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Caterpillar's new IT38G tool carrier, looks like an articulated wheel loader. However, it's designed to use any of several general- purpose or specialized tools. So using it simply as a wheel loader would be like using your microwave oven to reheat your coffee - it does a great job, but it's capable of so much more.
John Baus, lead engineer for medium wheel loaders at Caterpillar, Peoria, Ill., explains that the IT38G has articulated steering, which makes it easy to maneuver, especially in tight spots. Baus says steering is accomplished with a two-piece chassis that pivots under the operator cabin. When the operator turns the steering wheel, say, to the right, a cylinder on the left side of the chassis extends, while an identical cylinder on the right side retracts.
Turning the steering wheel drives a gerotor-type pump, which directs hydraulic fluid in a pilot...