Construction Equipment articles from November 2004

Construction Equipment archives from November 2004

Upon further review.(Sutton Report)
November 1, 2004... In 2003, we took a calculated risk in launching Hands-on Earthmoving. We knew the feature would be widely accepted by readers. Our constituents had made it clear over the years that Construction Equipment's in-depth analysis of machines in...

Polaris.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... Ranger utility vehicles now offer two-, four- and six-wheel drive. The three new models--the Ranger TM, Ranger 4X4, and Ranger 6X6--have, respectively, payload capacities of 1,250, 1,500 and 1,750 pounds; horsepower ratings of 18, 30 and 30;...

Ingersoll-rand.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... Two wheel loaders have been introduced: the 60-hp WL-350 and 73-hp WL-440. Parallel loader linkage enables the loaders to function as tool carriers and provide breakout force of 10,128 and 12,730 pounds, respectively. The compact loaders have a...

Caterpillar.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... Designed to meet the demands of the scrap, mill-yard, demolition and bulk-handling industries, the M325C MH and M325C LMH wheeled material handlers have operating weights up to 69,444 and 81,569 pounds, respectively. The machines use a...

Komatsu.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... The PC27MR-2 compact hydraulic excavator has an operating weight of 6,590 pounds and is powered by a 25.5-hp Komatsu 3D82AE engine. It has a maximum digging height of 14 feet 9 inches, maximum digging depth of 8 feet 8 inches, and maximum...

Komatsu.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... D61EX/PX-15 crawler dozers feature Komatsu SA6D114E-2, Tier-2 compliant engines, providing 155 horsepower at 1,850 rpm. Standard EX and low-ground-pressure PX models range in operating weight from 35,080 to 41,010 pounds. The Hydrostatic...

Ammann.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... The AV 16 roller has 35.4-inch-wide smooth drums that can deliver up to 3,147 pounds of compactive effort at each end. Its 3,747-pound "full-flush" cantilevered chassis is designed with 2-inch offset for working up against obstacles, the...

Caterpillar.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... The largest in the B-Series telehandlers is the TH580B, which has a four-section boom that will lift up to 56 feet and reach 42 feet. Operating weight is 27,465 pounds, and rated load capacity is 11,000 pounds. The TH580B has three steering...

Normet.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... Normet Corp. of Finland designed the RBO management and transportation vehicle explicitly for underground use. The RBO is powered by a 127-hp diesel from either Cat or Deutz. The cab is FOPS/ROPS approved. It has an electronically controlled...

Link-belt.(MARKET WATCH)
November 1, 2004... Designed for scrap and material handling, the 600 LX MH features the largest cab on the market, the company says. It also offers ergonomic Sure-Grip controls for ease of operation. Built into the machines are turntable bearings to withstand...

Hydraulic hand tools keep restaurant open.(JOB SOLUTIONS)
November 1, 2004... The use of hydraulic hand tools offers advantages to contractors, including reduced dust, less noise, and smoother operation. Compact machines including skid-steers, mini-excavators and wheel loaders are being used to power hydraulic...

A quick wheel-end check.(QUICK TIP)
November 1, 2004... I jack up one wheel at a time starting with the right front, and I shake the tire top in and out to find any free play in the kingpin or bearing," says Mike Beckett, one of the founders of wheel-alignment-equipment manufacturer, M.D. Alignment....

Free web cast on GPS and Machine Control Technology.(RESOURCES)
November 1, 2004... Construction Equipment, in association with Topcon and Trimble, will present a live panel discussion of GPS and Machine Control Technology, featuring earthmoving companies that are using this exciting technology on the job. It will be held Nov....

Total construction spending.(Status & Forecast)
November 1, 2004... Spending expanded about 4.5 percent during the summer after only marginal growth during the spring. Stubbornly low mortgage rates kept home construction growing; rising rents and falling vacancy rates restarted expansion in nonresidential...

Highway construction spending.(Status & Forecast)
November 1, 2004... Spending fell 6.2 percent from May to August as the highway funding impasse has sharply reduced contract awards this year and current projects are completed. Locally funded work is now growing in line with improved budget balances. The...

Industrial production.(Status & Forecast)
November 1, 2004... Industrial production increased 7.4 percent over the past 15 months. Domestic consumption purchases fueled the initial growth, but the key driver is capital goods. Factory production growth slipped from a 6.5- to a 5-percent annual rate during...

