Construction Equipment articles from April 2006

Construction Equipment archives from April 2006

Two Types of Buyers Drive Backhoe Design.
April 1, 2006... By Larry Stewart, Executive Editor Manufacturers press productivity and value frontiers using pilot controls and open- or closed-center hydraulics Two very different kinds of backhoe-loader buyers dominate sales of full-sized machines...

Buying File Gallery.
April 1, 2006... By Staff New Holland Larry Stewart Precision Swing, Pistol Grip Improve Control With the introduction earlier this year of the new B Series backhoe-loaders, New Holland enhanced its pilot-control option with Precision...

Outsmarting Soil And Asphalt.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor North American jobsites are approaching this concept cautiously The quick -- but not exactly complete -- definition of intelligent compaction (IC) applies to vibratory rollers that automatically adjust...

Attention Centers on Crane Operators.
April 1, 2006... By Graham Brent, Executive Director, NCCCO Even as federal mandates are discussed, states are taking action on certification and training "It's 7 a.m. Do you know if your crane operators are qualified?" Today, as never before,...

Cat Pours on the Excavator Power.
April 1, 2006... By Larry Stewart, Executive Editor New D-Series excavators pack more diesel and hydraulic horses Caterpillar had to reengineer its over-100-hp excavators because the EPA's Tier 3 emissions limits apply to that size class in 2007, but...

Condition-Based Maintenance.
April 1, 2006... Rod Sutton, Editor in Chief Equipment professionals often compare oil analysis to human blood tests. A blood test can indicate high cholesterol; oil analysis can reveal high levels of metals. The comparison breaks down, however, when we...

Maintain the Aim.
April 1, 2006... By Mike Vorster, Contributing Editor Keep in sight why an organization owns and operates equipment Equipment managers play a critical role in a company's success. They manage and maintain the fleet as a major corporate asset and...

Ingersoll Rand's WL-440 Keeps Up with a Pro.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Professional operator Tom Rush gives this Ingersoll Rand compact wheel loader a workout and offers his opinions For this installment of Hands-On-Earthmoving, Ingersoll Rand graciously loaned us a brand new...

Basic F-350 Offers Deluxe Performance.
April 1, 2006... By Tom Berg, Truck Editor Plain-Jane trim is only skin deep, as Ford's F-350 Super Duty comes with comfort, performance and a high capacity for work Some jobs demand tough but simple trucks. Tough can be had, but there's nothing simple...

Radio-Controlled Trowel Finishes 4,000 Square Feet a Day.
April 1, 2006... By Larry Stewart, Executive Editor Ninety-pound, radio-controlled dynamo works without requiring anybody to set foot on the slab Tibroc says its Radio-Controlled Concrete Finisher can finish 4,000 square feet of concrete per day...

Moore Speedcrane.
April 1, 2006... By Keith Haddock, Contributing Editor This small niche-market crane became the forerunner of Manitowoc's modern line After World War I ended, the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. of Manitowoc, Wis., started to look to diversify its product...

Volvo.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The new B-Series includes MC60B, MC70B, MC80B, MC90B and MC110B. Operating capacities range from 1,350 to 2,250 pounds. Volvo says it has redesigned/upgraded 33 areas in the new line. Operators can choose...

Caterpillar.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The 416D IL, based on the 416D backhoe-loader, is a 1-cubic-yard industrial tractor with a 3-point hitch with down pressure and a box blade. Operator seat rotates 22.5 degrees from forward. Box blade has...

Morbark.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor Weighing 82,000 pounds, the 4600XL Track Wood Hog comes equipped with a Caterpillar 325L undercarriage and features a hammermill that is 14 percent larger than its predecessor. With engine options up to 860...

Skyjack.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor Compact 6826 and 6832 RT scissor lifts feature working heights of 32 and 38 feet, respectively, and have a 68-inch-wide stance. Models come standard with dual-fuel engine, four-wheel drive, and 5-foot...

Caterpillar.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The first three models of Cat's D Series excavators feature Tier-3 engines with ACERT technology. The 188-hp Cat C7 in the 324D L (54,660 pounds) is 12 percent more powerful than the 322C it replaces. The...

