W354twertequipment world august 2015

®

equipmentworld.com | August 2015

BACKHOE

SPECS How diesel got its groove back: HPCR AND ELECTRONIC INJECTION

P. 67

THE 75 HP EMISSIONS LIMIT THAT’S DRIVING DECISIONS

P. 42

Reader Reviews:

KOMATSU PC210LC-10 EXCAVATOR DEERE 310SK BACKHOE

P. 31

NEW

Mack’s new mDRIVE™ HD heavy-duty automated manual transmission won’t weigh you down. This lightweight transmission is designed to withstand the wear and tear of your most demanding jobs. And it’s fully integrated to work seamlessly with the rest of your powertrain for improved efficiency, increased uptime and lower cost. With Mack, it takes less to get more done.

MackTrucks.com/mDRIVEHD

YOUR VISION. Building your construction business together. You have pretty clear ideas about the equipment you need to succeed. So we used them as a blueprint for our E-Series Skid Steers and &7/V <RX ZDQWHG PRUH IRRW URRP :H DFKLHYHG LW E\ PDNLQJ WKH каRRUV каDW <RX ZDQWHG PRUH horsepower. We upped it by 10% on our large-frame models. You wanted switchable controls.

We offer selectable ISO, H-pattern, and foot controls on all models. You wanted easier attachment hookup. We hooked you up. To learn more, see your dealer or visit our website.

BUILT TO SPEC. JohnDeere.com/Eskid

Vol. 27 Number 8 |

Cover Story

table of contents | August 2015

Basic or spec’d out?

BACKHOE LOADERS OF 14-FOOT-ANDGREATER DIG DEPTHS ARE AVAILABLE AT BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM

42

Equipment 21 Marketplace

31 Reader Reviews

73 Product Report

Volvo’s E-Series short swing crawler excavators, John Deere’s GoPush app, Hitachi’s new Dash-6 excavator and Hyundai’s HL900 Series wheel loaders.

Deere 310SK backhoe

Caterpillar’s two-tier excavator strategy

37 Reader Reviews Komatsu PC210LC-10 excavator

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 7

table of contents | continued

Features 50 Road Science

What’s behind foamed asphalt’s steep growth trajectory?

61 Highway Contractor

Using thinlays as a pavement preservation tool

®

equipmentworld.com facebook.com/EquipmentWorld twitter.com/Equipment_World Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Executive Editor: Tom Jackson Managing Editor: Amy Materson Senior Editor: Chris Hill Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Online Managing Editor: Bobby Atkinson Executive Trucks Editor: Jack Roberts Spec Guide Editor: Richard Ries editorial@equipmentworld.com Art Director: Tony Brock Advertising Production Manager: Linda Hapner production@equipmentworld.com VP of Sales, Construction Media: Joe Donald sales@randallreillyconstruction.com

3200 Rice Mine Rd NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com

67 Maintenance Injectors: Producing more power with less fuel while cutting exhaust emissions

Departments 11 On Record Reader Reviews: What contractors are saying 79 Contractor of the Year finalist Andy Allen R. J. Allen Incorporated Garden Grove, California

Chairman: Mike Reilly President and CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operations Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Russell McEwen Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Vice President of Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Audience Development: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: equipmentworld@halldata.com Editorial Awards: Robert F. Boger Award for Special Reports, 2006, 2007, 2008 Construction Writers Association Jesse H. Neal Award, Best Subject-Related Series of Articles, 2006 American Business Media

83 Safety Watch: Demolition 87 Pro Pickup: 2015 Ford F-150 road test 94 Final Word Caterpillar calls for engagement with Cuba For subscription information/inquiries, please email equipmentworld@halldata.com. Equipment World (ISSN 1057-7262) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Periodicals Postage-Paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: SEND ALL UAA TO CFS (SEE DMM 507.1.5.2). Non-postal and military facilities: send address corrections to Equipment World, P.O. Box 2187, Skokie, IL 60076-9921 or email at equipmentworld@halldata.com. Rates for non-qualified subscriptions (pre-paid US currency only): US & possessions, $48 1–year, $84 2–year; Canada/Mexico, $78 1–year, $147 2–year; Foreign, $86 1–year, $154 2–year. Single copies are available for $6 US, $9 Canada/Mexico and $12 foreign. The advertiser and/ or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC harmless from and against any loss, expenses or other liability resulting from any claims or suits for libel violations of right of privacy or publicity, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or suits that July arise out of publication of such advertisement. Copyright ©2013 Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Equipment World is a trademark of Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC Randall-Reilly Publishing Company, LLC neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee regarding the quality of goods and services advertised herein.

8

August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

Editorial Excellence Special Section Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Editorial Excellence News Analysis Gold Award, 2006 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Editorial Excellence News Section Silver Award, 2005 Midwest-South Region, American Society of Business Publication Editors Robert F. Boger Award for Feature Articles, 2005 Construction Writers Association Robert F. Boger Award, 2002 Sept. 11th Feature Articles

The KOHLER Diesel KDI is a Tier 4 final with common-rail fuel injection and no DPF. So you skip the DPF maintenance costs, get savings at the pump, and laugh all the way to the bank. 速

KohlerEngines.com/KDI

TRAIL

KING’S

HDG

WE BUILD IT

SO YOU CAN HAUL IT THE ALL-TIME BEST SELLING DETACHABLE ON THE MARKET

HYDRAULIC DETACHABLE G O O S E N E C K

ENGINEERED WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS • Arched Gooseneck Design for ample clearance even at lowest king pin setting • 5-Position Gooseneck Door Adjustment allows for a full 8” range of king pin height settings • One-piece Main Beam Web and Flange Construction eliminates the potential for weak points

in high stress areas

• 10” I-beam Crossmembers on 12” centers in outer bays • Covered Knuckle/Boom Trough allows for low-profile transport • Sealed Electrical System and rubber-mounted LED lights reduce maintenance costs • A 3rd Lift Axle offers on-the-road versatility • Adjustable Ride Height Control conveniently located near rear tail channel • Heavy-Duty Pullout Front Outriggers at concentrated weight pivot point provides extra strength

VISIT US AT ICUEE – THE DEMO EXPO AREA N #2034 | SEPTEMBER 19 – 21, 2015 KENTUCKY EXPOSITION CENTER

Have a heavy haul? Contact your nearest TRAIL KING dealer or call 800.843.3324 to learn more.

on record | by Marcia Gruver Doyle

Reader Reviews: What contractors are saying

W

ith this issue, we’ll have printed our fifth Reader Review, our series where real-world machine owners and operators give us their opinions, based on thousands of hours of operating time. Readers to date have reviewed two excavator models, two backhoes and one skid steer. While five reviews does not a trend make, there already are definite takeaways for the industry.

Telematics disconnect Manufacturers are one voice these days in touting the benefits of telematics, even though some were on board a lot sooner than others. But when contractors ask you to “explain what that is’” when you ask them about the standard telematics systems on their machines, you know the message isn’t reaching the masses like they envision.

There are disconnects on the dealer side: “My dealer said he would go over it with me, but I never heard another word, so I still don’t know what it is.” On the contractor side: “I wish I had more time to fully learn it, so I could better integrate it into our evaluations of productivity.” And on the manufacturer side: “Occasionally readings are false, stating the machine is running over the course of a weekend when, in fact, the machine is off.”

And, quite frankly, the benefits still need to be sold: “There are so many things affecting idle time, especially with what others are doing on the site, it’s not something I can control, so I don’t track it.”

But the early adapters are reaping the rewards.

“You just don’t worry about the machine,” says at Komatsu PC210L-10 reviewer in this issue about Komtrax. “If something happens, they alert you.”

Performance scores high Our reviewers definitely appreciate today’s high speed, high flow hydraulics. They cite faster cycle

MGruver@randallreilly.com

times and increased responsiveness. Some have skipped a few letters in a machine series, and the differences between old and new are night and day.

They’re definitely not as worn out after a long day behind the controls.

But no surprise: the love does not extend to emissions control systems. When asked why he rated a machine’s emissions control so much lower than other performance factors, one reviewer openly admitted it “was more of a political response. But as far as performance, it is what it is.”

The essential dealer Reviewers ranked five key factors of their machines – serviceability, performance, operator features, machine options and dealers – and dealers ranked the highest, averaging 9.1 out of a possible 10 for all Reviews. The high-touch nature of this industry is reflected in their comments, with one reviewer calling their Komatsu salesperson “relentless. And he follows up regularly and even stops by our jobsites to talk with the operators.” Says another: “Uptime and parts availability make Cat the only choice I would make.”

Finally this from a Deere 310SK reviewer (also in this issue): “I don’t think I’ve ever spent a day down because they didn’t have a part.”

What’s been reviewed so far: Bobcat S650 skid steer (April) Case 580 Super N backhoe (April) Cat 336E L excavator (April) Deere 310SK backhoe (August) Komatsu PC210L-10 excavator (August) The full reviews – including how individual reviewers scored the machine – can be found by going to equipmentworld.com/reviews/ And add your voice – do you agree or disagree with our reviewers’ ratings?

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 11

HERE FOR THE

TOUGHEST JOBS.

© 2015 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” and the “Power Edge” trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

INTRODUCING THE

CAT CT 680 VOCATIONAL TRUCK ®

WORK HARD—WITHOUT SACRIFICING COMFORT AND STYLE. Want a truck that stands up to heavy loads, tough jobs and harsh applications— and does it all in style? The CT680 delivers.

It features an attractive automotive appearance, industry-leading fit and finish, and choice of exterior trim levels. Plus, its set-forward axle, parabolic taper leaf suspension, premium sound insulation and trim, and spacious cab combine to set new standards for comfort and ride quality. All that, plus bumper-to-bumper dealer support.

You deserve a truck as heavy-duty as your work—and a bold design that sets you apart from the crowd. We’re built to meet that challenge. Learn more at DriveCat.com/hardwork.

REVOLUTIONIZING FLEXIBILITY

Wirtgen 3800 CR Bi-Directional Cold Recycler: the leader in revolutionizing flexibility in road rehabilitation. The 3800 CR design provides a dual role as a rear-loading cold in-place recycler and a 960 HP front-loading cold milling machine. Wirtgen: the leader in revolutionizing road rehabilitation that maximizes your savings potential.

ROAD AND MINERAL TECHNOLOGIES

WIRTGEN AMERICA . 6030 Dana Way . Antioch, TN 37013 Tel.: (615) 501-0600 . www.wirtgenamerica.com

reporter | by Equipment World staff

More than 250 (and counting) constructionrelated firms granted FAA drone exemptions

U

ntil recently, the full number of just how many companies had been granted permission to operate drones for commercial purposes by the Federal Aviation Administration was an unknown.

But data collected by The Verge website and the Center for the Study of the Drone at New York-based Bard College shows the FAA has granted exemptions to 711 companies, with more than a third which will be using the aircraft in construction and/or surveying applications.

A quick filtering of the data as of July 16 shows 257 companies granted exemptions for construction/ surveying services – 127 of which are construction while the remaining 130 are surveying.

If that seems like a huge number of exemptions, it is. And the number apparently has exploded in the past few months. At the beginning of the year only 12 companies had been granted an exemption, according to the data. But between April and June, 622 exemptions were granted.

Under the FAA exemption, companies can operate

Graphic: The Verge

drones below 500 feet but must ensure that the aircraft never leaves the operator’s visual line of sight.

Another interesting tidbit is the data identifying DJI drones as the most popular brand choice among applicants. “More than half of the first 500 exemptions asked to fly DJI products, and its overall share of the market is likely even higher, as many companies requested multiple DJI drones,” The Verge reports.

To get the full list of companies granted exemption, do a “first 500 companies drone” Internet search.

–Wayne Grayson

Briefs

Volvo CE profits jump 80 percent in 2Q Following two consecutive quarters of large losses, Volvo Construction Equipment saw a huge increase in profit during the second quarter, mainly supported by increased sales in North America. Sales increased to $1.8 billion, up 5 percent over 2Q 2014. Meanwhile, profit rocketed upward 80 percent to $157 million.

Volvo CE’s first quarter earnings were significantly dinged by low sales in Asia. But most of the company’s success in the quarter was due to a 30-percent jump in sales in North America to $443 million.

Alabama adds building permit fee to fund construction education Alabama’s legislature has passed the Construction Industry Craft Training Act, which will fund construction education statewide through a new building permit fee.

The new law will add $1 per $1,000 of project value onto the cost of building permits in the state. It’s expected to raise between $3 million and $5 million each year, money that will be dispersed in the form of grants to qualified craft education programs such as community colleges, private schools and unions. Funding will be decided by a sevenmember board of contractors and business owners.

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 15

reporter | by Equipment World staff

Dutch company proposes plastic roads

P

lastic roads may seem more suited for Hot Wheels, but a Dutch company is aiming to bring the toy track to the test track.

VolkerWessels announced it’s planning to bring the world’s first plastic road to the Netherlands. The PlasticRoad project is still entirely conceptual, and the company is looking for partners.

The company, however, has ambitious plans for the project, claiming it would revolutionize transportation.

Proponents say PlasticRoad would be more durable, require less maintenance and be more resistant to the elements than traditional roadbuilding materials, capable of handling temperatures between -40 and 176 degrees. Testing has yet to begin, but the company expects the lifespan of PlasticRoads to be at least 50 years, based on the lifespans of plastic products used for sewage pipes and plastic platforms.

“Plastic offers all kinds of advantages compared to current road construction, both in laying the roads and maintenance,” VolkerWessels’ director of roads subdivi-

come from plastic trash in the ocean, and the product could be recycled after its first use.

Once a test pavement is financed and built, researchers will concentrate on key safety issues, including skid resistance.

– Bobby Atkinson

Briefs

Free PaveXpress design tool updated

sion Rolf Mars says. The roads, which would be hollow for cables, pipes and rainwater, would also feature modular construction with a lightweight design to make construction easier. Individual sections could be made in the factory before being shipped for assembly. The company claims PlasticRoads could “be built in weeks instead of months.” One additional claim: the product will be sustainable, since 100 percent of the plastic will 16 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

PaveXpress, a free, online pavement design tool created with support from the National Asphalt Pavement Association and the State Asphalt Pavement Associations, has launched an update that includes an asphalt overlay design module. Version 2.0 of PaveXpress “makes it easy to design asphalt overlays that preserve a pavement’s structure while improving smoothness, safety and drivability,” says its maker Pavia Systems.

