Kalmar DCE 90-180 Heavy Forklift and Empty Container Handler — Technical Legacy Guide

Summary

The Kalmar DCE 90-180 is a range of diesel counterweight forklift trucks with lift capacities of 9 to 18 tonnes, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The maintenance manual (series 8) covers in the same tables the empty container versions DCE 70-32E3 and DCE 70-35E4, rated 7 tonnes at a load centre of 1220 mm. According to the manuals, drive goes from a straight six-cylinder diesel engine through a Dana or ZF transmission with torque converter to a Kessler D81 drive axle on the front wheels, while the rear axle steers. The sections below follow the manufacturer's documentation on identification, driveline, brakes and steering, hydraulics, mast and attachments, electrical system, safety and maintenance, and close with key data and the related DCF 80-100 and DCT 80-90.

According to the manufacturer's technical information, the DCE 90-180 was an entirely new range of 9 to 18 tonne medium-size trucks, developed from the earlier medium range, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. A trade publication reports the launch of 9 to 18 tonne Kalmar trucks of a totally new design, without naming the model. The manuals give the machine a 24 V electrical system, oil-immersed disc brakes in the drive wheel hubs and the KCS control and monitoring system.

Model identification

Every DCE designation encodes engine, truck type, generation, lift capacity and load centre, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as recorded at HIT SRL. In the example DCE 120-12, D stands for diesel engine, C for counterweight forklift, E for the generation, 120 for the lift capacity in decitonnes and 12 for the distance to the centre of gravity in decimetres, according to that manual. The manufacturer's technical information gives the example DCE160-12, calls the C a counterbalance truck and the last figure the load centre in decimetres. The designation key of the operator's manual (series 8) does not explain the E3 and E4 at the end of the empty container versions.

The specification tables of the maintenance manual (series 8) cover twelve forklift versions and two empty container versions, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. They run through the DCE 90-6, 100-6, 120-6, 140-6, 150-6, 100-12, 120-12, 150-12, 160-6, 160-9, 160-12 and 180-6, followed by the DCE 70-32E3 and DCE 70-35E4, according to those tables. The operator's manual (series 8) and the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) print the same fourteen columns. The operator's manual (series 2) runs from the DCE 90-6 to the DCE 180-6 and includes the DCE 70-32E3 and DCE 70-35E4, without a DCE 150-6 or a DCE 160-9. According to the manufacturer's technical information, the range has ten versions from the DCE 90-6 to the DCE 180-6, again without the 150-6 and 160-9, and no DCE 70 versions.

Every machine comes with a machine card that lists its product alternatives and optional equipment, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The same manual asks for the card to be updated whenever the machine is modified, with the manufacturer informed, and the maintenance manual (series 8) uses the card to tell which parts of the manual apply to the machine. According to the operator's manual (series 8), the machine plate shows model, serial number and year of manufacture, the classed load capacity to EN 1551 at a given load centre up to a given lift height, the operating weight without load and the approved loads at other heights and load centres. The same manual describes further plates for the approved lifting equipment, a capacity plate repeated in the cab, a type plate on the attachment with its maximum hydraulic pressure, maximum load, load centre, dead weight and lost load distance, and a plate with the certified external sound power.

A plate stamped with the main hydraulic pressures of each machine is fitted on the right side of the frame in front of the steps, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. That manual lists on the plate the maximum lift cylinder pressure, control pressure, maximum brake pressure, load handling servo pressure and servo accumulator gas pressure, and states that the values are unique to each machine. The workshop manual (series 10, revisions 2 and 3) places the hydraulic pressure data plate on the left-hand front mudguard instead.

The maintenance manual (series 8) arranges its information in function groups 0 to 12, from the complete machine to common pneumatics, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to the same manual, the main-group and two-digit levels are common to all the manufacturer's machines, while the third and fourth levels describe parts specific to the model, so the numbering skips groups for functions a machine does not have. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) follows the same structure, with lettered sections for the foreword, safety, preventive maintenance, error codes, schematics, technical data and terminology.

Kalmar DCE 90-180

Heavy forklift truck · Also written as: DCE90-180, DCE 90–180, DCE 120-12, DCE160-12, DCE 160-12, DCE 180-6

The Kalmar DCE 90-180 is a diesel counterweight forklift range lifting 9 to 18 tonnes, with duplex or triplex masts, according to the operator's manual (series 8), the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The maintenance manual (series 8) rates the forklift versions from 9 t for the DCE 90-6 to 18 t for the DCE 180-6, at a load centre of 600 mm for the -6 versions, 900 mm for the DCE 160-9 and 1200 mm for the -12 versions. According to the same manual, the operating weights of the forklift versions run from 15.2 t for the DCE 90-6 to 22.4 t for the DCE 160-12. The manufacturer's technical information gives lower service weights for some light versions, for example 14,800 kg for the DCE 90-6 against 15.2 t in the maintenance manual (series 8). The operator's manual (series 8) limits the machine to lifting and transporting goods within its maximum rated load, and asks for special safety rules and equipment for use in hazardous surroundings such as explosive atmospheres or dust containing asbestos.

