Cat Loaders - IT28 Vs 928

[Squizzy246B]

Who can clue me up on the exact difference between an "IT" and the standard loader....aside from the obvious quick hitch fitted loader arms. The reason I ask (apart from wanting to buy one) is one person told me the IT's where not so good at digging and levelling. We do a lot of commercial pads with "eFFie" the 938F and it performs brilliantly for the general cleanup, load out and pad prep down to 3/8" or better. I'm looking at the IT because I need forks for 4000lbs.....but if the IT is not such a goodera earthmover would I be better off putting a quick hitch on the standard loader???

The city here has an IT28 and the operator there told me it works fine as a loader...but he does general cleanup stuff and not cut/fill of pads with lasers and the like.

BTW: Poor old eFFie is in the Cat house getting the tranny done ...15,000 hrs and its the first major mechanicals. It was getting a big hesitant going in and out of gear and we found a few pressures down. Nothing serious was the report from the mechanic yesterday. Not bad for one of those useless throw away 3116 engines either

[Mack]

Cat loaders suck. The only loader we will buy now is a Volvo we have a 1997 (I think) and it has a 17,000hrs no problems ever.

[Ford LT-9000]

I don't think the IT28 was really designed for working in a pit etc they are a muni machine meant for road brushes or brush cutters. We have a 928 in our freight yard it belongs to a forestry company. The machine is heavier constructed to the IT machine the local highways dept has. At work the highways left their Cat 28 in the parking lot and of course I went and looked at it. The 3116 isn't a bad engine it just wasn't that good in trucks because of its low power.

The 928 in our yard picks 4000lbs like nothing it has forks on it not a regular forklift mast it has a custom made set of forks that uses the standard loader arms and the dump toggle to roll and tilt the forks back. The machine also climbs up and down grades pretty well unloading the barges.

No Cat loaders don't suck its 1 of the 2 machines Cat knows how to build. Both gravel mines here tried other brands they both went back to Cat loaders. The two pits run 20 hours a day (10 hour shifts). One of the forestry operations I know tried Volvo and Komatsu went back to Cat loaders.

Its not because of better dealer support is because the machines last longer. Look at how many old C series Cat loaders are still out there and used almost daily. Had a old 966C in our yard its a 1969 model or somewhere around that year it still runs its thrashed but runs the company used it for a spare machine. I have ran the machine it does the hippy shake shake because the center pins are worn out of it.

[ben46a]

loaders, dozers and rock trucks are cats forte. you cant knock em, Anywho, the it machines are the same other than the boom arrangement. the paralell lift is handy for the forks etc but its not really a pit machine. We have an IT38G, and it has been a good machine it is not bad or disliked in any way it operates, but isnt quite a standard loader. one thing i hate about the ITs though is the visibility. It plain sucks, you cannot see the forks at all. Have you thought about a 930g machine with the uniboom and standard quick coupler? much better visibility and will pick up 3 ton no sweat.

[Squizzy246B]

loaders, dozers and rock trucks are cats forte. you cant knock em, Anywho, the it machines are the same other than the boom arrangement. the paralell lift is handy for the forks etc but its not really a pit machine. We have an IT38G, and it has been a good machine it is not bad or disliked in any way it operates, but isnt quite a standard loader. one thing i hate about the ITs though is the visibility. It plain sucks, you cannot see the forks at all. Have you thought about a 930g machine with the uniboom and standard quick coupler? much better visibility and will pick up 3 ton no sweat.

Yes thats what we have been thinking about but I was wondering if the hydraulic system was different, does the IT have return to dig.

[ben46a]

Oh yeah, the ITs have return to dig, ride control, switchable bucket/fork kickouts etc. There hyd systems are nearly identical other than the IT extra valves.

[Squizzy246B]

Oh yeah, the ITs have return to dig, ride control, switchable bucket/fork kickouts etc. There hyd systems are nearly identical other than the IT extra valves.

Thanks Ben

and the prognosis for "eFFie" is going for a full tranny rebuild (ouch)....nothing major wrong just pretty well worn....she's still in the Cat House.

[activeorpassive]

I think ben46a hit it on the head. The parallel lift arms on the IT (Integrated Toolcarrier) don't really lend themselves to performing well for heavy duty loading. Breakout in the pile isn't as great, and the operator has to level the bucket manually as the bucket is raised. The Z bar linkage on the Wheel Loaders works great for tilting the bucket in the pile, and the bucket stays level as the operator raises it. The operator only has to perform one function on the lift instead of two.