To provide designs for flexible and rigid pavements, the tool requires basic inputs such as layer thickness and subgrade soil type, and provides industry-accepted default values. These values can be adjusted as needed to meet locally calibrated figures. The overlay module is based on guidelines from the 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Guide for the Design of Pavement Structures. It evaluates the “existing pavement structure prior to placing an overlay with different decision pathways for condition surveys or non-destructive testing.” PaveXpress was first introduced last September and now has more than 5,000 users. The tool is available at www.pavexpressdesign.com.

reporter | by Equipment World staff

Big Bertha set to start tunneling again in November

T

he world’s largest tunnel-boring machine is now scheduled to get back to work on November 23, nearly two years after it overheated and stalled while digging beneath Seattle.

The Seattle Times reported that the construction team handling the massive undertaking of drilling the 1.8-mile Highway 99 tunnel released the new timetable and a new completion date of March 2018 – a full three years past the original projected completion before Big Bertha broke down.

Seattle Tunnel Partners, the lead contractor building the tunnel, discovered in May the damage to the machine was worse than expected. Originally crews only anticipated damage on the seven rubber seals that keep the main bearing free of water and sand.

But they discovered the steel casing around the seals had broken apart, sending fragments into the drive gears.

Hitachi-Zosen, the machine’s manufacturer, has resurfaced much of the front end to allow the circular parts to move smoothly, along with replacing the full

set of 24 pinion gears and the outer seals of the main bearing. The company also lengthened the mixing arms and equipped them with paddles, attached more steel blades to the cutting surface and ordered a replacement for the machine’s cracked center pipe.

In September, workers will begin to connect the front end to the rest of Big Bertha. The construction team will then spend October and much of November open-air testing the tunneler before it gets to work November 23.

– Bobby Atkinson

Briefs

Deere extends JDLink Ultimate telematics from 3 to 5 years Responding to production-scale customers, John Deere has announced an extension to the base subscription of its JDLink Ultimate telematics service from three to five years.

JDLink telematics allows owners and fleet managers to remotely monitor equipment using any device with an Internet connection. The service providing alerts and allows customers to view machine location, utilization, performance and maintenance data.

FHWA creates new tunnel inspection program The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration has created a new tunnel inspection program modeled after the decades-old bridge inspection program.

The new National Tunnel Inspection Standards would create requirements such as routine inspections of tunnels on public roads, training and certificate programs for tunnel inspectors and timely repairs to any problems found in tunnels during inspections.

The FHWA had inspection guidance for tunnels in the past but the state DOTs and other agencies that maintain tunnels weren’t required to actually inspect the tunnels. With the new tunnel standards, inspections would be required, as would annual reports to the FHWA with the inspection findings. This new program, similar to the National Bridge Inspection Standards, would also help create a new tunnel database similar to the National Bridge Inventory.

18 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

YOUR MACHINE IS TEED OFF

Not using Cat® filters can mess with your game. This guy didn’t use a Cat filter in his Cat machine and now he’s paying the price.

What’s worse? He could pay an even bigger price down the road because Cat filters protect like no other, which is why you should always use them. And if you don’t? Well, let’s just say you might regret it. Find out why at ChooseCatFilters.com.

Buy ONE CAT FILTER and GET ONE FREE | Get FREE Cat Gloves | Enter to win FREE Cat Filters & Fluids for a year* Helping Cat machines lead long and productive lives – that’s what we’re built to deliver. *VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Please see complete official promotion rules at ChooseCatFilters.com. © 2015 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, BUILT FOR IT, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

We raised the bar on peace of mind.

FACTORY WA R R A N T Y *

FOR A LIMITED TIME...

Get 3-yrs/3000-hrs of hassle-free, complete factory protection with every fuel-efficient, high-performance Alpha Series skid steer and compact track loader. That’s an additional 24 months at no additional cost to you. Don’t wait. Offer ends September 30th.

CaseCE.com/3YearWarranty *The free 36 months or 3000 hours, whichever comes first, includes the manufacturer’s base warranty period, plus an additional two years of manufacturer’s warranty. Offer valid June 1, 2015 through September 30, 2015 on the following new CASE skid steer loader and compact track loader models: SR130, SR150, SR160, SR175, SR200, SR210, SR220, SR240, SR250, SR270, SV185, SV250, SV280, SV300, TR270, TR310, TR320, TR340 and TV380. The precise protection afforded is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the plan as issued.

Programs may be changed or cancelled without notice. ©2015 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. CASE is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

marketplace | by Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com

FUEL SAVERS

Work in confined spaces without sacrificing power, dig depth or stability with Volvo Construction Equipment’s E-Series short swing crawler excavators, which feature a center-positioned boom and compact swing radius.

The ECR145E and ECR235E have Tier 4 Final engines that deliver up to 10 percent improvement in fuel economy when compared with previous models, and include auto idle. The excavators can be equipped with an optional engine shutdown feature that further improves fuel efficiency. Both machines have integrated working modes that enable the operator to choose the best work mode for the application: idle, fine, general or heavy.

When designing the crawler excavators, Volvo addressed lowering the total cost of ownership via an enhanced hydraulics system that combines with the fully electronic control system to improve response time and controllability. Working with the Volvo ECO mode to reduce flow and pressure losses, the system achieves lower fuel consumption.

Safety has been addressed through the use of punched antislip plates and handrails that ensure grip while performing maintenance checks. Foldable guardrails offer safe access. The cab is newly designed, featuring large front and side windows to ensure high visibility. Additional cab features include an improved climate control system, new air circulation and defrosting system, a keypad that allows operators to navigate through monitor settings to activate machine functions, Bluetooth and shortcut buttons for windshield wipers, camera and an audio mute function.

EDI PI TOR’S CK

Key specifications E-Series Short Swing Crawler Excavators Engine

ECR145E

ECR235E

Volvo D4J

Volvo D6J

– Rated output

2,000 rpm

1,800 rpm

– ISO 9249/SAE J1349 net

119 hp (80 kW)

172 hp (128 kW)

Breakout force SAE J1179

Normal: 18,100 lbf (80.5 kN) Normal: 28,100 lbf (125.0 kN) Boost: 19,200 lbf (85.4 kN)* Boost: 29,710 lbf (132.2 kN)**

Bucket capacity

0.33-1.07 cu. yd.

(0.25-0.82 cbm)

0.47-1.88 cu. yd.

(0.36-1.44 cbm)

Max digging reach

27’5” (8,360 mm) *

32’5” (9,890 mm) **

Max digging depth

18’2” (5,530 mm)

22’2” (6,755 mm)

Lifting capacity along undercarriage

7,960 lb (3,700 kg) *

16,770 lb (7 790 kg) **

20 / 5 ft (6 / 1.5 m)

20 / 5 ft (6.0 / 1.5 m)

31,770-36,790 lb (14,435-16,677 kg)

52,250-61,440 lb (23,700-27,840 kg)

– at reach / height Operating weight

*15’1” boom, 8’2” arm (4.6m boom, 2.5m arm), **18’8” boom, 9’6” arm (5.7m boom, 2.9m arm)

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 21

marketplace | continued DPF-FREE MACHINE

Hitachi Construction Machinery-Americas has added an upgraded excavator to its Dash-6 line by equipping the ZX470LC-6 with an EPA Tier 4 Final Isuzu engine. The ZX470LC-6 uses cooled exhaust gas recirculation, a diesel oxidation catalyst and selective gas reduction, and diesel exhaust fluid injected into the exhaust stream converts the NOx into harmless water vapor and nitrogen gas after running through the catalyst. The excavator’s improved piston design enables particulate matter to be burned in cylinder, eliminating the need for a DPF. In addition to updating the engine, the company added features including more handrails, redesigned fuel filter canisters and an added coolant expansion tank. When redesigning the ZX470LC-6, Hitachi says they put saving customers’ time and money at the forefront, so many of the improvements address efficiency issues. The new handrails offer easy access to the engine and a battery disconnect switch, and grouped service points simplify the daily routine. Engine and hydraulic oil service intervals of 500 and 1,000 hours, easy-to-clean swing-out access coolers, easy-to-check sight gauges and fluid reservoirs, quick-change remote-mounted filters and convenient fluid sample ports minimize downtime due to maintenance. The ZX470LC-6, at 110,804 pounds, has a heavier operating weight than its predecessor, and enhanced boom recirculation that when combined with the machine’s hydraulic boost system, generates aggressive boom and arm speed. The pressurized fuel system improves fuel injector operation and the fuel recirculation system reduces fuel gelling in cold climates. Machine durability is addressed through D-channel side frames that house and protect the coolers and engine, in addition to large idlers, rollers and strutted track links on the sealed and lubricated undercarriage.

22 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

MOBILE APP BOOSTS PRODUCTIVITY

John Deere has created a mobile application designed to help 1050K crawler dozer customers enhance productivity and efficiency. The GoPush app, which is available for both iPhone and Android devices, includes daily service information, recommendations based on extreme site conditions, a maintenance checklist, machine setup and icon glossary, and serves a quick reference guide for operators.

“I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS EQUIPMENT TO ANYBODY, AND WE DO ALL THE TIME.”

Darin Sweeney, Operations Manager – REV Drill Sales & Rentals, Inc. Frederick, MD

Scan the code or go online to see why Darin runs Doosan.

DoosanEquipment.com/Darin 1.877.745.7814 Doosan and the Doosan logo are registered trademarks of Doosan Corp. in the United States and various other countries around the world. ©2015 Doosan Infracore Construction Equipment America. All rights reserved. | 167

marketplace | continued ELIMINATE DIRTY DEF FILTERS

AFTER

Eliminate problems associated with diesel exhaust fluid used to meet Tier 4 Final emission standards with DEFBooty, a disposable device that identifies the DEF tank while protecting the cap and surrounding area. The DEFBooty minimizes the chance of the wrong fluids in the DEF tank while reducing contaminants and clogged DEF filters.

BEFORE

ON GRADE... AUTOMATICALLY! Automatic Laser-Guided Grade Box • Finish Grade for Concrete Placement • Crown Sports Fields • Grade Building Pads

Fine Grade Made Easy www.level-best.com • 800-342-0905

24 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com ATI_Equip0115_PG.indd 1

12/15/14 10:35 AM

APP PROVIDES ROAD DATA

Road maintenance and engineering professionals can now get objective data cost effectively with RoadBump, an Android application from Grimmer Software that measures the roughness of a road using a smartphone. Using the Android deviceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GPS and accelerometer, the app displays a map of the road and enables zooming, rotating and aligning to graphs, as well as switching the path driven between street and satellite views. The map is color-coded with red sections to indicate very rough segments, yellow for normal roughness and green for very smooth segments. Tested at the National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University, RoadBump produces estimated International Roughness Index graphs and an accelerometer graph that shows individual bumps, dips and waves.

The road data is collected and stored on the device, eliminating the need for a network connection when recording or reviewing data, which can be exported as a CSV file via email, Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox.

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 25

marketplace | continued LIFT MORE WITH YOUR SKID STEER

Lift up to 5,000 pounds with the SkidCrane, a fully functional crane attachment for skid steers. Designed to economically meet the lifting needs of small and medium contractors, the SkidCrane features a 37-foot main boom height with a 46-foot height with extension. The attachment can lift 5,000 pounds to 18 1/2 feet, and 1,000 pounds to 46 feet. The SkidCrane requires a 4,600-pound carrier machine with a 3,000-psi hydraulic system, and is expected to be available next year.

26 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

SEVERE-DUTY LINEUP

Boost power and productivity with HL900 Series wheel loaders from Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas, which have as much as 5 percent greater productivity and use up to 10 percent less fuel that the previous 9A Series loaders. Available models include the HL940, HL955, HL960, HL970 and HL980, which are suitable for a range of severe-duty applications such as roadbuilding. The wheel loaders are Tier 4 Final, and Cummins engines power the HL935, HL940, HL955 and HL960 models, while Scania engines power the larger HL970 and HL980 models. Both models achieve emissions compliance via SCR and DOC systems using DEF. The HL900 Series has an enlarged cab that has been reconfigured to offer additional floor space and improved visibility, and is 10 percent larger than cabs on previous models. Features include a larger interactive touch-screen monitor, optional fingertip controls, fully adjustable and heated air-ride seat and centralized control switches. Options include a programmable auto-engine shutdown available with the smart key control and electro-hydraulic fingertip control that delivers precision while reducing operator fatigue.

Safety features include large access steps, grab handles and upper guard rails, as well as ergonomically positioned operator switches and an improved rearview camera. The wheel loaders have a new tilt-back engine cowling design that eases access to the engine, coolers and related components, and a vertically stacked cooling design with improved air flow boosts efficiency and simplifies serviceability. Additional models that include the HL935 and special configurations such as Tool Master and Extended Reach will be available in the fourth quarter of this year.

Ready whenever and wherever you are.

Equipment World Magazine makes it easy to keep up-to-date while you are on the go. Get the latest news in the construction industry, along with insight from our award-winning editorial team, through our mobile version of equipmentworld.com.

Test it out for yourself and subscribe at EquipmentWorld.com.

THE RIGHT SPECIALIST FOR THE JOB. WD-40® Specialist® Rust Release Penetrant. Featuring Blu Torch™

Technology, it cuts through rust two times faster than the leading

competitor. It’s not for everybody. It’s for you.

PROS AGREE: 4.8 OUT OF 5 STARS. See what they’re saying at WD40Specialist.com

© 2015 WD-40 Company

Source: Independent laboratory nail climb test against 2014 low VOC PB Blaster Penetrating Catalyst Product. WD-40 Specialist Rust Release Penetrant Spray with Blu Torch Technology travels up a nail 2x faster than the competitor. August 2014.

marketplace | continued

ALL-IN-ONE MATERIAL PROCESSING BUCKET

Quickly transition between different applications with Remu’s Crossover screening bucket, which is a bucket frame with an exchangeable work module. Enabling fast changes for different jobs, module changes can be achieved in as little as 10 minutes. Three modules will be available – the blade screen (SB) for screening topsoil, the screener crusher (SC) for grinding lumpy material and the vibrating screen (SV) for separating loose, dry materials and shaking waste and dirt from recyclable material.

IT’S NOT FOR EVERYBODY. IT’S FOR YOU.

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reader reviews | by Marcia Gruver Doyle

TELL US ION PIN YOUR O K

e 310S the Deer , f o w ie v A full re on our website views. e is ld.com/r l reviewers a entwor equipm see what individu to join ble ’ll There you t, plus you’ll be a g your in h d g d u a o th ersation, the conv ents to those of comm viewers. our re

OVERALL RATING:

8.7

out of 10

Deere 310SK backhoe

W

ith a combined 57,200-plus hours of operating time, our 11 reviewers gave the Deere 310SK backhoe a solid 8.7 rating. “We recommend this machine all the time,” says Bob Tempest with Tempest Enterprises, Murray, Utah, who owns several units. “We love our John Deere 310 machines.”