Kalmar DCE 70-32E3 - 70-35E4

Empty container handler · Also written as: DCE 70-32E3, DCE70-32E3, DCE 70-35E4, DCE70-35E4, DCE 70-35E

The Kalmar DCE 70-32E3 - 70-35E4 are the empty container versions of the DCE 90-180, rated 7 tonnes at 1220 mm, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as recorded at HIT SRL. The same manual gives them operating weights of 22.9 t (DCE 70-32E3) and 23.9 t (DCE 70-35E4), and 18.5 l of differential oil on the DCE 70-35E4 against 17.5 l on the other versions. The operator's manuals (series 2 and series 8) list them in the same specification tables as the forklift versions. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) repeats the same capacities and operating weights.

Industrial history and parts supply

Published sources date the first Kalmar truck to 1949 and the first Kalmar reachstacker prototype to 1985, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. According to the manufacturer's technical information, Kalmar Industries AB was then a Partek company. Published sources state that Partek bought Sisu Terminal Systems and the majority of Kalmar Industries in 1997, that KONE acquired Partek in 2002, that Cargotec was formed in 2005 and that Kalmar was demerged from Cargotec on 30 June 2024.

The operator's manual (series 2) names Kalmar Industries Sverige AB as the manufacturer, and the operator's manual (series 8) names Kalmar Industries AB, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) names Cargotec as the machine supplier and Cargotec Sweden AB as the company, where revision 2 of the same manual still names Kalmar Industries and Kalmar Industries AB.

Published sources state that the DCG90-180, launched in 2011, began the G generation of Kalmar forklift trucks, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to a trade publication of 2011, the G generation of Kalmar counterbalance machines is based on the technology of the F generation.

The operator's manual (series 8) asks for the model and serial number from the machine plate in every enquiry to the manufacturer, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk.

Power unit and driveline as installed

The maintenance manual (series 8) lists four engine alternatives, all straight six-cylinder four-stroke turbocharged diesels with air-to-air intercooler and electronically controlled injection, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to the same manual, they are the Volvo TAD650VE of 147 kW, the Volvo TAD750VE of 181 kW, the Caterpillar C6.6 of 136 kW and the Cummins QSB6.7 of 129 or 164 kW. The technical data of the same manual give torques of 750 Nm for the TAD650VE, 1050 Nm for the TAD750VE, 802 Nm for the C6.6 and 949 or 799 Nm for the QSB6.7. The overview of the operator's manual (series 8) names a TAD720 and a Cummins QSB5.9 instead, while its specification tables agree with the maintenance manual.

The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) adds the Volvo TAD660VE and TAD760VE to the engine table, with 800 Nm and 1100 Nm of torque, as recorded at HIT SRL. According to the same workshop manual, revision 2 already lists the same six engines.

For the earlier series, the operator's manual (series 2) lists the Volvo TAD620VE at 85 kW or 145 kW, the Volvo TAD720VE at 174 kW, the Volvo TAD722VE at 180 kW and the Cummins QSB5.9 at 138 kW, all six-cylinder, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual gives torques of 477, 700, 864, 1050 and 780 Nm in the same order of engines. According to the manufacturer's technical information, seven power trains were offered, all with a Kessler D81 drive axle: the 85 kW Volvo TAD620VE with a Dana FT20000 gearbox, the 145 kW TAD620VE and the 138 kW Cummins 6B5.9e with a Dana HR28000 or TE13000, and the 174 kW TAD720VE with a Dana HR32000 or TE17000. According to the same technical information, the 85 kW engine was offered only for the DCE 90-6, 100-6, 120-6, 140-6 and 100-12.

According to the operator's manual (series 8), the transmission is a Dana TE13000, a Dana TE17000 or a ZF 3WG161 with torque converter and three forward and three reverse gears, manual or fully automatic, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The same manual mounts the working-hydraulics pumps on the transmission, and the maintenance manual (series 8) adds that the gear is chosen by pressure modulation through solenoid valves driven by the transmission control unit ECU 793. The operator's manual (series 2) lists five Dana transmissions for the earlier series, the FT20000, HR28000, HR32000, TE13000 and TE17000, all with three gears in each direction, the last two with an integrated transmission control unit.

The maintenance manual (series 8) describes a transmission with all gears in constant mesh, shifted by pressurising the clutch packs, with forward and reverse clutches modulated electro-hydraulically, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The oil temperature sensor warns above 100 °C on the Dana and above 120 °C on the ZF, and the transmission ceases to work at 125 °C, according to the same manual. The same manual states that high modulation, with heavy slipping, brings strong wear and a high oil temperature.

Every version uses a Kessler D81 drive axle on the front wheels, with a differential and planetary hub reductions, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The maintenance manual (series 8) states that the differential lets the drive wheels turn at different speeds in corners, while the hub reductions change the ratio between wheel and engine to reduce the stress on the drive shafts. According to the maintenance manual (series 8), the layout has twin wheels on the drive axle, single wheels on the oscillating steering axle, split rims, fuel and hydraulic oil tanks on the sides of the frame and a central cab that tips sideways.

The operator's manual (series 8) describes three options for load handling and driving, called Optimum speed, Optimum rev and Optimum drive, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to that manual, Optimum speed adds a load-sensing variable pump beside the fixed pump and can raise lifting speed by up to 50% without load, Optimum rev adapts engine speed to the power needed during load handling, and Optimum drive allows inching at higher engine speed for faster lifting. The manufacturer's technical information gives the same functions the names Optispeed, Optirev and Optidrive.

