Before you buy a Caterpillar 140M Grader in Uganda

by Edwin

Caterpillar 140M Grader
Graders are to the construction industry what painters are to the building industry: they make most of the mistakes created by others simply disappear with a couple of strokes of the brush or blade. They are so versatile and effective in the roles for which they are designed, totally invaluable on any project, and I have yet to find a contractor who hasn’t made money by owning one. Just like excavators, you won’t make money or reputation if you don’t have the best operator going around to run your gear.

Buying foreign used Caterpillar 140M Grader from a local car bond in Uganda

In case you choose to buy a foreign used truck from a car bond makes life a lot easier to acquire yourself a bulldozer. There is basically no need to go to Japan or order for the vehicle from Japan or any other part of the world. In short one just walks to the car bond and arrange for a purchase and within a short time, the car is paid for and handled over to you as the owner.

However, you can also find that some trucks have only cleared the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) fees only. So it would mean that if you want a Caterpillar 140M Grader then you will have to clear the rest of the taxes. You can find the Cost of a foreign used 2010 Caterpillar 140M Grader to be around $ 200, 000 or more for latest models in very good condition while those of older years like 2009 and below to be less than USD 200,000.

However, the cost of the Cost can change due to year of manufacture, condition of the bulldozer, mileage and the dealer. Machinery like this is very expensive and is usually bought by construction companies in Uganda.

Click here to buy a Caterpillar 140M Grader or Caterpillar Grader spare parts in Uganda

Importing a foreign used Caterpillar 140M Grader from Japan

Now this is different from buying from car from the car bond here in Kampala. Some people prefer to import their own machinery directly from Japan or from any other part of the world. You will most likely have to follow a procedure similar to the one stated below.

Search and select vehicle to buy from Japanese Used Car Portal Websites. Send Inquiry for price, condition, etc of the truck. The Japanese Dealers will respond you directly by Email.

Watch out for fake e-mails as many scams may con you for money. After that you negotiate with the Japanese dealer for an appropriate price that fits your budget.

Request for a proforma invoice, place your order and make payment which may be either through bank wire or VISA. The seller will inform you about the following things like the Payment Confirmation, Shipping Schedule, B/L copy, Original Document and then you receive the order in this case the Caterpillar 140M Grader.

General Caterpillar 140M Grader reviews for Uganda

The interior
The first thing you will realise when you sit in the operator’s seat is the all-glass surrounds and unimpeded vision. This is paramount in making a grader operator’s job either an easy one or not.

The cab has the obligatory Cat gauges all laid out in front atop the centre pedestal console. The easy-to-read and understand icons, hand throttle (side) and decelerator – which is ideally located on the floor right side of pedestal column – all make this a very tidy machine to operate.

It’s all surprisingly smooth! Smooth controls, operator friendly, plenty of good vision and heaps of power. In the cabin, the dash is all laid out to the side and front for the operator to gain a clear view, and once you get the feel of the joysticks and fingertip controls integrated into the joysticks, one can see the reference to a loader and excavator. In this instance, common sense has prevailed and design engineers have certainly come of age with this one.

The joystick controls replace levers and are a ‘joy’ to operate. Cat claim hand and arm movement is reduced by 78 per cent, which helps reduce operator fatigue for better productivity. Rocker and control switches are in easy reach.

A standard Cat Comfort Series suspension seat is fully adjustable. Control pods can be adjusted electronically, so it is even easier to set up for an ideal operating position when several operators are used on the same machine. All the relevant gauges are smack bang in front of you and are easily identifiable and effectively placed.

Click here to buy a Caterpillar 140M Grader or Caterpillar Grader spare parts in Uganda

On the task
The Cat 140M is powered by the safe Cat C7 ACERT turbo-diesel engine pushing out 136kW (183hp) and weighs in at about 19 tonnes. It comes complete with a ROPS/FOPS Cabin, a 412-litre fuel tank, an-easy-to-maintain 12-inch blade, eight forward (47km/h) and six reverse (37km/h) direct drive PowerShift, and can turn in a radius of 7.6m.

Good visibility in a grader is the key to precision working, and Cat have got it sorted here. Cat’s design of the angled cab doors, tapered engine enclosure and a sloped rear window make it easy to see the Moldboard and tyres with the rear-view camera giving the operator a clear view of all close work areas.

In the hydraulics department, Cat have dedicated left and right pumps to give you more precise hydraulic control and guarantees there is no hydraulic fade when using multiple blade and steering/travel functions. When you combine this with the standard hydrostatic (creep) mode, it means you can achieve a speed between 0-8km/h (0-5mph), which is ideal for precise finish work.

Another point to mention is Cat’s steering compensation system, which enables a ‘powered turn’ by automatically adjusting the outside front tyre speed up to 50% faster than the inside tyre. This gives the operator much improved control, reduces surface damage, and greatly reduces turning radius in poor conditions. At last, gone are the days of 12-point turns at the end of your gravelled-up road.

Alternatives of Caterpillar 140M Grader in Uganda

Well, we have the Hyundai grader, Komatsu grader and Guangxi Liugong. These are the prominent alternatives in Uganda.

Click here to buy a Caterpillar 140M Grader or Caterpillar Grader spare parts in Uganda

Availability of the Caterpillar 140M Grader spare parts in Uganda

The Caterpillar 140M Grader spare parts are available in Uganda. However, for the latest models, you may have to contact the country authorized distributor for spare supply and support.

Reasons why the Caterpillar 140M Grader is bought in Uganda

The CAT grader as commonly known is mainly bought and used for ground leveling especially when in road construction. when civil engineers need to grade and level the road, the CAT 140M comes into play to do the job.

Our Conclusion

The 140M has been the beginning of the new era of Cat graders and the technological inroads in safety, production, operator comfort, ergonomic design, fuel efficiency and vision has changed Graders for the better. This working class Cat 140M Motor Grader is a testament to that.

Click here to buy a Caterpillar 140M Grader or Caterpillar Grader spare parts in Uganda

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