Still, says Tempest, you have to keep equipment dealers honest, so about half of the backhoes in his 30-machine fleet are 310SKs and half are Case 580 Super Ns. “Both are really good,” the utility contractor says.

“We’ve had Cat and Case over the years, but we’ve had the best luck with Deeres,” says Brook Elder, assets manager with Colorado Powerline, Sedalia, Colorado.

And, says Elder, “the financing side of Deere has been really helpful.” In fact, it was one of the factors that made Colorado Powerline switch from another brand to Deere – a reminder that many times it’s not the iron itself that seals the deal with contractors, but the services around the iron.

Even with these favorable comments, our reviewers also pointed out problem areas with the 310SK. Here’s

how they scored the machine in six key areas on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being the best possible score and 1 being the worse possible score.

Overall machine ratings:

Rating

Serviceability

8.2

Performance

8.4

Operator features

8.6

Machine options

9.1

Dealer

9.1

TOTAL

8.7

Serviceability: 8.2 out of 10 Under serviceability, several reviewers scored the “ease of radiator clean out” poorly, giving it a 7.5 rating, the lowest among the six attributes rated.

Elder, however, gave all six service features a 10.

“Our shop never has issues when servicing these maEquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 31

reader reviews | continued chines and the parts are always available,” he says.

SERVICEABILITY

Rating

PERFORMANCE

Rating

Horsepower

8.6

Access to daily service points

8.7

Loader bucket breakout force

8.6

Access, ease of PM/500 hour service

7.9

Loader bucket height/reach

8.5

Access to battery

8.6

Loader bucket lift capacity

8.8

Fuel capacity

7.5

Power Curve boom

8.7

Ease of radiator clean out

8.1

PowerShift transmission

8.7

Diagnostic test ports, fluid sample ports

8.5

AutoShift functionality

8.8

John Deere Service Advisor Remote

8.2

Backhoe bucket breakout

8.1

Serviceability overall score (out of 10):

8.2

Backhoe bucket height/reach

8.2

Backhoe lift capacity

7.8

Traction, tractive effort

8.6

Hydraulic flow and pressure

8.6

Cycle times

8.5

Travel speed

8.5

Balance, handling at travel speed

8.5

Balance over stabilizers

8.7

Ease of changing attachments

8.8

Emissions control DPF/DOC/regen times

7.5

Variable-speed electronically controlled fan

8.0

Exterior lighting

8.4

Fuel efficiency

7.7

Performance overall score (out of 10):

8.4

Performance: 8.4 out of 10 Performance attributes on the 310SK received solid ratings, with only “backhoe lift capacity,” “emissions control” and “fuel efficiency” receiving less than an 8.

“To tell you the truth,” said one reviewer, “my lower rating on emissions control was more of a political response. But as far as performance, it is what it is.”

Brook Elder cites “a bit of lag in the powershift transmission, but overall they function quite well.”

He likes the machine’s balance and handling at travel speed. “They transport well and on any terrain, and you feel balanced.” A Pennsylvania residential contractor, however, wasn’t crazy about the machine’s travel speed: “It’s slow going up hills when driving on the highway,” he commented.

Telematics: 9.3 out of 10 (partial results) Uncertainty is the prevailing theme when it came to the 310SK’s JDLink telematics, which are standard on the machine. Only four out of our 11 reviewers even rated the telematics, giving them a high 9.3 score. But five of our reviewers said “I’m not sure” when asked if they had JDLink on their machines; and two even replied “no” when asked if they had this feature. Only one reviewer said he had integrated JDLink into his back office systems. Because the results were so inconclusive, we didn’t include

the telematics score in our overall score for the 310SK. There’s still seems to be a lot of head scratching surrounding the entire subject of telematics, with one reviewer asking us to explain what it is.

Others still need convincing about the promised value of telematics. Alan Haney with Metro Poured Wall, Omaha, Nebraska, says some of the information telematics provides isn’t critical to his operation. “There are so many things affecting idle time, especially with what others are doing on the site, it’s not something I can control, so I don’t track it,” he says.

Machine description

I

ntroduced in 2012, the 96-horsepower Deere 310SK features a 5-speed transmission that allows top roading speeds of 25 mph. With a 14-foot 6-inch dig depth and an 11,051-pound loader breakout force, the machine has a loader lift capacity of 7,356 pounds.

The optional AutoShift transmission enables smooth shifting and reduces the number of times the transmission control level needs to be actuated during operation. In addition, a single loader lever with electro-hydraulic auxiliary loader controls eliminates the

32 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

need for a second lever while using a multi-purpose bucket.

On the backhoe end, Deere redesigned the backhoe joystick on the K Series, giving it equal lever efforts in all directions plus improved swing control, reducing backhoe wag.

The JDLink telematics system is standard. Auto idle, auto shutdown and keyless start are also standard on Sealed Switch Model machines.

Earlier this year, Deere introduced the L Series backhoes, which replaces the K Series.

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reader reviews | continued Operator features: 8.6 out of 10 The 310SK scored well on operator features, with no feature scoring less than an 8. Ranking especially high were visibility forward and exterior lights.

“There are lots of windows and operating at night, it’s unreal how much light the machine has,” Elder says. “You can see almost everywhere.”

Elder also appreciates the pilot controls. “There are benefits beyond just how cool they are,” he says. “They give the operator more control, and you don’t have to spend six months training them how to dig.” A couple of things he’s not so crazy about: the seat pneumatics and in-cab storage.

“Things don’t stay in the cup holder, and it seems like there’s just room for the operator’s manual,” he says. “And raising and lowering the seat seems to take longer than it should. It feels like I’m spending a lot of time adjusting them between operators.” (Colorado Powerline has six 310SKs.) “Our operators are like Ford and Chevy guys,” says Bob Tempest. “If a Deere guy gets on a Case, he doesn’t like it, and vice versa,” which can be a problem when you run a mixed fleet such as Tempest does. “Still, if you get a well qualified operator he loves them,” he says, giving each of Deere’s operator features an 8.

OPERATOR FEATURES

Rating

Machine options: 9.1 out of 10 We asked reviewers which options they had on their machines and how they would rank them. Coming out on top were the Worksite Pro top hook coupler and extendable dipperstick.

MACHINE OPTIONS

Rating

Autoshift

9.1

Worksite Pro top hook coupler

10.0

Limited slip mechanical front wheel drive

8.3

Ride control

8.8

Extendable dipper stick

9.3

Extendable dipper stick with auxiliary hydraulics

9.5

Extendible dipperstick, seven-function with auxiliary hydraulics and thumb mounting ears

10.0

Pilot controls with pattern selection

9.6

Multi brand quick coupler

8.6

New series brand quick coupler

9.0

Universal pin grabber style quick coupler

8.3

Cab with dual doors

9.0

Cab with dual doors and AC

8.9

Air suspension seat

9.3

TOTAL

9.1

Cab size, roominess

8.6

Seat comfort

8.6

Visibility forward

9.1

Visibility side and rear

8.1

Backhoe controls, ease of use

9.0

Loader controls, ease of use

8.5

Dash displays, instrumentation panel

8.2

In-cab storage

8.0

Foot room, leg room

8.5

Ease of entry/exit

8.7

DEALER

Keyless start

8.6

Support after sale

9.2

Tilt adjustable steering wheel

9.0

Parts availability

8.9

Cab ventilation

8.6

Warranty

9.4

Exterior lights

9.1

Dealer representative/salesperson

9.1

TOTAL

8.6

TOTAL

9.1

Dealer/service: 9.1 out of 10 Deere dealers received top marks with our reviewers.

“Our dealer is extremely cooperative,” says Haney. “I don’t think I’ve ever spend a day down because they didn’t have a part.”

A look at our reviewers

W

e found our 11 reviewers through Randall-Reilly’s Equipment Data Associates division, which tracks financed purchases of construction equipment, and verified each reviewer had a Deere 310SK. In total, our reviewers had put more than 57,200 hours on 37-plus machines at the time of the review; hours ranged from 300 to 3,200, with an average of 1,545 hours. All reviewers bought their machines between 2013 and 2015. All reviews were reported anonymously, except when we received permission to use the reviewer’s name.

For more details on individual reviews go to equipmentworld.com/reviews.

34 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

Rating

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reader reviews | by Wayne Grayson TE YOUR LL US OPINIO A full rev N iew of th

e Koma t equipm is on our we su PC210LC-1 b 0 e n t There yo world.c site, u’ll o though see what indiv m/reviews. t, p idu the con lus you’ll be a al reviewers ble to jo versatio in n ,a comme nts to thdding your o se o our revie wers. f

Komatsu PC210LC-10 excavator

N

abbing some of the highest scores we’ve seen from a reviewed machine so far, there was a common theme among our experts when discussing how the Komatsu PC210LC-10 impresses: speed and agility.

And with nearly 15,000 hours combined on this excavator among them, several of our experts say the PC210LC-10 is simply “better all around,” than competing machines they have used in the past.

David Rowe, of Mount Airy, North Carolina-based heavy highway contractor Smith Rowe, says his relationship with Komatsu excavators goes back quite a ways.

“We’ve tried several different brands over the years but the Komatsu is our favorite because of the advantages we see mechanically as well as in performance.”

While the overall scores for the machine don’t reveal many negatives, as we detail in the breakdown below, many of our experts did take issue with at least one aspect of the machine, whether in relation to comfort, serviceability or dealer service.

Telematics are rated highly, but not without some confusion as to the technology’s full feature set.

The same was not true on performance and operator features, as you can see from the scores on this page. All ratings are given on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best possible score and 1 being the worst possible score.

OVERALL RATING:

Overall machine ratings:

9.1

out of 10 Rating

Serviceability

9.1

Performance

9.2

Telematics

8.9

Operator features

9.1

Machine options

9.3

Dealer

8.9

TOTAL

9.1

Serviceability 9.1 out of 10 Receiving fairly high marks from all of our experts, serviceability of the PC210LC-10 was particularly lauded by a Florida forestry contractor who says, “This machine was built with the operator in mind. It takes (primary operator) Dale half the time to grease and perform preventive maintenance checks and service on the 210 as opposed to other hoe manufacturers we own.”

A few of our reviewers dinged the machine for its ease of radiator clean out while Rowe says the acEquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 37

reader reviews | continued cess to scheduled service points could be improved.

SERVICEABILITY

Rating

Access to daily service points

9.2

Access to scheduled service points

9.0

Fuel capacity

9.6

Ease of radiator clean out

8.7

TOTAL

9.1

All of our reviewers were impressed with the machine’s fuel efficiency, giving the machine a 9.5 in that area.

In terms of power, perhaps Rowe summed up the feelings of the panel best.

“The 210 along with its predecessor have been the true workhorses of our fleet,” he says. “You can use them for a myriad of tasks both being big enough to get the job done and small enough to be maneuverable.

PERFORMANCE

Telematics 8.9 out of 10 All of our reviewers see the benefit and possibility of Komatsu’s Komtrax telematics offering, with a couple voicing particular advantages thanks to the technology they didn’t have before. However, most of them agree they need more training from their dealers on how to use the service while others, like Rowe, noted they simply don’t have the time for such training.

Two of the reviewers opted to not score this category for these reasons.

Charlie Nelson, owner of Charlie Nelson Trucking & Excavating in Benton, Kentucky, raves about Komtrax, saying he can always depend on service alerts and quick assistance from his dealer when trouble arises.

“You just don’t worry about the machine. If something happens they alert you,” he explains. “As soon as I call they’re out in 45 minutes to fix it. That means a whole lot.”

TELEMATICS Komtrax telematics system

Rating

8.9

Performance 9.2 out of 10 Our experts were in agreement that the PC210LC-10 is a hard package for its competitors to beat, saying the machine is powerful, quick, fuel efficient and maneuverable.

“The responsiveness is what my operators claim the most,” says Tim Cederlund of Union, Illinois-based excavation firm Team REIL. “And it has very fast cycle times for a machine with such a small footprint. We’ve been renting Cat 336s along with Komatsu PC330s. And this machine, for the size and weight, it just seems to do it all faster.”

Jared Solsma, of Hospers, Iowa-based excavation contractor Solsma Bros. agrees on the machine’s responsiveness saying the hydraulics feel quicker to previous machine’s he’s operated.

“I don’t use it for loading trucks. I do more pipe laying and digging basements,” he explained. “I upgraded to this Dash-10 from a Dash-7, and the biggest difference with this machine is it’s a little heavier and it’s got a little more reach and horsepower. But the hydraulics feel quicker too.”

38 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

Rating

Hydraulic horsepower

9.3

Swing speed, torque

9.3

Travel speed

9.0

Bucket breakout force

8.8

Dig depth

9.1

Dump height

9.2

Reach

9.1

Lift over side

9.0

Lift over end

9.4

Stability

9.3

Cycle times/productivity

9.4

Emissions system/regens

9.2

Nighttime lighting

8.9

Coupler, work tool changes

9.1

Fuel efficiency

9.5

Power modes

9.3

TOTAL

9.2

Dealer 8.9 out of 10 Matching telematics for the lowest score among all categories, dealer support was primarily dinged by two of our reviewers. A Fort Worth, Texas, excavating contractor gave the machine’s warranty a low score of 4, while Solsma assigned a score of 6 to his dealer’s service, support after sale and parts availability.

However, other reviewers had nothing but glowing reviews for their dealers.

DEALER

Rating

Support after sale

9.0

Parts availability

9.0

Warranty

8.7

Dealer representative/salesperson

9.0

TOTAL

8.9

Machine Options 9.3 out of 10 This category received the highest score from our panel

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reader reviews | continued with the Rockland thumbs, straight travel pedal, full front cab guard (OPG Level 2) and bolt-on top guard (OPG Level 2) all receiving perfect scores.

Solsma notes his machine is equipped with a hydraulic thumb. “I’ve got a hydraulic thumb on it and I really like that thumb. It comes in handy a lot,” he says.”

MACHINE OPTIONS

Rating

Operator Features 9.1 out of 10 In terms of an overall score, our reviewers seem to appreciate the PC210LC-10’s comfort. But when it comes to being inside a machine all day it’s easy to spot areas for improvement and the individual components to this category certainly bear that out.

“I could nitpick that there’s not much room for a lunchbox behind the seat,” Solsma says. Indeed, the machine’s in-cab storage score of 9 was tied for the lowest among all operator features. (Ease of entry and exit along with visibility rear and sides scored a 9 as well.)

For the most part though, our reviewers agree with Nelson who says, “The cab is very comfortable and quiet.”

