Construction Equipment articles from October 2004

Construction Equipment archives from October 2004

Assets and electronics.(Sutton Report)
October 1, 2004... Fleet managers have always appreciated the machines they manage. That fascination and love for iron is evident in every conversation we've had with them. But today, the admiration is coupled with strong commitment to asset management. Of...

Komatsu.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... An upgraded version of the Crawler Carrier, Model CD110R-2, retains its predecessor's basic utility, says Komatsu, having the ability to rotate 360 degrees for efficient loading or dumping in any direction, and exerting a ground pressure of...

Peterbilt.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... The 330 medium/medium-heavy-duty model has been restyled, refined and renamed the 335. Available in truck and tractor versions, the 335's major change is a new hood made of Metton, a composite material that claims durability and impact...

John Deere.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... The brand-new 300-Series skid-steer line-up includes five models--317, 320, 325, 328 and 332--that range in standard rated operating capacity from 1,750 to 3,175 pounds. With weight kits, those numbers increase from 2,100 to 3,525 pounds. All...

Huber.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... The compact M-850-C Maintainer handles a variety of grading jobs from base to finish work, as well as spreading asphalt, stone, fill dirt and more. Five optional hydraulic attachments convert the machine to a bulldozer, front-end loader,...

Gehl.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... New zero-tail-swing excavators--models 503Z and 753Z--and shorttail-swing excavators--models 603 and 803--feature larger operator's compartments than the conventional models they replaced. All four have Yanmar Tier II diesels, ranging from 47...

Mauldin.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... A three-model line of steel-drum compaction rollers are available in 1 1/4-, 1 1/2-, and 2-ton models. Features include hydrostatic drive, automotive-type steering linkages, and split front drums. All models operate in both static or vibratory...

Bobcat.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Two factory options have been added to the Toolcat 5600 utility work machine. The B-Series 5600 is available with a turbocharged, diesel engine and high-flow auxiliary hydraulics. Additional attachments are now offered, including a high-flow...

Komatsu.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Two new compact-dozers, the D21A-8 (weighing 8,680 pounds) and the D21P-8 (weighing 9,530 pounds), are designed primarily for slope work and fine-grading jobs. Although both have long tracks positioned ahead of the center of gravity for needed...

Gehl.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Powered by three-cylinder, 36-hp Yanmar engines, the 3635 and 3935 compact skid loaders offer low fuel consumption and low noise levels. They have SAE operating load ratings of 1,050 and 1,260 pounds, respectively. With 14.4-gpm auxiliary...

Komatsu.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Designed specifically for landfill applications, the D65EX-15SL, D85EX-15SL, D155AX-5SL, D275AX-5SL and D375A-5SL crawler dozers feature a special guarding package and a blade with a large trash rack. The new dozers have hydrostatic steering...

Favelle Favco.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Model 60T telescopic-boom crawler crane is built on a Caterpillar 325 excavator power module. It's powered by a 168-hp Cat diesel with an automatic engine control and electronic power unit control with backup system. The crane has a...

E-Z-Go.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... The ST 350 utility vehicle is powered by an 11-hp, 350 cc overhead cam engine. It has a 13-cubic-foot load bed with heavy-duty bed liner and has an 800-pound payload capacity. Features include oversized tires; high ground clearance; special...

Thomas.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Weighing 5,350 pounds, the 137 skidsteer loader is rated at 1,300 pounds lift capacity. The machine is said to have the heaviest drive train in its class, according to the company. The loader's standard auxiliary hydraulic system delivers more...

Bobcat.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... The G-Series compact hydraulic excavators feature upgraded engines, new cabs and canopies, and an improved climate-control system--the latter using an airconditioning system that provides more airflow and cooling capacity. The Tier-2-compliant...

Mauldin.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... The second-generation 690F paver has a 2,200-pound Freedom screed, with patent-pending automatic seamless adjustment. The screed is said to lay a uniform mat from 8 to 13 feet wide, and an extending walkboard provides access across the entire...

