Big Foot meets an ATLAS Excavator
When it comes to the substrate, it’s a “real softie”, when it comes to stability, it’s a rock. This pretty much sums up the Big Foot, the ATLAS 140W mobile excavator with 16 t service weight and 20 km/h travel speed (optionally up to 36 km/h).
The extremely wide and large 710/45-26.5 20 PR tyres give this mobile excavator the all-terrain mobility of a crawler excavator. The wide tyres generate a considerably lower ground pressure, which is why the Big Foot is perfectly suited for mowing work, for example, such as here in the area of the “Schweriner See/Obere Sude” Water and Ground Association. More than 500 km of ditches, which were laid out a long time ago to drain the area, require maintenance and mowing.
This is why the Big Foot is equipped with a 4 m mowing basket. It is capable of moving swiftly along the ditches and cutting out the vegetation. After a while, there are hardly any traces of the mobile excavator left on the ground. “The Big Foot allows us to travel from site to site without the need for a transporter. This saves time and money,” Mark Sierks, Managing Director of the Association, shares another important advantage.
High ground clearance – special undercarriage
A special undercarriage has been designed so that the ATLAS Big Foot is able to move in the best possible manner, without constraining the working movements. The Big Foot boasts enormous ground clearance and extremely low ground pressure, yet without exceeding the transport height of 4 m (where necessary).
The axles are fitted with a 35% limited slip differential to ensure that the ground is driven over as gently as possible. This prevents the wheels from spinning and the mobile excavator from getting stuck in muddy or swampy substrate. This is combined with tremendous power. It is still capable of lifting 1.3 t when unsupported at a reach of 11 m (with optional second articulated arm). The power for this is provided by a 95 kW/129 hp 4-cylinder Deutz engine with diesel particulate filter.
This Big Foot is equipped with a load limit controlled, high performance piston pump, that simultaneously and independently controls several working movements. This is further enhanced by a hydraulic add-on kit that accommodates up to ten different attachments such as hydraulic hammers, vibratory drivers, etc. Oil quantity and pressure can be individually adjusted from the cabin.
The customised hydraulics ensure uniform pressure and oil supply for motorised working attachments such as mowers or mulchers and minimise wear and tear on the attachments. Even in mowing mode, with an oil flow of 30 litres and a permanent pressure of 180 bar, there is no loss of performance with any working movement of the tool.
Respond flexibly to many requirements while maintaining economic efficiency
The “Schweriner See/Obere Sude” Water and Ground Association covers an area of 63,500 ha with a water body length of 681 km. These are waters of the second order (Gewässer zweiter Ordnung (GEW II)), 101 km of which are piped, with 3 pumping stations and 191 weirs.
Watercourse and woody plant maintenance, mowing work, earthworks, lifting operations and many other tasks have recently been undertaken by the organisation’s own construction site. “Our own construction site has made us significantly more flexible and allows us to quickly respond to objective requirements,” says Sierks. The ATLAS 140W is an ideal fit here. It can quickly travel from site to site.
Not only in the field, but also on the road. Its average engine speed is 1,480 revolutions, meaning that fuel consumption is around 6.3 litres per hour. That’s also what makes the Big Foot so economical. Not to mention the flexibility offered by an optional quick coupler, which makes it easy to change tools, including hydraulic attachments.
Best visibility
The cabin of the ATLAS 140W Big Foot features superb all-round visibility and plenty of room for the driver. Safety is also ensured by the reverse and side cameras (270° camera system also available as an option).
There are countless details that make working easier. The steering column, seat and operating consoles, for example, can be adjusted independently of each other. The retractable windscreen, automatic air conditioning system and thermal insulation glazing help to create a good working atmosphere in the cabin.
Solid advice
The regional dealer – ATLAS Mecklenburg GmbH headquartered in Leezen or ATLAS Perleberg GmbH headquartered in Perleberg – is responsible for providing the important information about what ATLAS excavators can do.
The first priority of the 25 employees at these two locations is to provide sound advice. Service, spare parts, repairs and vehicle manufacture are, of course, also part of ATLAS Mecklenburg/Perleberg’s range of services.
You can witness the positive result of the cooperation between dealers and customers here at the Obere Sude in the form of the speedy Big Foot.
