Liebherr’s latest mining dozer, the PR 766 G8, made its sales debut at the 2022 Bauma exhibition. As one of its latest product offerings, Liebherr Mining wanted to share some of the dozer’s most interesting features.
1. The PR 766 G8 is available in high drive.
Liebherr is one of only two original equipment manufacturers that offers hydraulic dozers in high drive – a running gear particularly well-suited to heavy-duty mining applications. The elevation of the final drive makes high drive the optimal choice for the rocky terrain of many mine sites. The raised position of the final set of gears in the drivetrain protects the mechanisms from the dirt and damage that harsh terrains may cause. Further, keeping the final drive at a distance from the terrain helps to reduce wear on the bearing bushes and sprockets.
Another benefit of high drive is that the guide wheels and track rollers help the running gear to better adjust to the terrain by absorbing the increased shock on these mechanisms and maintaining excellent track chain traction.
2. The PR 766 G8 is the only dozer with hydrostatic drive in the 50 tonne class.
Machines using hydrostatic drive can help customers to reduce both their fuel and maintenance costs. In the PR 766 G8, the hydrostatic drive can maintain the engine at a constant speed of ~1,600 rpm by synchronising the drive components and Liebherr’s intelligent engine management system. This constant engine speed helps the engine to only burn fuel that is absolutely necessary and so this increases the fuel efficiency of these dozers by 20%.
The hydrostatic drive also replaces high-wear items such as clutches, service brakes, and manual transmissions with a configuration of flexible hoses, hydraulic pumps, and motors. Because the components of hydrostatic drive are essentially wear free, they are uniquely suited to working in harsh conditions and require little to no maintenance. This reduces the maintenance costs of the PR 766 G8 as well as the downtime of the dozer.