Brakes and steering

The service brakes of the DCE 90-180 are oil-immersed disc brakes in the drive wheel hubs, on one hydraulic circuit acting only on the drive axle, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as recorded at HIT SRL. According to the same manual, the steering axle has no brakes, and the accumulator charging valve sends pump oil either to the accumulator or through the brakes to cool them. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) states that the wet disc brakes need little maintenance and last long thanks to efficient cooling.

The maintenance manual (series 8) gives a brake pressure of 27 bar with the pedal half depressed and 100 bar with the pedal fully depressed, checked at the distribution block with the oil at 50 °C or more, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual gives the brake accumulator a nitrogen pre-charge of 70 bar and a maximum pressure of 165 bar, and the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) a charging range of 13.0 to 16.5 MPa with the low brake pressure switch at 11.5 MPa. After repeated braking, recharging must start again at about 13.5 MPa, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

The accumulator test of the operator's manual (series 8) requires at least six brake applications with the engine stopped before the low brake pressure error code appears, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The maintenance manual (series 8) requires 8 applications, and the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) checks at least 8 applications before pressure falls to 7.0 MPa, with the error code due at 11.5 MPa. The operator's manual (series 2) also gives six applications, with a warning lamp instead of an error code. The number of applications that applies is the one in the manual of the specific machine.

On machines with inching, the brake pedal disengages the drive completely when pressed more than 70%, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 2) puts the transmission in neutral when the pedal is pressed in the 55-100% range below 10 km/h, an adjustable speed, and re-engages it smoothly below 70%, a de-clutch function it credits with better braking and protection against transmission overheating. Revision 3 of the same workshop manual gives neutral at about 55%.

According to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3), the parking brake is a disc brake on the drive axle input shaft, applied by a spring and released by hydraulic pressure, so that it applies if the brake system loses pressure, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same manual prevents a travel direction from being engaged while the parking brake is applied, and the operator's manual (series 8) adds that it also applies when voltage is lost. The operator's manual (series 8) allows the parking brake to be used as an emergency brake, warns that its pads wear and can lose braking performance, and asks for the pads to be checked after any emergency stop with it.

The rear axle steers through a double-acting hydraulic cylinder on the wheel pair, with progressive response, according to the operator's manual (series 8), the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to that manual, a quick turn of the steering wheel gives more steering per revolution, and joystick and mini-wheel steering are options for the Spirit Delta cab. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) describes a closed-centre steering valve with load signal and shock valves opening at 200 bar, and a through-rod cylinder whose mounting is tightened to 600 Nm with oil. Lever and mini-wheel steering can be switched on only with no active alarm and below 3 km/h, and are shut off when the sensor on the standard steering wheel detects movement, according to the same workshop manual.

The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) describes a suspension made of the tyres, the steering axle with its hubs and wheel spindles, and the steering axle cradle, pendulum-mounted in the frame on two bushings, as recorded at HIT SRL. The same manual describes the tyres as acting as suspension, and the maintenance manual (series 8) gives the same description.

Hydraulic system as installed

On machines with a Dana transmission, gear pump 1 feeds steering, with priority, and load handling, according to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. According to the same manual, pump 2 serves lifting, lowering and tilting, and pump 3 the brake charging and cooling circuit and the load-handling servo circuit, with optional pumps for lever or mini-wheel steering and for OptimumLift. The pumps sit in two banks on the power take-off of the gearbox, and with the ZF transmission there are three pumps with the same functions plus one for joystick or mini-wheel steering, according to that manual. The operator's manual (series 8) speaks of gear pumps or load-sensing variable pumps depending on the version.

The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) describes three high-pressure filters, one after each main pump, each with a valve that lets the oil past the element when the oil is too thick or the element is clogged, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The same manual warns that the oil then passes without being cleaned. According to that manual, the oil cooler has an electric fan and a thermal valve that sends all the oil through the core above 65 °C and none below 55 °C. The maintenance manual (series 8) and revision 2 of the workshop manual give the same 55 and 65 °C limits.

The maintenance manual (series 8) lists hydraulic oils to DIN 51524 HVLP 46 or HLP 68, or ISO 6743/4 ISO-LHV 46 or ISO-LHM 68 according to ambient temperature, with Lubrizol added at 3%, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) states that the Lubrizol is added for the lubrication of the brake discs. The same maintenance manual changes the hydraulic oil on condition: an oil sample at 2000 h, a further sample after another 1000 h if the oil is good, and a change at 4000 h at the latest.

The maintenance manual (series 8) checks the hydraulic pressures with the oil at about 50 °C against the pressure plate of the machine, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to that manual, the accumulator is charged until the valve switches to brake cooling, and the steering, lift-tilt and side shift-spreading pressures are read at about 1100 rpm, the steering and lift-tilt readings being repeated at about 1800 rpm with a difference of no more than ±1.0 MPa. The same manual leaves the adjustments to the workshop manual.

Before any work on the hydraulic system the maintenance manual (series 8) requires the machine in service position, the accumulator drain valve open and zero pressure confirmed with a gauge at the test point by the accumulator charging valve, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to the same manual, the drain valve stays open while the work is in progress, and the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) adds that a hissing sound means the pressure is being released. The procedure to follow is the one in the maintenance manual of the specific machine.

