Comparison: Sennebogen 835 vs Caterpillar MH3050 vs Liebherr LH 50 vs Fuchs MHL 360
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Process Equipment is an independent, family owned equipment dealership. This independence gives us the unique ability to objectively compare manufacturer's offerings without any loyalty to one brand and make sure you, the customer, are getting the best possible tool for the job.
We have built of decades of expertise in the world of material handlers and we are frequently asked which one we recommend. The answer is almost always - it depends.
It depends feels like a cop out though, so I am going to try and provide a resource for customers to be able to directly compare specs and give some call outs to things that we believe are difference makers between the similar size units.
Starting with one of the most popular size class machines at ca. 100,000 lbs.
This class includes the following models: Caterpillar MH3050, Fuchs MHL 360, Liebherr LH 50, Sennebogen 835 M E.
|
Feature |
Caterpillar MH3050 |
Sennebogen 835 |
Liebherr LH 50 |
Fuchs MHL 360 |
|
Weight |
106,800 to 110,250 lbs | ca. 100,310 lbs. | 88,200 to 96,900 lbs. | 95,901 to 107585 lbs |
|
Maximum Reach |
59.3 ft (18.06 m) | 62 ft (19 m) | 62 feet (19 meters) | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Lifting Capacity at 40 ft out , 5 feet up | 14200 lbs. | 14500 lbs. (K18 front) |
15200 lbs. (GA18 front) |
14,940 (59' of reach configuration) |
| Engine Horsepower | 346 hp Caterpillar | 310 hp Cummins | 211 hp Liebherr | 255 hp Deutz |
| Fuel Burn | Not Published- Similar Size Excavators burn 3 to 4.5 gallons/hour | Not Published: 3.7 gallons/ hour - claimed in an article** | Published: 3.57 gallons / hour | Not Published |
| Standout Features |
Cat Payload real-time weighing; |
Open source style machine. The industry standard at the moment. ASP network provides variety. Marketed as the simplest machine to work on yourself. Heavily marketed factory training available to end users. | Liebherr Energy Recovery Cylinder (ERC) for major fuel/performance boost (up to 30% savings); Litronic controls; LUDV hydraulics; high swing torque & precision. The most innovative unit currently on the market. Parts availability lags behind Caterpillar and Sennebogen. Parts are notably more expensvie than competitors. |
Process does not carry Fuchs for a variety of reasons. Primarily we do not believe they offer end users the same level of longevity. Closed swivel circuit for fast/efficient |
What the spec sheet won't tell you
Look at the chart and these four machines are very close. They sit in the same weight class, they all reach right around 60 feet, and they all pick up about the same load at 40 feet out. The numbers won't pick the machine for you. The primary differentiator is not on the spec sheet. It is who you call when one goes down, and what they cost to keep material moving.
These are some points that have shaped my opinions:
Caterpillar MH3050
This is the heaviest machine in the group and the one with the most horsepower, 346 out of the C9.3B. It also burns the most fuel. Cat doesn't publish a number, but a comparable excavator on the same engine runs close to 4 gallons an hour. There is no reason to think the MH3050 does much better.
You buy the MH3050 because of the support and parts availability . The MH3050 shares most of its components with Cat's excavator line, which gives it something none of the others can match: a real secondary market for used parts. Cat moves enough iron that there are used components out there for almost anything, so when something goes, you're not stuck waiting on a single new part from one supplier. New parts are everywhere too, and SIS makes ordering the right piece almost impossible to get wrong and time efficient. Once you start using it, the inconvenience of phone calls and emails to get a part ordered starts to feel archaic. Plus - Caterpillar expertise is almost universal among technicians. Caterpillar is the standard. If uptime is the thing that keeps you up at night, that's worth more than a half gallon of diesel an hour.
The real-time Cat Payload weighing system is a nice bonus. Loading a truck to the legal max is usually tribal knowledge. Now it can be a measurable, repeatable process. New operators learn the limits faster, mistakes can be minimized.
