Kalmar ContChamp Reach Stacker — Technical Legacy Guide

Summary

The Kalmar ContChamp DC 4160-4560 is a diesel reach stacker for loaded 20-40 ft containers, according to the manufacturer's technical handbooks, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The RS and RC instruction manuals (1995 edition) describe the RS as a machine for container handling and the RC as a machine for the combined handling of containers and trailers. According to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), drive goes from a Volvo turbocharged six-cylinder diesel through a Clark gearbox with torque converter to a Rockwell drive axle with hub reductions and wet disc brakes, while a steered axle on pendulum suspension steers the machine. The sections below follow the manufacturer's documentation on identification, driveline, brakes and steering, hydraulics, boom and attachments, servo and overload systems, safety and periodic supervision, and close with key data and the related ContChamp DRD-S.

According to a trade publication, the ContChamp reachstacker was introduced in 1985, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The manuals give the DC 4160-4560 a 24 V electrical system, an electro-hydraulic servo system and an overload indicating system that watches both forward tipping and the load on the steering axle.

Model identification

The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) lists ten RS models, from the DC 4160 RS4 to the DC 4180 RS4, as recorded at HIT SRL. They are the DC 4160 RS4 and RS5, DC 4161 RS4 and RS5, DC 4170 RS4 and RS5, DC 4171 RS4 and RS5, DC 4571 SRS5 and DC 4180 RS4, according to its main components table. The same table gives the DC 4160 and DC 4161 a 6 m wheelbase, the DC 4170, DC 4171 and DC 4571 SRS5 a 7 m wheelbase and the DC 4180 an 8 m wheelbase. According to that table, the DC 4161, DC 4171 and DC 4571 SRS5 carry an extra counterweight, and the DC 4571 SRS5 also has support jacks.

The RC technical handbook (1996 edition) lists the DC 4560 RC4 and RC5, DC 4561 RC4 and RC5, DC 4570 RC4 and RC5, DC 4571 RC4, DC 4571 SRC4 and SRC5, and DC 4580 RC4, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. Its main components table gives 6 m of wheelbase to the DC 4560 and DC 4561, 7 m to the DC 4570 and DC 4571 and 8 m to the DC 4580, with an extra counterweight on the DC 4561 and DC 4571 and support jacks on the DC 4571 SRC4 and SRC5.

Both main components tables list the Volvo TWD 1030ME engine, the Clark 34000 gearbox and the Rockwell PRC 5324 W4H drive axle as standard on every model with a 6 m or 7 m wheelbase, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. According to the same tables, the Scania DS 11 and the Cummins LTA 10C were the engine options on those models. The tables give the two 8 m models, the DC 4180 RS4 and the DC 4580 RC4, the Volvo TWD 1230ME as standard with the Scania DS I11 as an option, the Clark 36000 gearbox and the Kessler D111 PL351 NLB6650 drive axle.

The 1990 technical handbook gives the DC 4160-4560 a Volvo TD 100 G engine, while the 1995 instruction manual gives a Volvo TWD 1030 ME for both the DC 4160 RS and the DC 4560 RS, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to the 1994 data sheets, the DC4160RS4 and the DC4560RC4 share the Volvo TWD 1030 ME engine, the Clark 15.5 HR 34432 gearbox and the Rockwell PRC 5324 W4H drive axle.

The technical handbooks arrange their information in groups 00 to 90, from the general data to periodic supervision, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The groups are 00 General, 10 Chassis and cab, 20 Electrical system, 30 Engine, 40 Transmission, drive axle and brakes, 60 Steering axle, 70 Hydraulic system, 80 Boom and attachment and 90 Periodic supervision, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition). The 1990 and 2004 technical handbooks use the same group numbers.

Kalmar ContChamp DC 4160-4180 RS

Reach stacker · Also written as: DC4160RS4, DC 4160 RS4, DC 4160 RS5, DC 4161 RS4, DC 4171 RS5, DC 4571 SRS5, DC 4180 RS4, ContChamp DC-RS

The Kalmar ContChamp DC 4160-4180 RS is a diesel reach stacker for loaded 20-40 ft containers, rated 41,000 kg as the DC4160RS4 according to the 1994 data sheet, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) gives the DC 4160 a maximum boom height of 15,550 mm and a lifting height under the twist-locks of 12,400 mm. In the same table the DC 4160 RS5 and the DC 4171 RS5 reach 17,800 mm, with 14,799 mm and 14,700 mm under the twist-locks as printed, and the DC 4180 reaches 16,500 mm with 12,200 mm under the twist-locks. According to the 1994 data sheet, the DC4160RS4 weighs 60,400 kg in service and needs a minimum aisle of 12,050 mm for 90° stacking of 20 ft containers and 14,500 mm for 40 ft containers.