Mast, forks, attachments and cab

The operator's manual (series 8) offers the lift mast in duplex, duplex free-lift and triplex free-lift versions, as recorded at HIT SRL. According to the same manual, the usual fork carriages are a fixed carriage with manually moved forks, a side shift carriage, side shift with fork spreading, and side shift with spreading and centre levelling. The same manual adds that the carriage can take a coil ram, extended forks or an attachment for empty containers, and the maintenance manual (series 8) divides load handling into lifting and lowering, tilting, side shift, fork spreading, levelling and load gripping.

The lifting chains are replaced when they have stretched by more than 3%, measured over the 25 links that run most often over the chain wheel, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual adjusts the chains so that the lowered forks stand 10 to 20 mm above the ground with the mast vertical, and gives for a 1-inch pitch a length of 635 mm new and 654 mm at most over 25 links. According to the maintenance manual (series 8), fork blade wear must not exceed 10% of the original thickness measured 150 mm from the fork heel, and no visible cracks are allowed. The same manual forbids repairing cracks or wear by welding and requires hot-straightened forks to be heat-treated again by an approved firm.

The side lift attachment for containers has telescopic corner pieces hung on springs that allow 195 mm of levelling to either side, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. According to the same manual, a hydraulic cylinder gives 600 mm of side shift each way, the twistlocks are locked hydraulically and mechanically, and a lamp panel shows alignment, locked and released. An electrical safety system prevents locking or releasing the twistlocks unless the attachment sits correctly on the container, and prevents lifting unless the twistlocks are fully locked or fully released, according to the same manual. The operator's manual (series 8) forbids using the attachment when its indicator lamps are wrong or not working, and has the machine taken out of service and repaired.

The maintenance manual (series 8) requires the engine to be off for work on the twistlocks and warns that they can lock by themselves if all the alignment sensors are activated by hand, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The twistlocks are checked for cracks every other year or every 5000 h and replaced at 10,000 h, according to the same manual, which also orders their replacement at any crack or external damage. The checks and limits that apply are those in the manual of the specific machine and attachment.

According to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3), the electric scale is calibrated by running the carriage up, lowering it slowly to about 1 m and zeroing, then loading a known weight close to the usual or maximum load, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same manual checks that the summed output of the two load cells in the chain tensioners is not below 0.2 V when code 304 stays on, and the maintenance manual (series 8) gives an accuracy of about ±1% of the maximum capacity.

The operator's manual (series 8) offers three cabs built on a structural frame to withstand falling loads: the closed Spirit Delta, the open FlexGuard and the enclosed FlexCab, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to the same manual, the Spirit Delta has filtered fresh air with heating or climate control and a roof window of 6 mm as standard or 12 mm in the extra-strong version, and the FlexCab a heater with optional air conditioning. The workshop manual (series 10) adds the Spirit Delta Space cab, with the same 73 dB(A) and 10 kW of heating as the Spirit Delta. The operator's manual (series 8) gives a maximum sound pressure level in the cab, to EN 12053, of 73 dB(A) for the Spirit Delta, 78 dB(A) for the FlexCab and 85 dB(A) for the FlexGuard. Whole-body vibration to EN 13059 is 0.4 to 0.7 m/s² with the Spirit Delta and 0.4 to 0.8 m/s² with the FlexGuard or FlexCab in the operator's manual (series 8), while the operator's manual (series 2) states that the truck stays below the 0.5 m/s² limit of the standard.

The operator's manual (series 8) tilts the cab only with the selector in neutral, the mast tilted forward, the forks lowered, the parking brake applied, no loose items inside and the doors closed, as recorded at HIT SRL. According to the same manual, the cab always goes past its balanced position and is secured with a stay when there is not enough room at the side, while the maintenance manual (series 8) always tilts it fully and secures it with a stay. The tilting procedure to follow is the one in the manual of the specific machine.

Electrical and control system

The electrical system works at 24 V from two 12 V batteries in series charged by an alternator, with the negative pole to the chassis, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual leads the positive pole through the battery disconnect switch and gives 2 x 12 V, 140 Ah batteries. The maintenance manual (series 8) gives alternators of 2240 W with the Volvo engines, 1960 W with the Cummins and 2100 W with the Caterpillar, and the operator's manual (series 2) gives 1540 W for the Volvo engines and 1960 W for the Cummins.

A fully charged battery has an acid density of 1.28 at +20 °C, 1.30 at 0 °C and 1.31 at -20 °C, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The same manual asks for charging below 1.24 at +20 °C and warns that a discharged battery freezes at -5 °C, and the operator's manual (series 8) keeps the electrolyte 10 mm above the cells.

The operator's manual (series 8) cuts the system voltage with the battery disconnect switch at the end of each shift, during electrical work and before welding, with all control unit connectors unplugged before welding, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same manual forbids opening the switch with the engine running, warning of possible damage to the voltage regulator, and the maintenance manual (series 8) states that welding currents can destroy the electronics and cause fires.

For jump starting, the operator's manual (series 8) asks for booster batteries in series giving 24 V, with the main power cut first, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to the same manual, the red cable goes to the positive of the discharged battery and then to the booster's, the black cable from the booster's negative to a point away from the discharged batteries, and disconnection follows in reverse order, one cable at a time. After starting, the same manual runs the engine at fast idle for about 10 minutes to charge the batteries.

The maintenance manual (series 8) lists the control units of the KCS control and monitoring system: ECU 790 general, ECU 792 steering, ECU 793 transmission, ECU 794 engine, ECU 796 hydraulics and the display unit EDU 795, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to the same manual, the units are linked by a redundant CAN bus that tolerates the loss of one segment, with engine and transmission units on a separate driveline CAN bus. In the operator's manual (series 2) the KCS is an option, and in the operator's manual (series 8) it is standard.