Construction equipment price index.(Status & Forecast)
November 1, 2004... Prices are 4.3 percent above a year ago after averaging 1.3-percent annual gains in the previous four years. Higher steel prices account for a small share of the inflation; most of it results from higher supplier margins in a booming market....

Gross national product.(Status & Forecast)
November 1, 2004... Growth slowed in the second quarter to 3.3 percent from a 5-percent average over the previous four quarters. The slowdown reflects the depressing impact on consumers of high oil prices, rising credit rates, unseasonably wet and cool weather,...

Gehl 40-Series: more work on less fuel; CE's field test of Gehl's next-generation skid-steers shows considerable gains in productivity, fuel efficiency and operator amenities.(FIELD TEST)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2004... Step into the cab of a new Gehl 40-Series skid-steer loader--as we did on a recent visit to the company's Madison, S.D., facility--and you can take note of a few design details that reflect the thoughtful engineering of these new machines. ...

Rx for profit: repair before failure; Relatively small investments in monitoring components and scheduling inevitable repairs will slash repair costs and downtime.(Special Report)
November 1, 2004... Little more than half of major-component repairs are done before something fails--actually 54 percent, according to Construction Equipment lifecycle research. It's a fact that is perplexing because fluid analysis and regular inspections provide...

Factory made 4X4s go almost anywhere: medium-duty Chevy Kodiak and GMC TopKick are nimble and quick--both on- and off-road.(Hands-On Trucking)
November 1, 2004... This must be "the year of the four-wheel-drive medium-duty truck," as several builders announced the availability of factory-assembled 4X4s. These are mainly for use by landscapers, drillers, machinery servicers, public utilities,...

Backhoe design serves both owners and operators: refinement of backhoe-loaders with digging depths of 14 feet and deeper encompasses operator comfort and convenience, as well as machine efficiency.(Buying File: Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... When we asked product manager Scott Owyen at Terex to list what he considered to be significant recent technical advances in backhoe-loader design, he placed the Tier-II engine at the top. Backhoe-loader buyers may well overlook the Tier-II...

Volvo: sealed pins and bushings add value.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... Volvo's two backhoe-loader models, the BL60 and BL70, are powered by the company's own D4D diesel engine--a 4-liter model that features a 28-percent torque rise. The transmission incorporates a large 12.2-inch torque converter and features a...

Case: new engines and pilot controls.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... Earlier this year, Case Construction Equipment announced its line of M Series-2 backhoe-loaders, which feature the new Case Family-3 engines. The new engines, says Case, are larger in displacement, quieter and have more torque rise than their...

Komatsu: excavator-like hydraulic system.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... The Utility Division of Komatsu America overhauled its backhoe-loader range earlier this year. The company says it has enhanced its models with increased hydraulic speed; stronger, more-advanced components; and Tier-2-compliant engines. ...

Caterpillar: first with standard pilot controls.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... When Caterpillar released its D-Series backhoe-loaders, it made pilot controls standard for the 420D, 420D-IT, 430D, 430D-IT and 446D. A turn of a lever changes the control pattern, and the system features sealed control-valve spools to promote...

John Deere: 710G leads in specifications.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... According to specifications furnished by manufacturers, Deere's 710G backhoe-loader is the leader of the pack, with 118 net horsepower, 17 feet 10 inches of standard dig depth, and an operating weight of 23,000 pounds. Deere also builds a...

JCB: three 4X4X4 models.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... JCB's New Generation range of backhoe-loaders includes 10 models, seven of which have dig depths in excess of 14 feet. The range includes three 4X4X4 models, which feature four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering and four equal-size wheels. The...

Terex: flow-compensated, closed-center hydraulics.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... According to Terex, its implement hydraulic system, which features a closed-center design and twin gear pumps, is built for smooth operation, simplicity and reliability. A Power Boost feature, says the company, matches digging power and speed...

New Holland Construction: high-horsepower performance.(Gallery of Backhoe-Loaders)
November 1, 2004... The recently announced LB.B Series backhoe-loaders, featuring a new 4.5-liter turbocharged engine, offers "best-in-class" horsepower ratings for Tier-II engines, according to New Holland Construction. The hydraulic system in B-Series models has...

Motorola/Nextel.(Communications)
November 1, 2004... Motorola's i305 is touted as the first all-weather mobile phone with Nextel's Nationwide Direct Connect. It's GPS-enabled and resists dust, shock, vibration and extreme weather. The handset features a rubber encasing and sculpted grip for...

Earmark.(Communications)
November 1, 2004... The wireless communication system keeps crane operators in touch with spotters. Custom-designed Crane-Comm provides continuous, full duplex, hands-free communications. It consists of a compact base station mounted in the cab and either a...