Hyundai.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The new, biggest excavator in Hyundai's line is the R500LC-7 with a base-model weight of 107,580 pounds. It's powered by a 353-hp Cummins Tier 3 QSM11-C. Bucket sizes range from 1.8 to 4.71 cubic yards. The...

Terex Roadbuilding.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor Terex A* CMI CB2003 paver has a variety of profile inserts allowing it to be used for curb-and-gutter, sidewalk and barrier work. The 133-hp paver weighs 25,000 pounds and has all-track steering, which...

Manitou.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The three-wheeled SL415 Twisco telehandler, with overall width of 66 inches, steers from the single rear wheel, pivoting around the inside front tire for a turning radius of just 88 inches. It weighs 5,250...

John Deere.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor Oscillated stereo steering speeds the cycle times of the 98-hp 344J compact wheel loader by allowing tight turns with large loads. Steerable wheels reduce the amount the loader has to articulate into a turn,...

JCB.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor JCB introduced the Teletruk industrial forklift into the North American market. It is a two-wheel-drive hydrostatic machine that uses a telescopic boom -- not a vertical mast. It has a load capacity of 7,000...

International.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor International completes its XT Series with the 10,000-pound MXT. Capable of towing 8 tons, the truck is rated at 300 horsepower and features a chassis-payload capacity of 2 tons. The 4x4 MXT will go into...

Bobcat.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor A speed-management feature available on medium-frame Bobcat loaders with selectable joystick controls is said to provide more consistent loader and attachment performance while minimizing strain on...

Allen Engineering.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The Razorback 500B riding trowel has Generation III hydraulic power steering. The 56-hp diesel engine powers two non-overlapping rotors through a mechanical-drive system. Ten-feet wide, the trowel features...

Terex Roadbuilding.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor The Terex A* CMI SF2204B HVW paver now comes with optional side kits that enable contractors to build barrier and parapet walls, curb and gutters, sidewalks and cart paths. Weighing 53,000 pounds and...

Ingersoll Rand.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor Titan 8820 is designed for asphalt and concrete base. Weighing 19.3 tons, the paver can install roller-compacted concrete, cement-treated base, non-treated base, stone, soil cement and asphalt. The paver can...

Mustang.
April 1, 2006... By Katie Weiler, Managing Editor Model 2026 and 2041 skid-steer loaders replace models 2022 and 2032. The 2026 weighs 4,000 pounds, has an operating load of 1,050 pounds, and delivers 35 horsepower with a three-cylinder Yanmar diesel. The...

ARA Inducts Three to Hall of Fame.
April 1, 2006... Staff The American Rental Association (ARA) recently inducted three men into the Rental Industry Hall of Fame during The Rental Show held in February. The honorees were Dan Kaplan of Daniel Kaplan and Associates, Morristown, N.J.; Leo...

Chevron to Give Away a Custom Motorcycle.
April 1, 2006... Staff Chevron will give away a custom-made, 1700cc $45,000 Frontier touring motorcycle. The bike, from Thunder Mountain Motorcycles, wears a custom Delo paint scheme to promote Chevron's heavy-duty motor oil. "We are temporarily...

Manitowoc Welders Win Awards at Welding Show.
April 1, 2006... Staff What are the chances of two people from the same company winning the 2005 American Welding Society's Professional Welders Competition? Two welders from Manitowoc Crane Group did just that. Scott Braun and Troy Yeager won first and...

Banner Year for JCB.
April 1, 2006... Staff JCB was busy last year. The privately owned company, based in the United Kingdom, celebrated its 60th anniversary, while also producing 45,000 machines (20 percent more than in 2004), cranking up production of its new 444 diesel...

Shop-Overhead Webinar at Redesigned CE.com.
April 1, 2006... Staff ConstructionEquipment.com will host a free webcast on how to use benchmarks to judge shop overhead. Exclusive research gives insight into the numbers, perspective on their meaning, and specific ways to use benchmarks in your shop....

Where Are Mini-Skid Test Results?
April 1, 2006... Staff I read your equipment review of the mini-skids [in Feb. '06 issue]. You obviously spent a considerable amount of time reviewing and testing each machine. Why is hardly any quantitative information given for each machine other than...