Light counterweight (7,937 pounds)

9.5

One additional rearview camera

8.0

9-foot, 7 inch arm assembly

9.5

9-foot, 7 inch HD arm assembly

8.7

9-foot, 7 inch HD arm with piping

8.5

18-foot, 8-inch boom assembly

9.0

Cab size, roominess

9.2

18-foot, 8-inch HD arm with piping

9.3

Controls, ease of use

9.2

Full front cab guard, OPG Level 2

10.0

Ease of entry and exit

9.0

Bolt-on top guard, OPG Level 2

10.0

Standard seat: comfort, ergonomics

9.2

Lower front window guard

8.8

Visibility forward

9.2

High pressure in line hydraulic filters

8.8

Visibility rear and sides

9.0

Hydraulic control unit, one actuator

9.3

Dash displays, instrumentation panel

9.1

Rain visor

8.7

In-cab storage

9.0

Revolving frame undercover, heavy duty

9.0

Foot room

9.2

Shoes, triple grouser, 28-inches

9.7

TOTAL

9.1

Straight travel pedal

10.0

Track roller guards, full length

9.0

A look at our reviewers

Front working light, one additional

9.5

Grade control systems

9.0

Hydraulic couplers

9.5

Hydraulic kits, field installed

9.0

PSM thumbs

9.7

Rockland thumbs

10.0

Vandalism protection with storage box

9.7

e found our 10 reviewers through Randall-Reilly’s Equipment Data Associates division, which tracks financed purchases of construction equipment, and verified each reviewer had a Komatsu PC210LC-10.

In total, our reviewers put more than 14,844 hours on their machines; hours ranged from 547 to 3,100, with an average of 1,484 hours. All reviewers bought their machines between 2013 and 2015.

All reviews were reported anonymously, except when we received permission to use the reviewer’s name.

TOTAL

9.3

OPERATOR FEATURES

Rating

W

For more details on individual reviews go to equipmentworld.com/reviews.

Machine description

I

ntroduced about three years ago, the Komatsu PC210LC-10 replaced the dash-8 model and features a new travel motor and final drive assemblies for increased drawbar pull and steering and slope climbing performance.

A 158-horsepower engine with a hydraulically actuated variable geometry turbocharger powers the unit. The operating weight is 48,950 pounds to 52,036 pounds and the bucket capacity is 0.66 to 1.57 cubic yards.

What the company calls an “arm-quick” return circuit puts some pep in your cycle times. A joystick pushbutton “Power Max” feature cranks up the breakout force for 8.5 seconds when a knockout punch is needed. Maximum arm crowd force and bucket digging force are both up 7 percent from the 40 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

dash-8 models.

Komatsu claims a 10-percent fuel economy improvement over the dash-8 models, thanks primarily to improvements in the hydraulic system. The hydraulic system is closed center and load sensing with large displacement and high flow output.

A heated, air-suspension seat comes standard. An in-cab monitor offers expanded functionality, including an attachment control screen that lets you name and set hydraulic parameters for up to 10 different attachments. The monitor will also alert the operator when oil and filter replacements are due.

Komtrax equipment monitoring comes standard and lets you access the machine’s telematics data from any internet connected device.

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machine matters | by Richard Ries

Case

The 590 Super N is the largest and most powerful backhoe in the Case family. Standard Power Lift technology raises bucket breakout force and lifting capacities to 15,853 pounds and 4,175 pounds, respectively. Optional Comfort Steer reduces lock-to-lock from three turns of the steering wheel to just oneand-a-half turns.

42 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

CHOOSE YOUR

BACKHOE:

BASIC OR SPEC’D OUT

B

ackhoe loaders of 14-foot-and-greater dig depth have split into two markets: rental and contractor. As more standard features were added to backhoes and prices crept up accordingly, customers for lower-cost, lower-spec’d units got left behind. Manufacturers are intent on offering machines for customers at both ends of the spectrum, which for many has meant rebuilding the lower end of their backhoe model lineup.

One of the keys to providing lower-cost machines is engine selection. Engines below 75 horsepower have less stringent emissions requirements under Tier 4 Final than do engines of more than 75 horsepower. The cost of meeting these less restrictive standards is lower, so the overall cost of a machine is lower. Other strategies for lowering cost include having canopies as standard with cabs as options and offering performance-enhancing features only as options, or not at all. Telematics and a free multi-year subscription for their use have minimal effect on the cost of a machine and are standard on many down-spec models.

Because operators of lower-cost backhoes don’t want to spend their days struggling to get tasks accomplished with a weak machine, OEMs have found ways to narrow the performance gap that would otherwise occur when moving to a lower-output engine. John Deere’s 310L EP, for example, has 70 horsepower in standard configuration, but replacing the standard belt-drive fan with a viscous-drive unit bumps that to 73 horsepower. The 310L EP has a tandem gear pump with one circuit for the front and one for the rear, while some other Deere models use a single pump. Having two dedicated circuits improves performance at both ends of the backhoe, says Brian Hennings, marketing manager for backhoe and tractor loaders at Deere.

Even so, there are applications where the lower power EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 43

machine matters | continued for rental houses. Those attributes make them appealing to other customers, says Turnage.

The type and number of standard features varies on rentalready machines. Although Deere’s 70-horsepower 310L EP is considered a down-spec model, it still has as standard a 4-speed powershift transmission, a fuel-saving economy mode that can be configured independently for backhoe and loader functions, a multi-language digital monitor with full text diagnostic display and a three-year subscription service of JDLink telematics.

John Deere

John Deere’s new 310SL HL and its stable mate, the 410L, offer up to 25 percent more craning capability than their K Series predecessors. An additional 10 to 15 percent boost is available at the push of a button through the new Lift Mode feature. In Lift Mode, engine speed is set to 1,400 rpm and hydraulic pressure is maximized for craning operation. will be noticeable and customers whose work typically involves these applications should stay with higher-power machines. Examples include loading, roading and production work.

Rent spec right for more than rental What OEMs often refer to as the rental market is much larger than rental and includes first-time buyers; owners, especially of large fleets, who never run their own equipment but instead rely on operators; and those seeking to fill gaps in their fleets. “The new Case 580N EP model, with its lower horsepower engine and basic standard offering, is ideal for the rental market but is also an excellent entry-level opportunity for that contractor who has thought about buying a backhoe but hasn’t pulled the trigger,” says Katie Pullen, brand marketing manager for Case Construction Equipment. “It’s also more practical 44 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

for contractors to add to their fleets than more fully-featured models. It’s a great option for contractors seeking to grow their businesses.”

Although the 580N EP is relatively basic in order to meet the needs of the rental market, that’s not its only configuration. “Renters don’t want to pay for extra features,” Pullen says. They want simplicity.

“But contractors see the 580N EP as a blank slate that can be optioned up to provide the features they need for their businesses. That way, they’re not buying more than they need.”

Even within the rental market, there are segments such as landscapers and site prep contractors, utilities and oil and gas pipeline construction, says Joe Turnage, product specialist with Terex Construction Americas. Down-spec models are simpler to set up and use for those who don’t run them every day and they’re priced right

Right for you So how do you decide whether a down-spec rental or full-featured backhoe is right for you? Turnage says those digging small trenches, swimming pools and septic systems will likely be happy with rental-spec machines. Those working in gravel pits or moving heavy loads such as rock or metal should look only at higher-spec machines with more power and heavier components.

Kevin Hershberger, senior market professional of backhoe loaders for Caterpillar, says their 415F2 with 68 horsepower will hold its own against the company’s 87-horsepower 416F2 during backhoe operation. “But in horsepower demanding situations like aggressive front loader work or extended roading applications, the higher power of the 416F2 will become more evident,” he says.

“In my experience, few customers are able to move down in performance and be satisfied with that change. On the other hand, not all customers use the full power available on their current machines, so a move to a lower spec machine doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t meet their requirements.

It all comes down to matching machine performance with the customer’s needs.”

Heavy lifting Some manufacturers are offering higher lift capacity options on their backhoes. John Deere’s 310SL HL and 410L have improved craning capabilities thanks to larger hydraulic cylinders and heavier rear structures. Pressure-compensated, load-sensing (PCLS) valves are part of the design. “The PCLS valve has been improved to provide better feel and control, especially during multi-function tasks, such as curling the bucket with an auxiliary thumb while lifting the dipper,” says Hennings. Lift capacities of all other L Series models are unchanged from the K Series models they replace.

Pullen says the Power Lift technology available on most Case backhoes “has been one of the most successful and sought-after features in our product lineup.

Power Lift channels hydraulic power directly to the boom while maintaining low engine speeds. It gives a 14-foot model lifting strength comparable to a 15-foot model, and a 15-foot model the lifting strength of a 7- to 8-ton excavator. It has also shown to improve dipper and bucket forces.”

Turnage says the North American market is changing and customers are often renting instead of buying.

“Higher spec’d machines come with a higher price tag and therefore are not well suited to the rental market.

Our TLB840R handles the majority of rental applications and is affordable for rental customers to both purchase and rent.”

Just because a backhoe loader isn’t labeled as a high-lift-capacity machine doesn’t mean it doesn’t have that capability. JCB doesn’t designate any of its models as having high lift capacity, but looking at their numbers in the Equipment World Spec Guide shows their three 14-foot-class 3CX models have lift capacities of 3,509 pounds, comparable to other manufacturers’ highlift-capacity 14-foot models and to

JCB

JCB equipped the rental-ready 3CX with stabilizer cylinder guards, protection from spillage for the stabilizer hoses, boom and dipper hoses enclosed inside the rear structure and heavy-duty, flexible guides for kingpost hoses. The 3CX is powered by a JCB Ecomax Tier 4 Final engine producing 74 horsepower. some 15-foot models.

Turnage says higher lift capacities often reflect higher overall performance that may be important in other applications. He says even if lift capacity isn’t an issue, other related factors should be considered. “The biggest advantage of machines with higher lift capacities is that they also have higher breakout forces, the power needed to drive into a pile and to bring the bucket out of the pile fully loaded.

These capabilities will benefit users who are doing production loading of heavy material, whereas most general users don’t need the extra capacity.”

Not everyone needs higher lift capacities from their backhoes. They may do little lifting and placing or they may have other equipment for those tasks. Owners of compact excavators of 5 metric tons or greater already have a machine that will out-lift most backhoes. “All that’s

needed is lifting capacity to meet the application requirements of your backhoe business,” says Hershberger. “A high spec’d machine that delivers lift performance you never use doesn’t benefit anyone.

So it’s really about making sure the machine you buy meets your actual working requirements.”

Fitting in With such a wide range of power and features, it can be challenging to choose the right machine.

The lower initial cost of a low-spec backhoe is appealing, but will it deliver the required performance?

“If customers do their homework and see that the specs of a lower horsepower model match their needs, they will not notice any significant lag in performance,” says Pullen. “Contractors accustomed to larger models with more features, however, will notice that these machines don’t have the full capaEquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 45

machine matters | continued Cat

The Caterpillar 415F2 is an addition to its new F2 Series, and has a 68-horsepower Cat C3.4B engine. The available standard cab has flat glass for excellent visibility and the rear window design improves trench sight lines. Like all F2 models, the 415F2 has a load-sensing, variabledisplacement pump that matches flow to demand.

bilities and features they’re used to. Heavy utility, oil and gas, and major highway all require greater lifting capacities, auxiliary hydraulics, heavier engine loads and some of the creature comforts that aren’t found in a down-spec unit.”

Hershberger says he encourages customers to consider some key points. What machine have they been using and how satisfied have they been with it? What type of work are they currently doing and how might that change in the next few years? Which features and performance items will help them do that work better, more efficiently or more cost effectively? “Our dealer salesmen understand our product and customer applications and can help customers identify critical requirements and the best machine to help them meet their needs,” he says.

46 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

The 3CX, 3CX-14 and 3CX-14 Super from JCB illustrate the range of standard equipment available within a given size of backhoe. All have 14-foot, 7-inch dig depths. The 3CX, targeted at rental and first-time buyers, has 71 horsepower, manual controls front and rear and tandem gear pumps. Rather than a variable geometry turbocharger, it is fitted with a wastegate turbocharger. To enhance durability in rental and other demanding applications, the 3CX has metal fenders, a steel fuel tank, protection for the stabilizer cylinders and a wear strip on the dipper. Options include a hammer circuit (one-way flow), extending dipper, 6-in-1 front bucket and loader end pipe work (also called a third spool) to run power attachments. It is available with a canopy or cab; air conditioning is standard with the cab. The 3CX has a parallel

lift design and 32.5-gpm hydraulics.

The 3CX-14 has an axial piston pump and higher flow. It has more available options than the 3CX, even an in-cab coffee maker. The Super model has all of these features plus higher horsepower, auto smooth ride to reduce bucket spillage and enhance operator comfort, auto throttle that returns the throttle to a pre-set when cycling through functions, auto drive (similar to cruise control) and auto check that performs all daily checks at key-on.

“By offering three levels of standard equipment with various options we can deliver an ideal machine for the rental, owner-operator and multi-unit fleet markets,” says Rafael Nunez, backhoe loader product manager with JCB. “They are distinct markets with different needs and our lineup reflects that.”

Terex offers the TLB840R as their

rental version of the TLB840. The R model has 74 horsepower; the TLB840 has 88. But the R has 288 foot-pounds of torque compared to 281 foot-pounds in its predecessor so engine performance is good despite the lower horsepower.

The same hydraulic pump is used in both models so “the hydraulic power remains the same with our rental-spec’d TLB840R machine as with the full-spec’d TLB840 unit,” says Turnage. Depending on their needs customers may choose the TLB840R with a few options to meet the requirements of their applications, such as front or rear auxiliary hydraulics, and still have a lower initial cost than if they’re gone with the higher-spec TLB840.

Because of the diversity in specs and features, backhoe loader customers are advised to have a thorough understanding of their applications in order to select the right model for their needs. “In some cases customers who look closely at their current and future needs may even find that a different machine or a combination of different machines is a better choice for them,” says Hennings. But if a backhoe is the right choice, there are more models with a wider range of features available now than ever before.

Terex

The Terex TL840R is configured to meet the rental market’s need for a low acquisition cost, high-performance backhoe. This rental-ready backhoe loader comes standard with 4-wheel drive, tilt steering wheel, suspension seat and selectable pattern change pilot controls. It can be ordered with either a canopy or fully enclosed cab that includes heat and air conditioning.

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road science | by Tom Kuennen

WHAT’S BEHIND FOAMED ASPHALT’S STEEP GROWTH TRAJECTORY?

50 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

Association. Since mechanical foaming units were used in 88 percent of all WMA produced in 2012, it’s clear the use of foamed asphalt is following the same steep growth trajectory.