Kalmar ContChamp DC 4560-4580 RC

Reach stacker · Also written as: DC4560RC4, DC 4560 RC4, DC 4560 RC5, DC 4571 SRC5, DC 4580 RC4, ContChamp DC-RC

The Kalmar ContChamp DC 4560-4580 RC is a diesel reach stacker for containers and trailers, rated 41,000 kg with the top lift according to the 1994 data sheet, as recorded at HIT SRL. The same data sheet gives the DC4560RC4 45,000 kg with the bottom lift, 21,000 kg at load centre L2 and 45 t in piggy-back handling at 1790 mm. According to the 1994 data sheet, the DC4560RC4 weighs 65,700 kg in service and is 4450 mm wide, against 4150 mm for the DC4160RS4. The RC technical handbook (1996 edition) describes its attachment as a combination of a top-lift frame for containers and two pairs of trailer legs.

Industrial history and parts supply

Published sources date the first Kalmar truck to 1949 and the first Kalmar reachstacker prototype to 1985, with the first commercial machines in the following year, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. A trade publication of 1998 dates the introduction of the ContChamp to 1985 and reports that 500 ContChamp machines had been sold by 1995. The same publication reports that the thousandth ContChamp, a DRD450-60C5X described as a third-generation model, had entered service in the previous November.

The RS instruction manual (1995 edition) names Kalmar LMV AB as the maker, while the RC instruction manual of the same edition names Kalmar Industries Sverige AB, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) names Kalmar Industries AB.

According to published sources, Partek took over Sisu Terminal Systems and the majority of Kalmar Industries in 1997, KONE acquired Partek in 2002 and Cargotec was formed in 2005, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. Published sources state that Kalmar was demerged from Cargotec on 30 June 2024.

Power unit and driveline as installed

The 1990 technical handbook gives the DC 4160-4560 a Volvo TD 100 G turbocharged six-cylinder diesel rated at 180 kW (230 hp) at 2200 r/min, with 1057 Nm at 1400 r/min, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The 1995 instruction manual and the 1994 data sheets give the Volvo TWD 1030 ME instead, rated at 212 kW (288 hp) at 2200 r/min net to ISO 3046, with 1260 Nm at 1200 r/min and a compression ratio of 18.0:1. According to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), the TWD 1030 ME gives 180 kW (245 hp) at 2200 r/min with 1057 Nm at 1400 r/min, and the TWD 1230 ME gives 275 kW (374 hp) at 2100 r/min with 1745 Nm at 1100 r/min. The 180 kW and 1057 Nm of the 1996 handbook are the figures that the 1990 handbook prints for the TD 100 G, against 212 kW and 1260 Nm for the TWD 1030 ME in the 1995 instruction manual.

The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) prescribes engine oil to API CD for turbocharged engines, with the viscosity chosen from a chart according to the ambient temperature, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The same handbook changes the engine oil every 200 hours and allows longer intervals only when the oil supplier checks the condition of the oil with regular lubricant tests, while the engine oil filter is changed every 400 hours. According to the 1996 handbook, the coolant is a year-round mixture of 60% water and 40% ethylene glycol, changed once a year with the cooling system flushed, and a corrosion inhibitor is never added together with glycol. The same handbook calls for diesel fuel to DIN 51601 or ASTM D975 No. 2 with the lowest possible sulphur content.

The 1996 handbook has the air cleaner main element changed when the indicator shows red with the engine running, as recorded at HIT SRL. According to the same handbook, the safety element is replaced after five main element changes, at least every other year, when the indicator stays red after a main element change or after running with a damaged main element, and it is never cleaned and reused. The 1995 instruction manual advises against full engine load during the first 50 hours and suggests stretching the running-in period to 200 hours.

The gearbox is a Clark powershift unit with torque converter and four ratios in each direction, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The designation printed for it changes: Clark 14.5 HR 34442 in the 1990 technical handbook, Clark 14.5 HR 34415 in the 1995 instruction manual and Clark 15.5 HR 34432 in the 1994 data sheets and the 1996 handbook, where the TWD 1230 ME takes a Clark 15.5 HR 36432. According to the 1996 handbook, the gears are engaged by hydraulically actuated clutches whose spool valves are moved by solenoid valves controlled from the gear selector in the cab, and an automatic gear-changing system was offered as an option.

The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) gives the transmission 42 l of oil, an operating temperature of 82-93 °C with 120 °C as the maximum, and a clutch pressure of 17-20 bar with the parking brake applied, the oil at 82-93 °C and the engine idling at 625 r/min, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The 1995 instruction manual gives 16.9-19.3 bar for the same reading with the engine idling at 400-600 r/min, and the RC instruction manual of the same edition prints 16.6-19.3 bar. The transmission oil is API CD engine oil with the C-3 rating, SAE 10 above -23 °C and SAE 30 above 0 °C, and the 1996 handbook forbids topping up with ATF. The same handbook gives a stall speed of 1782±50 r/min for the TWD 1030 ME with the 15.5 HR 34432 and 1923±50 r/min for the TWD 1230 ME with the 15.5 HR 36432, and forbids running at stall speed for more than 30 seconds at a time.

