Ew0318 by Tony Brock

equipmentworld.com | March 2018

COMPACT IMPACT

SMALL WHEEL LOADERS GAIN GROUND ON SKIDS, CTLs MAXIMIZE WRENCH TIME Don’t waste your tech’s day

WHEELS VS. TRACKS

What asphalt paver is best for you?

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Vol. 30 Number 3 |

Cover Story

table of contents | March 2018

Machine Matters:

THE ULTIMATE WORK MACHINE

COMPACT WHEEL LOADERS OFFER A LONG LIST OF NEW ABILITIES TO COMPETE WITH SSLs AND CTLs.

Equipment 16

Marketplace

New products unveiled by John Deere, Manitou, Honda, BOMAG, Pettibone, Atlas Copco and Vacuworx.

Highway Contractor

49 Earthmoving Attachments

Wheeled vs. tracked pavers: Some prefer one or the other, but increasingly some are choosing both.

Dig deep and grade on level with these buckets and blades.

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table of contents | continued

Features

31 Management

equipmentworld.com facebook.com/EquipmentWorld twitter.com/Equipment_World

51 Road Technology

Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Executive Editor: Tom Jackson Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Senior Editor: Joy Powell Managing Editor: Don McLoud Contributing Writer: Richard Ries editorial@equipmentworld.com

Maximize wrench time with planning and scheduling. CRCP roadways proved resilient after Hurricane Harvey – and states are taking note.

59 Contractor of the Year Finalist

Hiram DuRousseau, HD Truck & Tractor, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Media Sales Geoffrey Love: gdlove@randallreilly.com Pete Austin: paustin@randallreilly.com Drew Ingram: drewingram@randallreilly.com Patsy Adams: padams@randallreilly.com Jordan Arsenault: jordanarsenault@randallreilly.com Art Director: Tony Brock Advertising Production Manager: Leah Boyd production@equipmentworld.com

3200 Rice Mine Rd NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com Chairman Emeritus: Mike Reilly President and CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operations Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Kim Fieldbinder Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Senior Vice President, Audience Data: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault Vice President, Business Analyst: Joe Donald Director of Media Sales: Scott Maldonado Vice President, Strategic Accounts: Michael Newman

Departments 9 On Record

A first glance at 2017 results

11 Reporter

2018 Intermat Innovation Award winners announced.

43 Quick Data Skid steers

How-To 57 Maintenance Adjusting track tension on CTLs

66 Final Word

That Homer Simpson moment

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 ©2017 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.

For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: equipmentworld@halldata.com Editorial Awards: Eddie award for B-to-B Series of Articles, 2016 Highways 2.0, Folio: magazine Editorial Excellence, Original Research, Silver Award, 2016 American Society of Business Publication Editors Jesse H. Neal Award, Better Roads, 2011 American Business Media 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 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

March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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on record | by Marcia Gruver Doyle MGruver@randallreilly.com

A first glance at 2017 results

reliminary results are in for 2017 financed earthmoving machine sales, and the outcome has some interesting components. I’m calling these preliminary because I gathered them 45 days from the end date of December 31, 2017, which means there are still a few stragglers, but enough information to give the majority of the 2017 data. The data are compiled by EDA, a division of Randall-Reilly. New financed compact machines, 2016-2017 In the no2016 no. 2016 % of of units segment total surprise departCompact track loader 22,390 40% ment, compact track loaders Compact excavator 17,425 31% continued their Skid steer loader 13,602 25% advance, rising Compact wheel loader 1,910 3% 17 percent in the Total 55,327 number of units New financed heavy machines, 2016-2017 sold year-over2016 no. 2016 % of year. When you of units segment total narrow the field Excavator 9,725 33% to four machines Wheel loader 8,525 29% (exc. compact) in the compact equipment space Dozer 4,046 14% – CTLs, compact Backhoe 3,360 11% excavators, skid Double-drum compactor 1,332 5% steers and comArtic 1,244 4% pact wheel loaders Moror Grader 1,002 3% – CTLs now com29,234 prise 43 percent of Total Grand total the total machines 84,561 (compact and heavy) sold, compared with compact excavators at 32 percent, skid steer loaders at 22 percent and compact wheel loaders at 3 percent. Another gainer in this segment were compact excavators, which increased by 13 percent in the number of units sold. Compact wheel loaders, on the other hand, decreased by 12 percent in the number of units sold year-over-year, while skid steers remained flat. Overall, in terms

of total units sold, compact equipment now makes up 69 percent of the financed construction equipment market. The compact equipment advances are not reflected on the heavy machine side, however. Even though the number of financed equipment units rose by 6 percent year-over-year, all of this increase was realized in compact equipment. The heavy side actually saw a 4 percent decrease in units 2017 no. 2017 % of YOY % of of units segment total units change sold. (We’ve iden26,880 43% 17% tified this segment as the top seven 19,958 32% 13% machine types 13,621 22% 0% sold by number of 1,708 3% -12% units.) The only 62,167 11% heavy machine category that 2017 no. 2017 % of YOY % of saw an increase of units segment total units change were excavators, 9,987 36% 3% gaining 3 percent 7,808 28% -9% year-over-year. The number of 3,976 14% -2% financed backhoes 2,901 10% -16% experienced the 1,240 4% -7% biggest decline 1,113 4% -12% from 2016 to 2017, 985 4% -2% decreasing by 16 28,010 -4% percent. Keep in mind 90,177 6% this is just one portion of the machine sales ledger; it does not include machines bought with cash or bank letters of credit. Still, depending on the machine type, EDA estimates that financed machines can represent 40 to 75 percent of the total number of machines of that type sold in the United States, so this represents a significant peek into what happened with machine sales in 2017.

EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 9

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| staff report

2018 Intermat Innovation Award winners announced

he winners of the 2018 Intermat Innovation Awards were recently announced, highlighting market trends, such as digitalization of tools, the proliferation of environmental solutions and the growing consideration for safety and risk-prevention in processes. The awards were announced ahead of the international trade show for construction and infrastructure, scheduled for April 23-28 in Paris. The following eight winners were rewarded for their innovation in four categories:

Intermat

April 23-28, Paris, France, Paris-en.intermatconstruction.com

Earthmoving & Demolition • Equipment and Machinery Award: Volvo Construction Equipment’s EX2, a prototype of an all-electric, zero carbon-emission excavator that the company says offers 10 times higher efficiency and 10 times lower noise levels than a conventional excavator. • Components and Accessories Award: UbiwaySmart by DMIC, a connected management solution for construction machinery and equipment. Roads, Minerals & Foundation • Equipment and Machinery Award: Fayat’s TRX 100%, a mobile hot-mix asphalt plant capable of reincorporating up to 100 percent RAP in hot and warm mixes. • Components and Accessories Award: EXO Push by RB3D, an exoskeleton that assists the raker in manual asphalt leveling operations. The company claims it’s the first “wearbot” to emerge in the public works field. Lifting, Handling & Transportation • Equipment and Machinery Award: Hinowa’s Lightlift 33.17 Performance IIIS tracked aerial platform, which features a 54.1-foot operating outreach, 105foot working height, load capacity of 507 pounds, multiple simultaneous movements, and a wider and more comfortable basket. • Components and Accessories Award: The MRT 2470 and MRT 3050 machine stabilization recognition system by Manitou Group that uses a strain gauge inside the pin of the stabilizer cylinders to obtain information on the force exerted on the ground. Buildings & Concrete Sector • Equipment and Machinery Award: Alphi’s MaxUpDown, a tool to assist with the handling of MaxiDalle formwork panels. The system, formed by a com-

pressed air-powered telescopic mast, helps to raise and lower MaxiDalle panels at great height from the ground. • Components and Accessories Award: 360SmartConnect’s Connected Concrete, which transforms the concrete used in a structure into a data and services interface.