Sennebogen 835 E
The Sennebogen is the machine for the operation that wants to do its own work. It's built with an open architechture, so a lot of what's on it comes straight from the source: Cummins for the engine, Rexroth for the hydraulics. For those pieces you've got options. The caveat is that for the large majority of the machine you're still going through Sennebogen, and their parts are stocked in North Carolina. If you're on the West Coast, that means shipping that's both slow and expensive. If you've got capable mechanics in house and you're close enough that parts aren't a multi-day wait, it's one of the easiest machines to own aside from the Caterpillar. Hydraulic over hydraulic controls are simple and user friendly. Troubleshooting and repairability are clearly top of mind for their engineering team. Training is made available to end users at their HQ in North Carolina, which also very helpful. You won't be able to replicate years of experience by taking a class. They are a great way to kick start your own team's learning curve though.
Their ASP network is growing too. Many are great - but it is more variable coverage and service compared to Caterpillar's dealer network that is almost universally well financed and responsive. Some Authorized Service Providers are fantastic. Very few of them stock any parts or have the resources (warehousing, cash, support staff) to do so effectively.
One other caveat worth mentioning - we love the best of breed components Sennebogen uses: Rexroth, Cummins, Kessler. This does present challenges though. If you are having an engine issue, you may call Cummins to come out. Only for them to look at the machine and say this is not on the Cummins side call Sennebogen. Then Sennebogen comes out and tells you this is Cummins problem. You end up with two people pointing the finger at each other while your machine is sitting there not moving any material.
Liebherr LH 50 M
This is the most advanced machine on the list and the most efficient by a clear margin. The Energy Recovery Cylinder recaptures energy off the boom and can cut fuel use by up to 30 percent, which is how it gets down to 3.57 gallons an hour on the smallest engine of the bunch at 211 hp. Spec it with the GA18 front and a grapple and it also lifts the most at 40 feet. The Litronic controls and LUDV hydraulics are smooth and precise.
The catch is the back end. Liebherr parts don't move as fast as Cat or Sennebogen, and they cost more when they do show up. That picture may be about to change: Liebherr is set to open a large new parts depot in the United States, and we're hopeful it closes a lot of the gap on availability.
Many fixes require a dealer to come out with their proprietary software to address the issue. Even if you fixed the route of the problem, the software will not release the machine back to work without a dealer plug in.
If you are a company who deals regulation like CARB - having the lower horsepower motor is another major benefit. This has driven a large part of their market share in California in my opinion.
For now, if you have a solid local Liebherr dealer, the fuel savings can pay you back. If your nearest support is a long drive away, price that risk in before you jump in.
Fuchs / Terex MHL 360
In the interest of being straight with you: we don't carry Fuchs, for a few reasons. The main one is longevity. We don't believe these machines hold up over the long haul the way the other three do. This shows up in resale values too. That's our take, not a knock on everyone running one. In markets where the local Fuchs dealer support is strong, it remains a viable option, and plenty of yards run them. Do not expect them to hold their value the same as a Caterpillar or Sennebogen though.
Picking one
If parts and uptime come first, the Cat is hard to beat. If you want to do own your maintenance, the Sennebogen makes that simplest. If fuel efficiency drives the decision and you've got good local support, the Liebherr earns its keep. If you have quality support local, a Fuchs is worth getting a quote on.
One last thing: pull the load charts and weight for your actual configuration, reach, and attachment before you commit to anything. The 40-foot figures in the chart and weights are representative, but every machine is a little different.
Pricing
If you want to compare pricing on each of these, please give us a call, 425-401-2000 or submit a form below and one of representatives will reach out to you.
Sources
Caterpillar MH3050:
Sennebogen 835 M-E:
- 835 M-E brochure (specs and lift data)
- Max Aicher Umwelt slag-processing case study (fuel use reference)
Liebherr LH 50 M:
- LH 50 product page and energy-saving calculator
- Liebherr technical documentation
- Liebherr technical documentation
Fuchs / Terex MHL 360:
Fuel-burn reference (comparable excavators):