LIUGONG 9035F ZTS MINI EXCAVATOR

LiuGong F-Series excavators are built to deliver a strong balance of performance, precision, and quality. Landscape Contractor magazine put the compact 9035F into a tight spot and was impressed with how well it performed.

LiuGong’s been offering great earthmoving equipment in Australia for 20 years now, and the tech back-up and spares supply from national distributor LiuGong Australia and new Construction Distribution Australia (CDA) metro dealerships is as good as any. Alongside that, the company has developed some impressive machinery which is now a common sight on Australian worksites.

For landscaping, a compact, efficient, zero tail-swing excavator can be a godsend. Does the 9035F fit the bill? We decided to find out.

Tech

With a maximum operating weight of 3800kg, the 9035F is a zero-tail-swing outfit powered by a Yanmar Stage V diesel offering 17.3kW (23.2hp). Maximum hydraulic flow is 99L/minute, and digging reach is 5385mm/5715mm. Bucket breakout force is 33kN, and it’s supplied with LiuGong’s quick coupler and three buckets – a mud bucket, a 300mm GP bucket, and a 450mm GP bucket.

The cabin and controls are comfortable and well designed, and overall, on first inspection, the 9035 is a sharp-looking and very capable and efficient machine. LiuGong says it’s “…easy to transport, simple to use and quick to maintain.”

Features

As Mat Wandmaker ran his professional eye over the excavator – double checking the cab was in fact heated, and ensuring the temperature was cranked up – we had a quick look at the main points of the compact LiuGong, which included:

• Zero tail swing

• Powerful engine

• Dozer blade control

• Joystick controls

• Advanced hydraulics

• Local parts stock at CDA, and

• Local field and machine servicing via CDA metro Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane locations.

We also noticed the cabin boasted a suspension seat and a touchscreen which controlled the machine’s hydraulics and kept the operator up-to-date with various functions and operating parameters.

By the time we’d worked through the list, Mat was in the cab, his teeth had stopped chattering thanks to the cabin heater, and he’d put the 9035F to work.

Tight

As the video shows, the work site for this review didn’t leave a lot of room for error. Fortunately, the zero tail swing and smooth action of the LiuGong meant the machine could do its work with a minimum of fuss. Between the joystick controls and the operator screen in the cab, Mat found moving and digging the piled-up earth a breeze, and he was especially impressed with the performance of the engine.

“It’s punching out a lot of power,” he offered thoughtfully. “It’s easy to manoeuvre, it’s comfortable, everything’s at your fingertips, and it’s as smooth as silk.” “The thing is flawless when it comes to manoeuvrability,” he continued. “There’s no issue or safety concern working next to the truck thanks to the zero tail swing, and the machine itself is phenomenal,” he said. “I can’t fault it.”

See for yourself

Contact us today and ask for a demo.