To help everyone understand the new WMA environment of foamed asphalt, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program released a new report earlier this year on test methods, performance measurements and mix designs. (A copy of the report can be downloaded by doing an Internet search for “NCHRP 807.”)

Foam stabilization is not just for mobile recyclers; adjacent to Virginia’s I-81, Wirtgen KMA 220 portable cold mix plant foam-recycles cold millings from the Interstate for immediate placement as a flexible base course.

Photo: Wirtgen America

J

ust like the swelling froth of expanded liquid asphalt in a foamed asphalt application, use of foamed asphalt in warm mixes is growing exponentially, and its use for full-depth recycling and base stabilization of roads is increasing as well.

Warm mix asphalt (WMA) production in the United States has exploded in recent years, from 19.2 million tons in 2009 to 86.7 million tons in 2012, an increase of more than 400 percent in only three years, according to the National Asphalt Pavement

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 51

road science | continued

The foamed asphalt mix on this Champaign County, Illinois, road was 2.5 percent liquid asphalt, performance graded PG 64-22 at 320 degrees, 1.0 percent dry cement as mineral filler and 2.2 percent water, as a percent of total.

Photo: Dunn Company

Why WMA use is growing In general, warm mix asphalt processes reduce the viscosity of the liquid asphalt through a variety of means, and enable the complete coating of aggregates at temperatures 35 to 100 degrees lower than conventional hot mix asphalt. It’s manufactured by mixing one of a variety of solid or liquid chemical modifiers like Sasobit or Evotherm with asphalt mix in the plant, but it also can be made by foaming the liquid asphalt with water in the plant just as it’s mixed with aggregate.

In North America, WMA began growing in popularity in the 1990s following the popularization of European technologies by the Fed52 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

eral Highway Administration and NAPA. Before then, another type of foamed asphalt – a cold mix created in a portable plant (or in situ in the field using a recycler/reclaimer) and using as much as 100 percent reclaimed asphalt pavement – gained popularity for base stabilization and full-depth reclamation of roads.

Fueling the growth in lower-cost, plant-foamed asphalt warm mixes is the fact that it’s a sustainable technology that reduces plant emissions, lowers fuel consumption at the plant, and creates a better environment for workers in the field.

In contrast, heat is the essence of conventional asphalt mix production, which takes place at temperatures from 275 to more than

330 degrees. Before mixing with hot liquid asphalt, fine and coarse aggregates are heated to high temperatures to drive off moisture, ease coating of the mineral aggregates with the liquid asphalt, and to keep the complete mix fluid enough to be workable during placement.

In addition to consuming huge amounts of fuel, heating liquid asphalt and aggregate to these temperatures produces volatile organic compound (VOC) fumes.

Today’s warm mixes have the potential to all but eliminate these emissions, giving a plant owner a powerful tool to use in the permitting process. They also can use up to 50 percent less burner fuel.

The APA is a partnership of the Asphalt Institute, National Asphalt Pavement Association and the State Asphalt Pavement Associations.

road science | continued

With plant-mounted foaming equipment (green) in advance of drum, water is injected into liquid AC through a series of all-stainless steel injectors located above corresponding foaming chambers.

Photo: Astec Industries

Other warm mix advantages include faster construction of deep-lift pavements (since less time is required to cool the lift), the ability to transport loads of asphalt over greater distances without fear of temperature loss, and in some instances, construction of pavements in colder weather. Also, pavement durability may be enhanced since the burner heat doesn’t drive off the lightest hydrocarbon fractions from liquid asphalt in the mix.

In addition, in cold recycled mixes, foamed asphalt uses significantly less costly liquid asphalt for an equivalent performance than conventional asphalt emulsion, cement or lime stabilizing agent. In the case of an in-place recycling train, the foamed process will be much shorter – usually done with tankers carrying liquid asphalt and water flanking a specially equipped recycler – instead of lengthy recycling train. But this process also 54 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

requires sophisticated equipment and additional personnel training.

In-plant foaming systems Water-based, in-plant foamed systems for low energy mixes use nozzles that precisely meter water into mixing chambers adjacent to the drum of a drum mix plant. Injection of water, along with the liquid asphalt cement, causes the liquid asphalt to foam and expand in volume. The foaming action helps the liquid asphalt coat the aggregate at a temperature that normally is in the range of 230 to 270 degrees.

These systems provide a foamed asphalt binder without reliance on additives, special binder, special techniques or asphalt cement delivery systems, says Astec Industries, a manufacturer of in-plant foamed asphalt systems.

“The additives are expensive and add significant cost per ton of mix,” Astec says. “Astec warm

mix systems eliminate the need for expensive additives and special asphalt cement by mixing a small amount of water into the AC to create microscopic bubbles. These small bubbles act to reduce the viscosity of the AC coating on the rock allowing the mix to be handled and worked at lower temperatures.”

With Astec’s system, water is delivered using a positive displacement piston pump capable of accurately metering water into the system. Using feedback controls, the pump speed is modulated to maintain the appropriate flow of water based upon the flow of AC. Programmable logic controls provide for smooth and consistent water flow as production rates increase or decrease.

Then, the water is injected into the liquid AC through a series of all stainless steel injectors located above corresponding foaming chambers. AC flows through the

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Close-up of compacted, foam-asphalt stabilized mat in Champaign County, Illinois, which eventually will receive a 3.25-inch asphalt overlay over 4-inch-deep foamed base.

To order, call (800) 430-4540 or visit www.equipmentworld.com/roady-order-form Email: roady@equipmentworld.com 56 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com Roady_EW_halfpage_EW0415.indd 1

3/25/15 8:52 AM

Photo: Dunn Company

road science | continued

foaming chambers where water and AC are thoroughly mixed to produce mechanically foamed AC. A skid-mounted corrosion-free water reservoir is provided with an automatic filling valve. If supply water is lost, a low-water alarm alerts plant personnel so the problem may be resolved quickly without wasting mix.

Though the system is compact, it has been designed with the plant crew in mind, Astec says. The selfcleaning water injectors require only periodic inspection and may be removed and replaced from the top of the unit without removing the front cover. The foaming chambers have no moving parts.

Significantly, Astec can retrofit warm mix systems to continuous mix and batch plants from any manufacturer, bringing the benefits of warm mix asphalt to all asphalt pavement plant configurations.

Cold foamed mixes A different kind of foamed asphalt incorporates liquid “foamed” asphalt as a stabilizing agent for bases or FDR, in which hot liquid asphalt is foamed with water and air, and is then injected into RAP or aggregate in a mixing chamber in a portable plant, or a self-propelled recycler/reclaimer.

In this cold mix foamed asphalt process, the recycled aggregate is not completely coated, as is the process with in-plant foamed injection using mostly virgin aggregate. Instead, as 100 percent reclaimed materials are introduced to the pug mill or mixing chamber, foamed asphalt is injected into the material stream, and acts as a binding agent to “glue” the reclaimed aggregates together.

This permits use of less liquid asphalt and much lower mixing temperatures. Depending on the

degree of presence of fines in the existing materials to be recycled, up to 1 percent cement or hydrated lime may be required to act as a carrier or “dispersing agent” for the liquid asphalt to assist its spread throughout the pulverized material; this will add to the cost of the project.

Last summer, foamed asphalt was incorporated into an in-place cold recycling project. Using a Wirtgen 3800 CR cold recycling machine, recycling subcontractor Dunn Company, Decatur, Illinois, cold-milled 96,200 square yards on Champaign County Highways 11 and 20, a total of approximately 7.2 lane miles.

Then, following a quick conversion of the same machine, using it to feed a paver instead of a recycler-mounted screed, the crews recycled the lower lift using foamed asphalt. Two tandem

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vibratory compactors executed breakdown compaction of the recycled foamed base.

Dunn pre-milled with the 3800 CR recycler to allow room for surface courses as well as correct elevation and slope issues.

Ultimately, prime contractor Open Road Paving, Urbana, Illinois, placed an asphalt overlay on the 4-inch foamed base. A 1.5 inch-lift of binder or leveling course was topped with 1.75 inches of surface or “friction” course, in two 11-foot-wide lanes.

“Cold in-place recycling (CIR) via foamed asphalt is a

In Champaign County, Illinois, in-place foamed asphalt recycling moves from right to left, with conveyor feeding paver; contractor also had option of using recycler-mounted compacting screed at rear of machine.

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58 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

1950-2015

Photo: Dunn Company

road science | continued

Photo: Tom Kuennen

The time for fresh, extracted liquid foamed asphalt to subside by half – its ‘half life’ – is measured in bucket; Caltrans recommends binder half-life of at least 12 seconds and expansion ratio of 10 to be desirable for adequate dispersion and foaming consistency.

good complement to traditional construction methods,” says Mark Stahl, Dunn Company vice president of operations.

“As an intermediate layer, CIR provides the structural strength and flexibility that make the wearing courses more durable and make the pavement last longer. And by re-using materials in-place for the intermediate layer, we help the wearing courses perform better while reducing the time, cost and environmental impact of projects. That benefits agencies as well as the taxpaying public.”

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 59 Untitled-16 1

5/18/15 3:19 PM

highway contractor

| by Chris Hill |

ChrisHill@randallreilly.com

THINLAYS

AS A PAVEMENT PRESERVATION TOOL, THIS METHOD CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF ROADWAYS WHILE ADDING SLIGHT STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY

D

windling budgets and the uncertainty about the Highway Trust Fund have caused departments of transportation and municipalities to take longer looks at pavement preservation techniques.

In light of this, more transportation entities are looking at thin overlays – commonly called thinlays – as a way to rehabilitate roads rather than replace them.

Asphalt thinlays, which range from 3/4-inch to 1-inch thick, are created with smaller nominal maximum aggregate sizes than typical asphalt pavement and are supplemented with more asphalt binder mix that is formulated to be softer. That helps make the mix more durable and resistant to cracking – ideal attributes for a preservation product.

Chuck Fuller, president of J.D. Ramming Paving in Austin, Texas, has been working with thinlays for more than eight years. He’s also involved with the National Asphalt Pavement Association in their pavement preservation educational efforts, and has spoken about his experience with thinlays at an education session at the World of Asphalt show.

While thinlay use is growing, Fuller says, there also is some trepidation because of some cases of misuse, cases that lead to mixed results and even failures.

“Thinlays are a pavement preservation tool,” he says. “That needs to be stressed more than anything. A thinlay is not a dense-graded material. It does have structural value, but it’s not to be used solely for a typical structural valued roadway.”

Fuller’s company learned some valuable lessons on a project that used thinlay instead of a standardthickness mat to widen a roadway to create turning lanes. The pavement quickly failed.

The underlying structure of the roadbed, he explains, has to be sound for a thinlay to perform properly. For example, if there is block cracking, then a contractor has to crack seal the roadway or apply an underseal membrane on the material.

But because thinlays have had a high success rate in preserving roadways – and generally are thought to extend the life of a pavement for at least seven years – there is a rush to use this method outside of its intended application, Fuller says.

“It’s an ongoing battle for proper EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 61

highway contractor | continued use, especially with some of the entities out there, because they see the value in it,” Fuller says. “It costs more per ton to produce and place, but a ton of it goes a long way, especially at less than an inch.”

As a result, he adds, some agencies want to use it in all situations that call for a pavement preservation method. “We have conversations many times with our clients about a certain pavement condition not being the correct application for this product, and that the situation needs to be reevaluated,” Fuller says.

“We may go out and do some of the maintenance work that needs to be done under the thinlay, and then it (thinlay work) is still not produced,” he adds, explaining that more maintenance work beyond the requirements of a thinlay are needed in these instances.

Fuller says his company has performed thinlay work that continues to perform well and look good after

A thinlay differs from a thinlift in both the aggregate size (smaller) and binder grade (softer). eight seasons, and that he estimates could last 10 to 12 years without maintenance. But, he admits, there have been failures.

“I’ve had thinlays fail within one season when they’re used in the wrong application, or they’re used without doing the correct preparation work,” he adds. “We’ve experienced both the good and the bad.”

John Hickey, executive director of the Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon, says the biggest factor contributing to the growth of thinlay application is the increasing need for effective pavement preservation techniques.

“DOTs have lived through the seals, and now they’ve gotten to the point that doing them is not a long-

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term solution,” he says. “Dealing with preservation is the biggest challenge for pavement managers. They just have more preservation work to do.”

Hickey says the additional challenges of aging roadways coupled with long-term budget reductions

Success and Failure

Proper pavement conditions make the difference between thinlay success and failure Not every pavement condition is ideal for applying thinlays. Here’s a breakdown of where they should and should not be used.

Acceptable thinlay conditions • Shallow rutting, less than or equal to 1/2-inch deep • Top-down cracking • Block cracking (when sealed first) • Less than 20 percent moderate fatigue cracking (when spot repaired first) • Limited vertical clearance or curb reveal • Longitudinal cracking in vehicle wheel path • Overlaying widened sections • Transverse cracking (not thermal) • Raveling • Highly oxidized surfaces • Polished surfaces Unacceptable thinlay conditions • Widespread deep rutting of more than 1/2-inch deep • Surface cracks wider than 3/8 inch • Deep patching more than 4 inches deep • More than 20 percent moderate to severe alligator cracking • Potential layer debonding or subsurfacing stripping areas • Severe bleeding/flushing

have taken their toll on pavement managers, causing them to seek better preservation solutions. “The general feeling in the pavement management community is that seal treatments are not providing the ideal benefits,” he says. “They don’t extend structural life.”

Because DOTs have been so focused on creating long-life pavements, Hickey says his group has been promoting how thinlays can achieve this goal.

“We tout the benefit that you can get to a perpetual pavement 1 inch at a time,” he says. “With our growing preservation needs and people looking at more life cycle cost concepts and preservation, we’re moving away from ‘Oh, I’ve got to do some sort of preservation, let me just throw some money at it.’”

But like Fuller, Hickey stresses that thinlay application isn’t a silver bullet, and contractors cannot apply a thinlay on a structurally failed

road and expect it to endure.

And other times thinlay application mistakes may be due to confusion over the difference between a thinlay and a thinlift.

“We can’t just equate thinlift with thinlay,” Hickey says.

Thinlifts are standard mix designs placed thin; thinlays have a completely different mix design. “Even in the asphalt community there’s some confusion, and it’s a mistake I regularly see. From a design and engineering standpoint, it’s different.” Hickey references the specific differences of smaller aggregate size and the softer binder grade. Softer binders are more crack resistant, whereas stiffer binders, which are used in thinlifts, are more susceptible to cracking.

Roadway preparation The condition of a pavement is the first consideration when deciding to use a thinlay (see sidebar), but the main way to ensure long-term

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highway contractor | continued success is site preparation, which needs to be carefully planned and executed.

