The new Gradall XL 4100 IV hydraulic excavator is easier than ever to drive to jobsites and back to equipment yards, says the manufacturer, thanks to its new AutoDrive system that features an automatic transmission—a six-speed Allison with push-button controls in the undercarriage truck cab.
“Governmental agencies and contractors appreciate the advantages of an excavator that can travel at speeds up to 60 mph, eliminating the need for a lowboy trailer and enabling them to get to jobsites faster,” says Bill Thomas, vice president of Gradall excavator products. “The addition of an automatic transmission has received a very positive reaction.”
In addition to the undercarriage transmission, Gradall’s AutoDrive system integrates a new transfer case—the heart of a new remote drive design that enables operators in the upper cab to reposition the machine around jobsites or over the length of a roadside ditch. Models are available with either 6 x 4 or 6 x 6 drivetrain configurations.
Powering the XL 4100 IV is a new 245-horsepower Tier 4-I Mercedes engine. The single engine, says Gradall, “efficiently and cost-effectively” powers the excavator up to 60 mph on highways, or to 5 mph when repositioning the machine on jobsites from the upper cab. The same engine also powers the machine’s upper-structure boom, including swing, telescoping and tilting functions.
The XL 4100 IV uses a pressure-compensated, load-sensing hydraulic system with relief valves in all circuits. According to Gradall, the system is designed to efficiently handle conventional-excavator applications, such as digging, demolition and barrier placement, as well as functions that include sloping, finishing, storm and canal cleanup, tree trimming and other jobs requiring the use of attachments.
Maximum boom reach for the new excavator is 30 feet 3 inches at grade, and maximum dig depth is 20 feet 3 inches. Loading height maximum is 17 feet 2 inches. Rated bucket force is 24,900 pounds, and the telescoping-boom crowd force, which remains constant through the entire dig cycle, is 21,940 pounds.
Other distinguishing features for the new XL 4100 IV, says Gradall, include high-visibility LED lighting, a compact tail swing that allows the machine to work on roadside jobs without obstructing traffic, and a new high-visibility yellow paint scheme with red and black accents.