The maintenance manual (series 8) explains the indicator lamps of the ECU 790 and ECU 792: green for battery voltage and internal 5 V supply, yellow flashing at 0.5 Hz with a valid program, at 5 Hz with no program and steady in set-up mode, and red for an error, as recorded at HIT SRL. On the ECU 796 a green lamp is steady between 22 and 28 V DC, and at switch-on all the lamps stay lit for 3 seconds, according to the same manual.

The display offers diagnostic menus for each control unit to view inputs, view outputs or control outputs, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual adds a Last alarms menu with the ten latest error codes, how often each occurred and when it last appeared. According to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3), controlling outputs needs a service code and closes the application program while in use.

Safety systems

Exceeding the load capacity of the machine is prohibited, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The same manual makes capacity depend on the position of the centre of gravity of the load, the lift height and the size of the load, read from the machine plate and the load diagram in the cab. A load that makes the machine side-heavy is lowered and moved by side shift onto the centre line, according to the same manual. The capacity that applies is the one on the plate and in the load diagram of the specific machine, as its manual states.

In the transport position of the operator's manual (series 8), the mast is tilted back and the load raised about 300 mm with its centre of gravity centred sideways, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. Without load the same manual has the mast vertical and the forks about 300 mm up, side-shifted so that one fork tip is visible through the mast, and loads are never carried high. The machine is driven in reverse when the load blocks the view, and with a load the mast is never tilted forward, according to the same manual. On gradients the operator's manual (series 8) keeps the lifting equipment facing uphill in either direction of travel, so the truck is reversed down an incline, and forbids turning or driving across a slope. The same manual brakes on gradients with the service brake pedal only, avoiding inching, to keep engine braking. The rules that apply are those in the operator's manual of the specific machine.

Nobody may stand or walk under raised forks or attachments, loaded or not, according to the operator's manual (series 8), as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. A warning plate on the machine says never to walk under loads, the attachment or the forks and never to stand on the forks, according to the same manual. The same manual warns to avoid lifting loads in heavy winds, without giving a wind speed, and asks to adapt speed when turning. If the machine rolls or tips over, the operator holds the steering wheel and stays in the cab, never jumping out before all movement has stopped, according to the same manual. Near overhead high-voltage lines the same manual asks for extreme care, and if the machine touches a line the operator stays seated in the cab and calls for help.

The overload protection of the DCE 90-180 is optional, and its codes appear in the error code lists of the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3), the HIT SRL technical desk notes. According to those lists, code 401 means that the lift and tilt overload set by the calibrated table has been exceeded, speed is limited and lighter loads must be lifted. Code 406 means a fault in the tilt axle force sensor: the overload protection is disabled and the machine must not be overloaded until the sensor is replaced, according to the same lists. The operator's manual (series 8) adds that inching disengages in case of overload. The overload behaviour to rely on is the one described in the manual of the specific machine.

The operator's manual (series 8) lists an emergency exit through the right-hand door, a breaker switch that stops all load-handling functions on machines with electric servo controls and resets clockwise, and a fire extinguisher whose nozzle goes through the marked plate on the engine hood, as recorded at HIT SRL. A serious malfunction stops the engine automatically, after which it can be restarted for about 25 seconds to move the machine out of an unsuitable position, according to the same manual. According to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3), the Caterpillar and Cummins engines stop only with the ignition switch, while the Volvo engines also have an AUX STOP button in the engine compartment on the left-hand side. The same workshop manual stops the engine when the driver leaves the cab for more than five minutes, a default that an authorised technician can change. The operator's manual (series 8) makes the machine owner responsible for approved fire-fighting equipment and asks for a fitted extinguisher of type ABE to EN 3.

For towing, the operator's manual (series 8) asks for a towing vehicle heavier than the machine, the engine running if possible, a tow bar when it cannot run, the shortest possible distance and the propeller shaft disconnected, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. According to the same manual, the brakes work only while accumulator pressure lasts, after which the parking brake applies, and the machine is never started by towing. Without accumulator pressure, the same manual releases the spring-applied parking brake mechanically, with the nut that compresses the brake spring, or hydraulically with release knobs and about ten pump strokes, with the wheels blocked first and the brake restored afterwards. The same manual warns that the spring has a high force and that incorrect release can make parts fly. The operator's manual (series 8) also warns that the machine must not roll down a slope with the engine stopped, without hydraulic pressure or steering capacity. Towing follows the instructions of the manual of the specific machine.

The service position of the maintenance manual (series 8) has the parking brake applied, forks and carriage fully lowered, engine off and main power cut with the battery disconnect switch, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards. The operator's manual (series 8) lifts the machine with slings in the two lifting eyes of the mast and, at the rear, round the chassis between counterweight and steering axle or in the two lifting eyes of the counterweight where fitted. For transport on a vehicle the same manual crosses the lashing chains and cuts the main power. Lifting and lashing points are those shown in the manual of the specific machine.