The drive axle is a Rockwell PRC 5324 W4H with hub reductions in the 1995 instruction manual, the 1994 data sheets and the 1996 handbook, and the data sheets call it a wide-track axle, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to the 1996 handbook, it reduces the speed in two stages, in the differential and in the hub reductions, and carries oil-cooled wet disc brakes and a spring-applied disc parking brake released by hydraulic pressure. The oil change quantities are 12 l for each hub and 50 l for the differential, with API GL-5 oil of viscosity 85W-140 or 80W-140, according to the 1996 handbook. The 1995 instruction manual and the 1994 data sheets give 67 l for the drive axle including the hub reductions, while the quantities of the 1996 handbook add up to 74 l.

The 1990 technical handbook gives 18.00x25 tyres for the DC 4160 and 23.5x25/18.00x25 for the DC 4560, at a pressure of 9 bar, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. In the RS technical handbook (1996 edition) the DC 4160 and DC 4170 have 18.00x25 tyres front and rear, the DC 4161 and DC 4171 have 23.5x25 and the DC 4180 has 21.00x35, all at 9 bar. The 1996 handbook tightens the steered wheel nuts to 400 Nm and lists 402 Nm for the rim clamp nuts and 2350 Nm for the drive axle mounting bolts. During running-in, the 1995 instruction manual has the wheel nuts tightened after 8, 16 and 24 hours of operation in a zig-zag sequence, and in the same way after every wheel change.

Brakes and steering

The service brake is a wet disc brake system with a multi-disc pack in each hub running in an oil bath, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The same handbook describes three hydraulic circuits, for the service brake, for cooling and for the parking brake, in which the brake circuits draw on accumulators and the cooling circuit is fed directly by the pump through the accumulator charging valve. According to the 1996 handbook, the pressure in the cooling circuit, measured at the distribution block on the drive axle, must not exceed 1.5 bar and is normally about 0.5 bar.

The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) gives two piston-type brake accumulators pre-charged with nitrogen to 95 bar, as recorded at HIT SRL. The 1990 technical handbook prints the same pre-charge of 95 bar for the wet disc brake accumulators. In the 1996 handbook the accompanying figure shows a membrane, while the text describes an aluminium piston free to move along the cylinder.

The low brake pressure lamp lights below 175 bar according to the 1995 instruction manual, at 130 bar according to the brake adjustment procedure of the 1996 handbook, and below 18 MPa according to the parking brake description of the same handbook, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. For the accumulator test, the 1995 instruction manual asks for at least six brake applications with the engine stopped before the lamp lights, while the 1996 handbook asks for at least 8 applications before the pressure falls to 130 bar. The test and the warning value to apply are those in the manual of the specific machine.

Both the 1995 instruction manual and the 1996 handbook allow the parking brake to be used as an emergency brake and require the brake pads to be changed after two emergency brake operations, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. According to the 1995 instruction manual, a buzzer sounds if the operator leaves the seat without applying the parking brake, which is then applied by its spring. The emergency braking rules to follow are those in the manual of the individual machine.

According to the 1995 instruction manual, the truck has purely power-assisted steering, with no mechanical connection between steering column and steered wheels, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) adds an Orbitrol steering valve and a priority valve to the steering circuit. The steered axle hangs on a pendulum suspension and is worked by a double-acting steering cylinder, with knuckle pins and wheel axles on taper roller bearings and a chassis mounting on maintenance-free rubber elements, according to the 1996 handbook.

The 1996 handbook gives 500 Nm for the steered wheel bearing nuts, tightened while the wheels turn and tightened again to 500 Nm after about 100 metres of driving, then never slackened, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same handbook gives 1750 Nm for the lower and 1500 Nm for the upper knuckle-pin bearing nuts and 670 Nm for the oiled M24 steering cylinder screw, with the knuckle-pin torques checked every 1000 running hours. The 1990 technical handbook instead tightens the steered wheel bearing nuts against a stop and slackens them 1/8 turn, tightens the knuckle-pin bearing nuts against a stop without torque values and gives 402 Nm for the wheel nuts.

Hydraulic system as installed

The 1990 technical handbook gives three gear-type hydraulic pumps on take-offs of the torque converter, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) gives four vane-type pumps instead: one for LIFT 1, BOOM OUT 1 and servo, one for LIFT 2 and BOOM OUT 2, one for steering, attachment and servo, and one for the brake system. According to the 1996 handbook, the lift cylinders carry stop valves against unwanted sinking of the load.

The hydraulic system holds 700 l according to the 1995 instruction manual and 600 l according to the 1994 data sheets, as in the 1990 technical handbook, whose figure includes 6% of additive for the wet disc brakes, as recorded at HIT SRL. The 1994 data sheets give a hydraulic oil pressure of 18.5 MPa.

The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) specifies hydraulic fluid for mobile applications, SHS 32 at normal working temperatures, or engine oil of viscosity SAE 10, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. On trucks with wet disc brakes, the same handbook adds 6% of Lubrizol additive, which is not consumed in operation and is added only at an oil change or refill. The 1990 technical handbook adds the grades SH 46 and SH 68 to SH 32 for higher working temperatures. The 1996 handbook changes the hydraulic oil every 2000 hours.

According to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), the cartridge of the servo high-pressure filter and the filter of the brake cooling circuit are changed every 1000 operating hours, both filters where two are fitted, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The breather filters of the hydraulic tank are changed every 1000 hours in the hydraulic section of the 1996 handbook, more often in dusty conditions, but every 2000 hours in its lubrication chart, as in the 1995 instruction manual.