Special Awards Intermat also gave five Special Awards: • Digital Transition: EFA France calls EVAS the first embedded voice control system with integrated database communicating in CAN BUS interface. It uses multi-speakers, multi-languages and works off-line. • Energy Transition: Mecalac’s e12 is billed as the world’s first compact wheeled excavator running solely on electricity, without compromising battery life, performance and compactness. • Start-Up by Eurovia: Matos Connect is a paperless solution for equipment rental companies in the public works field. • World of Concrete Europe: Sika France’s 3D concrete printing process uses robotics to quickly produce a concrete item in an original shape or design. • Safety: SIMA’s HandSafe wood-cutting saw uses an exclusive safety system to instantaneously stop the blade the second it touches human skin. –Kerry Clines EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 11

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staff report

54,000 bridges rated structurally deficient in new report

new report finds the equivalent of one bridge rated “structurally deficient,” on average, for every 27 miles of the nation’s major highway network, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). Those 1,800 structurally deficient interstate bridges are crossed 60 million times a day, the association says. In total, 54,259 of the nation’s bridges are rated structurally deficient, says Alison Premo Black, chief economist for ARTBA, which advocates more investment in U.S. infrastructure. Black conducted the analysis. If placed end-to-end, the deficient bridges would stretch 1,216 miles, or nearly the distance between Miami and New York City.

Briefs The U.S. Department of Justice is offering Fiat Chrysler Automobiles a settlement in the department’s lawsuit filed against the company last year over alleged violations of federal diesel emissions regulations, according to a Bloomberg report. Bloomberg reports that the DOJ is offering to settle the suit once the automaker pays “a substantial but unspecified” fine and recalls 104,000 Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs. The U.S. construction industry added 36,000 jobs in January, the fifth consecutive month of total industry employment increases, according to the U.S. Labor Department. The January total of 7.1 million workers is 3 percent higher than the January 2017 total.

Diane Benck has been named chairwoman of the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED). Benck, who co-owns West Side Tractor Sales in Naperville, Illinois, becomes the first woman to lead the international organization. United Rentals saw total revenue climb 26 percent to $1.922 billion during the 2017 fourth quarter, capping off what CEO Michael Kneeland called “a year of record results.” Rental revenue for the quarter was up 27 percent to $1.646 billion. Caterpillar reported a 35 percent increase in sales for the fourth quarter of 2017 and an 18 percent increase in sales for the year. Full year sales rose to $45.5 billion, while profit shot from $139 million in 2016 to $4.1 billion in 2017.

Komatsu signed an agreement with Prenbec Equipment to purchase the Quadco and Southstar brands of forestry attachments. Komatsu says the deal’s roots began in 2016 when the company decided to expand its forestry attachment business as part of a threeyear management plan. Continental is undergoing a $9.3 million expansion of its industrial hose plant in Norfolk, Nebraska, that includes adding 30 employees. The expansion focuses on supplying the company’s North American plants with rubber for industrial hoses and whitewall tires for cars.

For more on each of these stories go to equipmentworld.com.

12 March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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The Intersection of Infrastructure and Technology

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marketplace

| by Don McLoud |

DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com

Largest, most powerful skid steers

EDI TOR PIC ’ K S

Manitou’s new Gehl V420 and Mustang 4200V are the largest, most powerful skid steers on the market, the company says. The skid steers each weigh 11,665 pounds and have a rated operating capacity of 4,200 pounds, which is 200 more pounds than previous models. Their 120-horsepower Tier 4 Deutz engine produces 354 pound-feet of torque and 21 more horsepower than previous models. The machines’ height to hinge pin is 144 inches. They are designed for heavy construction and road building and can accommodate such attachments as mulching heads, cold planers and rock wheels. Standard high-flow auxiliary hydraulics deliver up to 41 gallons per minute.

Large-scale features in mid-size loaders John Deere has added to its G-Series mid-size lineup with the 320G and 324G skid steer loaders and the 325G compact track loader. The company says the loaders provide the productivity levels and technology typically found in larger machines. The cabs feature heated seats, Bluetooth radio, a rearview camera and an LED lighting package. They run on Yanmar engines ranging from 69 to 74 horsepower. They are designed for ease of use and transport, Deere says. They can handle a variety of attachments and can load a 10-foot sidewall dump truck or hopper.

Adding power with less noise Honda’s upgraded EU2200i Super Quiet Series generator, scheduled to go on sale in spring, comes with 10 percent more power than its predecessor. Honda says the 200 watts of power added to the 2,200-watt generator will run a larger saw or industrial fan. Technical enhancements have also kept the generator quiet. The inverter generators come in three other models: the EU2200i Camo for outdoor recreation; the EU2200i Companion, which can be linked to another EU2200i; and an EB2200i for industrial use.

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Bringing back the traversing boom

Larger drum, higher compaction

After leaving the traversing-boom telehandler market for three years, Pettibone has returned with the Traverse T944X, which offers up to 70 inches of horizontal boom transfer. The company says it’s the only new traversing telehandler on the market. It boasts a lift height of 44 feet, 6 inches, and forward reach of 35 feet, 10 inches, allowing it to safely land a load on a fourth floor. It runs on a 74-horsepower Cummins 3.8-liter Tier 4 Final engine that requires no diesel exhaust fluid. An optional 117-horsepower engine is available.

BOMAG’s upgraded BW 138 AD-5 tandem vibratory roller features a large drum diameter and high compaction force. Its 54.3inch rolling width makes short work of granular soil and asphalt compaction on projects ranging from parking lots to city streets, the company says. The optional Economizer system alerts operators to compaction progress, so they can work more efficiently and avoid over-compaction. The roller runs on a 45.1-horsepower Tier 4 Final Kubota diesel engine and produces dual vibrating frequencies of 3,000 and 3,360 vibrations per minute.

HiLights withstand high winds

Atlas Copco’s three new LED light towers – the HiLight P2+, V2+ and V3+ – boast a life expectancy of more than 30,000 hours. The smallest of the three, the HiLight P2+, provides 360-degree coverage across 21,528 square feet and can withstand 32 mph winds. The HiLight V2+ and V3+ are housed on a four-wheel trailer and can withstand winds up to 51 mph. The V2+ is a 320-watt light source and can cover 21,528 square feet. The V3+ has four 160-watt LED bulbs capable of illuminating up to 32,292 square feet.

Lift longer on one charge The Vacuworx PS 1 Portable Lifting System now has a 12-volt, 22-amp-hour battery that will fully recharge in 8 hours or less without overcharging. The battery will provide 6 to 8 hours of intermittent operation run time, allowing recharging at night after a day’s work. The 25-pound compact, portable vacuum system can lift up to 1,700 pounds, and now the vacuum pump draws less power from the battery, allowing longer periods between charges. An inline filter protects the system from dust and debris.

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THE ULTIMATE W machine matters

| by Richard Ries

The Z-bar linkage on the New Holland W80C provides maximum breakout force, digging and lifting power for high-production loadand-carry applications. Loader pump flow is 22 gallons per minute; main relief pressure is 3,335 pounds per square inch. New Holland offers the W50C TC Tool Carrier model for self-leveling applications.