The maintenance manual (series 8) treats tyres as pressure vessels: the wheels on the other side are blocked and both tyres of a twin pair are deflated before removal, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. According to the same manual, a hole is drilled in the tread instead of using the valve if tyre or rim is damaged, rims and lock rings are never welded or repaired, and tyre changes are left to authorised personnel. For inflating, the operator's manual (series 8) checks that the rim lock ring is seated, uses a self-locking air chuck, keeps the operator obliquely behind the tyre and never in front of it, and never exceeds the prescribed pressure. A completely deflated tyre means that the rim must be dismantled and checked, according to the same manual. The pressures and procedures that apply are those in the manual of the specific machine.

The operator's manual (series 8) forbids using the machine without the daily inspection or with defects, and requires it to be stopped at once and left for service if welds show damage or cracks, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. To park, the same manual stops with the selector in neutral, applies the parking brake, tilts the mast slightly forward, lowers the forks to the ground and lets the engine idle for one minute before stopping it, to cool the engine and lubricate the turbo bearings. The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) describes a setting that limits speed with lift height: 20 km/h up to 3 m, depending on the truck, 5 km/h at maximum height and a proportional value in between. For the optional particle filter, the operator's manual (series 8) connects the cleaning unit at the parking place, never interrupts the burn-off and keeps the filter uncovered and away from flammable material, hot air able to ignite it leaving the exhaust pipe during cleaning. The safety rules that apply are those in the operator's manual of the specific machine.

Recurring failure points — field reports

Published reports of recurring failures on the DCE 90-180 are rare, and the published sources consulted for this guide describe none, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The checks below are those that the manufacturer's manuals give for the most frequent warnings.

What the documentation says to check

• Low coolant level (code 354) reduces engine speed and is a STOP code, according to the operator's manual (series 8).
• Low accumulator pressure (code 357) limits the service brake capacity and is a STOP code; the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) sets it after 10 seconds of low pressure, tolerated up to 60 seconds at start-up, and has the machine stopped and the accumulator checked.
• High hydraulic oil temperature (code 355) is a WARNING, and hydraulic functions are not used until the oil is below 70 °C, according to the operator's manual (series 8).
• For the Dana transmissions, code 43.07 signals torque converter oil above 100 °C, to be cooled by stopping or smoother driving, and code 43.08 oil above 125 °C, with neutral selected and engine power limited to 50% until the oil is below 100 °C, according to the operator's manual (series 8).
• A machine fault appears as a three-digit code, engine faults under code 1200 with an SPN/FMI number to SAE J1939 and transmission faults under code 900, according to the operator's manual (series 8).
• If the engine does not start, the operator's manual (series 8) retries after 15 to 20 seconds, never runs the starter for more than 10 seconds per attempt and forbids start spray for the risk of explosion.
• The workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) starts troubleshooting from the battery disconnect switch, a battery voltage of 22 to 28.5 V and intact fuses, then fluid levels and error codes, and warns against drawing conclusions too fast from an error code.

Maintenance interval summary

The maintenance manual (series 8) services the DCE 90-180 every 500 operating hours in three levels, with the 500-hour actions at 500, 1500 and 2500 hours, the 1000-hour actions at odd thousands and the 2000-hour actions at even thousands, as recorded at HIT SRL. Each service is recorded in the check and service log, according to the same manual. A new machine gets a check after 50 operating hours that includes the engine oil and filter, the transmission oil filter, the drive axle oil and the high-pressure hydraulic filter, plus a transmission oil change with the ZF gearbox, according to the same manual. The operator's manual (series 8) recommends a running-in period of 50 operating hours with the load increased gradually.

On a new machine the wheel nuts are check-tightened every 4 to 5 operating hours during the first working week, up to about 40 to 50 hours, according to the maintenance manual (series 8), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The daily check of the operator's manual (series 8) starts with a walk-round for leaks, loose wheel nuts, rim damage, tyre wear and pressure and cracks on chains, forks, mast and tilt cylinder mounts. The same check covers the levels of hydraulic oil, brake hydraulic oil, battery electrolyte, coolant, washer fluid, engine oil and transmission oil, the air filter indicator and the fuel pre-filter, and ends with a slow test drive with at least three brake applications, according to that manual. With the side lift attachment the same manual adds a daily test: while an empty container is lifted until the alignment lamp goes out, it must not be possible to release the twistlocks.

Key specification table

The table below gives the main data of the DCE 90-180 with the manual that prints each value, and keeps both values where the manuals differ, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards.

Related models

The DCF 80-100 and the DCT 80-90 are Kalmar forklift trucks for empty containers of 8 to 10 and 8 or 9 tonnes, according to their manuals, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk. Published sources state that Kalmar presented the DCG80-100 range of empty container handlers in 2016, with single and double stacker models of 8, 9 or 10 tonnes.

Kalmar DCF 80-100

Empty container handler · Also written as: DCF80-100, DCF 100-45E7, DCF100-45E7, DCF100

The Kalmar DCF 80-100 is an empty container forklift lifting 8 to 10 tonnes with a sidelift attachment, according to its operator's manual (series 3), as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk. The same manual reads a designation such as DCF 100-45E7 as diesel engine, counterweight forklift, generation F, 100 decitonnes of lift capacity, 45 for the wheelbase, E for empty container and 7 for the stacking height in containers. According to that manual, the DCF 80-100 has a Volvo TAD760VE of 180 kW and 1100 Nm or a Cummins QSB6.7 of 164 kW and 949 Nm, a fully automatic Dana TE17 transmission with three gears each way, a Kessler D81 or D91 drive axle and linear steering. The sidelift attachment secures the container with twistlocks or with hooks and lock lugs, adjusts between 20 and 40 feet and slows lifting over the last metre before the upper end position, according to the same manual. A trade publication of 2011 states that the DCF100 was designed to handle empty containers two at a time.