Fuller says one of the biggest factors is cleanliness, particularly if any milling is involved. “We have found that the lack of preparation of the underlying surface – patching, crack sealing and cleanliness – is the number one reason for premature failure,” he says.

He adds that his company primarily uses brooms to clean prior to application, in addition to minimal use of vacuum trucks. On one section of roadway, they even used a water truck with a broom to clean.

“We found that with the slightest amount dust, especially on trackless tack, the mat does not bond and slippage occurs,” he says.

“Cleaning of the roadway before you put out a tack coat is imperative,” Fuller says. “And applying too much tack coat can cause other problems. I’ve seen several pavements fail with the tack material coming up through the thinlay, and then the wheel paths will have what looks like bleeding or seeping.”

Fuller has found when milling it’s been effective to allow traffic to run on the milled surface a day before thinlay application. “Traffic helps remove the dust,” he says, “and it ensures that the surface is dry.”

Thinlay application The smaller nominal aggregate size used in thinlays presents a transport challenge for the mix, as it has a tendency to lose heat quickly. Fuller says insulated trucks are a must when hauling the mix, and also advises placing tarps over the mix, particularly with distances of more than 25 miles from plant to jobsite.

“When you start dealing with thinlay mixes and manipulating them, they can start to chunk,” he says. “So when you’re trying to lay a 1-inch mat, and these cold chunks come through, they get caught underneath the screed and 64 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

there’s nothing you can do besides stop, pick the screed up, and then start again.”

This starting and stopping with a thinlay mix is problematic because Fuller says it can take roughly 25 feet for the screed to level itself out, causing a shadowing effect.

“With a thinlay it’s real important that once you start, you don’t stop,” he adds. “It’s more visual than anything, because I’m not seeing where there are premature failures in those areas.”

These examples aside, Fuller’s main point about application is simply to follow basic standard paving procedures. “Essentially you’ve got to go back to ‘Paving 101.’ Everything you do wrong is magnified drastically with a thinlay.”

Added benefit Pavement managers are trying to think ahead and address the concerns of the traveling public, Hickey says, in addition to using pavement preservation techniques that last and provide value.

Unlike seals, thinlays also create a smooth roadway, a feature that gets the most attention from motorists.

“The number one thing the traveling public cares about is smoothness – a nice, smooth, quiet ride,” Hickey says. “A chip seal doesn’t give you that; it gives you a bumpy noisy ride. Putting down a thinlay gives motorists the impression of a new pavement.”

Pavement managers, Hickey says, are starting to look at preservation from a life cycle cost perspective and the best use or resources. “The idea of actually putting pavement down on the surface where it’s going to make it impermeable, improve smoothness, and add structure – it’s very enticing, and I think we’re going to see continued growth in thinlays because of that,” Hickey concludes.

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maintenance | by Tom Jackson | TJackson@randallreilly.com

HOW DIESEL GOT ITS GROOVE BACK:

HIGH PRESSURE COMMON RAIL AND ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION

W

hile NASA may have sent a probe all the way to Pluto, there’s another engineering miracle sitting right here on earth largely unnoticed under everybody’s noses.

We’re talking about the modern era Tier 4 Final diesel engines that use high pressure common rail fuel systems and electronically actuated injectors governed by a electronic control module (ECM).

These systems can put small, rapid-fire bursts of fuel into the cylinders at rates in some cases of more than 6,000 times a minute. As a result, today’s big diesel engines can produce more power with less fuel than ever before while simultaneously cutting exhaust emissions by more than 95 percent.

To give you a better idea of how these modern miracles of engineering work we talked with Jim Fier, vice president of engineering at Cummins and Ilidio Serra, manager technical service support, Robert Bosch automotive aftermarket division.

We start by looking at the difference between the older style injectors and today’s new technology.

MECHANICAL INJECTION Prior to modern emissions regulations most diesel engines relied on mechanical fuel injection – a camshaft lobe pushing against a roller tappet drove a plunger that pres-

MECHANICAL INJECTION

COMMON RAIL

INJECTORS

FUEL PUMP

The common rail delivers high pressure fuel to the injectors, freeing the injectors to fire much more frequently than the mechanical cycling of the engine would allow. Source: Cummins

surized the fuel. In these systems, pressurized fuel travels through a line until it hits a spring on the injector and forces it open, allowing the fuel to flow into the cylinder.

Pressures up to 15,000 psi were possible, but only one injection per rotation of the cam lobe and one

shot of fuel per combustion cycle were possible.

Mechanical fuel injection is simple and reliable. It’s still used on lower horsepower engines, but it can’t provide the precise control, emissions reductions and broad power range needed for today’s larger Tier EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 67

maintenance | continued 4 Final engines, primarily those 74 horsepower and up.

As emissions regulations grew increasingly strict, improvements evolved, including distributor pumps, in-line pumps and unit injectors, eventually taking pressures up to 23,000 to 26,000 psi. Many OEMs were able to get through the Tier 3 emissions requirements using these more sophisticated systems. But the real miracle didn’t happen until the introduction of

high pressure common rail fuel systems (HPCR), which enabled injection pressures up to as much as 36,000 psi.

COMMON RAIL SYSTEM In a HPCR system, the injectors draw their fuel from a single accumulator-like rail that serves all the injectors with a common source of fuel. The fuel stored in the common rail is pressurized, up to 30,000+ psi, while waiting to be used.

The advantage here is that you are no longer depending on a cam lobe or fuel pump to pressurize the fuel at the injector. The tasks of pressurization and injection, which are linked in mechanical systems, become independent. And the higher the pressure, the better the fuel atomizes once it is sprayed into the cylinder.

Instead of the speed of the cam or the fuel pump determining when the injector opens and closes, an HPCR system controls the injector with In a mechanical fuel injection system, presa small, rapid firing surization of the fuel and injection timing depends on the rotation of a camshaft tied to the reciprocating action of the engine.

Source: Bosch Automotive Aftermarket

NOZZLE

68 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

actuator, either a solenoid or piezo crystal built into the injector. And because they are electronically actuated, they can fire as fast as you can turn an electric currrent on and off.

These electronically governed injectors provide much better control of injection timing and quantity compared to mechanical systems, says Fier. “This has been a significant enabler of designing cleaner and more fuel efficient diesel engines,” he says.

MULTIPLE INJECTION EVENTS “Combustion in a diesel engine is much like the recipe for baking a cake,” says Serra. “If you measure your ingredients correctly, have the right temperature settings and time, you get a perfect cake every time.”

The challenge is that the recipe may change from one second to the next. Every time you drop into a different gear, climb a hill or pour on the throttle to maximize breakout force, the mix of pressures, temperatures, injection events and timing changes the recipe.

Only common rail systems with ECM brains and ultra-fast, electronically-controlled injectors have the speed and versatility to respond to these changes and still

BODY

maintain emissions parameters, fuel economy and power output.

DIESEL DYNAMICS A cylinder in a gasoline engine will consume one injection of fuel within 40 to 60 degrees of crankshaft rotation. A diesel engine burn lasts much longer, from 90 to 120 degrees, says Serra. This slow, expanding explosion is what gives diesel engines their stump-pulling torque. Shaping and maximizing the efficiency of this combustion plume is of paramount importance.

Valve placement, piston bowl shape and the design of the injector tip all influence how the plume circulates within the cylinder, Serra says. But injector timing and frequency are two elements that can change as demands on the engine change.

In a typical low-power HPCR combustion scenario you might have three injection events, in sequence as follows: It starts with a small, quick pilot injection to get things going. During light and medium engine loading early pilot injections also help control the formation of NOx (a

pollutant regulated by Tier 4 Final) and reduce noise – that unmistakable diesel engine “knocking” sound at idle.

Next comes a full load, main injection for power. Six to eight events are possible to modify combustion or assist emissions aftertreatment.

Finally you get a small, post injection to flare off any unburned fuel remaining in the cylinder. Post injections also control particulates in the exhaust, provide extra energy for aftertreatment systems and reduce turbocharger lag.

When the application demands high power, the ECM will usually order one long injection.

SPEED FREAKS Engineers measure the speed of these injection events in microseconds, which is 1/1,000th of a second. There is a window of

approximately 7,000 microseconds for all the injections to occur, during which time: The injector solenoid or piezo crystal actuator begins to open within 100 to 150 microseconds of being energized.

With a three-injection event, each injection delivers a measured quantity of fuel at approximately 1,225 times per minute at idle (750 rpm) and up to 3,300 times per minute at rated speed (2,200 rpm).

In a six-injection event each injector can deliver bursts of fuel at up to 6,600 times a minute at 2,200 rpm.

After the injection event, it takes another 50 to 100 microseconds for the solenoid or piezo crystal actuator to return to rest and dissipate any electrical charge.

COMPUTER CONTROL “The on-engine electronic control module manages all aspects of the fuel system control,” says Fier.

“The ECM not only contains the electronics needed to actuate control valves and injectors, but also contains the engine calibration and diagnostics. It is basically the brain

MAGNET GROUP HIGH PRESSURE FITTING

VALVE GROUP

ARMATURE GROUP

Freed from having to pressurize its own fuel, the electronically-controlled injector can fire as fast as you can turn an electric current on and off.

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 69

maintenance | continued of the engine,” he says.

And while the hardware in most HPCR fuel systems may be similar, the electronic logic used to drive the system can be an important differentiator between the performance of different engines, Fier says. Engine calibration and electronic management have become more complex and must be fully integrated with air handling, fuel systems, aftertreatment and filtration, he says.

INJECTOR TIPS Each injector has one nozzle with an array of spray holes that are optimized to meet power requirements as well as emissions performance, says Fier. Nozzles are steel and use different heat treatment methods to withstand high operating temperatures.

As emissions requirements have become more stringent, the noz-

zles’ ability to deliver a consistent and specific spray of fuel to the cylinder has become more critical, Fier says. The injection nozzle is an integral part of shaping the plume at the moment of combustion. The nozzle spray holes are matched to the cylinder bowl to get the best atomization of fuel and thus the best power density, lowest emissions and reduced fuel consumption, he says.

CLEAN FUEL While the materials used for injector tips haven’t changed much in the evolution from mechanical to electronic injection, the injectors in HPCR systems are still vulnerable to contaminated fuel, says Serra. “Dirt, especially hard quartz particles, turns the fuel system into a very efficient hydro-grinder and will shorten the life of the fuel system and engine,” he says.

When you hear people preach about the virtues of clean diesel and good filtration, this is why.

Even water in the fuel, at 30 to 36,000 psi and 5,000 to 6,000 times a minute, can greatly accelerate injector tip wear.

SAFETY While the fuel in the common rail is under extreme pressure, the main risk to mechanics working on a system is when the engine is running, as most engines depressurize the fuel system within seconds of shutting down. Nonetheless you should always follow OEM recommended procedures when bleeding off or working on fuel systems.

“The new engines require technicians to forget their old diagnostic habits such as opening fuel lines on a running engine,” says Serra. “The older systems only pumped 0.01

Equipment reviews by owners for owners Equipment World’s Reader Reviews is your new go-to source for an in-depth unbiased look at how contractors evaluate the models they own.

Current reviews include: • Bobcat S650 skid steer • Case 580 Super N backhoe • Cat 336E L excavator

Go to EWReaderReviews.com to find out how contractors rate the machines they own.

70 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

ounces of fuel per firing stroke, per cylinder at full load. Therefore, the most fuel you would get out of a single fuel line was approximately 10 ounces of fuel at minimal pressure after a minute.

“With a common rail engine, doing the same thing would generate almost one gallon of fuel at significant atomization,” says Serra. “The velocity of the fuel within a few inches of the leak is high enough to penetrate the skin or gloves,” he says.

DIAGNOSTICS Some of today’s engines can have hundreds of different fault codes for various conditions and symptoms, but fault codes don’t always solve a problem. “Even with all these fault codes, diagnosis still requires a well-trained technician who uses a systematic approach to diagnosing an engine system,” says Serra. “There is no replacement for

experience and an understanding of cause and effect on the engine.

For example, a misfire fault code can be caused by not only a defective injector, but by a faulty EGR system, valve adjustment or wiring harness system.”

The hardest problems for technicians to diagnose are the no-faultcode related complaints, Serra says. Unless they understand how the whole system is supposed to behave, what normal data looks like and how to approach diagnosis, they will be lost, says Serra.

“With the older mechanically injected engines, 95 percent of the fuel system was contained between the injection pump and the injectors, so diagnosis was fairly easy,” says Serra. “On a common rail engine, the fuel pump and injectors are only 25 percent of the fuel system. “I have seen cases where a technician has spent weeks on

a modern engine by not following the diagnostic process, replacing many expensive components only to find out he missed a simple fault such as a plugged fuel filter.”

DURABILITY According to Fier, a recent teardown and inspection of a Cummins Tier 4 engine showed that a 20,000 hour life-to-overhaul could be expected on its HPCR injectors.

The caveat is that it depends on duty cycle, application, good filter maintenance and clean fuel.

“These engines do not require a scheduled change of fuel injectors at mid-life and are expected to achieve the same life as the engine,” Fier says. “Perhaps more important than life in hours is the total number of injections over the life of the HPCR system, with 1 billion injections being a typical number.”

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EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 71

Lawrence Merle, our 2015 Contractor of the Year, has a great story.

So do you.

One way to make sure it gets told is to become one of our 2016 Contractor of the Year finalists.

Our Contractor of the Year program honors the forward thinkers, high achievers and just plain good people in construction. These are the construction companies that get the job done right, on time and within budget. Their clients sing their praises, their vendors wish all clients were like them, and their workforce is dedicated and loyal.

®

equipmentworld.com | May 2015

2015

CONTRACTOR

YEAR

of the LAWRENCE MERLE

Sound like your company?

Then it’s the perfect candidate to become one of our 12 Contractor of the Year finalist firms in 2016.

GENESEE CONSTRUCTION SERVICE DANSVILLE, NY

Merle’s commitment to quality and integrity, combined with a passion for philanthropy, allows him to rise to the top of his field

P.24

Our finalist representatives receive a free weekend at the exclusive Wynn resort in Las Vegas.

Plus you will be Caterpillar’s honored guest at the Las Vegas NASCAR race next March – complete with pit tours, driver appearances and VIP tent hospitality.

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product report

| by Tom Jackson |

TJackson@randallreilly.com

Caterpillar’s two-tier excavator strategy has something for everybody

A

t a press event in May, Cat showed us not only its newest hybrid machine, the 336F L XE, but its excavator strategy going forward.