Caterpillar.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... Cat has introduced the CB-300 E-Series asphalt compactors. The double-drum CB-334E has a 51-inch compaction width and an operating weight of 8,731 pounds. Model CB-335E offers a combi configuration with a 51-inch-wide drum at the front and four...

International.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... A new vehicle tracking and locating system virtually puts managers in the cabs of their trucks. Using wireless telematics, the system keeps track of vehicle locations and displays them on a computer screen. Managers access the system through a...

Ammann.(Market Watch)
October 1, 2004... With a 54-inch-wide padfoot drum, the AC 40 P4B delivers 19,110 pounds of compactive force from its 7,500-pound chassis. Dual drive motors at the rear are equipped with a flow divider to deliver excellent traction without an axle, Ammann says....

Rental firms have great expectations.(Giants 2004)
October 1, 2004... Giant rental firms reported the greatest change in business expectations for 2004, probably because they reaped the best surprise last year. Only 37 percent of rental firms on the Construction Equipment Giants list forecast rising work volume...

Wireless tracking improves service.(Equipment Management)
October 1, 2004... The majority of our business is from repeat customers," says Jay Dee Sale, director of parts and service for Red Mountain Machinery, a rental company serving Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. "It's our service that keeps them coming...

Lightweight lift axles cut 1,000 pounds per truck.(Truck Tips)
October 1, 2004... "By going with the lightweight lift axles, we're saving over 1,000 pounds per truck and gaining that much in payload over our competition," says company owner, Pete Tode. Heritage hauls asphalt and aggregate for Rinker Materials to...

Skid-steer pioneers honored.(Manufacturer News)
October 1, 2004... In 1957, Cyril and Louis Keller built a small three-wheeled loader in their Rothsay, Minn., machine shop for a local farmer who wanted to mechanize his barn-cleaning chores. The little loader worked so well that the Melroe Co., down the road in...

Bell turns 50 this year.(Manufacturer News)
October 1, 2004... Bell Equipment opened for business in 1954, when Irvine Bell established a small engineering business in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and began manufacturing equipment for the sugar cane and forest industries. Bell entered the construction...

Component life sketches machine economic life.(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... The article "Component Life Sketches Machine Economic Life" in the July issue of Construction Equipment compares O & O life cycles using market value depreciation as the owning component, which is the true compass of life-cycle evaluation. ...

Public construction spending.(Status & Forecast)
October 1, 2004... Although public construction spending increased 0.6% in both June and July, it only brought nominal spending back to the April level; inflation-adjusted spending declined 1.5% over the same period. Highway was the weakest sector due to the...

Construction employment.(Status & Forecast)
October 1, 2004... Nonresidential builders hired 7,000 workers a month, seasonally adjusted, in June through August. Heavy contractors held employment steady in the past three months; homebuilders laid off 2,000 a month; and specialty trade contractors hired...

Construction-equipment shipments.(Status & Forecast)
October 1, 2004... Shipments from U.S. factories rose 3% in July and have increased more than 50% since March 2003. U.S. equipment consumption increased 65% over the same period, because imports expanded more than exports. Orders rose but remained less than...

Residential construction spending.(Status & Forecast)
October 1, 2004... Spending inched up only 0.9% from May to July. With almost half of the small gain due to higher materials costs, the volume of building activity has essentially stalled at the May level. The stall is expected to continue through next year as...

Private construction spending.(Status & Forecast)
October 1, 2004... Private construction spending at best kept pace with inflation during the summer after more than a year of rapid growth. Little, if any, spending increase after inflation is likely for the rest of 2004; spending will rise about 6% by the end of...

How to stop idle waste of fuel: spiking diesel prices have caused operators of construction trucks to stop shrugging off fuel costs and look for ways to save money.(Truck Report)(Cover Story)
October 1, 2004... Diesel fuel prices in mid-August reached the highest average cost ever: $1.814 per gallon, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's weekly survey. In California and other West Coast markets, diesel was well above $2 a gallon. Some experts...