The DCF 80-100 operator's manual (series 3) gives 14.00x24 tyres at 1.0 MPa, a 450 l fuel tank, a 360 l hydraulic tank in a 450 l hydraulic system, 37 l of transmission oil and 42 l or 54 l of differential oil, the HIT SRL technical desk notes. The same manual gives the brakes their own oil, to GM Allison C-4, John Deere J20 C or D, Caterpillar TO-4 or an SAE 5W-30 transmission oil, and the hydraulics DIN 51524 part 3 HVLP oil in ISO VG 68, 46 or 32. Lifting may not start while the unlocked lamp is lit or the locked or alignment lamps are off, and a machine with faulty indicator lights is stopped and repaired, according to the same manual. The lamp rules to follow are those in the manual of the specific machine.

Kalmar DCT 80-90

Empty container handler · Also written as: DCT80-90, DCT 80, DCT 90

The Kalmar DCT 80-90 is an empty container forklift lifting 8 or 9 tonnes with a side lift attachment on a mast trolley, according to its maintenance manual (series 1), as recorded at HIT SRL. The same manual places the cab on the rear section of the frame and gives versions E5 to E8 that stack five to eight 8 ft 6 in containers, with lift heights from 15,220 to 21,280 mm and kerb weights from 35.5 to 40.0 t. According to that manual, the DCT 80-90 has a Yuchai YC6A240-30 or a Cummins QSB6.7 engine, both of 164 kW at 2200 rpm, a Dana HR32000 transmission with three gears each way and a Kessler D81 or D91 drive axle. The same manual mounts two fixed pumps on the transmission power take-off, one for load handling and one for brakes, steering and cooling.

The DCT 80-90 maintenance manual (series 1) divides its service actions into 250, 500, 1000 and 2000-hour services, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it. The same manual checks for cracks every 1000 h or every year and includes a check of the engine compartment for traces of combustible material, with extra care on hot surfaces such as exhaust parts and turbo. For the Yuchai engine it replaces the fuel pre-filter at every service level and drains the condensation water every 50 hours, according to the same manual. The same manual gives 12.00x24 or 14.00x24 tyres at 1.0 MPa, a 380 l fuel tank, a 320 l hydraulic tank in a 450 l system and 32 l of transmission oil, which must meet GM Allison C-4, John Deere J20 C or D, Caterpillar TO-4 or MIL-PRF-2104G, never engine oil or GL-5 oil.

Comparisons

The comparisons below set side by side only differences that the manuals document, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards.

Operator's manual series 2 and series 8: engines and transmissions

The operator's manual (series 2) lists Volvo TAD620VE, TAD720VE and TAD722VE and Cummins QSB5.9 engines with five Dana transmissions, while the maintenance manual (series 8) lists Volvo TAD650VE and TAD750VE, Caterpillar C6.6 and Cummins QSB6.7 engines with Dana TE13000, TE17000 or ZF 3WG161 transmissions, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk.

Maintenance manual and workshop manual: grease and coolant

The maintenance manual (series 8) prescribes an EP2 grease with 3-5% molybdenum sulphide for all points except the glide plates and a coolant mixed 50/50 from glycol and water, while the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3) keeps molybdenum disulphide grease, at 3.5%, for the lifting equipment only and asks for ready-mixed coolant of the type named for each engine, as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk.

DCE 90-180 and DCF 80-100: brakes and steering

The wet brakes of the DCE 90-180 work with the hydraulic oil and its 3% additive, while the DCF 80-100 has its own brake oil, and the DCE steers progressively where the DCF 80-100 has linear steering, according to their manuals, the HIT SRL technical desk notes.

DCE 90-180 and DCT 80-90: service levels and crack checks

The maintenance manual (series 8) services the DCE 90-180 in 500, 1000 and 2000-hour levels and checks the welds for cracks every 4000 h or every year, while the DCT 80-90 maintenance manual (series 1) adds a 250-hour level and checks for cracks every 1000 h or every year, as recorded at HIT SRL.

Dana and ZF transmissions

According to the maintenance manual (series 8), the Dana transmissions take 35 l of ATF Dexron III and warn of oil above 100 °C, while the ZF 3WG161 takes 33 l of an API or ACEA oil and warns above 120 °C, and each has its own protection modes, as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it.

Kalmar DCE 90-180 terminology

The terms below are those of the DCE 90-180 manuals, each defined in plain words with the manual that uses it, as set out in the HIT SRL technical cards.

KCS

The control and monitoring system of the machine: control units for general functions, steering, transmission, engine and hydraulics and a display unit, linked by a redundant CAN bus, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Machine card

A card supplied with every machine that lists its product alternatives and optional equipment and is updated when the machine is modified, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Machine plate

The plate with model, serial number, year of manufacture, classed load capacity to EN 1551, operating weight without load and approved loads at other heights and load centres, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Pressure plate

A plate stamped with the main hydraulic pressures, unique to each machine, placed in front of the steps by the maintenance manual (series 8) and on the left front mudguard by the workshop manual (series 10).

