Observing the results Recognizing that Bobcat’s aim with its new
M-Series models is to develop more efficient machines—machines that do more work than their predecessors with no increase in horsepower— Construction Equipment editors welcomed the opportunity to work with the company in evaluating what might be called in-the-dirt benefits of the new design. Included in the recently announced 500-frame-
size models is the T590 compact track loader, which replaces its K-Series counterpart, the T190. Given the popularity of this machine size and Bobcat’s success with the T190, we thought that comparing
Design Details
New lights on the T590 provide a 50-percent gain in wattage with a second bulb, and a redesigned lens directs light more intensely to the attachment area and in front of the machine.
The angle of the auxiliary-hydraulic connection plate on the lift arm, says Bobcat, is set to optimally interface with attachment hoses. Included are connectors for forward and reverse loops, case drain, and seven-pin electrical connector. All hoses and wires are inside the lift arm.
Oil cooler and air-conditioner condenser pivot up for cleaning access. Muffler, foreground, is rigidly mounted to the engine to prevent connections from flexing when the engine moves. Although Tier-4-Interim compliant, the T590 requires no diesel particulate filter.
The M-Series cab is all new and identical for all M-Series models. The new cab’s threshold is 4 inches lower than on K-Series models, and the door opening is larger, making entry and exit
more comfortable.
The T590 hinges its tailgate on the left side, giving access to the fuel filler when the gate is opened just a few inches. The T190’s tailgate hinged on the right side, requiring the gate to be fully open to reach the fuel filler—a possible inconvenience
on a crowded equipment trailer. 16 January 2013 | Construction Equipment Reprinted from Construction Equipment, January 2013
the performance of these two models working at several hydraulically demanding tasks would be of some interest and would put numbers, so to speak, to the differences in the two designs. Construction Equipment visited Bobcat on its
home turf, West Fargo, N.D., where the company had arranged with the city to use the fairgrounds for trencher and auger comparisons, and a municipal equipment yard, slated for repaving, for comparing performance with pavement-milling attachments. We’ve provided the details for these comparisons
in sidebars throughout the report, but to quickly summarize here, we found the T590, on average, to be nearly 20 percent more productive overall at these tasks, compared with its T190 predecessor. Along the way, we also took note of other advantages that the M-Series design imparts to machine performance— lift-arm design and the cooling system, for instance.
Pavement Milling
For the pavement-milling comparison, each operator made multiple runs with each machine, first using a 14-inch standard-flow planer, then an 18-inch high-flow planer. The planers cut to a depth of 2.5 inches, working in deteriorating asphalt pavement. Each planer run was 15 feet in length. Results: Based on the time required for each machine to complete its tasks, the T590 proved nearly 18 percent more productive than the T190 with the standard-flow attachment, and 21 percent more productive with the high-flow attachment.
The T590’s new main control valve is designed to maintain attachment adjustment when high- pressure work tools are being used.