Boom, attachment and cab

The boom is pivot-mounted and built in slender high-tensile steel, with a fixed section and a telescopic section moved by a double-acting extension cylinder, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same handbook requires the boom sliding plates to be at least 15 mm thick, with no more than 2 mm difference on plates worn on one side and no more than 4 mm of gap, corrected with spacers. Every 200 hours the boom is fully extended and a thin layer of the manufacturer's special lubricant is spread on the extension boom with a glazing knife, according to the 1996 handbook, which forbids other lubricants.

The top-lift frame is electro-hydraulically operated and adjustable from 20 to 40 ft, with ±800 mm side shift and stops at 30 ft and 35 ft that can be switched in or out, according to the 1995 instruction manual, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The rotation of the attachment is given as ±90° in the picture captions of the 1995 instruction manual and the 1996 handbook, ±95° in the 1990 technical handbook and +185°/-95° in the specification tables of the 1996 handbooks and the 1994 data sheets. According to the 1996 handbook, the rotator gear clearance is adjusted every 10,000 hours, to no more than 0.3 mm between the gear ring and the gear wheel on the hydraulic motor shaft.

On the RC, the combination attachment joins a top-lift frame for 20-40 ft containers with two pairs of trailer legs that are lowered hydraulically and adjust in height by up to 500 mm, according to the RC technical handbook (1996 edition), the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The same handbook states that the legs swing inwards when raised, lowering the centre of gravity of the attachment, and that the trailer shoes carry alignment sensors connected to a lamp panel on the boom. A sequential valve system controls the trailer legs, as the RC handbook describes, and the rotator turns the attachment +185°/-95°.

Some machines have support jacks that increase capacity in the third container row, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), as recorded at HIT SRL. The cab is a separate safety cab resting on rubber dampers and sliding lengthwise on the chassis, with hydraulic sliding to special order and full air conditioning as an option, as the 1996 handbook gives.

According to the 1994 data sheet, the DC4160RS4 lifts 41,000 kg at load centre L1 with the top lift, unchanged at maximum height, and 24,000 kg at load centre L2, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. Its load diagram gives 41 t in the first row up to the fourth tier, 24 t in the second row up to the third and 11 t in the third row up to the second, with the same values for 9'6 and 8'6 containers. The DC4560RC4 data sheet gives 41 t, 21 t and 8 t in the first, second and third rows and 45 t in piggy-back handling.

The 1994 data sheets give travel speeds of 25 km/h unloaded and 21 km/h at rated load for the DC4160RS4 and 24 and 20 km/h for the DC4560RC4, and a towing ability of 320 kN for both, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. According to the same sheets, the DC4160RS4 lifts at 0.23 m/s unloaded and 0.21 m/s at 75% of rated load, and climbs 20% at 2 km/h and 31% at 0 km/h at rated load.

Servo and overload systems

The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) describes an electro-hydraulic servo system for the hydraulic functions, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. For fault tracing, the same handbook first checks a supply voltage of at least 24 V, a servo pressure of 30-40 bar and about 8 V at the control lever unit. The handbook then works through symptoms such as no response to the lever, uncontrolled or jerky movements, excess lever play, wrong speed, oscillations and the failure of single functions. According to the 1996 handbook, oscillation of all servo functions calls for a check of the supply voltage to the control unit for dips below 23 V, while a single oscillating function calls for bleeding the converter solenoid through the screw on its rear until oil drips out.

The overload indicating system lights a red lamp and interrupts LIFT, LOWER and BOOM OUT when the truck risks tipping forward, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The signal comes from a sensor at the pivoted joint of the steered axle suspension, which opens a gap once the weight of the steered axle is the only counterweight left, and the handbook states that a faulty sensor interrupts the whole servo system. Two boom sensors warn of steered axle overload: with the boom extended less than 1 m and raised above 42°, a yellow lamp lights, while at low speed in a low gear the green lamp stays lit despite the risk, as the 1996 handbook gives.

With the SNP 300 electronic overload safety system, a control unit computes outreach, permitted load and actual load from boom length, boom angle and lift cylinder pressure, according to the 1996 handbook, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The handbook lists four versions: the SNP 301 with function interruption, the SNP 302 adding a load indicator and vertical lift, the SNP 303 with the load indicator only and the SNP 304 with vertical lift only. At forward overload the system stops LIFT, LOWER and BOOM OUT with a red field and a buzzer, and at steered axle overload it warns first with a yellow and then with a red lamp; the panel and the relay description of the 1996 handbook then stop LIFT and BOOM IN, while its descriptive text says LIFT and BOOM OUT. The overload functions to rely on are those in the manual of the specific machine.

The optional automatic gear-changing unit shifts to neutral and shows SENS if the speed sensor signal becomes irregular, according to the 1996 handbook, as recorded at HIT SRL. The same handbook states that the unit de-energises all its outputs on a short circuit, shuts down its logic below about 5 °C and has a 60 °C thermal fuse that must be replaced once it has blown.