Cat’s strategy is to have two tiers for excavators. Those with the “XE” designation will incorporate the company’s top of the line technology. Cat also is developing a line of “GC” branded excavators that don’t have the high-tech bells and whistles, offering a low-cost-perhour solution for contractors with lower utilization rates.

Not all the XE branded machines will have the exact same technology. Brian Stellbrink, product application specialist, confirmed

that “elements of” the new hybrid technology we saw on the 336F L XE would be migrating into two additional excavators this year – the 374F and 390F – and more machines in the years to come. But what “elements of” means is Cat will use a mix of different hybrid components and other high tech features when and where they make sense for that size of excavator.

Unlike other hybrid systems which store and release excess power in electrical form, Caterpillar’s hybrid systems make more efficient use of hydraulic energy.

The elements included on the 336F L XE include: Hydraulic Hybrid Swing system.

This device is a large, piston-style

nitrogen gas-over-oil accumulator that sits horizontally at the back of the machine. As the swing brake is applied it compresses the gas in the accumulator, absorbing the excess swing energy from the rotating superstructure and then releasing it back to the system when and where needed.

Electronic Standardized Programmable Pump or ESP. This is a smart pump, one controlled by a computer interface that is making decisions on input variables from the entire hydraulic system.

Adaptive Control System (ACS) main valve. In a traditional hydraulic system, oil is pressurized, sent out to curl the bucket, move the boom or stick, rotate the superstructure, etc.

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 73

product report The smart boom on the 336F L XE uses 2D GPS to guide the bucket, meaning it digs to exactly the depth on the plan and no further. This increases speed, productivity and safety.

But on the return trip to the hydraulic reservoir, the oil limps along, expending no more energy than it takes to get back home. In Cat’s system, if the ESP detects a need for additional pressure or flow anywhere in the system, it tells the ACS valve to redirect the oil to that active function in need of additional hydraulic horsepower. No rest for the weary for oil in this system, but that also means little wasted hydraulic energy, either.

With these three elements making efficient use of the hydraulic system Cat engineers were able to reduce the engine’s rpms and fuel consumption without reducing power.

As a result, the company claims a 25 percent boost in energy efficiency for the 336F L XE compared to similar size non-hybrids.

2D upgrades to 3D In addition to the advanced hydraulics, the 336F L XE also comes with a standard “smart boom” – essentially a 2D grade control system.

This measures and controls the exact position of the bucket enabling you to dig a perfect, flat bottom trench at a predetermined depth and slope.

The primary benefits of 2D excavator grade control are substantial, including: Safety. Nobody has to jump in the trench to measure the depth, which improves safety and reduces manpower needs.

Efficiency. Over digging is eliminated so you don’t waste time refilling and recompacting low spots.

Speed. You get to grade faster in fewer passes, not having to finesse the last few inches of every foot of the trench.

A 3D system can be added on top 74 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

Easy to transport on a tag trailer, Caterpillar’s 313F L GC offers simplified technology for common tasks such as light excavating, utility installations, spreading top soil and fine grading.

Equipment reviews by owners for owners Equipment World’s Reader Reviews is your new go-to source for an in-depth unbiased look at how contractors evaluate the models they own.

Current reviews include: • Bobcat S650 skid steer • Case 580 Super N backhoe • Cat 336E L excavator

Go to EWReaderReviews.com to find out how contractors rate the machines they own.

product report The Adaptive Control Valve on the 336F L XE makes efficient use of hydraulic system by routing pressure and flow anywhere on the excavator it’s needed.

of the 2D system without having to remove any of the original 2D componentry. In addition to grade and slope control, the smart boom also incorporates what the company calls the Cat Production Measurement System, which weighs the load as the boom swings with no interruption in the loading cycle.

313F L GC But, suppose you don’t want all the bells and whistles?

The Caterpillar 313F L GC sports a single load-sensing pump and simple hydraulic system paired with a 74-horsepower engine.

Exhaust emissions are less strict on engines under 75 horsepower, which means this excavator does not need selective catalytic reduction hardware and diesel exhaust fluid.

If you’re concerned about the diesel particulate filter, don’t be. It’s maintenance free.

The undercarriage on the 313F L GC measures just 8-foot, 6-inches across, narrow enough to roll it up on a tag trailer and haul it off with a dump truck -– a common strategy for contractors who don’t use their excavators for full time production. You also get what Cat calls a “generous track-on-theground dimension for a stable work platform.” Translation: you can dig nose up or nose down on slopes and not get tippy.

On the working end, the 15-foot 3-inch boom can be outfitted with either an 8-foot 2-inch or 9-foot 10-inch stick. Maximum dig depth measures 19 feet 9 inches. Front linkage pins use self-lubricated bearings, eliminating one maintenance chore.

Low tech lowers cost One of the ways Cat has kept costs down in the 313F L GC is with a pilot manifold in the valve block. This eliminates the need for a pilot pump, filter or lines. Also the fuel system and manual priming pump reduce the need for multiple filters.

The cab sits on viscous mounts to reduce noise and vibration. The operator sits in a mechanical suspension seat with joystick controls and watches a monitor that can remember up to 10 settings for work tools.

76 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

The “XE” designation on the 336F L XE and all future excavators means that excavator uses the top-of-the-line hydraulic hybrid technology

ONE LUCKY CONTRACTOR WILL WIN IT ALL. Enter for your chance to win Equipment World’s 2015 Contractor’s Dream Package and take home a new Ford truck plus other cool prizes!

CONTRACTORSDREAMPACKAGE.COM Sponsors for the 2015 Contractor’s Dream Package:

CONGRATULATIONS

to the 2015 Contractor of the Year winner and finalists IN

R

E

N

W

Lawrence Merle

Andrew Allen

Jason Ciavarro

Sean McDowell McDowell Construction Corporation Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Supreme Metro Corp South Plainfield, New Jersey

R.J. Allen, Inc. Garden Grove, California

Joseph Delgado

Andrew Brown

Dan Corrigan

Bradley Grubaugh

TCW Construction Lincoln, Nebraska

Andrew Brown General Engineering, Inc. Paso Robles, California

C-3 Environmental Specialties Schertz, Texas

Bradley Excavating, Inc. Colorado Springs, Colorado

Genesee Construction Service Dansville, New York

David Spurr

Allen & Tyson Feller

Spurr Company Paso Robles, California

Feller Enterprises St. George, Utah

Timothy Humerick Humerick Environmental Construction Service College Grove, Tennessee

Sponsored by:

Jeff Pettiecord & Nick Wylie J Pettiecord, Inc. Des Moines, Iowa

contractor of the year | by Marcia Gruver Doyle | MGruver@randallreilly.com

Andy Allen’s creed: be excited, always be learning and cultivate your team

A

ndrew – or Andy – Allen chuckles when asked how he got his start in construction. “I guess you could say I was born and raised in the company,” he says about the firm his

Andrew Allen Garden Grove, California R. J. Allen Incorporated Year started: 1986 Annual volume: $10 to $13 million Number of employees: 66 Markets: demolition; concrete sawing, breaking and removal; excavation

parents founded.

Allen started in the company shop, cleaning and maintaining equipment, and then operating it.

Although he took some construction management courses in college, he says, “my other college was the school of hard knocks.”

But there was more to it than that. “I always wanted to learn more,” Allen says. “Every job we do is different, and I was always intrigued by that.”

Allen bought the company in 2000 and now specializes in a variety of work including concrete sawing, demolition and commercial rehab.

Allen – who used to short track race in his spare moments but now

says he’s “learning how to relax” – likes diversification. “We’re very open minded,” he says. “We do a lot of contract work, specialized commercial remodeling, and we do it all: asphalt, electrical, demolition, excavation and core drilling.” Clients are also diversified, including commercial and aerospace companies, hospitals and the California Department of Transportation. “We are fortunate; most of our work is repeat work,” Allen says. “We don’t chase after a lot of new work.”

A different perspective on emissions Allen has a different perspective than many contractors in the area on California Air Resources Board regulations, which require a certain EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 79

contractor of the year | continued

“I’ve cultivated a really good management team,” Allen says. “I’m involved with supporting them, grooming them and making sure we’re on the same page.” percentage of a contractor’s equipment fleet be compliant with the latest emissions regulations.

Allen sees using Tier 4 equipment as a competitive advantage. “It was a huge sacrifice and scary, but I think it’s paid off,” he says. Clients such as Southern California Edison require top emissions tier equipment, “and it gives us an advantage to have that equipment.”

While the entire industry has gone through the EPA emission regulations for new equipment, California contractors such as the Garden Grove-based R. J. Allen are also under CARB regulations.

It prompted Allen to change his fleet management approach as the 80 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

industry made its way through Tier 3 and Tier 4 Interim and now Tier 4 Final equipment.

“We used to buy, but when it came to the point we always had to have the latest tier machines, we converted to three-year leases,” Andrews says. By leasing, the company always got the latest emissions-compliant equipment, and “it helps out with machine reliability,” he says.

Now that Tier 4 Final appears to be the last emissions hurdle to jump – at least for now – Andy may consider going back to buying.

The firm has a self-propelled fleet made up of primarily backhoes and skid steers. Most maintenance is done in house with a three-person shop and an on-call field mechanics truck.

“We’ll do a lot of breaking and use a Cat 450 backhoe with a hammer to get the production we need,” Andy says. Operator and shop input is a key component of machine pur-

chases, especially with the company’s core machines. “Some of our operators have been around for a long time and they like certain types of controls. We like to go with what they like,” he says.

He also sends a crew to World of Concrete in Las Vegas each year to check out new technology and products. “Shawn Ellis is in charge of our field operations, and he’s always having our operators try out new things,” he says. In addition to its regular slate of contract work, R. J. Allen also provides machinewith-operator-rentals to contractors and clients throughout its service area of southern California. Although it varies from year to year, this type of service work is roughly about 30 percent of the company’s revenues.

“Everything is a 10.”

“By far, they are the best contractor we work with in Southern Califor-

nia,” says Glen Jackson with client Bedrock Company. “They have the most equipment, the newest equipment and the best operators. Everything about their operators is a 10.”

Jackson is also impressed with their safety program, calling it “second to none. We’ve adopted a lot of the things they do because their program is so good.”

In addition to the company’s tailgate meetings every morning, it has a 5 p.m. barbeque every month to go over an OSHA topic and talk about recent safety-related incidents. The barbeque talks are videotaped, so if someone’s working out of town, they can view it later. “It’s required for everyone to see it,” Allen says. And if R. J. Allen works on a job that requires a more advanced level of safety than what they currently have, the company adopts the advanced practices for all jobs.

The company’s emphasis on training – including the latest equipment certifications – can make its employees prime targets for companies looking to poach. “I try to tell our people to look at the big picture,” Allen says. “And some of the guys who have left to start their own companies have come back.”

Allen praises his management team, including Shawn Ellis and Ron Markham. “I’m involved with supporting them and making sure we’re on the same page,” which includes gaining insight from MAP, a leadership and management training company based in California.

“My guys come to me with solutions instead of problems.”

The emphasis on people is across the board at R. J. Allen. The company uses a team building consultant and a sports medicine therapist.

For the convenience of its workers, who are sometimes working all hours, company headquarters has a shower and a rest area, plus a room with a couple of exercise machines.

Even if, as Allen says, “this is all I know,” you realize after talking with him for awhile he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I’m always excited to come to work, to see my people achieve and move up, and be able to buy houses in Orange County, California,” he says. “I’m fortunate to have such a great team.

It makes it all worthwhile.”

This attitude is noticed the company’s clients. “If something needs taken care of, they just do it and don’t bother you,” says client Markus Kneubuhler with Hakanson Construction. “They are just an awesome group, one that’s just as capable as the big guys.”

One machine that aids R. J. Allen’s interior demolition work is the company’s Husqvarna DXR 140 robotic excavator. “We can take it up elevators and use it in enclosed areas,” Allen says.

R. J. Allen owns 14 skid steers, which are put to work doing a variety of demolition and excavation jobs.

EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 81

A Supple

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2014-2015 MORE TH DIFFE AN 40 REN MACHINE T ORGANIZTYPES

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To order copies of the 2014-15 Equipment World Spec Guide, simply fill out the form below and fax it to (205) 349-3765 or call 1-800-633-5953, ext. 1173. The cost of the print version is only $49. Go to www.SpecGuideOnline.com.

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Name __________________________________________________________________________ Company _______________________________________________________________________ Address ________________________________________________________________________ City/State/ZIP ___________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________________ Fax _______________________________ E-Mail __________________________________________________________________________ Quantity: ___________________________ Total Enclosed $_____________________________ Add sales tax for the following states: NC 6.5%, PA 6%, WI 5%, AL 4%, GA 7%, TX 6.25% Order by Invoice: Purchase Order #_________________________________________________________________ Order by Credit Card: ❑ Visa ❑ MasterCard ❑ American Express Name on card _____________________________________________________________________ Account number______________________________ Expiration Date_____________________ Signature_____________________________________ SSC Code _________________________

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safety watch | by Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com

Deadly drops

The accident: A construction crew on a large renovation was working on a rooftop demolition project. The five-man crew was manually removing tar, gravel and wooden planking from the roof to expose the steel gridwork beneath, making chainsaw cuts to the planking to ease removal. One of the workers moved too close to an opening, and fell 26 feet to a waste heap below.

The worker went into cardiac arrest and was later pronounced dead at a hospital from a ruptured aorta.

The bottom line: A post-accident investigation determined that, as the morning progressed, the crew removed more and more of the planking, exposing themselves to increased danger. The chainsaw cuts to the planking made just prior to the accident were in close proximity to the 10- by 10-foot opening where the worker fell.

Demolition can be challenging because of the unpredictable nature of the work. When dismantling a structure, you may not have all the information you need about how the building was constructed or its current condition. Be on the lookout for unexpected hazards

Illustration by Don Lomax

Collapses aren’t the only source of danger when performing demolition

and take extra precautions.

Planning and preparation: Prior to beginning the project, your employer and foreman will have identified and reviewed potential hazards and created a plan to dismantle the structure as safely as possible, and minimizing the potential for collapse. Remember, variations to the plan could create unforeseen consequences that put you or your fellow crew members at risk, so don’t take any shortcuts.

Putting safety first: Your designated safety person will develop, implement and enforce a comprehensive safety program. Although you should always follow your safety program to the letter, it’s

particularly important to be diligent when working on a project that poses multiple dangers. Demolition work performed at height puts you at risk from falls and collapses.

Adapting to the site: OSHA standards would normally require floor openings be guarded by a either a standard railing and toeboards, or a cover capable of supporting the maximum intended load. However, in a situation when you’re removing the entire roof, neither railings nor covers would work or make sense. In this situation, personal protective equipment in the form of lifelines and harnesses should have been provided to the crew.