Load diagram

The diagram in the cab that, read together with the machine plate, gives the capacity for the centre of gravity of the load, the lift height and the load size, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Load centre

The distance to the centre of gravity of the load, given in decimetres by the last figure of the designation: 600, 900 or 1200 mm in the versions of the maintenance manual (series 8).

Transport position

Mast tilted back and load about 300 mm above the ground, centred sideways; without load, mast vertical and forks about 300 mm up, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Service position

The state of the machine before any work on it: parking brake applied, forks and carriage fully lowered, engine off and main power cut, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Side lift attachment

An attachment for containers with telescopic corner pieces on springs, 600 mm of side shift each way, hydraulic and mechanical twistlock locking and a lamp panel, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Twistlock

One of the locks of the side lift attachment; its electrical safety system allows locking only with the attachment correctly seated on the container, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Side shift

The sideways movement of the fork carriage, also used to bring a side-heavy load back onto the centre line of the machine, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Fork spreading

The movement that changes the distance between the forks, offered together with side shift, and with centre levelling, on the fork carriages of the operator's manual (series 8).

Optimum speed

An option with an extra load-sensing variable pump beside the fixed pump, which can raise lifting speed by up to 50% without load, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Optimum rev

An option that adapts engine speed to the power needed during load handling, according to the operator's manual (series 8); the manufacturer's technical information calls it Optirev.

Inching

A mode in which the drive slips progressively as the brake pedal is pressed, until the pedal disengages the drive completely beyond 70% of its travel, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

De-clutch function

The function that puts the transmission in neutral when the brake pedal is pressed below 10 km/h and re-engages it when the pedal is released, according to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 2).

Accumulator charging valve

The valve that sends the pump oil either to the brake accumulator or through the wet brakes to cool them, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Spring-applied parking brake

A disc brake on the drive axle input shaft, applied by a spring and released by hydraulic pressure, which applies if pressure is lost, according to the workshop manual (series 10, revision 3).

Limp-home mode

A reduced transmission mode after certain faults, shown as LH on the Dana units, which leaves the first two gears in each direction, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Shut-down mode

A transmission protection mode, shown as Sd on the Dana units, in which the transmission is locked in neutral, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

Error code levels

The three levels of the KCS codes: STOP for a serious fault, WARNING for a fault to correct soon and INFORMATION for minor matters such as low fuel, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Reset key

The key that hides an error code from the display; if its cause remains, a STOP code returns within one minute, according to the operator's manual (series 8).

Function groups

The numbering 0 to 12 that arranges the maintenance manual (series 8), from complete machine and engine to common hydraulics, electrics and pneumatics, with lettered sections around it.

Hub reduction

The planetary gear in each drive wheel hub of the Kessler D81 axle, which changes the ratio between wheel and engine to reduce the stress on the drive shafts, according to the maintenance manual (series 8).

How to: checks from the maintenance manual

The four checks below follow the manufacturer's maintenance manual step by step, and the manual of the specific machine prevails, as logged by the HIT SRL technical desk.

How to depressurise the hydraulic system of the DCE 90-180

Work on the hydraulic system starts from the service position and a depressurised accumulator, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual (series 8), as recorded by the HIT SRL technical desk.

1. Apply the parking brake, lower the forks and carriage fully, stop the engine and cut the main power with the battery disconnect switch, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Open the accumulator drain valve, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. Confirm with a gauge at the test point by the accumulator charging valve that the pressure is zero, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Keep the drain valve open while the work is in progress, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

How to check the brake pressure of the DCE 90-180

The brake pressure check compares two pedal positions with the pressure plate of the machine, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual (series 8), the HIT SRL technical desk notes.

1. Bring the oil to 50 °C or more, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Connect the gauge at the distribution block, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. Press the brake pedal halfway and read 27 bar, then fully and read 100 bar, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Compare the readings with the pressure plate of the machine, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

How to check and adjust the lifting chains of the DCE 90-180

Lifting chains are measured over 25 links and replaced beyond 3% of stretch, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual (series 8), as recorded at HIT SRL.

1. Measure the length of the 25 links that run most often over the chain wheel, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Compare it with the length table, for example 635 mm new and 654 mm at most for a 1-inch pitch, and replace the chain beyond 3% of stretch, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. Check that the pins are secure, the washers free of cracks and the chain free of damage and rust, and that it bends easily over the chain wheel, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Adjust the chains so that the lowered forks stand 10 to 20 mm above the ground with the mast vertical, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

How to tighten the wheel nuts of the DCE 90-180

Wheel nuts are tightened to 650 Nm and checked again after a test run, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual (series 8), as HIT SRL's technical desk reads it.

1. Tighten the wheel nuts alternately, with increasing torque, to 650 Nm, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
2. Check the tightening again after a test run, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
3. On a new machine, check-tighten the nuts every 4 to 5 operating hours during the first working week, up to about 40 to 50 hours, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
4. Repeat the check until the nuts stay tight, according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.

Spare parts

HIT SRL supplies genuine, OEM and aftermarket spare parts for Kalmar port equipment, including the DCE 90-180 forklift trucks and the related DCF 80-100 and DCT 80-90, 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 (12 cards)
• Brakes and steering (10 cards)
• Hydraulics (9 cards)
• Mast, forks, attachments and cab (13 cards)
• Electrical and control (8 cards)
• Maintenance intervals (20 cards)
• Safety and interlocks (22 cards)
• Troubleshooting and error codes (9 cards)
• Related models and comparisons (21 cards)