Safety systems

The 1995 instruction manual lets only specially trained operators authorised by the work supervisor drive the truck and forbids carrying passengers, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual forbids using the truck with faulty brakes, steering or lifting equipment, or after repairs, modifications or adjustments not approved by the supervisor. The rules that apply are those in the manual of the specific machine.

The 1995 instruction manual forbids driving with a heavy load raised high, warning that the truck may overturn and that lateral stability suffers, with a risk of forward tipping, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. Heavy loads are carried close to the truck with the boom retracted as far as visibility allows, according to the same manual. The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) states that under-inflated tyres seriously affect the stability of the truck and reduce its safe load handling capacity, and asks for the inflation pressures to be checked daily. The load handling limits to follow are those in the manual of the individual machine.

The 1995 instruction manual forbids starting a container lift while the red TWIST-LOCKS UNLOCKED lamp is lit or while the TWIST-LOCKS LOCKED or ALIGNMENT lamp is out, and requires inoperative indicating lamps to be repaired at once, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. All four corners of the frame must touch the container when the twist-locks are locked or released, according to the same manual. According to the RC technical handbook (1996 edition), an electrical interlock prevents operating the twist-locks once the attachment is lifted and the sensors are more than 8 mm from the contact pins, and an attachment whose indicating lamps do not work properly must be taken out of service for repair. The 1995 instruction manual gives yellow lamps for TWIST-LOCKS LOCKED and ALIGNMENT and a red lamp for TWIST-LOCKS UNLOCKED, while the DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) makes LOCKED green and ALIGNMENT orange. The lamp colours and rules to rely on are those in the manual of the specific machine.

For the RC version, the RC instruction manual (1995 edition) forbids starting a trailer lift unless all four trailer-shoe alignment lamps, the two leg-grip lamps and the leg-lowered lamp are lit, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The trailer lift rules to follow are those in the manual of each machine.

The 1995 instruction manual forbids letting the truck run downhill with the engine stopped, warning that without hydraulic pressure the steering is very limited, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. If the wheels must turn with the parking brake applied, the same manual has the brake released by tightening the screw in the centre of the brake cylinder, and the DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) requires a mechanically released brake to be restored afterwards. Moving a machine that cannot drive follows the manual of the specific machine.

The brake accumulators hold up to 210 bar and must be discharged through the quick-evacuation valve at the accumulators before any component of the brake system is removed, according to the 1995 instruction manual, as recorded at HIT SRL. The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) forbids any service work on the boom or attachment while the engine is running. The same handbook reserves tyre work to specially trained personnel: the tyre is deflated by removing the valve core before the wheel comes off, inflated first to the 0.3 bar seating pressure, and inflated from a protected position, outdoors if possible, with nobody near the wheel. The work procedures to follow are those in the manual of the individual machine.

The 1995 instruction manual warns that batteries give off explosive oxyhydrogen gas, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. For jump-starting, the same manual connects the auxiliary batteries in series for 24 V, takes the red cable to the auxiliary and then to the truck battery, and takes the black cable to the auxiliary battery and then to a chassis point away from the truck battery, removing the cables in reverse order. For parking, the 1995 instruction manual has the operator apply the parking brake, retract and fully lower the boom, put the gear lever in neutral, let the engine idle briefly before stopping it and switch off the main switch for longer stops, never with the engine running. The parking and starting procedures to follow are those in the manual of the specific machine.

Recurring failure points — field reports

Published reports of recurring failures on the ContChamp are rare, and the published sources consulted for this guide describe none, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The checks below are those that the manufacturer's handbooks give for the most frequent faults.

What the documentation says to check

• If metal particles are found on the gearbox suction strainer, the 1996 handbook asks for the reason to be investigated before refilling, and it replaces the oil cooler whenever the gearbox is damaged.
• With the oil at 82-93 °C and the gearbox in neutral, the 1996 handbook expects a converter outlet pressure above 1.7 bar at 2000 r/min and not over 4.9 bar at top engine speed, with clutch pressures equal within 0.4 bar.
• With the engine stopped and the brake pedal pressed down, the pressure must not drop for 15 seconds and must fall to zero on release; otherwise the brake valve is leaking and may leave the brakes applied, which then overheat, according to the 1996 handbook.
• A constant 1.5 bar in the brake cooling circuit suggests that the valve limiting that pressure has opened, which the 1996 handbook relates to a fault in the drive axle.
• According to the 1996 handbook, oscillation of all servo functions points to supply voltage dips below 23 V at the control unit.
• The 1995 instruction manual forbids using the truck with the battery charging lamp lit and asks for the truck to be stopped at once if the engine oil pressure or gearbox oil pressure lamp lights while it is moving.
• According to the 1995 instruction manual, the warning lamps light at 120 °C for the gearbox oil and at 115 °C for the cooling oil of the wet disc brakes, and the brake cooling lamp stops further operation until the cooling circuit has been put right.

