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DaveDCB
Well-known member
Mecalac backhoe gets rotating cab
French machinery manufacturer Mecalac has fitted a rotating cab to a backhoe loader.
www.theconstructionindex.co.uk
www.theconstructionindex.co.uk
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Stroppymonkey
Well-known member
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Rob65
Well-known member
V8Druid
do it as well as you can,but learn to do it better
should buff up nicely with a bit of Farécla 
Gecko
Well-known member
APhillips
Well-known member
I believe it will be similar to the Revotruck where the cab has around 225deg rotation, The revotruck is setup to allow driving within a 45degree window Left/Right of rear facing, I am not sure whether they have followed the same logic with this or not.
The original prototype was actually built in Coventry prior to then being shipped to Turkey when the production moved there. I am very keen to have a drive of it to understand its full potential and how it operates, I will get to have a look at Bauma but not sure when we will see one in the UK at the moment.
I remember having a long conversation with Henri Marchetta (Mecalac founder) about the concept of a 'dual drive' backhoe at the 2020 Conexpo and how I felt a full rotating cab was a little extravagant and unnecessary and he agreed but clearly our discussion went no further and Group decided to continue down this route. I am hoping the outcome is much like the Revotruck which I was very sceptical about during its development (whilst I was working in Cornwall and had no involvement with) but since driving it my mind has been changed, it is a really impressive machine, very logical, easy to drive and offers significant benefits to the alternatives, we shall see if the Revo990 can follow this trend.
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DaveDCB
Well-known member
Wonder if you can still rotate your seat within the cab? Will be a slow old setup time if not!
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Stroppymonkey
Well-known member
Surely not. Rotating cab and rotating seat would get you in a right old muddle!
APhillips
Well-known member
Nope, not enough space in the cab for that, rotation wise I'd say if you factored in time for lifting steering columns etc the rotation time (atleast in the Revotruck) would be pretty close.
I've been off for the past 10 days but in the office on Monday, I will be trying to find out some more info, particularly around the cab element
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Old Operator
Well-known member
Italian maker Palazzani once made a mini backhoe with optional curved rear kingpost rails - said to give a few extra degrees of working - std rear rail also available. https://www.machines4u.com.au/view/advert/Paload-Mini-Backhoe-PB-130/611540/
They also made a range of bigger machines with centre oscillation & 4 equal size wheels. Piccini made thier own & later made a Palazzani design under licence. Both companies have ceased all backhoe production recently
Mr Druid did you mean four of the rotating cab Hydramera machines built for the whole world? or four came to the UK. I cannot imagine it would be worth the development costs to produce only four, & not really enough to iron out any bugs in the design.
They also made a range of bigger machines with centre oscillation & 4 equal size wheels. Piccini made thier own & later made a Palazzani design under licence. Both companies have ceased all backhoe production recently
Mr Druid did you mean four of the rotating cab Hydramera machines built for the whole world? or four came to the UK. I cannot imagine it would be worth the development costs to produce only four, & not really enough to iron out any bugs in the design.
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DaveDCB
Well-known member
I’d be swung around and digging in a matter of seconds on my easy control 3cx.. steering wheel stayed up unless roading or loading.. seat spun on a kicker at floor level, grabbed jack legs while spinning seat around! You could activate the rear levers at half way point too so soon on your way!
The new Dual drive 3cx seems abit of a fad to me as I did 99% of what they are marketing without it!
*I know the newer Jcb’s have all sorts of safety crap stopping you from doing anything unlawful now, so it does lead you into a dual drive.. still think I’d be more productive on a 2010era machine over the 2025 3cx variants! Progress!
The new Dual drive 3cx seems abit of a fad to me as I did 99% of what they are marketing without it!
*I know the newer Jcb’s have all sorts of safety crap stopping you from doing anything unlawful now, so it does lead you into a dual drive.. still think I’d be more productive on a 2010era machine over the 2025 3cx variants! Progress!
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6feetdown
Well-known member
🫱
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Old Operator
Well-known member
I admired this little machine - it came in two sizes XT 850 & XT 1600 - Sadly there were problems with pressure spikes occurring in the hystat closed loops (probably when changing direction in a hurry on hills). This led to production ceasing. Guess surviving machines must have been driven gently. These probs could have no doubt been solved. Hoe kingpost on a swinging arm to allow offset either side. Weight 1500 Kg approx Made by Ditch Witch, examples below
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6feetdown
Well-known member
Still commanding good money
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topkit
Well-known member
Thats an early Whitlock Dinkum digger circa late 50's early 60's usually built onto a Fordson skid.
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Old Operator
Well-known member
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Stroppymonkey
Well-known member
Which one won?
Powerfab
Well-known member
Whitlock cab is an "interesting" place to be.
Looks like his head is poking out the top!
Looks like his head is poking out the top!
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Old Operator
Well-known member
There was a separate 'tip up' seat for the rear hoe, this was much higher than the front facing main one. Whitlock was narrower but was a fixed centre hoe. I suspect the Whitlock hoe may have reached further & dug deeper. Years ago I drove this Whitlock model & found it rear heavy but a good digger once in place. Vision from the front seat less than ideal. Nearest comparison I drove was a '65 JCB 3 rather than 3C Mk 1- both Fordson based. It is very much horses for courses but I would say the JCB with side shift was the best all round package & went on to improve. Both machines rather elderly when I met with them
JD450A
Feral as Fk 🐾
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