Status and Forecast.
April 1, 2006... By Jim Haughey, Director of Economics Public Construction Spending Jim Haughey Public construction spending continues to expand at about an 8 percent annual rate, which will persist through 2007. Education will expand faster than...

Loegering.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The Versatile Track System (VTS) is now available for skid-steers with wheelbases less than 42 inches and engines in the 42- to 65-hp range. VTS rubber-track undercarriage is a bolt-on system...

Blastrac.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The 1-9DEZ portable, lightweight shot-blasting system prepares concrete surfaces prior to coating. It runs on 120-v power, and strips, cleans and profiles in one step, the company says. With a...

General Equipment.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The 240 hole digger is the first with four-stroke engine, says the company. Subaru Robin EH035 gasoline engine delivers 1.6 horsepower. Industry-standard 1-inch-diameter driveshaft connection...

Stihl.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The TS 800 Cutquik cut-off machine uses a 6.7-bhp, 98.5-cc stratified charge engine and 16-inch wheel for 9,000 rpm of cutting power. Five-point, dual-element antivibration system reduces...

Ground Heaters.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The Pureheat 1260 hydronic air heater produces 20 percent more heat than its companion model, the Sahara. Three Heat Xchangers are available: HX200 produces 200,000 Btu/hour; HX100 produces...

Multiquip.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The Moonlight unit inflates in seconds, and a plug maintains air pressure without the need for a fan. Rising to 10 feet high, lighting systems are available in 150-, 400- and 1,000-watt...

Topcon.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The GPT-8203M long-range reflectorless total station is designed for layout of formwork, structural components, anchor bolts, and other elements requiring accurate positioning, the company...

Toro.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor For use with Toro Dingo utility loaders, a trench-filler attachment allows operators to fill trenches in a single pass. The unit has two sets of opposing augers that direct the spoils from the...

Komatsu.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor Komatsu replaced blended cellulose/synthetic hydraulic-filter media with 100-percent synthetic media, making its filters longer-lasting and cleaner to replace. Eco-White filters are good for...

Hilti.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor PR 25 Rotating Laser features an all-in-one remote control/receiver and a visible beam for indoors and weather protection for outdoors. It can be used horizontally, vertically, with an...

Atlas Copco.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The LHD 23 M hydraulic rock drill is designed for drilling, blast, anchor and rock-splitting holes. Weighing 54 pounds, the unit provides a high power-to-weight ratio with 48 ft.-lbs. of...

Stanley LaBounty.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor Stanley LaBounty's MSD Series now has an automated blade-lubrication system, the Saber-Lube. The company asserts that the system doubles blade life, and cuts build-up welding time on the...

Wacker.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The hybrid head series for HMS flex-shaft concrete vibrators combines round-head and square-head technology, which Wacker claims will move as much as 25 percent more concrete for better...

Bobcat.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The snow-pusher attachment is available in 94- and 120-inch widths. The blade floats 2.3 inches vertically and tilts 12 degrees with +/- 4.5-degrees for pushing snow along the contour of the...

Leica.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The SmartRover weighs 30 percent less than all other on-the-pole RTK GPS surveying instruments, according to company. It weighs 6.16 pounds. Consisting of the AT1230 SmartAntenna and 1250...

Fleetguard.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor Fleetguard introduced a "user-friendly" filter design, using polymers to make it more dent-resistant than metals. Current filters in the FF, FS, LF and MK series will be replaced by new...

Morbark.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The D 76 SP four-wheel-drive stump grinder has a 76-inch boom swing arc for more grinding and less repositioning, says Morbark. It transfers 95 percent of the power from the engine to the...

MBW.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The GP3550 travels 20 percent faster than the GP3000 it replaces, moving 110 fpm. Amplitude increases by 10 percent, and overall weight was cut by 15 pounds. Deck has a full roll cage with an...

Subaru Robin.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The RGX Series generators joins the Power and Silent series. The compact gasoline units provide maximum outputs from 2,900 to 4,800 watts. Models with horsepower: RGX 2900, 6 hp; RGX3600, 7...