Compact wheel loaders offer a long list of new abilities to compete with SSLs and CTLs

e’ve talked recently about the ongoing turf wars between compact track loaders and skid steer loaders. It turns out there’s a third combatant waiting to claim market share: compact wheel loaders. As evidence of this trend, B.J. Meier, product specialist, compact wheel loaders, Caterpillar, says he encourages dealership sales personnel to bring along a compact

wheel loader when demo’ing a skid steer. (We define “compact” here as we do in the Equipment World Spec Guide as machines with up to 90 horsepower.) There are several traits that unite these machine types; perhaps the most obvious is the ability to work in tight quarters. In this respect, skid steers rule. The ability to counter-rotate and execute spin turns makes them the best in extremely confined areas. Compact track loaders

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WORK MACHINE can do spin turns, but that’s tough on tracks and undercarriage components and isn’t recommended. Still, the ability to use differential steering allows CTLs to make tight turns. Compact wheel loaders can’t counter-rotate the wheels, don’t have differential steering, and therefore have the widest turning radius. Of these three equipment types, they’re the least adept at navigating confined spaces. How much does this matter? Not much, for two reasons. First, there are few applications where extremely tight turns are required or at least preferred. In many cases when skid steer operators perform spin turns, it’s because they can, not because they must. If they’re in the habit of doing spin turns, they do them whether those turns are required in the current conditions or not. Besides, spin turns are fun. Second, compact wheel loaders are hardly awkward, lumbering beasts. They’re quite nimble.

They’re not skid steers, to be sure, but they’re not motor graders, either. So how do you decide which loader is right for you? Meier says that if your applications emphasize hydraulic power, small machine dimensions or maneuverability, a skid steer or compact track loader is the right choice. But if the emphasis is on travel speed, cab access, reach and lift, fuel efficiency, tire wear or surface disruption, then a compact wheel loader is what you want. John Comrie, product manager of compact equipment at Volvo CE, says compact wheel loaders traditionally

The 64-horsepower Volvo L20H has 38 degrees of articulation and 10 degrees of oscillation. The fully automatic two-speed hydrostatic drive delivers a top speed of 18.6 mph. Peak hydraulic output is 7.93 gallons per minute and 3,046 pounds per square inch.

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Standard flow on the 74-horsepower Caterpillar 906M is 19 gallons per minute; a high-flow option raises that to 31 gpm. Maximum pressure is 3,408 pounds per square inch; the boost flow option increases this to 3,191 psi. Cycle time for ground level to maximum lift is 5.5 seconds at 1,800 rpm.

have a much higher rated operating capacity than SSLs and CTLs. The Volvo L20H compact wheel loader, for example, is rated at 4,500 pounds with 64 horsepower, while the highestROC skid steers in the current Equipment World Spec Guide, the Gehl V400 and Mustang 4000V, are rated at 4,000 pounds with 99 horsepower. In addition to claiming market share from skid steers and compact track loaders, compact wheel loaders are also pulling customers from larger wheel loaders and backhoes, says Kelly Moore, product and training specialist with Manitou Group, the parent company of Gehl and Mustang.

Articulation and all-wheel steer To maximize turning performance and tighten turn radius, manufacturers rely on two design features: articulation and all-wheel steering (AWS). With articulation, the machine has separate front and rear assemblies connected by a knuckle (more of a wrist, really). With AWS, the rear wheels also turn. Some machines have either articulation or AWS, while some have both. Brent Coffey, product manager for loaders at Wacker Neuson, says the company’s articulated wheel loaders are the right choice when working in confined areas with tight turns and uneven terrain. Their AWS models have a rigid, one-piece chassis with no articulation, a design that prevents shifts in center of gravity at full turn. Coffey says that with three steering modes – four-wheel, front only and crab – and a 40-degree steering angle on each axle, the

Gehl 650 and 750 (shown) compact wheel loaders have 45 degrees of articulation and 10 degrees of oscillation. Proportional auxiliary hydraulics are standard and activated with a rocker switch on the joystick. The 650 has a 64-horsepower Yanmar engine, and the 750 a 74-horsepower Deutz.

20 March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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machine matters

| continued Recommended bucket sizes for the 70-horsepower John Deere 324K are 1.4 to 2 cubic yards. Maximum flow is 24 gallons per minute, and maximum pressure is 2,750 pounds per square inch. Breakout force is 12,364 pounds, and operating weight is 14,087 pounds.

AWS machines offer maximum maneuverability and stability. JCB compact wheel loaders rely entirely on articulation. Will Turner, product manager at JCB, says using a fixed rear axle reduces complexity, making service and repair easier. The design also leaves room for a larger cab and lowers the machine’s center of gravity. The John Deere 244K-II and 324K feature Articulation Plus, where the articulation joint provides 30 degrees of movement and the rear wheels allow another 10 degrees. “This retains excellent maneuverability and a tighter turning radius while providing a higher percentage of lift capacity at full turn,” says Drew Miller, product marketing manager, compact wheel loaders, John Deere. The rear is coordinated steering with no crab steering function. The rear wheels are mechanically coupled to the articulation joint, and rear-wheel steering is proportional to articulation joint movement. Gehl 650 and 750 and Mustang 608 and 708 have 45 degrees of articulation and 10 degrees of chassis oscillation. “One critical safety concern is that operators must remember the tipping weight is lower at full turn than straight,” says Moore, “perhaps as much as 35 percent lower.” Comrie says that while compact wheel loaders may not have the tight turning capabilities of skid steer and compact track loaders, the characteristics of their maneuverability give them an advantage in loading and placing.

Expanding attachments One way compact wheel loaders are intruding into the market space occupied by skid steer and compact track loaders is their expanding use of attachments. To facilitate

The 407 and 409 models from JCB feature driveline components from such notable names as Dana and Bosch and are powered by JCB Diesel by Kohler engines – 64 horsepower for the 407 and 74-horsepower for the 409. LiveLink telematics are standard as is a three-year, 3,000-hour full-machine warranty.

22 March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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machine matters

| continued

The 64-horsepower Kubota R630 features hydrostatic drive with differential locks front and rear. Tipping loads for the cab-equipped version are 8,212 pounds straight and 7,000 pounds full turn with the stock 1-cubic-yard bucket. Breakout force is 10,415 pounds. Maximum auxiliary flow is 17.8 gallons per minute at a maximum pressure of 3,000 pounds per square inch. this, most CWLs have a choice of couplers. Typically, this includes the tool carrier type, which is best suited for buckets and forks, and the skid steer type, which works well with other attachments. Standard on JCB CWLs is a tool carrier front end, which provides parallel lift with forks. A skid steer attachment is available. The SSL coupler is fully enclosed to keep out debris; there are no exposed cylinders or linkages. The bolt-on wear ears can be rotated to maximize service life and can be replaced without replacing the entire hitch. However, the skid steer attachment has more moving parts than the tool carrier front end and sacrifices that system’s low offset (zero offset on the 407 and near-zero on the 409). Other features also support this versatility, says Jeff Jacobsmeyer, Kubota product manager for excavators, wheel loaders and backhoes. “For example, an optional quick coupler, which we have for both Euro and skid steer types, makes for fast, safe and easy bucket and attachment changes. And some models, such as our R630, come with a creep mode, which provides efficient control and operation of frontmounted hydraulic attachments.” Yanmar introduced new compact wheel loaders in January 2017. The 61-horsepower V8 and 73-horsepower V10 are available with a choice of couplers: Schaeff and ISO on both, plus skid steer style on the V8. An optional fourth circuit control with a high-flow function further increases the attachments suitable for use with these loaders. Eric Berkhimer, product manager at Yanmar America, notes that “SmartControl and our multi-function joysticks provide fast and precise control of attachments.”

