Earthmoving Report: Case M Series 3 Backhoe Loaders
Andrew Baltazar, Associate Editor
The M Series 3 line of backhoe loaders from Case ranges from the 79-horsepower 580M all the way up to the 108-horsepower, feature-packed 590 Super M Plus.For nearly five years, the M Series 2 backhoe loaders served Case well. But the company's M Series 3 lineup has taken over with a myriad of improvements and new features.
Sold in five different versions – 580M, 580 Super M, 580 Super M Plus, 590 Super M, and 590 Super M Plus – the M Series 3 loaders come standard with Tier 3-compliant engines, power-assisted brakes, and Case's PCS Pro Control System, which helps beginner operators become more productive, Case says.
The five models also share serviceability features, such as a flip-up hood and external sight gauges. A new electronic instrument cluster displays diagnostics and service reminders, and the machines' axles do not have to be removed during maintenance thanks to the outboard wet disk brakes.
That's where most of the similarities end. Only one model, the 580M, employs Case's Family III 445T/M3 engine, running at 79 net horsepower. The rest of the family is propelled by the more powerful Case Family IV, 445TA/E3 engine, with a net horsepower ranging from 91 for the 580 Super M, to 108 for both the 590 Super M and 590 Super M Plus.
Equipped with electronic engines with high-pressure common rail injection, the Super M models are better at starting up in cold temperatures and can get more miles to the gallon. Even thriftier are the Super M Plus models, which utilize pressure-compensated load-sensing hydraulics to further reduce fuel consumption.
Operators will have more control over attachments, like a 4-in-1 bucket, because of the backhoe loaders' electronic auxiliary controls. On the Super M and Super M Plus, operators can use the rotary hand throttle or the foot throttle to set the engine to the desired rpm. The 590 models also add a larger steering cylinder, which increases steering torque.
Optional pilot controls provide highly adjustable control towers as well as one-touch idle functionality, which allows the operator to quickly switch between idle mode and the previous RPM setting. Another option is the new power shift transmission with three-speed reverse for smooth, on-the-go shifting in addition to more pushing power in first and second gears.
