When the Wacker Neuson TH412 arrived, it appeared to be tiny compared with most farm loaders, tractor or telescopic.
It is a small machine in terms of height and width, making it similar to an agricultural specification skid-steer loader.
With a quoted maximum lift capacity of 1.2t and a maximum height of 4.503m, the TH412 is the smaller of two telescopic loaders being offered by Wacker Neuson.
First impressions
It stands at less than 2m in height to the top of the cab, is less than 3m long (without bucket/implement) and is just over 1.5m wide.
How could this 6ft 2in driver ever fit in the cab? This was all an illusion; it was roomy inside.
Powering the TH412 is a 40hp Yanmar engine which is matched to a two-speed hydrostatic transmission. This gives two speed ranges of 0 to 7km/h and a higher 0 to 20km/h.
Steering is permanent four-wheel steer through two Carraro axles. Our test TH412 was shod with BKT 10.0/75-15.3 tyres all round.
The TH412 was produced at the Weidemann factory in Germany and overall construction and finish appears excellent. The yellow and grey livery really makes it stand out.
The steering column is fixed, no tilt or height adjustment, while the seat slides rearwards to accommodate my frame. A slightly fiddly brake lever operates in conjunction with the foot brake pedal.
The controls are simply laid out. The loader joystick controls all boom functions plus forward and reverse. The quality of the control switches and levers are all very German – robust and functional.
For example, the TH412 features a narrow front windscreen fitted with a very large parallel wiper to clear as much of it as possible.
The split door is well constructed. There is no fear of breaking the upper section when gently shutting it back into the locked position.
There isn’t much in the way of storage capacity in the cab. Making room for the operator was the priority. To be fair, the amount of space in there is remarkable.
There are some shallow storage pockets under the front of the steering wheel and on the right hand panel. They provide just enough space for the likes of a Stanley knife or phone.
Height
Despite its small stature, the Wacker Neuson has a quoted lift capacity of 1.2t, which is within the range of an 80 to 100hp tractor loader. Will it handle a silage bale? It did, and with complete ease.
Will it handle a silage bale when equipped with a bale slicer? Unfortunately, we didn’t have one to try but I feel it would be capable of handling some of the more compact bale slicers, such as the Tanco machine.
An interesting feature of the TH412’s boom operation is what is called the vertical lift system (VLS). When the loader boom clears the height of the cab, the boom automatically extends.
This keeps the implement and its load forward of the cab as it rises.
On lowering, the boom fully retracts before coming down past the cab. There is an override facility to retract or extend the boom independently of the raising/lowering function.
The loader performs very well in terms of reach and height. Because of its size, it’s easy to underestimate its capabilities.
For comparison purposes, we lined it up between a Manitou MLA629 and a Case IH Maxxum 100 with LRZ100 loader. We measured the level bucket heights with all at their respective maximum heights.
We thought that the Wacker Neuson wouldn’t have the height capabilities of the tractor. We were wrong.
There was a difference of 0.65m (more than 2ft) above the Case IH Maxxum 100 with LRZ100 loader (see Table 1).
That’s why we positioned it between the tractor and Manitou for our group photograph.
This means that the TH412 should be more than capable of loading into even the highest of diet feeder mixer wagons.
Driveability
The 40hp Yanmar engine provides plenty of power for fast loading cycles. It does tend to be a bit noisy but starts easily. Importantly, it literally runs on the smell of diesel.
It came to us three quarters full of fuel. After about 10 hours on the clock, it was close to empty. The surprise was how much, or rather how little, fuel it took to fill.
The TH412 has a fuel capacity of just 25 litres (5.5 gallons). Considering fuel prices, the use of a small loader like the TH412 provides serious scope for savings.
Its small stature brings with it another major benefit; it can fit and go places where even the likes of a Massey Ferguson 35 would have difficulty.
The rated turning radius is just 821mm. We measured it at a bit more (1.1m) but that was non-scientific and without checking/adjusting the axle stops.
The TH412 makes working around older farm buildings a pleasure. Ground clearance is better than you would imagine at 255mm (10in).
Visibility is excellent throughout. When reversing, the driver can see the rear edge of the machine.
The front wiper totally clears the front screen on a standard wet, winter day. There was no roof or rear wiper but it didn’t seem to require them.
The cab heaters work well with two vents to the driver’s right. They are too far away to be effective on the windscreen – the ventilation system could do with some ducting to the front screen.
Lights were excellent. There are two headlamps with dip/dim function plus two work lights on the roof. The one light on the boom provided impressive illumination in dark sheds or around the yard after dark.
Its low stature, flat floor and no footwell to step into was a big bonus.
We measured its step-in height at just 420mm (16.5in) and seat height at 965mm (38in). So, one step in and one step out was not just quick but also less hazardous with no mucky steps to climb.
The TH412’s controls all worked well and were well positioned.
Some tilt function of the steering wheel would be appreciated by longer-armed operators.
Positioning of the forward/reverse control on the joystick, plus range change, made for fast cycle time loading. Wacker Neuson’s VLS simplified loading at height, with automatic boom out and in for the operator. The buttons on the joystick still allowed for extension retraction, under certain circumstances.
Our machine didn’t have full implement quick attach and required two pins to fit/remove implements.
This was a bit annoying; a quick attach is available and well worth having.
Finally, the TH412 has a quoted top speed of just 20km/h. We didn’t check it on the road but it felt quicker, or should we say, at least not annoyingly slow.
The loader can be fitted with a rear three-point linkage with 540rpm PTO, which provides around 15hp at the shaft. This adds around €4,200 +VAT to the price.
There is ample access to service areas of the TH412; the engine cover can be removed quite easily. To gain access to the engine oil and fuel filters, a rear plate has to be unbolted, which then provides room to change both.
Greasing is straightforward with eight grease points on the boom and each axle’s top and bottom kingpins are also grease-able.
Hard to reach grease points are clustered together in a grease bank on the rear of the machine.
Conclusion
On first impressions, we wondered what practical application could the TH412 have on a farm. That was a biased impression based on its size. It didn’t take long to prove itself to be an extremely capable machine.
Its compact dimensions meant it had fantastic manoeuvrability. Its small, yet powerful, engine proved to be very light on diesel and on the pocket. Its lift capacity was better than adequate and remains the same to its maximum height.
The room inside the cab was completely unexpected. The ‘little’ Wacker Neuson TH412 proved itself beyond all doubt.
Thanks
Thanks to Walter Byrne of Ferrybridge Ltd, New Ross, Co Wexford, for the loan of the Wacker Neuson TH412 telescopic loader for test.
Who are Wacker Neuson?
The Wacker Neuson Group includes the product brands of Wacker Neuson, Kramer Allrad, Kramer and Weidemann. The group produces a broad range of products from telescopic loaders, loading shovels, tracked excavators, skid steer loaders, dumpers and much more besides. These machines are produced under the different brand names. Outside of its own group, it produces telescopic loaders for Claas through an agreement with Kramer.