Maintenance interval summary

The periodic supervision of the DC 4160-4560 is planned at 200, 600 and 1000 operating hours read on the hour meter, according to the 1995 instruction manual and the periodic supervision tables, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The 1995 instruction manual splits supervision into daily supervision, carried out by the operator, and periodic supervision, carried out by specially trained service personnel. From 1995 onward the periodic supervision tables work through a 1000-hour service starting with the 1000-hour tasks, then the 600-hour and the 200-hour tasks, and through a 600-hour service in the same order. The RS technical handbook (1996 edition) sets the warranty service at 200 hours: the 200-hour service plus oil changes in engine, gearbox, rotator reduction gear and top-lift reduction gear, all filters including the brake and servo filters, an engine valve clearance adjustment and a check of all bolted joints.

The daily checks in the periodic supervision tables from 1990 onward cover brakes, steering, the cleanliness of the rear steered axle suspension on machines with the overload indicating system, instruments and lights, boom pivots and sliding plates, attachment and rotator, leaks and noises, fuel, engine oil, the air cleaner indicator, coolant, hydraulic and gearbox oil, washer fluid and the wheels with a tyre pressure of 0.9 MPa, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. Every 200 hours the tables from 1995 onward call for tightening the wheel nuts, inspecting tyres and rims, checking boom and attachment for damage, retightening their bolted joints and checking the sliding plates for wear. Every 600 hours the same tables add a change of the air filter element if the indicator shows red, a leak check of turbocharger and exhaust system, a check of steered wheel alignment, deformation and bearing play, and a check of the boom hose guides and hoses. Every 1000 hours the tables call for draining the fuel tank, changing the fuel filter, bleeding the fuel system and checking the injectors, and the 1996 handbook adds a check of the knuckle-pin bearing torques.

Key specification table

The table below gives the main data of the ContChamp DC 4160-4560 with the document that prints each value, and keeps both values where the documents differ, the HIT SRL technical desk notes.

Related models

The ContChamp DRD-S carries the ContChamp name in the DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition), which uses the same group numbers as the DC handbooks, as recorded at HIT SRL. According to a trade publication of 1998, the thousandth ContChamp was a DRD450-60C5X described as a third-generation model.

Kalmar ContChamp DRD-S

Reach stacker · Also written as: DRD-S, DRD 420-450 S, DRD420-450, DRD420-60S5, DRD420-65S5, DRD 450, ContChamp DRD

The Kalmar ContChamp DRD-S is a diesel reach stacker for loaded 20-40 ft containers, shown as the DRD420-60S5 and DRD420-65S5, according to the DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same handbook gives the DRD-S a Volvo TWD1031VE of 235 kW (320 hp) or a TWD1231VE of 275 kW (374 hp), both at 2100 r/min, with a Clark 15.5 HR 36432 gearbox and a Rockwell PRC 7534 W4H drive axle. According to the 2004 handbook, the hydraulics come in two layouts, one with a common tank for all circuits and one with separate tanks for working hydraulics and brakes, both with two double variable pumps for lift, extension, servo, steering and attachment and a fixed vane pump for the brakes. The later DRD-S top lift has its own control unit linked to the main control unit by a CAN bus, a main valve fed by a variable pump, length adjustment by hydraulic motor and chain and a fully hydraulic rotation brake, except on machines with a combi attachment or a pile-slope top lift, according to the 2004 handbook.

The DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) gives membrane-type brake accumulators pre-charged with nitrogen to 100 bar and asks for the pre-charge to be checked at least once a year, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. According to the same handbook, the low brake pressure lamp lights at 115 bar, and the brakes must allow 6-8 applications with the engine stopped before the pressure falls to 70 bar. For the parking brake linings after emergency braking, the 2004 handbook gives three different rules: check them and replace them if necessary, change them after two emergency operations, and change them after any emergency operation. The rule to follow is the one in the manual of the specific machine.

The DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) asks the operator to allow for wind when handling containers and to avoid lifting with wind above 12 m/s (27 mph), as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same handbook forbids transporting loads in the raised position and requires transport with the load in the transport position, the boom retracted and lowered as far as visibility allows. If the truck tips over, the operator stays in the cab gripping the steering wheel and never tries to jump out, according to the 2004 handbook, which also asks for the seat belt to be worn where fitted. For an electrical fault that keeps the lift cylinder blocking valves closed, the same handbook describes an emergency lowering: with the knob on the blocking-valve solenoid pulled out and turned a quarter turn, the boom sinks slowly, on an unloaded machine only. The handbook also makes the operator responsible for approved fire extinguishing equipment under the regulations in force. The wind, transport and emergency rules to follow are those in the manual of the individual machine.

The DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) sets the warranty service at 50 hours and includes the drive axle among the oil changes, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same handbook adds a crack check of the welds of boom and mountings to the 200-hour service, gives the top-lift planetary gear 2.4 l of oil changed every 1000 hours after the warranty service, and changes the cab fresh-air filter every 200 hours or when needed in its cab section. According to the 2004 handbook, the twist-lock lifting pins of the top lift are checked first after 5000 hours or 2 years and then every year, are crack-tested by magnetic powder or penetrant, and are all replaced after 20,000 hours even if they look undamaged. Its daily supervision table gives a tyre pressure of 1 MPa, while its drive axle data give 9 bar (0.9 MPa). The twist-lock pin intervals to follow are those in the manual of the specific machine.