The Power-A-Tach hydraulic attachment system with skidsteer interface is standard on Mustang 608 and 708 models. Manitou Group, parent company of the Gehl and Mustang brands, offers a full range of Edge accessories from augers to grapples. Front and rear locking differentials are pushbutton activated from the joystick.

The smallest loader in the KCM line, the 30ZV-2 has a 30-horspower Kubota engine, two-speed hydrostatic Hitachi drive providing travel speed from creep to 9.3 mph and limited slip differentials. A 0.52-cubic-yard bucket and skid-steer coupler are standard equipment. The KCM line changed to the Hitachi name this year.

24 March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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COMMAND AND CONTROL Your jobsite requires constant vehicle control. That’s why Fuller Advantage ® Series automated transmissions can be configured with optional features like Urge to Move, Creep Mode and Blended Pedal for enhanced low-speed maneuverability. Now available for vocational applications, it’s got 110,000 pounds GCW capability and 6- and 8-bolt PTO openings. Best of all, the Precision Lubrication system eliminates the transmission oil cooler to cut down on costs and maintenance headaches. And it’s backed by the solutions, support and expertise of the industry-leading Roadranger ® network. Learn more at eatoncumminsjv.com

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| continued

The SDLG L918F is powered by a 74-horsepower Deutz engine and a manual power-shift two-speed transmission. A ROPS/ FOPS cab with air conditioning is standard as is a skid-steer coupler with in-cab controls. The 1-cubic-yard skid-steer-style general purpose bucket has reversible bolt-on cutting edges.

Sometimes the difference in couplers is simple, such as placement and attachment points for cylinders. Sometimes it’s more complex. In addition to having different cylinder configurations, the tool carrier and Z-bar options on the New Holland W50C have different arms – straight on the tool carrier and curved on the Z-bar. The Z-bar linkage provides maximum breakout force, digging and lifting power for high-production load-and-carry applications. For applications where self-leveling is needed, such as fork work, the W50C TC Tool Carrier model is recommended. Kubota sought to achieve the best balance with the hybrid link system. Jacobsmeyer says this hybrid design gives the digging power of a Z link with a parallel lift path. “Efficient operation of both the bucket and pallet fork is a huge advantage with this hybrid link system.” But just because an attachment fits, that doesn’t mean it’s wise to run it on a compact wheel loader. “Not all attachments are recommended or advisable, even if they fit the coupler,” says Brad Stemper, Case product manager, compact wheel loaders. Hammers and breakers lose impact strength because some of their energy is transmitted through a wheel loader’s larger tires rather than through the tool. Saws, stump

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grinders and anything that requires significant downforce are poor matches. And cold planer performance can be compromised because the tires on a CWL can bounce a bit. Meier notes that attachments requiring high flow and pressure are better matched to skid-steer and compact track loaders for now. “Several compact wheel loaders can run 32 to 34 gallons per minute, but there’s demand for 40 gallons per minute and 4,000 pounds per square inch, especially on the 74-horsepower 906M and bigger models.” Meier says customers want the extra hydraulic power for both attachments and drive. Volvo offers a high-flow option, but Comrie says “high flow” is relative; what’s high for a compact wheel loader is significantly lower than the flow offered by the largest skid steer and compact track loaders. Even so, it’s adequate to run 80 percent of high-flow attachments. Meier says there’s growing interest for electrical and hydraulic attachments at the rear of compact wheel loaders, as well as rear hitches. Currently, rear attachments consist mostly of spreaders for de-icing chemicals, but more tools will be developed. “Because compact wheel loaders have better rear visibility than skid-steer and compact track loaders, they’re better suited for use with rear attachments.”

Speed, fuel efficiency and other advantages While compact wheel loaders may concede some performance in the turns, their straight-line speed puts them well in front of skid-steer and compact track loaders. And even higher speed options exist. Rupert Bradley says that high-speed options bump travel speeds to 21 mph on the JCB 407 and to 25 mph on the 409. And with their more forgiving ride quality, compact wheel loaders provide much greater operator comfort at speed. Jacobsmeyer cites a number of other advantages that compact wheel loaders have over skid steers and compact track loaders. A higher seating position gives the operator a better view of the worksite and during truck loading. Articulation keeps all four wheels on the ground in uneven terrain. Entrance and exit for the operator are more convenient than crawling over a bucket or loader arms of a conventional skid steer or CTL. The Kubota R530 and R630 have standard four-wheel drive and a joystick-mounted forward and reverse switch that allows direction changes on the fly without clutching or braking. Joe Boufford, product marketing specialist, New Holland Construction, includes high ground clearance on that list and also says the long wheelbase of a compact wheel loader adds to stability and operator comfort. Fuel efficiency is often greater, partly because CWLs

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EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 27 12/4/17 9:57 AM

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machine matters

| continued

have lower horsepower engines than competing large skid-steer and compact track loaders. CWLs also usually run at less than peak power, while SSLs and CTLs often run wide open the entire time they work. “Wheel loaders don’t need to operate at or near full throttle to maximize lift capacity and breakout force,” Boufford says. This difference in engine operating speed also supports a higher percentage of residual value for CWLs, since buyers of used compact wheel loaders know these machines were not thrashed throughout their working hours the way skid-steer and compact track loaders can be. And higher residual value supports the lower total O&O costs for CWLs. Other factors include far lower tire wear and no undercarriage to maintain and repair. Initial investment is higher for a compact wheel loader; it is simply a larger, heavier machine than a skid steer or compact track loader. The cost difference depends on the basis of comparison. Are you comparing two machines of similar breakout force? Standard bucket capacity? Rated horsepower? The difference may be less than 20 percent or as much as 70 percent. Comrie points out that CWLs have three to four times longer service life than skid steers. Longer service life coupled with other factors yield total O&O costs of 40 to 50 percent lower for the compact wheel loader.

Compact wheel loaders already have an advantage in reach and lift, and now several manufacturers are adding telescopic booms to their CWLs. The telescopic Gehl T750, projected for release later this year, will have a 16-foot, 6-inch pin height. Coffey sums up the appeal of compact wheel loaders: “With increased visibility, higher travel speed, additional lift height, telescopic options and skid steer-style attachment interface, the compact wheel loader is the ultimate work machine.”

