Milton CAT 988H User Manual

Page 5

3 Upper and Lower Hitch Pins. Pivot on
double-tapered roller bearings. The hitch
plates are shaped to direct stress away
from the end of the weld, resulting in
a smoother transition of stress loads
into the frame.

4 Spread-Hitch Design. Increases the
spread 26 percent to help square-up the
frame and provide increased clearance
for access to the hitch and hydraulic lines.

5 Steering Cylinder Mounts. Are located
on the axle pads to provide efficient
transfer of steering loads to the axle.

6 Fabricated Box Boom. Replaces the
traditional steel plate lift arms found
on wheel loaders. This design features
forked ends for easier service, faster
assembly and increased reliability.
Castings in high stress areas smooth
the transition of stress distribution for
excellent service life. The boom and dual
bucket links work together for increased
breakout force, better torsional resistance
and higher lift capacity.

Fabricated Boom Box-Section Design.
Has more torsional stiffness than a Z-bar
design. With the parallel lift arm design,
corner loading the bucket sends stresses
up the lift arm, through the cross tube
welding and up the other lift arm.
The box-section design spreads stresses
over the full length and perimeter of the
boom, allowing stress transfer through
parent material. This resists twisting
and prevents stress paths that can
lead to cracking.

Weld Joint

Load Path

(Full Length)