Volvo unveils raft of productivity-enhancing updates to C-Series skid steer loaders

Volvo Construction Equipment’s range of high-performance C-Series skid steer loaders — available in a wide variety of models such as the radial MC60C and MC70C as well as the vertical MC95C and MCT85C — has been updated with an array of eagerly awaited features, not least a Tier 4 Final engine.

With the use of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), a common rail system operating at up to 2,000 bars and a fixed geometry turbocharger, the Volvo supported Tier 4 Final engine does not require a Diesel Particulate Filter, an advantage in any compact machine. The common rail system allows higher pressure but also allows electronic control of the injection. Therefore, the intelligent engines not only accept command from the throttle but have an ECU that permanently adjusts the injection to optimize combustion and performance. Benefits include lower cost of ownership and no extra servicing for an after-treatment device.

Volvo offers its customers a choice of both wheeled and tracked skid steers that are ideal for truck loading, material handling and ground engaging applications – as well as high degrees of stability and efficiency. 

The updated C-Series range from Volvo delivers an impressive torque rating at a lower rpm than similar machines. This, combined with standard auto-idling, generates a fuel saving of 10%. Other updates to the C-Series skid steer loaders include improved air flow, improved loader stops and centering cup and an optional reversible fan.

The auto-idling function automatically returns the engine to idle after five seconds if no controls are operated. For maximum safety and productivity, the engine revs up almost instantaneously to the preselected speed, as soon as the operator touches a control. If the operator needs to pre-heat the engine, for example, auto-idling can be disabled via the info menu.

For customers who work in extremely dusty conditions, the optional reversible fan is strongly recommended. With this option, the fan blows in reverse for 5 seconds every 30 minutes. It can also be engaged manually or turned off via a switch on the left hand side control panel. The reversible fan option dramatically reduces downtime spent cleaning the cooling system, while eliminating the risk of overheating. As in previous models cooling packs are positioned side by side to ensure optimal cooling - hydraulic cooling, engine water cooling with the addition on the Tier 4 Final version of charge air cooling and fuel cooling.

It is now also possible for the operator to select between three levels of sensitivity on the controls depending on the speed and precision of operation required. Operators can also choose between an ISO or H control pattern, as standard. Customers benefit from increased productivity as each operator finds the control mode best suited for the application as well as their own driving habits.

Maintenance made easy

Volvo’s C-Series skid steer loader range is designed to achieve maximum durability. O-ring face seal (ORFS) fittings on the hydraulic connections provide a 100% leak-free joint while the robust loader arm pivot pins, which are larger and therefore stronger than those used by competitors, effectively distribute the load over the arm for excellent longevity.

On the infrequent occasion that a machine requires greater attention than a routine daily service check, all the major components are within easy reach thanks to the forward-tilting cab and large rear compartment service door. The unique single loader arm and side door allow the operator to safely exit the cab without walking underneath the load and engage the gas support struts without any assistance. This convenient service access maximizes machine uptime and helps provide a longer operating life.

Feels like home

Inside the cab is spacious and features an easily-accessible storage compartment, including a 12V power outlet located under the left-hand armrest. The simply-presented gauges situated in the upper front cab corners ensure easy viewing while noise levels in and around the operator environment are limited in both canopy and enclosed cab variants. After all, a comfortable operator is a productive operator.

The cab also provides excellent visibility, allowing the operator to maneuver in tight areas. The single tower loader arm used on the C-Series vertical lift machines has no horizontal cross member to obstruct the view from the large top window, which is supported by narrow ROPS pillars. This large front window also acts as an emergency exit. Two and a half times larger than traditional rear emergency exits, the window dispels any worries in the unlikely event of roll-over. To the side, the operator is spared the challenges of visibility-impeding mesh cages, used in many competitor machines, by the large side door that runs the entire length of the cab. The doors opens to 75 degrees for quick and comfortable access without having to climb over attachments or turn to sit down and is reached via a sturdy, non-slip step. 

The versatile C-Series skid steer loaders can be fitted with an extensive range of Volvo attachments — including augers, 6-in-1 buckets, trenchers, pallet forks, dozer blades, hydraulic breakers, scrap grapples and brooms— to suit almost any application. And like all Volvo machines, the C-Series range is supported by a vast global service infrastructure of technicians, workshops and dealers, providing that all-important peace of mind.