Have it your way Other options exist on compact wheel loaders. Stemper says Case offers multiple final drives to match customers’ needs. There’s a limited slip differential (a technology that migrated down from larger loaders), differential locks for loose or challenging conditions and an open differential to minimize tire scrub and surface disruption on improved surfaces. Case has two styles of service brakes available on the 221F and 321F, traditional outboard wet discs and a caliper-style brake on the output shaft that applies braking force to all four wheels. “The idea is to offer reduced product complexity and service complexity and a lower initial cost.” Other options in the Case lineup include cold-weather packages with a heavy-duty battery, en-

28 March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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gine block heater and low-temperature hydraulic oil, as well as LED work light packages. Miller divides Deere CWLs into two groups – the 204L and 304L in one and the 244K-II and 324K in the other. In addition to Articulation Plus steering, the 244K-II and 324K have other standard features, such as a return-to-dig mode and an enclosed cab. The 204L and 304L are offered as simpler, lower-cost machines with limited electronics and an open ROPS cab as standard. “This is in response to customer interest in simpler machines that are easier to service and have lower initial costs,” says Miller. Although the lack of electronics precludes JDLink on these models, features such as ride control are available on all four. Ride control relies on A 73-horsepower Deutz engine powers the Wacker Neuson 8085 AWS allcylinder damping, not electronics. It wheel-steer, all-wheel-drive compact wheel loader. There are three steering is on/off on the 204L and 304L, and modes: two-wheel (front), four-wheel and crab. Wheel position is sync’ed on/off/auto on the 244K-II and 324K, electronically. Hydraulic pressure is 3,190 pounds per square inch, and flow is with the auto mode engaged accord18.2 gallons per minute. ing to travel speed. VMAC EquipWorld_March18_VR40.pdf 1 2/8/2018 1:43:39 PM

AIR INNOVATED

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management

| by Preston Ingalls

Maximize wrench time with planning and scheduling

The right changes could double the efficiency of your maintenance workforce

braham Lincoln is alleged to have said: “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” If you get the feeling sometimes that your technicians are chopping wood with a dull axe, maybe it’s time to find a way to sharpen your processes. Studies have shown that mechanics and technicians in the construction equipment industry have about 30 to 35 percent productivity or “wrench time” in performing their tasks. It could be and should be

much better. (And this low productivity is not unique to the construction or heavy equipment industry, as all industries average 25 to 35 percent.) According to a definition by Doc Palmer, author of Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Handbook: “Wrench time is a measure of tradecraft personnel at work, using tools, in front of jobs. Wrench time does not include obtaining parts, tools/instructions, or the travel associated with those tasks. It does not include travel-

ing to or from jobs. It does not include time spent obtaining work assignments. The achievement of these goals is complicated by the fact that a majority of maintenance organizations operate in a reactive mode with efficiencies in the 30-percent range.” This means for a nine-hour day, the technician or mechanic is spending about three hours doing productive or value-added work. There are numerous possible reasons for this low-efficiency figure: • Equipment is unavailable because it is being used. Production won’t EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 31

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management

“

| continued

Increase wrench time from 35 to 50 percent: 15 technicians become 24. Increase wrench time from 25 to 50 percent: 15 technicians become 30.

surrender it because downed equipment affects their numbers and schedules. • Maintenance trades repeatedly travel back and forth from the job to the storeroom for parts, manuals, tools and assistance. “Windshield time” is not value-added. • Different skilled trades are required to complete a repair, which keeps the original technician waiting for their arrival. • An issue reported to maintenance was incorrect, resulting in the wrong tradesman being dispatched to the job. • The inability to find suitable documentation, such as service manuals for reference to conduct repairs. • Break time. • Waiting for instructions from supervisor. • Completing paperwork. As shown, many factors interfere with a tech’s ability to perform the job, with most being systemic or systems-oriented – therefore, beyond the control of the technician to improve.

Your hidden workforce Fortunately, there are many triedand-true ways to improve wrench time with little expense. One of the most successful processes is planning and scheduling (P&S). On average, P&S enhances wrench time to as much as 55 percent. The change brought about from implementing a P&S program is sometimes described as discover-

ing your “hidden workforce.” For example: • Increase wrench time from 35 to 50 percent: 15 technicians become 24 • Increase wrench time from 25 to 50 percent: 15 technicians become 30 In this tight job market for technicians, it would be hard to find that many additional techs. By leveraging the benefits of P&S, you can either do more work or accomplish the same level of work with fewer technicians. The difference occurs when you optimize the systems in which they work.

Training the scheduler If we remove one of the more experienced technicians from the group Why do we need P&S? Planning and scheduling can increase wrench time to as much as 60 percent of mechanics’ day. Other benefits: • Planned work is four to 12 times more efficient than reactive • Planned work is three to nine times less expensive than reactive • On larger jobs, each hour of planning saves three to five hours of execution time • Up to 95 percent of your work can be planned • Up to 95 percent of planned work can be done when first scheduled • Emergencies drop dramatically as proactive “planned” tasks are done to prevent breakdowns

”

of 15 and train him to become a planner/scheduler, the productivity gains more than offset his loss to the workforce, so there would be no need for a replacement. The increased productivity gains from prepping the jobs for the remaining techs will increase the throughput of the others as they spend more time on tasks and less time trying to prepare for those tasks. Maintenance planning and scheduling prioritizes and organizes work, so it can be executed efficiently. It relies on: • Work-order systems • Time-keeping systems • Identification of major and minor components • A preventive maintenance program • Stockroom/inventory control • Cooperation with operations So, how does P&S work? To execute maintenance in the most cost-effective manner, a formal planning and scheduling process is required. Planning is the “what” and the “how,” while scheduling is the “when” and the “who.”

Planning is the process of: • Identifying the specific tasks to complete the work required • Identifying and estimating the resources (people, materials, tools, etc.) required for the work, along with any necessary services needed, so all will be made available in time for the execution of the work • Gathering all of the necessary information/documentation into a EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 33

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NAV-14503 HX HV-spread-Equipment World-Mar 2018.indd 1 Untitled-53 2

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management

job pack to enable the work to be executed safely and efficiently • Producing job plans that sequence the tasks to perform and the necessary resources • Arranging all specialty tools, permits, vendors and equipment to perform the tasks.

Scheduling is the process of: • Aligning activities with available resources (i.e. technicians, specialty equipment, vendor, tools, material) • Achieving maintenance execution effectiveness • Making decisions to optimize activities within the same time period • Publicizing the work schedule to allow for proper and required departmental involvement for timely equipment release. Here is how the process works: 1. Identify This activity describes the process of raising a notification/work-order request. It must be easy to activate a request for work. There should be

a process to prioritize equipment by class based on impact to operations and therefore set work priorities on the time limits to perform that work based on immediacy. For example, a downed paver with a screed issue would be Priority 1 (fix within 24 hours) because it is a Class-A piece of equipment based on its impact to operations. 2. Plan (Work preparation) This activity describes the process of collecting information and preparing the resources to safely and effectively perform the maintenance task. It could also include scoping or examining the job. A planner determines what is needed to perform the job to include the sequence of steps, specialty tools, bill of materials (parts), PPE and necessary resources to perform the job. This is referred to as the “kit,” and it is staged in a convenient place for retrieval. The objective is to save time for technicians by having all the necessary resources assembled for them versus wasting time looking and waiting.

| continued

3. Execute The step when activities take place in the field. The end result is a job done effectively as planned. The key process here is to make sure the job got done and done correctly. 4. Schedule This is the process of creating a weekly schedule with work orders and PMs to be executed during the schedule period based on priorities. The backlog (work that has been requested but not yet performed) is examined along with new requests and matched against available resources (technicians, vendors). The schedule is negotiated with operations in a weekly meeting and then published so that everyone understands the commitments. 5. Close-out At this point, work completion is confirmed and steps are taken to close out the work order in the CMMS. Labor and materials are applied along with descriptions of work performed. Follow-up work may be generated. EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 37

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management Later, the planner will use historical information to examine patterns and trends, such as failure frequencies, exceptional costs, problematic components and key performance measures (KPM), to assess progress. The analysis of historical data allows us to tweak the system by spotting abnormalities and applying root-cause analysis to prevent recurrence.