The IT will be a great machine if you want the versatility to perform multiple functions (the attachments that are sold for these do some crazy stuff!) . I would stick with the Wheel Loader if the only extra function you need is handling material with forks. You can get forks for the Wheel Loader, and they function as Ford LT-9000 previously stated.

[Dwan Hall]

You can also option the IT with bucket leveling. At least the IT24 I ran for 2 weeks last winter had it.
I was told by the local cat dealer that the IT28 was no longer made and last year was the last year for it's replacement the IT30

The only IT's left are the IT14, IT38 and IT62 or atleast that is what the local dealer said after looking on cat's web site. I was looking at an IT24 for a bit but settled on a Volvo L60F. I think the Cat's are a little cheeper but still one of the best machines made.

[Squizzy246B]

Active: Thats basically what I had been told...thanks. I prefer the idea of something like a 924/928 with a quick hitch for the forks...although most machines I have run with quick hitches have had a lot of play/wear in them.

Dwan: The 60F is one we are looking at very closely too....I'd like to know how it goes for you.

[Dwan Hall]

They want me to hury up and get my order in so I can have the options I want before winter. I understand they have to trade positions with another dealer to order mine as a new one takes about a year from paper to delivery, or so I have been told by the Volvo dealer.
So far I only plan on leaseing it for 4 month through the winter. But that may change.
I think the 60F is a little closer to the 924 then the 928.
There is a used 2005 L70E for sale with 2000 hours for around 100K us. Nice machine but just a little bigger then I want and it does not have all the bells and tooters I want.

[Squizzy246B]

Thanks Dwan, Volvo sure know how to spec out a machine. I hope it all goes well for you. The size issue is always a wrestle...I've been using the 938 last few years and mainly 50's and 66's before that...but has been mainly for loading trucks.

[activeorpassive]

The only IT's left are the IT14, IT38 and IT62 or atleast that is what the local dealer said after looking on cat's web site. I was looking at an IT24 for a bit but settled on a Volvo L60F. I think the Cat's are a little cheeper but still one of the best machines made.

That's correct. I can only find the IT14G, the IT38GII, and the IT62H in the product lineup for Integrated Toolcarriers

I think the 60F is a little closer to the 924 then the 928.

I did a quick machine spec and comparison lookup for the Volvo 60F. The machines I found that were closest in spec were the Caterpillar 924G, the Deere 544H, and the Komatsu WA200-5. Here's a quick rundown:

Flywheel Power:
Volvo: 125
Cat: 129
Deere: 130
Komatsu: 120

Breakout Force - Reference Bucket:
Volvo: 18640 lbs
Cat: 25247 lbs
Deere: Sorry, wasn't listed
Komatsu: 20944 lbs

Operating Weight:
Volvo: 25580 lbs
Cat: 24990 lbs
Deere: 26001 lbs
Komatsu: 21870 lbs

Minimum Turning Radius (over tire):
Volvo: 210 in
Cat: 200 in
Deere: 195.24 in
Komatsu: 192 in

Flow-Implement:
Volvo: 38.3 gpm
Cat: 40.15 gpm
Deere: 40.95 gpm
Komatsu: 41.2 gpm

Implement Pump-type:
Volvo: Variable axial-piston
Cat: Variable displacement
Deere: Axial piston
Komatsu: Gear

Implement Pump Controls:
Volvo: Two levers
Cat: Pilot
Deere: Mechanical
Komatsu: Joystick

Fuel Capacity (gallons)
Volvo: 58
Cat: 59.4
Deere: 64.99
Komatsu: 46

Tranny:
Volvo: Automatic powershift
Cat: Countershaft powershift
Deere: Countershaft powershift
Komatsu: Hydrostatic

Wheelbase (ft)
Volvo: 9.8
Cat: 9.2
Deere: 9.51
Komatsu: 9.3

Hope this helps a little. Best of luck in your quest. I'm biased, of course, so you know which one I would choose.

[928G Boy]

i had an IT28G a few years ago for a summer rental... not a bad machine at all, but way too slow dumping the bucket. It was like in slow motion. For dumping speed it goes like this from fastest to slowest:

928G>930G>IT28G

The 930G is a fine machine but I was running one for Kiewit out on the west coast and first gear completely pooped the bed.

I love 928Gs, it's still my favorite loader to operate... I guess 930Gs are better but I still prefer the 928G just for familiarity... i know they're almost the same machine but the 930G just feels weird... I'm not the only one, another operator I work with hopped in a 930G for the first time the other day and hated it...

One thing i like is the shape of the buckets i've seen on all the 930s, they have a square edged back of the bucket for levelling in reverse...