On the DRD-S, an ECS fault makes a red lamp blink on the terminal and brings up an error message, according to the 2004 handbook, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The same handbook classes errors 01 to 08 as level 2 faults that cannot be reset until repaired, resets the others with the R key, and has the red lamp blink again after 3 to 10 minutes if the fault has not been put right.

Comparisons

The comparisons below set side by side only differences that the manufacturer's documentation prints, as recorded at HIT SRL.

TD 100 G and TWD 1030 ME ratings

The 1990 technical handbook rates the Volvo TD 100 G at 180 kW and 1057 Nm, the 1995 instruction manual and the 1994 data sheets rate the TWD 1030 ME at 212 kW and 1260 Nm, and the 1996 technical handbook rates the TWD 1030 ME at 180 kW and 1057 Nm again, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it.

DC4160RS4 and DC4560RC4 data sheets

According to the 1994 data sheets, the DC4560RC4 adds a bottom-lift rating of 45,000 kg to the 41,000 kg top-lift rating it shares with the DC4160RS4, but weighs 65,700 kg against 60,400 kg, is 4450 mm wide against 4150 mm and drives at 24 km/h unloaded against 25 km/h, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards.

DC handbooks and DRD-S handbook: brakes and warranty

The DC technical handbooks give piston-type accumulators at 95 bar, a low brake pressure lamp at 130 bar and a warranty service at 200 hours, while the DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition) gives membrane accumulators at 100 bar, the lamp at 115 bar and the warranty service at 50 hours, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk.

Instruction manual and technical handbook: capacities and oils

The 1995 instruction manual gives 700 l for the hydraulic system, 67 l for the drive axle and one GL-5 oil for axle and rotator, while the 1996 technical handbook gives axle quantities adding up to 74 l and splits the rotator between hydraulic fluid for the brake and GL-5 oil for the planetary gear, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk.

Earlier and later technical handbooks: steering axle, pumps and heights

The 1990 technical handbook tightens the steered wheel bearings against a stop, gives three gear pumps and a lifting height of 12,000 mm under the twist-locks, while the RS technical handbook (1996 edition) gives 500 Nm bearing torques, four vane pumps and 12,400 mm for the DC 4160, the HIT SRL technical desk notes.

Kalmar ContChamp terminology

The terms below are those of the ContChamp handbooks and manuals, each defined in plain words with the document that uses it, as recorded at HIT SRL.

ContChamp

Trade name that the manufacturer gives to its reach stackers for loaded containers, from the DC 4160-4560 RS and RC to the DRD-S, according to the manufacturer's technical handbooks.

RS version

The ContChamp DC version for container handling, with an electro-hydraulically operated top-lift frame for 20 to 40 ft containers, according to the 1995 instruction manual and the 1996 technical handbook.

RC version

The ContChamp DC version for the combined handling of containers and trailers, with an attachment joining a top-lift frame and trailer legs, according to the RC instruction manual and the RC handbook.

Top-lift frame

The attachment that grips a container from above with twist-locks, adjustable from 20 to 40 ft with side shift and rotation, as the 1995 instruction manual describes it for the RS version.

Combination attachment

The attachment of the RC version, made of a top-lift frame for 20-40 ft containers and two pairs of hydraulically lowered trailer legs, according to the RC technical handbook (1996 edition).

Trailer legs

The four legs of the RC combination attachment that lift trailers; they are lowered hydraulically, adjust in height by up to 500 mm and swing inwards when raised, according to the RC handbook.

Twist-lock

The locking pin at each corner of the top-lift frame; a lift may start only with the twist-locks locked, the alignment lamp lit and all four corners on the container, according to the 1995 instruction manual.

Alignment lamp

The lamp that shows that the frame sits correctly on the container before locking and that goes out once the lift begins, according to the 1995 instruction manual and its safety rules.

Support jacks

Supports fitted to some ContChamp machines to increase the capacity in the third container row, marked on the DC 4571 SRS5 in the main components table of the RS technical handbook (1996 edition).

Overload indicating system

The system that lights a red lamp and stops LIFT, LOWER and BOOM OUT when the truck risks tipping forward, and warns of steered axle overload, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition).

SNP 300

The electronic overload safety system that computes outreach, permitted load and actual load from boom length, boom angle and lift cylinder pressure, in versions 301 to 304, according to the 1996 handbook.

Steered axle overload

Too much load on the steered axle, signalled by a yellow lamp when the boom is extended less than 1 m and raised above 42°, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition).

WDB brake system

The wet disc brake system, with a multi-disc pack in each hub running in oil and separate circuits for service brake, cooling and parking brake, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition).

Pre-charge pressure

The nitrogen pressure of a brake accumulator: 95 bar for the piston accumulators of the DC handbooks and 100 bar for the membrane accumulators of the DRD-S technical handbook (2004 edition).

Emergency brake

The parking brake used to stop the truck in an emergency; the 1995 instruction manual and the 1996 handbook have the brake pads changed after two emergency brake operations.