Amulet.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor StickGrip is a weld-on attachment designed to provide a low-cost grip for an excavator bucket, the company says. It provides a grip profile on the machine's lower dipper stick.

Wacker.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor CT 36-9 and CT 36-8A walk-behind trowels feature 8- and 9-hp Honda engines and the necessary torque for low-speed floating. Other features include the gyroscopic safety sensor, gearbox brake...

Trimble.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor The SPS700 Robotic Construction Total Station, when used with its LM80 Layout Manager, allows contractors to perform layout tasks significantly more efficiently than with conventional...

Crysteel.
April 1, 2006... By Heather Burlingame, Senior Production Editor Crysteel has three new dump bodies for the landscaping contractor. Landscape Tipper has a swing-out side door with a built-in retractable ladder for easy entry to the body. Deuce two-way dump...

JCB Engine Update.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Designed exclusively for off-road use, the 444 diesel engine now powers more than half of JCB's machines Only 16 months ago, JCB began manufacturing its own 4.4-liter diesel engine at its new Dove Valley...

Volvo's 2007 Engines Include Three Models And 22 Ratings.
April 1, 2006... By Tom Berg, Truck Editor Although there will be a $7,500 surcharge, the new engines with horsepower ratings from 325 to 600 will be more fuel efficient Volvo Trucks' 2007-model diesels will include three displacements and 22 ratings...

Vermeer.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Vermeer's broad range of chain-type trenchers includes "ride-on" models with rubber tires and (more recently) rubber tracks, as well as large "track trenchers." The former category ranges in horsepower from 33...

Parsons.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor The Parsons trencher line, manufactured by Maxon Industries, includes six models, ranging in horsepower from 8 to 82 and in maximum digging depth from 30 to 108 inches. In the mix are three pedestrian and three...

Tesmec.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Big machines are plentiful in the Tesmec line of trenchers. The newest (and smallest), the TRS-700B Chainsaw, tips the scales at 29,000 pounds. This machine has 185 horsepower and is capable of depths to 8 feet...

Ground Hog.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor The T-4 trencher from Ground Hog is a small, operator-propelled, chain-type model designed for jobs requiring up to a 12-inch-deep trench. The machine uses replaceable carbide-tipped rock-type bits and will dig...

Astec.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor The Astec line of chain-type trenchers ranges from a 13-hp walk-behind, to a 185-hp model also available with a rock saw. The 99.5-hp model RT960 shown here uses a hydrostatic ground-drive system that...

Ditch Witch.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Ditch Witch divides its line of chain-type trenchers into three categories: pedestrian (seven models); compact (three models); and heavy-duty (seven models). At the small end of the heavy-duty range is the...

Port Industries.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor The Hydramaxx HM2500 is a 38,000-pound, 425-hp machine that digs to 7 feet and has a trench-width spread from 10 to 28 inches. According to the manufacturer, the HM2500 features an "intermediate link design,"...

Barreto.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Barreto's all-hydraulic, walk-behind trencher line ranges from a 9-hp model with a maximum trench depth of 18 inches, to the model 1624-D4, which can trench to depths of 36 inches and to widths from 4 to 6...

Trench-Tech.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Horsepower ratings for the Trench-Tech line range from 275 for the model TT-2000, to 765 for the model TT-2700. Operating weight ranges from about 65,000 to 260,000 pounds. These big machines drive the trencher...

Trencor.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor Included in the Trencor chain-type trencher lineup are six models, ranging in horsepower from 250 to 1,500 and all featuring a mechanical chain-drive system that uses a multi-speed transmission and heavy-duty...

GEC.
April 1, 2006... By Walt Moore, Senior Editor The GEC trencher is a small (275-pound) unit that is powered by either a 5-hp Briggs & Stratton engine or a 5.5-hp Honda. According to the manufacturer, George Evans Corp., the machine "digs a clean 3- or...

Toyota Tundra Is Bigger and Bolder Inside and Out.
April 1, 2006... By Tom Berg, Truck Editor The 1/2-ton pickup will come with a choice of three cabs and two box sizes Toyota's 2007 Tundra pickup will be bigger and bolder than the current model very much on purpose, as the company's extensive market...