Planner/scheduler job duties The planner/scheduler in this system has responsibility for a number of tasks: • Planning nonemergency corrective repairs with job superintendents • Staging parts and material kits for planned job • Coordinating parts acquisition with parts coordinators • Coordinating planned war-

ranty repairs • Participating in review of work orders for priorities • Assigning work orders needing planning and materials to planned backlog • Assuring work order has approval and authority • Managing the PM and Predictive Maintenance (PDM) program • Creating new and maintaining existing PMs • Monitoring PM compliance • Reviewing effectiveness of PMs • Leading or assisting in developing a PM strategy • Helping to identify conditionbased vs. time/meter-based • Helping to decide on Repair/ Replace/Refurbish/Run to Failure (RTF) • Establishing and adjusting PM frequencies

| continued

A typical day for a planner...

Job research Job preparation Plan development Follow-up Other duties Personal

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EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 39 Untitled-62 1

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© 2018 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.

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A Supplem

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Annual Equipment World

&yearbook MORE T 40 DIFFERHE AN MACHINE T NT YPE ORGANIZEDS BY SIZE

• Hamm ers/Shear s • Skid Stee • Wheel Lo rs/ aders/Too • Backho Compact Loaders lcarriers • Crawle e Loader • Off-Hig r Dozers s • Excava hway Truc • Scrape tors/Sho ks vels rs/Motor • Trenche rs/Direction Graders • Lasers/G al Drills • Paving PS Equipmen t • Air Com pressors EWSG1 7_FrontCov er.indd 1

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Spec Guide To order copies of the 2017-18 Equipment World Spec Guide, fill out the form below and fax it to (205) 345-5605 or call 1-800-633-5953, ext. 1265.

World Ma

Hammers/Sh eeea rs/rsCompac t LoBa adckers hoe Load Exers cavators/S Wh hove delsrs/

The 19

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9/1/17

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Or mail to: Equipment World 2017-18 Spec Guide • P.O. Box 2029 • Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2029

✔ Yes! Please send me the Equipment World 2017-18 Spec Guide! ❑

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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9/1/17 10:53 AM

| by Marcia Gruver Doyle |

quick data

Skid steers

MGruver@randallreilly.com

A snapshot of new and used sales trends from Randall-Reillyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Equipment Data Associates and TopBid auction price service.

USED: UP 3%

Auctions

NEW: DOWN 1%

Skid steer auction prices, Jan. 17-Jan. 18

1-year average: $

$20,000

18,201

$19,500

*Comparison of number of skid steers financed Dec. 1, 2016 to Nov. 30, 2017, and Dec. 1, 2015 to Nov. 30, 2016. Source: EDA, edadata.com

$19,000 $18,500 $18,000 $17,500

Top three states for skid steer buyers*

$17,000

High: $19,451

$16,500 $16,000 $15,000

Current: $17,761

April 2017

$15,500

January 2018

$14,500

Low: 17,597

$14,000

January 2017

$13,500 $13,000

In January, the average price for the top 10 models sold at auction was 1 percent above the average price for these machines sold in January 2017, and 2 percent below the one-year average of $18,201.

$12,500 $12,000

Year-over-year change*

Texas: 1,835 buyers

Minnesota: 1,814 buyers

Wisconsin: 1,783 buyers

$11,500

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Jun.

Jul.

Aug.

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

PRICE

2017 Trend prices for the top 10 models of skid steers sold at auction, not seasonally adjusted.

48,000

Top financed new skid steer*

Top auction price, paid for a 2015 Caterpillar 262D with 693 hours at a Ritchie Bros. sale in Orlando on Feb. 20, 2017.

46,000

OTHER TOP BID:

Jan.

2018

2015 Bobcat S650, 172 hours, J. M. Wood Auction, June 13 in Montgomery, Alabama.

0 7,0

9 20,5

HIGH

AVERAGE

Feb. 1, 2017 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jan. 31, 2018; skid steers 5 years old and newer, U.S. sales only. Only includes bids $5,000 and above. Source: TopBid, topbid.com

LOW

Final bids unit count: 613

0 48,0

Other top selling new machine:

New

Skid steer new, used sales trends, 2008-2017*

Kubota SSV75, 1,146 units

Used

25,000 22,500

Top financed used skid steer*

20,000 17,500

Bobcat S185, 459 units

15,000 12,500 10,000 7,550 5,000 2,500

New high: 2008, 19,680 units

New low: 2010, 12,671 units

Used high: 2010, 22,957 units

Used low: 2017, 17,506 units

UNITS

Bobcat S650, 1,099 units

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

*Financed equipment, 2008 - 2017, number of units sold by sale or lease. Source: EDA, edadata.com

EW0318_Quick Data.indd 43

2015

2016

2017

*In terms of number of new and used financed units sold Dec. 1, 2016 to Nov. 30, 2017. Source: EDA, edadata.com (Note: EDA reports are continually updated.) EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 43

2/21/18 3:22 PM

highway contractor

| by Joy Powell |

JoyPowell@randallreilly.com

WHEELED VS. TRACKED ASPHALT PAVERS Some prefer one or the other, but increasingly some are choosing both

he decision to buy tracked or wheeled pavers really comes down to a contractor’s preference as much as application. Those preferences can vary on a state-by-state basis, and there’s an increasing trend toward contractors using both wheeled and tracked machines. Each machine has its advantages, depending on the job. Advancements in rubber tracks are giving tracked machines longer life, faster speed and better rideability, similar to wheeled machines. Industrywide, 10-foot rubber track pavers now log the highest sales volumes, says Jim Holland, product vice president for Vögele, part of the Wirtgen Group. And at Volvo Construction Equipment, it’s now split roughly in half between wheeled and tracked machine sales.

“A lot of it comes down to the owner’s and the crew’s preference; they usually go from their past experience and what they’ve always used,” says Dan Donovan, director of road sales for Volvo CE in North America. “For us, in our 8-foot market, our track machine is far more popular than our wheeled unit, but then again, you can have that change based on what state has the most activity – highway spending, housing starts, and in

some states, the counties do their own maintenance, so they have a preference.” Donovan has also noticed the 10-foot rubber track garnering more attention over the last 10 to 15 years. The steel track designs that many manufacturers had years ago were slow, clunky and expensive to fix, but manufacturers have eliminated those problems, he explains. “Whereas, the wheeled probably would have dominated the market, that high-speed rubber track certainly has changed the face of the industry,” Donovan says. And it’s taken a lot of the market from the wheeled category.

More than mainline Holland says most buyers choose the 10-foot rubbertrack pavers for mainline work, DOT work, highway and similar projects. Now, a growing number of contractors are even using them for large-box store parking lots where the commercial-type paver does more pulls to complete the work. “I’ve seen a trend where some are going to larger machines, even for parking lots. It’s a highway-class machine, but you can use it in multiple applications; it’s not just limited to the highway,” Holland says.