Komatsu's hydrostatic system offers greater control: local 150 instructor and professional equipment operator Jim Minyard likes the power and capability of the new Komatsu WA200-5 wheel loader.(Exclusive: Hands-on Earthmoving)
October 1, 2004... Jim Minyard, who for the past five years has been an instructor for Local 150's Apprenticeship and Skill Improvement Program, has worked for several contractors as a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, including 12 years...

Vibratory rollers respond to the need for speed: as the paving industry learns to live with Superpave, double-drum rollers deliver multiple vibrating speeds and compacting power to handle most rolling work.(Buying File: Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Superpave asphalt pavements demand faster tandem vibratory rollers. Much of the equipment innovation has focused on increasing vibration frequency so machines can effectively compact mats while rolling faster. But some manufacturers are also...

Bobcat: big punch in small rollers.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Bobcat's three tandem vibratory compactors are 4,000-vpm machines, and only their Ingersoll-Rand counterparts produce as much centrifugal force in their size class. They can deliver 12 impacts per foot (recommended for maximum density...

Dynapac: high-frequency options.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The 27,800-pound CC622 HF tandem roller offers frequency choices of 3,060 or 3,780 vpm, and amplitude choices of 0.024 or 0.008 inches. Drum width is 84 inches and diameter is 55 inches. Dynapac says the high-frequency/low-amplitude combination...

Bomag Americas: view to the drum edge improved.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... With the BW284 capable of 4,000 vpm and centrifugal force exceeding 41,000 pounds, Bomag challenged the high-frequency competitors around 28,000 pounds. Vibration frequencies on the BW266 and BW278 were raised to 3,800 vpm, and the new...

Calder Brothers: smallest multi-frequency vibrator.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Calder markets a tandem vibratory roller weighing 2,500, 3,000, and 4,000 pounds under the Mauldin brand, and each is available with either 28- or 36-inch-wide drums. The Mauldin 1450, at 2,475 pounds, is the smallest machine in the market with...

Case: vibrator stops when roller does.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Case added tandem vibratory rollers to its product line in 2002 with models DV201, DV202, and DV204, spanning 5,500 to 7,700 pounds in operating weight and offering 39-, 47- and 51-inch drum widths. The DV-Series offers a choice of vibration...

Caterpillar: vibration and amplitude choices.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The 25,000-pound Cat CB-534D has an optional high-frequency vibration system called VersaVibe, which offers the choice of 2,520 vpm or 3,800 vpm and two amplitude choices for each vibration setting. The D-Series is equipped with Automatic Speed...

Stone: diesel option at 3,300 pounds.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Stone's WolfPac 3100, a 3,300-pound machine with 35-inch-wide drums, is now available with a 20-hp water-cooled Kubota diesel as an alternative to the standard 18-hp Honda gasoline engine. The diesel option is about 300 pounds heavier. These...

Leeboy: dual controls simplify detail work.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... LeeBoy's 7,000-pound 400 vibratory roller has a vibration frequency of 2,700 vpm and maximum centrifugal force of 4,000 pounds. Its split front drum provides a compaction width of 44 inches. A 40-hp Hatz diesel engine powers the hydrostatic...

Hamm: packs with a light touch.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Hamm brought its Oscillation Technology--a drum that vibrates horizontally, rather than delivering vertical forces--to North America with the 20,200-pound HDO90V. It's a hybrid of the HD 90 platform, with a conventional vibratory front drum....

Wacker: choice of Honda or Vanguard.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The RD 11 vibratory rollers, with 35.4-inch drum width, are offered with the choice of Honda or Vanguard engines, both rated at 18 horsepower. A breakdown pass by the vibratory front drum is followed by a finishing pass with the static rear....