Caprock.(Communications)
November 1, 2004... Wireless communications services for remote operations include both standard and custom-developed packages. Worldwide support is available for office-to-field, field-to-office and field-to-field communications. IPxpress network simplifies...

Kenwood.(Communications)
November 1, 2004... ProTalk TK-2200/3200 portable radio has new features, including Wireless Cloning to duplicate setup to multiple units. Calling Alert produces a high-decibel tone to accompany a transmission. Internal VOX enables hands-free operation with a...

How to forge a partnership: these seven steps will help "equipment" and "the field" work better together.(Equipment Executive)
November 1, 2004... The "us vs. them" mentality between equipment and field operations plagues most construction companies. "Equipment" believes that they are doing all they can to manage the fleet and reduce cost; "the field" believes that machines break down too...

IR expands earthmoving offering: Ingersoll-Rand says its new excavators and wheel loaders will bring power and performance to the jobsite.(Earthmoving)
November 1, 2004... Ingersoll-Rand makes no small claims about its new earthmovers recently introduced into the marketplace--two wheel loaders and two hydraulic excavators. What they all have in common are high performance, rugged durability, excellent operator...

Cat's largest telehandler reaches to 56 feet: the new Caterpillar TH580B is designed with a tool-carrier front and auxiliary hydraulics to expand versatility.(Lifting Report)
November 1, 2004... The latest addition to the Caterpillar telehandler range is also the largest. The new TH580B, with an operating weight of 27,465 pounds, has a rated load capacity of 11,000 pounds, and its four-section boom allows placing loads as high as 56...

Allied construction products.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... Ideal for narrow trench work, the Model 500 Ho-Pac delivers 30 percent more impact energy, says the company. It also has a longer base plate, a four-function valve, three motor options, and oil splash bearing lubrication. Designed for...

Leica.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... System 2000 Series total stations are for use in engineering and surveying applications; they also provide real-time 3D machine control. TC2003 and TCA2003 provide angle measuring accuracy of 0.5 inch and distance measuring from 1mm plus or...

Topcon.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... The GPT-7000 reflectorless total station features an on-board controller with a Windows CE operating system, touch screen and user-oriented graphical interface. The new instrument allows fast, precise data collection and survey functions...

ChevronTexaco.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... Chevron says the reformulation of Delo Grease EP improves its mechanical stability and water resistance, resulting in longer service life and reduced costs. The extreme-pressure grease is formulated with ISOSYN technology, which provides...

Crysteel.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... The Poly Tipper dump body offers an alternative for contractors who haul loads that stick to steel dump bodies. A no-stick load surface provides easy clean-out of snow, clay, and other loads, at a low dump angle. It is available with an...

Peltor.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... PowerCom and PowerCom Plus 2-way radio headsets have a programmable frequency range between 462 to 467 mHZ and a 30-channel capacity. Other features include 38 privacy tones to avoid unwanted frequency chatter, voice-activated transmitting or...

Dana.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... Billed as having the fastest axle ratio for a single reduction drive axle for the North American trucking industry, the S190 Series of single-drive axles is now available with a 2.53 ratio. The axle is designed to maximize fuel efficiency for...

Rockland.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... The DZ Dozer coupler allows dozers to cut, bunch, skid and rake. To use, move the coupler into position and drop the two lock wedges into place. The couplers work for any make or model of dozer and have coupler brackets for existing...

Pumpex.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... According to the company, P Series submersible drainage pumps are the first pumps to be certified according to the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)--a new system that calculates a product's environmental impact over its entire lifecycle....

Morbark.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... The 2070XL Twister and 2050 Clipper brush chippers now come with two knife drums. The units make two cuts per evolution for increased productivity. The Twister features a dual-feed wheel system and a 16-X10-inch feed-wheel opening. The compact...

Iveco motors.(Market Watch Lite)
November 1, 2004... Providing power ratings from 353 to 558 horsepower, Cursor Gen-Drives are a complete engine package with a base engine, cooling system and air filter. All the components needed to connect to an existing generator are included. The engine...

A "quicker" way to dig: although it took 10 years for the idea to come to be, the first truck-mounted shovel had its own niche for more than 30 years.(Iron Works)
November 1, 2004... In 1919, a young engineer named Luke E. Smith was watching a crawler-mounted shovel on a road job in some of the highest mountain country in Colorado between Durango and Silverton. Noticing how slowly the shovel moved about the job, he had an...