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Here’s a sampling of the wheeled and tracked pavers on the market: Ammann Ammann Group recently launched a diverse paving line that includes 17 models with both tracked and wheeled versions. Screed options include tamping/vibrating, high-compaction and rigid-frame. The machines come in three sizes: compact pavers, including the mini paver; the city pavers; and the biggest group, the large pavers. Amman’s large pavers can reach production of 1,100 tons an hour with maximum widths of 15.31 yards. The pavers are available with conventional controls or with the advanced PaveManager 2.0 system. BOMAG/Cedarapids The BOMAG Cedarapids CR662RM RoadMix material transfer vehicle (MTV) and paver combo machine has a 260-horsepower Tier 4 Final Cummins engine. The CR662RM can be converted from an MTV to an asphalt paver in less than four hours by removing the rear conveyor assembly and replacing it with a screed, the company says. The rubber-tracked CR662RM features a 21-pound-per-square-inch fully loaded ground contact pressure that can cross bridges fully loaded and can be transported to a jobsite the same way as a 10-foot paver. The Remix Anti-Segregation System delivery augers feature hard-faced back sides and pitch spacing transitions ranging from 10 inches at the front of the hopper to 12 inches at the back. The throughput capacity can exceed 500 tons per hour in both the paver and MTV configurations. Dynapac North America The FC1600C is a crossover between commercial class paver and highway class paver, showcasing what Dynapac calls its “designed to perform and built to last” philosophy. It’s a rebuildable paver with wear-resistance replaceable conveyor floor plates, segmented auger flights and bolt-on screed plates, the company says. With hydraulic screed crown, hydraulic extension slope and matching height, and hydraulic tow point, the paver can be easily adjusted for varying road profiles. The Dynapac VF0816C screed on this paver weighs about 4,500 pounds, providing the best pre-compaction of a paver in its class, Dynapac says. The unique 4-auger system mounted on the screed also allows a 15.5-foot paving width without adding additional auger extensions or without shoveling the material when paving wide widths. The 99-horsepower Cummins engine has a 16-kilowatt hydraulic driven generator, providing uniform heating throughout the width of the screed to achieve perfect mat texture, Dynapac says. Caterpillar With Econ mode, the AP10055F has an engine speed of 1,650 rpm and trims fuel use by up to 15 percent over Cat E-Series pavers, while also lowering sound. More accurate control maximizes mix utilization and saves money. There’s true averaging with sonic sensors that use five transducers; two readings are discarded and three averaged. A 10-point auto-calibration eliminates over- and underadjustment from a single calibration point. Cross-coupling, slope and elevation are maintained with height adjustments.

“Track pavers are used anywhere you have bad bases and also when you’re doing widerwidth paving,” says Jon Anderson, Caterpillar’s global sales manager for pavers. “The wheel pavers are great for repair work and mill and fill jobs. They work great in situations where you’re paving over asphalt that’s been milled out, and you’ve got a good solid base there, no traction issues, and you’re generally not going wide width.” Wheeled pavers offer an advantage for multiple short paving jobs or patches in a particular vicinity, as they are more mobile and can be driven from one spot to the other faster than a tracked paver, especially if the tracked machine must be trailered, according to Vögele. With mobile track machines, traditional speed differences between wheel and steel track machines have been greatly reduced to the point where it has almost no impact on typical paving operations, Anderson notes. “It used to be that wheel machines were about three times faster than track machines, but now with mobile track pavers that’s down to under 40 percent faster,” he says. “When you look at how far most people drive a machine, it doesn’t add much to the day.” Both tracked and wheeled machines adapt well to their situations, so often the decision comes down to price. Wheeled pavers cost less to buy and maintain, Donovan and other experts say. Anderson estimates that a wheeled paving machine costs roughly 15 percent less than tracked machines. “You can eat that up fast if you’re getting stuck often,” he says. But if the wheeled version does the job for you, EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 45

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Anderson adds, that’s certainly enough reason to consider going that less expensive route. If contractors are pushing up a high grade, with soft sub-bases, or are out West, they may want the tracked machine, Donovan says. But customers primarily doing highway work could opt for the wheeled machines, relying on the six-wheel-drive option for grades, which all manufacturers offer.

LeeBoy One of LeeBoy’s most popular wheeled pavers is the 6150. With a quicker travel speed, this machine delivers a quality mat while easily maneuvering from point to point, LeeBoy says. It has a 74-horsepower Kubota Tier 4 Final engine, with a variable paving width of up to 15 feet. Paving speed is 2.6 mph and travel speed is 7.5 mph. Operators can choose a high or low deck configuration, which can improve visibility depending on the application. The 6150 comes with dual electronic steering wheels and sliding operator control. The machine has a 7-ton-capacity material hopper and propane or electric (option) screed heat. It’s 16 feet, 6 inches long. Transport width is 8 feet, 6 inches or, with the hopper wings down, 10 feet, 7 inches. Total weight is 17,550 pounds.

State-by-state preferences With manufacturers having tackled problems with traction and maneuverability, differences often simply boil down to what contractors are used to and prefer, Holland says. There are regional differences in those preferences, but they’re spotty and it is really more state-by-state, Anderson says. “West of the Mississippi, you don’t see too many wheeled pavers.” And even within states, there can be differences. For example, in Texas, some areas lean toward wheeled machines and others toward tracked, Holland says. “Some of it is due to the type of paving. A lot of it is tractive effort of the track machine. And then you look at how they’re paving. Are they paving on base material, dirt or CTB (cementtreated base)?” With base material, the ground pressure of the tracked machine is spread more evenly over the length and width of the tracks; whereas, with a wheeled machine, that ground pressure is on the

Mauldin The Mauldin 1550-D track-type paver has an operating weight, with its small screed, of 12,500 pounds. It has an 8-foot basic screed width with a maximum paving width of 14 feet and maximum depth of 6 inches. Other features include a four-auger material feed system with extending augers, heated screed extensions, Kubota V-3600B 67-horsepower Tier 4 Interim engine, 6.5-ton receiving-hopper capacity and twospeed crawler track driver system.

LB Performance The PF150D and the PF161C are wheeltype pavers with 110-horsepower Cummins engines. The PF150D has a 74-horsepower Kubota engine. Basic screed width is 8 feet, with a maximum paving width of 16 feet and max depth of 6 inches. It’s 16 feet, 6 inches long with a transport width of 8 feet, 6 inches. Operating weight with the smallest screed is 18,200 pounds. Hopper capacity is 7 tons. The PF161C has the same maximum widths and depth. It weighs in at 27,500 pounds and has a hopper capacity of 9.8 tons. Maximum paving speed is 196 feet per minute, and maximum travel speed is 9.9 mph.

Roadtec Roadtec has both 8-foot and 10-foot pavers, including rubber tire and track machines. The RP-170e wheeled paver has a 174-gross-horsepower Cummins QSB 6.7 Tier 4 engine. It has a minimum paving width of 8 feet and maximum paving width of 15 feet, 6 inches. It weighs 29,280 pounds and is 16 feet, 1 inch long. (Weight and dimensions can vary with screen options.) Transport width is 8 feet, 2 inches.

