Two Liebherr excavators that differ through 55 years of mechanical development: a story about passion, technology and durability

Originally, the Liebherr R 901 crawler excavator from 1968 was used in a scrap metal yard, where it unloaded and sorted scrap metal from trailers. When the engine stopped running properly, it was on the verge of being destroyed - until a trained industrial mechanic discovered and rescued it. "I was looking around for an excavator to build my own house and came across the Liebherr R 901 in an advert. It was in poor condition, but I simply couldn't allow such a piece of history to disappear," says the new owner.

Together with his father and brother, he initially made the excavator technically fit for use again. The controls were converted to today's standard Euro controls, leaks in the hydraulics and diesel engine were repaired and the bodywork was restored over a period of months in their spare time. The biggest challenge was the badly worn components and the missing shims. But the robust, simple technology made many things possible.

Presented as a special highlight at the road opening

When the new B58n bypass near Beckum in Münsterland was opened in August 2025, the new owner, who was working on the construction site, presented his R 901 as a vintage excavator. The feedback from people was consistently positive: "Most of them were amazed at how old the excavator is and that it still works. It was a real highlight for the children."

After the opening ceremony, the old excavator was driven to the neighbouring quarry. There it stood next to a modern R 978 SME from Liebherr Mietpartner GmbH, which was previously in rental use on the B58n construction site and is currently being used by another rental customer. Seeing the two different crawler excavators side by side created a huge wow effect.

A giant: the Liebherr R 978 SME crawler excavator represents power and comfort

Liebherr has realised numerous improvements with the new generation of crawler excavators in the 70 to 100 tonne class. The R 972, R 978 SME, R 992 and R 998 SME models represent performance, comfort and energy efficiency. They offer a high level of operating comfort, modern assistance systems and significantly reduced fuel consumption. The machines were developed with the clear aim of reducing overall energy consumption. The centrepiece is the new, patented Liebherr Power Efficiency (PE) - Engine Control system, which supplements the existing working modes (P+/P/E) and reduces fuel consumption by up to 15 percent compared to previous models.

Liebherr as a constant for quality

The Liebherr company has accompanied the new owner of the R 901 from the scrapyard since his training in 2008: "I've never had a bad experience with a Liebherr. The machines are reliable and comfortable. Liebherr stands for durable, robust technology.” Although the restored R 901 is now officially retired, it is still in regular use on the company's own site - cleaning trenches, excavating earth or working on pond projects. "If you rest, you rust," says the owner with a laugh.

This story reflects what defines Liebherr machines: Quality that lasts for decades. The R 901 is not just a technical monument, but a symbol of the values that Liebherr has always embodied - and of the people who keep these machines alive with passion and expertise. "Simply a great machine! The restoration was a real family project and a lot of fun."