Ammann: dual frequencies and amplitudes.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Ammann's 6,195-pound AV 26 has a pair of 47-inch-wide drums that deliver up to 8,093 pounds of compactive effort. The vibration system offers dual frequencies and amplitudes controlled from the dashboard for a total of eight different...

Vibromax: hard-working midsize machines.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The mid-sized tandem rollers from Vibromax--Models 355, 365, 455, and 465--span a weight range of 8,600 to 10,700 pounds and offer drum widths of more than 55 inches. Optional five-inch drum offset allows them to compact close to jobsite...

Ingersoll-rand: max frequency at chosen amplitude.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... With the Ingersoll-Rand DD-158HFA introduced early this year, company engineers designed an amplitude control system that automatically adjusts vibration frequency based on the chosen amplitude (there are eight amplitude settings). In lower...

Multiquip: compacts close to curbs.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The AR-13H sports a 1 1/4-inch clearance on the right side for close operation near obstacles, and 19 inches of curb clearance. The static rear drum provides a smooth surface and can be filled with water for additional ballast. Multiquip is...

Hypac: indicator maintains impacts per foot.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The 28,400-pound C784 now achieves maximum vibration frequency of 4,000 vpm, for effective rolling speeds of up to 4.5 mph. Like its counterparts in the Bomag product line, the large Hypac machines have a monitoring system called the...

Sakai: lots of high-frequency options.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... Vibration frequency of 4,000 vpm is now standard on seven Sakai models, with drum widths ranging from 39 to 84 inches. Sakai's eccentric weights rotate in opposite directions (counter-rotating), which the company says improves the finish by...

Compac: full-featured line under 7,500 pounds.(Gallery of Tandem Vibratory Rollers)
October 1, 2004... The new TA52, with 52-inch-wide drums, tops Compac's line of small tandem vibratory rollers with a maximum vibration frequency of 4,000 vpm and top centrifugal force of 7,500 pounds. When front- and rear-drum vibration are combined, they...

Reliability enlists project support for maintenance: small equipment staff stands behind uptime to convince projects to maintain 5,000 units.(Great Managers)
October 1, 2004... Traylor Bros. maintains 5,000 pieces of equipment all over the country with very few people by making field operations responsible for preventive maintenance. The risks of decentralized maintenance are no different than with any large...

Buy what you burn: the equipment purchased today must do the work tomorrow. Here's how to stay ready to perform.(Equipment Executive)
October 1, 2004... Although the number of scrapers or rock drills in the fleet makes it possible to do today's job, the average age of the fleet and the amount invested in fleet replacement enables it to maintain productivity and be competitive in the future....

Utility-size compactors big on versatility: these new compactors from Cat Paving offer a choice of double-drum or combination configurations.(Paving Report)
October 1, 2004... Among the newest asphalt compactor models in the Caterpillar Paving Products range are the vibratory double-drum CB-334E and the combination CB-335E. The two drums on CB-334E are each 51 inches wide, and the machine has an operating weight of...

New Komatsu dozers are application specialists: these two crawlers weigh in at less than 10,000 pounds and can be fitted with rubber track shoes.(Earthmoving)
October 1, 2004... The Utility Marketing Division of Komatsu America has a pair of new compact crawler dozers that are designed primarily for slope work and fine-grading applications. Both new models, the D21A-8 and the D21P-8, feature long tracks for balance and...

Leica.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... Leica's new series of 2D and 3D machine-control systems for asphalt pavers and road planers adapts to the hydraulics of most machines. Ultra sonic, stringline and slope sensors are available, as well as high-precision laser receivers. Thanks to...

Baldwin filters.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The BF1259 features InterBlend, a high-performance filtration media. Inter-Blend consists of formed synthetic fibers, which are layered and adhered to a cellulose base sheet for structural integrity. Composite layers create a construction that...

Thomas.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The 35DT mini-skid-steer loader has been redesigned from the ground up. It features a longer wheelbase and increased wrap around the drive sprockets to reduce the possibility of slippage or ratcheting. Nineinch rubber tracks provide increased...

