear axle is able to oscillate
significantly and the front axle is fixed.
The model steers across the pivot point and the overall
steering angle is very good.
The loader arm lifts the bucket to a realistic height
and can hold a pose. Both the tipping
angle and the carrying angle is slightly shallow.
The
bucket is removable by removing the locking pin.
Quality
This is a solid and generally well made model with a high metal content.
The paint finish is generally very good and the
Eurovia-style graphics are good but not perfect.
Price
It is reasonable value for a limited edition.
Overall
It is good to see a Caterpillar model in company colours,
and this one looks good and poses well with other models
in the same colours. The removable bucket is a nice
feature too.
Footnotes
The model was was available from
December 2014 from the
VINCI webshop in a limited run of
300 models. A white version of the model (not in company
colours) was also produced as model 10005-02.
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
| Big bucket. |
 |
| Side grille is
formed within the casting but is solid rather than
holes. |
 |
| Decent bucket
height. |
 |
| Big rivet holes
in the loader arm but the paint disguises them.
|
 |
| Profile view. |
|
|
|