Daily supervision

The checks that the operator makes every day, from brakes, steering and lights to fluid levels and tyre pressure, according to the 1995 instruction manual and the periodic supervision tables.

Periodic supervision

The scheduled service by specially trained personnel at 200, 600 and 1000 operating hours read on the hour meter, according to the 1995 instruction manual and the periodic supervision tables.

Warranty service

The first service of a new truck, set at 200 hours for the DC 4160-4560 with oil changes and all filters, and at 50 hours for the DRD-S, according to the manufacturer's technical handbooks.

Lubrizol additive

The additive mixed at 6% into the hydraulic oil of trucks with wet disc brakes; it is not consumed in operation and is added only at an oil change or refill, according to the 1996 handbook.

Sliding plates

The wear plates between the fixed and the telescopic boom sections, at least 15 mm thick and with no more than 4 mm of gap, according to the RS technical handbook (1996 edition).

Stall speed

The engine speed with the torque converter stalled: 1782±50 r/min with the TWD 1030 ME and 1923±50 r/min with the TWD 1230 ME, for no more than 30 seconds, according to the 1996 handbook.

Electro-hydraulic servo

The servo system of the hydraulic functions, checked for at least 24 V of supply, a servo pressure of 30-40 bar and about 8 V at the control lever unit, according to the 1996 handbook.

Rotator

The unit between boom and attachment that turns the attachment, given as +185°/-95° in the 1996 specification tables, with its own brake and planetary reduction gear, according to the RS technical handbook.

How to: checks from the technical handbook

The four checks below follow the maintenance pages of the RS technical handbook (1996 edition) step by step, and the manual of the specific machine prevails, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it.

How to check the wet disc brake system of the ContChamp DC

The brake check of the RS technical handbook (1996 edition), the maintenance manual of the ContChamp DC, measures the cooling circuit pressure, the pedal pressure and the accumulator reserve, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards.

1. Measure the brake cooling circuit pressure at the distribution block on the drive axle: not above 1.5 bar and normally about 0.5 bar, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Connect a 0-250 bar gauge to the distribution block below the cab, press the pedal fully and compare the reading with the hydraulic system plate, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. With the engine stopped, hold the pedal down: the pressure must not drop for 15 seconds and must fall to zero on release, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Recharge the accumulators, stop the engine and check that the brakes can be applied at least 8 times before the pressure falls to 130 bar, when the low pressure lamp should light, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

How to check the sensors of the ContChamp overload safety system

The sensor check of the RS technical handbook (1996 edition) makes each sensor of the electronic overload safety system trigger the alarm in turn, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk.

1. Disconnect the connector of the pressure sensor on the left lift cylinder: the control unit must sound the alarm and interrupt the boom functions, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Reconnect the connector and repeat the test on the right lift cylinder, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. Turn the angle sensor below 0°, which must trigger the same alarm and interruption, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Release the string of the length sensor to the same effect, then reconnect it and set the potentiometer fully anticlockwise and back half a turn clockwise, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

How to check the boom sliding plates of the ContChamp DC

The sliding plate check of the RS technical handbook (1996 edition) measures the thickness, the one-sided wear and the gaps of the plates between the boom sections, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk.

1. Check that the sliding plates are at least 15 mm thick, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Where a plate is worn on one side, allow no more than 2 mm of difference in thickness, otherwise plane or replace the plate, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. Measure the gaps between the sliding surfaces and the plates and correct with spacers any gap above 4 mm, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Every 200 hours, extend the boom fully and spread a thin layer of the special lubricant on the extension boom with a glazing knife, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

How to tighten the steered wheel bearings of the ContChamp DC

The steering axle procedure of the RS technical handbook (1996 edition) sets the wheel bearings while the wheels turn and checks the knuckle-pin torques at fixed intervals, the HIT SRL technical desk notes.

1. Jack up the steered wheel end of the truck and block it up safely before working on bearings and knuckle pins, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Tighten the steered wheel bearing nuts to 500 Nm while the wheels turn, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. Drive the truck about 100 metres, tighten the bearing nuts again to 500 Nm and never slacken them afterwards, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Tighten the lower knuckle-pin bearing nuts to 1750 Nm and the upper ones to 1500 Nm, and check these torques every 1000 running hours, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

Spare parts

HIT SRL supplies genuine, OEM and aftermarket spare parts for Kalmar port equipment, including the ContChamp DC 4160-4560 RS and RC reach stackers and the related ContChamp DRD-S, as an independent distributor that is not an official representative, affiliate or agent of the manufacturer. For availability, see the Kalmar spare parts page or send the machine model and serial number through the contact page.

Technical cards by system

HIT SRL technical cards, one fact per card, each with its source, HIT ref and fingerprint stated in the text:

• Identification and history (17 cards)
• Engine and power (13 cards)
• Transmission, axle and wheels (14 cards)
• Brakes and steering (9 cards)
• Hydraulics (8 cards)
• Boom, attachment and cab (13 cards)
• Electrical, servo and overload systems (8 cards)
• Maintenance intervals (16 cards)
• Safety and interlocks (12 cards)
• Troubleshooting and warning lamps (8 cards)
• Related models and comparisons (29 cards)