Atlas copco.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The latest addition to the company's line of silent demolition tools, the CC 1501 CombiCutter attachment features Krupp hydraulic attachment technology. Two exchangeable jaw designs provide versatility: the universal jaw opens 31 inches wide,...

Stone.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... Three models have been added to the Stomper line of 4-cycle rammers. Models XH670, XH730 and XH840 are each powered by a Honda engine, specifically designed for rammer applications. The engine eliminates use of 2-cycle oil or pre-mixing of...

WD-40.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... Big Blast provides an easier way to deliver penetrating oil to large areas. A new, wide-area spray nozzle allows the user to cover larger surfaces in less time. The maker says a protective coating stops rust and shields equipment against...

Stanley hydraulic tools.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The Lynx LPU18 power unit delivers 5 or 8 gpm at pressures up to 2,000 psi. When the user selects the automatic control mode, the power unit will respond to tool demand. When the tool load falls below the power demand threshold, the engine...

Doran mfg.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The PressurePro Tire Pressure Monitoring System continuously monitors pressure of up to 34 vehicle tires and displays a digital readout in the cab. Audible and visual alerts notify the driver of low-pressure conditions. [ILLUSTRATION...

Lincoln electric.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The Ranger GXT is a 250-amp, AC/DC welder mated with an AC auxiliary-power generator, which produces 11,000 watts peak and 10,000 watts continuous for powering inverter welders, plasma cutters, lights, grinders and other power tools. The unit's...

Caterpillar.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... Premium High Output batteries in BCI (Battery Council International) group sizes 4D and 8D now have higher cold-cranking-amp (CCA) ratings. The 4D battery is rated at 1,400 CCA, and the 8D at 1,500 CCA. The batteries have application in many...

Robin America.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The Robin Subaru EH035 and EH035V mini 4-cycle over-head-valve engines have two PTO options to diversify the application range of these engines. The engines weigh only 8 pounds and produce a maximum power output of 1.6 horsepower. An automatic...

Ammann.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The AVP 1850 forward plate compactor features a fully enclosed self-adjusting belt-drive system with a centrifugal clutch. For increased heat dissipation and long bearing life, the exciter shaft is enclosed in an oversized housing. The...

Dana spicer.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The 170 and 190 Series rear axles are now offered on the redesigned Kenworth T300 and heavier Class 8 models for on-road hauling and on/off-road vocational duties. Tandems with capacities of 40,000 to 52,000 pounds and single axles with ratings...

Landa.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The MP Series of gas-powered, cold-water pressure washers features cleaning power up to 5,000 psi. The three models feature Honda engines from 11 to 24 horsepower and a 11/4-inch steel roll cage with lifting eye. All units have a 7-year...

Loegering.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The company recently introduced three products for skid-steer loaders. The first is marketed as the only forward digging skid-steer mounted trencher in the market. The trencher is available in digging depths of 3 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 6...

Leica geosystems.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The Rod-Eye Classic hand-held laser sensor features an LCD on the front and rear for fast and easy visual reference. Working diameter is 2,500 feet. The unit comes with a 24-month warranty. It is designed to work well with any rotating laser....

Attachments international.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... The Extreme Service Quick Coupler allows buckets to follow their designed geometric curve for maximum efficiency. The coupler is made of alloy instead of cast steel, which is prone to breaking, according to the company. [ILLUSTRATION...

PWCE.(Market Watch Lite)
October 1, 2004... Designed for grading, the Seven Blade Road Drag can be pushed in front of a truck or tractor, or pulled behind. The attachment is hydraulically controlled from the cab and fits several types of drive units. It can pitch from side to side and...

Advent of articulation: International Harvester's first articulated wheel dozer was also its largest.(Iron Works)
October 1, 2004... Frame articulation is a standard feature on wheel loaders today, but it was not always the case. Mixermobile of Portland, Ore., introduced the first articulated loader as early as 1953, but the concept was slow to catch on. It took another...