Information for this Safety Watch is from an accident report (FACE MA-92-07), the Center for Disease Control’s NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program, www.cdc.gov/niosh/face, and OSHA Standards 29 CFR 1926.500 (b) and 1926.500 (f)(5)(ii). It is meant for general information only.

Date of safety talk: Attending:

Leader:

_____________________ EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 83

alerta de seguridad | por Amy Materson | AMaterson@randallreilly.com

Caídas mortales

Los derrumbes no son la única fuente de peligro durante una demolición

Illustration by Don Lomax

El accidente: Una cuadrilla de construcción dedicada a una renovación de grandes dimensiones, estaba trabajando en la demolición de un techo. La cuadrilla de cinco hombres estaba retirando manualmente brea, grava y planchas de madera de un techo para dejar al descubierto el entramado de acero que estaba debajo, haciendo cortes de motosierra a las planchas para retirarlas con facilidad. Uno de los trabajadores se acercó demasiado a una apertura y cayó 26 pies (8 metros) sobre una montonera de residuos. El trabajador sufrió un paro cardiaco y más tarde fue pronunciado muerto en un hospital por una rotura de la aorta.

Conclusión: Una investigación posterior al accidente determinó que, conforme avanzaba la mañana, la cuadrilla retiraba más y más de las planchas, exponiéndose ellos mismos a un mayor peligro. Los cortes de la motosierra a las planchas que se hicieron justo antes del accidente estaban muy próximos a la apertura de 10 por 10 pies (3 por 3 metros) por donde cayó el trabajador.

El trabajo de demolición puede complicarse debido a la naturaleza impredecible del trabajo. Al desmantelar una estructura, puede que no cuente con toda la información necesaria acerca de cómo se construyó un edificio o sobre su actual condición. Esté atento a riesgos inesperados y tome precauciones extra.

Planificación y preparación: Antes de iniciar el proyecto, tanto su empleador como el capataz deben haber identificado y analizado riesgos potenciales y haber creado un plan para desmantelar la estructura de la manera más segura posible, y minimizar el potencial de un desplome. Recuerde, los desvíos del plan pueden crear consecuencias imprevistas que pueden ponerlo a

usted y a sus colegas en riesgo, así que no tome atajos.

La seguridad tiene prioridad: La persona asignada a la seguridad debe desarrollar, implementar y ejecutar un programa completo de seguridad. Aunque usted debería seguir siempre su programa de seguridad a pie juntillas, es particularmente importante ser diligente cuando se trabaja en un proyecto que implica múltiples peligros. El trabajo de demolición en altura lo coloca en riesgo de caídas y derrumbes.

Adaptarse al área de trabajo: Los estándares de la OSHA requerirían normalmente que las aperturas en el piso estén protegidas ya sea por barandas estándar y vallas en el piso, o de una cubierta capaz de soportar la carga máxima planificada. Sin embargo, en una situación en la que se está retirando el techo en su totalidad, ni barandas ni vallas servirían ni tendrían sentido. En esta situación, se debió haber abastecido a la cuadrilla de indumentaria de protección personal tales como cuerdas salvavidas y arneses.

La información para esta Alerta de Seguridad proviene de un reporte de accidente, del programa de Evaluación y Control de Víctimas Fatales del NIOSH del Centro para el Control de Enfermedades y de los Estándares 29 CFR 1926.500 (b) y 1926.500 (f)(5)(ii) de la OSHA. Tiene únicamente fines de información general.

Fecha de la charla de seguridad: Asistentes: 84 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

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Emory Dobson Knows Snow Plows...and He Prefers SnowDogg

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This Professional’s Clear Choice “ You never know how a product will perform until you try it yourself. I put the SnowDogg MD-75 mid-duty plow on one of my trucks and it worked perfectly—absolutely perfect. “ It didn’t matter how deep, or how wet or how heavy the snow was, the SnowDogg plow pushed right through the drifts all season long. I was very impressed.

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ROAD TEST

pro pickup | by Bruce W. Smith

EcoBoost F-150 is a good tow vehicle, but requires use of weightdistributing hitch (page 28 of 2015 Ford Towing Guide) on trailered weights above 5,000 pounds. Ratings are now SAE J2807 compliant.

The sound of performance, the feel of power: Ford’s turbo’d half-ton delivers on multiple levels

T

wenty-two miles per gallon, midsix-second 0 to 60s, and 5 tons of towing capacity are nothing to sneeze at when one is talking about a V-6-powered full-size pickup.

The 13th generation of Ford’s F-150 is remarkable on many fronts, as I found after spending a week in it driving hundreds of miles as if it were my daily driver.

I made several runs to the local boards-andnails outlet, the grocery store, post office, muni golf course and the airport, used it to tow a couple of equipment trailers, and managed a weekend trip into the mountains.

On every outing some aspect of its new technology surfaced that made each of those trips easier and safer for me and my passengers.

The remote tailgate is handy when loading plywood in the bed, and the smart trailer tow

Basic Specifications: Make/Model:

2015 Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 Lariat

Engine:

3.5L EcoBoost V-6

Horsepower:

365 at 5,000 rpm

Torque:

420 at 2,500 rpm

Transmission:

6-speed auto

Axle Ratio:

3.31:1 with electric locking rear diff

Fuel Tank:

36 gallon

Bed Length:

5 feet 5 inches

Max Tow:

10,700 pounds (w/WD hitch); 5,000 pounds on-the-ball

EPA Fuel Economy: 17 city/19 combined/23 highway Fuel Economy (as tested):

16.6 city; 22.3 highway; 10.5 towing

Price:

Base MSRP, $44,465

Price as tested:

$55,965

Performance: 0-60 mph:

6.4 sec

1/4-mile:

14.90 @ 93.1 mph EquipmentWorld.com | August 2015 87

pro pickup | continued

module, which immediately let me know the trailer lights and connections were good-to-go, sped up the trailering process.

Voice-activated navigation, the lane-departure warning system and the 360-degree camera view made it easy to know where I was and how to get where I wanted to go. The keyless start/stop feature meant I never had to fish for the ignition keys.

Between MyFord Touch and the productivity display in the instrument cluster display, there didn’t seem to be any piece of information, climate or audio control that wasn’t at my fingertips. Knowledge is power.

I was impressed with the truck’s interior quietness and how smoothly the voice-activation system worked even over gravel roads and pavement that wasn’t much smoother.

The SuperCrew Lariat interior 88 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

Access to the front and rear seats in the new F-150s is excellent. The front doors have been shortened some 2 inches so the rear doors could be made longer, greatly increasing access to the rear of the SuperCrew with zero negative impact up front. Legroom is impressive.

Having both “sport” and “tow” modes gives the driver three transmission shift modes that help the 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 deliver the power and downshift braking as needed. Each mode noticeably changes the F-150’s responsiveness.

is roomy, the seats comfortable.

There’s just enough leather, brushed metal and wood trim to give the truck the feel of richness without being over-the-top – a nice balance for the business owner who needs a pickup that’s going to get dirty during the week, yet easily cleans up when it’s time to take friends and clients to dinner.

If the 2015 F-150 has any shortcomings, its ride, unloaded, is slightly firmer than the Silverado/ Sierra and Ram 1500, and the Ford’s electric power steering is a bit more sensitive.

Otherwise the EcoBoost FX4 offroad package I was driving is a stellar performer on pavement and off.

Ford rates this particular model F-150 SuperCrew 4x4, with 3.31 axles, capable of towing up to 10,700 pounds when equipped with a weight-distributing hitch. The 3.5L EcoBoost and six-speed automatic pulled a 20-foot tandem-axle equipment trailer that weighed in at 5,200 pounds with ease on the factory weight-carrying receiver. But doing so required carefully positioning the load so the proper tongue-weight was applied.

Power with the 3.5L EcoBoost is never an issue. With 365 horsepower and 420 foot-pounds of torque, more than the 5.0L V-8, the twin-turbo V-6 has plenty of muscle available through a wide rpm range. This is especially noticeable when towing.

Be aware, however, according to Ford EcoBoost owner’s manual, the truck is required to run premium fuel when towing. This is because the engine mapping changes when the trailer is plugged in to the truck, helping the EcoBoost manage heat and power better under such loads.

That said, the transmission never “hunted” for the right gear when I was pulling trailers; it seemingly locks into a gear when pulling grades and pulls strong from around 2,800 rpm to redline.

I also learned during my week behind the wheel that both “tow” and “sport” modes enhance the feel of the V-6’s power. The button marked “T/S” near the bottom of the shifter electronically changes the transmission’s upshift and downshift points so the truck is much more responsive. Selecting

the sport mode also enhances (lightens) the throttle sensitivity and holds shift points higher in the rpm range.

The F-150 is deceptively fast loaded or empty, too. I clipped off 14.90 quarter-mile times pushing past 93 mph with ease, and managed 0-to-60 mph sprints in the 6.40-second range.

Those times would be a few tenths

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pro pickup | continued quicker if the truck had the optional 3.55 gearing, which I’d recommend for anyone towing on a regular basis.

I found the biggest driving challenge during the acceleration runs was finding the sweet spot between keeping the EcoBoosted Lariat 4x4 from striping the roadway for a considerable distance when tractioncontrol is turned off and getting the best times.

It was during these speed runs where I got to experience more of Ford’s new technology: slight of sound.

Roll hard into the throttle and the EcoBoost V-6 sounds just like a V-8.

Why? Ford engineers have actually mated the sound track of a V-8 with the throttle position sensor and pipes the V-8 exhaust growl into the truck’s sound system, perfectly synched with the V-6.

So, to those inside the cab, the F-150 EcoBoost V-6 sounds pleasantly healthy. To those outside, well, it still has the “whoosh” sound of a turbo’d

the-art technology that makes the V-6. (They have done the same on work week go faster and smoother.

EcoBoost Mustangs.)

It also combines a level of creature Where electronic slight-of-hand comfort, connectivity and safety doesn’t play any part is in fuel into a package that sets a high bar economy. It’s as real as the power for its 1/2-ton pickup competitors part. Drive this truck gently and you to match. are rewarded with really good mpg numbers.

My 120-mile Interstate run on cruisecontrol netted 22.1 mpg at 65 mph. City numbers hovered around 16.6 mpg, while towing those 5,000-pound loads at 55 mph netted 11 mpg. EPA figures are slightly better: 17/19/23.

All in all, the Lariat model 2015 F-150 SuperCrew The twin-turbo 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 developes V4x4 3.5L EcoBoost 8-like horsepower (365 horsepower) and torque is an impressive (420 foot-pounds), but unlike the Ford 5.0L V-8, it does both over a wide rpm range. pickup. It oozes power and state-of-

90 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com Rubbertrax_EWSG13_PG45,135.indd 1

8/21/13 9:05 AM

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BOTTOM LINE The UltraShift PLUS VCS. Built for your job. Your spec. And your competitive edge. When your sights are set on the jobsite. And you choose a transmission that isn’t just as good as your best driver. It’s better. With a Creep Mode that’s so precise, you’re curbing at less than one foot per second. And Hill Start Aid that gives you real launch control. When Gear Selection Logic is so smart it knows when to skip gears to max out fuel efficiency and driver focus is where it should be – on the job. All backed by the solutions, support and expertise of the Roadranger® network.

Drive your choice. Drive On. Find your Eaton® edge at roadranger.com

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93

final word | by Tom Jackson TJackson@randallreilly.com

I

Caterpillar calls for engagement with Cuba

n July Caterpillar sent out a press release calling for an end to the trade embargo against Cuba. This was in response to the president’s easing of sanctions and the announcement of an American embassy to be built in Havana.

All this is good news for Cuba and for us, and it demonstrates thoughtful leadership from the Peoria, Illinois-based heavy equipment manufacturer, which has been advocating for an end to the embargo since 1998.

Cuba needs to modernize three things we could help with immediately: jobs, infrastructure and agriculture. Every one of our equipment manufacturers – not just Cat – should play a constructive role in all three.

Some Republicans criticized President Obama’s Cuba initiatives. But anybody who thinks this is a bad idea, doesn’t know their Cold War history or their conservative heritage.

Eisenhower wooed Khrushchev.

Nixon went to China. And in the 1980s President Reagan, despite his anti-communist rhetoric, was deeply engaged in normalizing relations with the Soviet Union. This never made big headlines in the United States, and perhaps Reagan’s people wanted it that way. But I had the good fortune of watching all this from a ringside seat in West Berlin where I was assigned to the U.S. Army’s Public Affairs Office.

Despite the “evil empire” speech

94 August 2015 | EquipmentWorld.com

in 1983 and the “tear down this wall” speech in 1987, Reagan engaged in numerous low-level negotiations, cultural exchanges and spy swaps with the Soviets throughout the decade. Perhaps the most inspiring of these was the release of Natan Sharansky, a dissident Russian Jew, in the spring of 1986 on the Glienicke Bridge linking East and West Berlin. A few weeks later we traded four of their spies for a busload of ours on that same bridge.

By working on the small issues first,

“

is doing this because it is the right thing to do.

In Cold War Berlin every small agreement between ourselves and the communists added to a cautious sense of hope on the other side of the wall. The same hope animates Cuba today. It may not seem like a big deal to us, but announcements like Caterpillar’s are a huge boost to the morale of the Cuban people. Best of all such actions show Cubans what the United States is really like: a country with a big

Anybody who thinks this is a bad idea, doesn’t know their Cold War history or their conservative heritage.

Reagan built up a reservoir of trust and goodwill. The strategy paid huge dividends in the late 1980s when the United States. and the Soviets signed the most significant nuclear nonproliferation treaty in modern history.

You probably didn’t hear much about this either because: 1.) it was complicated, and 2.) the media hated Reagan and gave him no credit. On the night of November 9, 1989 something even more incredible happened when the Berlin Wall came down without a shot fired in anger.

Concerning Cuba and Caterpillar, cynics allege that company only wants to sell more bulldozers. That’s rubbish. Cuba is a tiny country of just 11 million people, one-tenth that of Mexico. As a market, it’s insignificant. I think Cat

”

heart, with optimism to spare, and a willingness to forgive past transgressions.

If we want to promote liberty in Cuba, every manufacturer needs to be as vocal as Caterpillar about ending the trade embargo. This is a world-historical moment, not unlike the fall of the Berlin Wall and not to be squandered. We can table the big issues for now, and I don’t discount those. But let’s get to work on the smaller challenges – the low hanging fruit, things citizens in both countries want to see happen.

It is time to let the United States. and Cuba do business together, starting with the trade embargo.

It has worked before, it will work again. That’s how the world gets better.

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