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Vögele The Super 2003-3i is a 10-foot highway-class rubber-tired paver that can be used for a variety of work. It accepts Leica, Trimble and Topcon 3D systems. The 10-foot Super 20003i is the tracked version. Both machines offer a maximum paving width of 19 feet, 6 inches with the front-mounted VF 500 extending screed and hydraulic bolt-on extensions. The ErgoPlus 3, the company says, allows the screed to be adjusted from 8 feet up to 15 feet, 6 inches without bolt-on extensions. The new Super 1800-3i SprayJet is a special class paver particularly useful for putting down thinner layers. Operation of the SprayJet module has been integrated into the ErgoPlus 3 operating concept, using a color touchscreen. Volvo (Blaw-Knox) The P7110B and P7170B Blaw-Knox wheeled and tracked pavers improve fuel efficiency by up to 5 percent, relying on the Volvo D8 235-horsepower engine. Volvo says the track footprint provides the highest contact surface area in the paving industry. Automatic track tensioning ensures optimal track performance and long life. With a 10-foot basic width, these models feature a maximum paving width of 26 feet. There’s front-wheel assist, with two-wheel- or four-wheel-drive versions of the P7170B available for improved tractive effort and gradeability. Weiler The 19,500-pound P385B tracked machine is powered by a 100-horsepower Cat C3.4 Tier 4 engine. Independent control of the left- and right-side feeder system enables variable-width paving. The Weiler-designed electric screed is hydraulically extendable from 8 feet to 15 feet, 8 inches and features sonic feed sensors, angle of attack, height and crown adjustments. The P385B features an undercarriage with 68 inches of ground contact. XCMG The RP603L is XCMG’s first full medium 3 series asphalt concrete paver. It adopts full hydraulic drive and electro-hydraulic automatic control, with advanced technology and reliable performance, the company says. It’s used for paving highways, roads, paths and other construction. The RP603L’s paving width is 8.3 feet to 19.7 feet and it is stepless adjustable, says the company, which exports to North America from China. Standard details include a sliding console with horizontal rotation, rotary double seat, and rubber tires in the front, nylon in the back. It has a manual adjust distribution height, analog leveling instrument, ultrasonic dosing level meter and hydraulic stretching screed.

individual wheels. The tracked machine gives you better traction so you don’t tear up the base, especially when the machine’s full of asphalt, Holland explains.

Trend toward a combo approach Some contractors use both tracked and wheeled machines. A tracked machine may be used for placing a leveling course on softer material, for example. And for the surface courses, they may use a wheeled machine, Holland says. A case in point is Florida, which is primarily a wheeled machine market, though some contractors use a combination. There’s a trend, Holland says, toward contractors buying an 8-foot tracked machine, for example, to do shoulder work, such as road widening, while wanting better traction on that base material. They might use the same machine to pave the base material in a lane and then use a wheeled machine to come back with the surface course in a wider width. Considerations for buying tracked machines include whether you need a tight turning radius or face steep grades. Tracked machines can be more effective with tractive efforts and stability than wheeled machines, even with frontwheel assist. Contractors often choose tracks if they have grade issues and need more stability and tractive power to push their big trucks. EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 47

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earthmoving attachments

| by Don McLoud |

Turn skid steer into grading machine The SSGB-8B Skid Steer Grader Blade from Worksaver turns skid steers into high-performance grading machines for subgrading and surface preparation. The 8-foot, six-way hydraulically controlled moldboard is operated by an in-cab remote. The moldboard features 25-degree rotation/tilt. The laser control system allows for precision grading. The grader blade features a reversible beveled cutting edge and half-inch “connect under pressure” flatfaced hydraulic couplers. An end plate kit and laser pole kit are optional.

DonMcLoud@randallreilly.com

Move large debris with speed Kubota’s SGR15 Rock Grapples are designed to efficiently and quickly move large volumes of material. The bucket’s teeth are spaced 3 inches apart to sift out smaller small rocks, soil and other debris. Its hydraulic cylinders can close at various gaps to handle irregular shapes, the company says. It comes in three widths: 66, 72 and 78 inches. It is available on the following Kubota models: SSV65 skid steer, SSV75 skid steer, SVL75-2 compact track loader and SVL95-2 compact track loader.

One bucket, four uses Case Construction Equipment’s 4-in-1 bucket functions as a traditional bucket, as well as performs three other tasks, as a dozer, scraper or clam. It is built for use on skid steers, compact track loaders, wheel loaders and backhoes. The bucket can be controlled from the cab with fingertip controls. The hydraulically actuated bucket is available in widths ranging from 66 to 93 inches and capacities of 14.2 cubic feet to 1.2 cubic yards. Optional spill guards that expand the bucket’s capacity are also available.

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Grade by laser with flip of switch Bobcat’s box blade attachments are designed for rough grading and landscaping applications. The 84-inch-wide box blades come in either standard or laser models. They are controlled from the operator’s seat of a Toolcat 5600 utility work machine, a skid-steer, an all-wheel-steer or a compact-track loader, with the center switch on the right control lever. The laser system provides grade accuracy within a quarter inch and can be turned on or off with the flip of a switch, the company says. Two foam-filled tires help guide the box blade.

Able to dig into abrasive material Doosan’s severe-duty buckets for crawler excavators can handle abrasive materials in heavy digging and loading applications. The buckets are made of abrasive-resistant material, including the side butters, shell bottom and side plates, and a weld-on wear shroud. Front wear pads provide additional protection from rocks and irregular materials, and an abrasive-resistant wear strap on the bottom prevents wear when working in harsh materials. The bucket’s machine-fitting joint is strengthened by reinforcing gussets.

A blade to subgrade

Buckets with longer reach, higher dump height

Manitou designed its Edge grader blade for subgrading and blacktop preparation. It features in-cab controls for angle and tilt functions and a proportional current valve to gradually adjust blade height, angle and tilt. The 96-inch blade has a reversible and replaceable cutting edge. It comes with all hoses and flat-face couplers needed and can accept laser control for grading. It is compatible with Gehl and Mustang radial skid, vertical skid, and track loaders. The blade weighs 1,200 pounds and requires 45 horsepower to operate.

John Deere says its new rollout buckets – RB72, RB84 and RB96 – provide an additional 34 inches of dump reach when fully extended. They are made for the company’s G-Series compact track loaders and K-Series compact wheel loaders and use the host machine’s auxiliary hydraulics, which allows for higher dump height. The buckets also provide 114 degrees of roll-out to control material spillage. The model numbers coincide with the bucket’s width, as in the RB72 is 72 inches wide. Deere also included its self-cleaning Quik-Tatch system.

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road technology

| by Joy Powell |

JoyPowell@randallreilly.com

CRCP roadways proved resilient after Hurricane Harvey – and states are taking note New ‘elastic layer theory’ testing aims to cut construction costs while strengthening roads

n Texas, roads are being torn apart by the heavy loads of energy-bearing trucks, giving impetus for a new research project. Mike Plei, an independent CRCP consultant from Illinois, has teamed with the Cement Council of Texas and researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso to perform a CRCP finite element analysis, which measures the strength of a road’s layers. “Elastic layer theory allows testing and analysis to see if local materials and possibly recycled materials can be used given the expected wheel loads, environment and individual layer strengths,” Plei says. The layers start with a thin asphalt interlayer under the concrete slab, Plei explains. Next is an aggregate base or a treated base. The treated base can be suitable soil treated with cement or lime. That’s all placed on existing soils. There can be a lot of choices for the layers, and most states have set treatments that have performed adequately, he says. “The lower layers are a lot cheaper, so if you can make them stronger, then you can reduce the expensive layers on the top,” Plei says.

fter Hurricane Harvey and more than 40 inches of rain swamped the Houston area, the floodwaters slowly receded to reveal one positive sign: the Texas DOT freeway system within the city was intact. Survival of that infrastructure points to the high resiliency of continuously reinforced concrete paving (CRCP) after flooding and other disasters, says Elizabeth Lukefahr, executive director of the Texas Concrete Pavement Association. “When the waters receded, other than cleaning up debris, there was no repair of any (CRCP) section of Texas DOT’s pavements in the city that were

flooded,” says Lukefahr. For many of those pavements, it was the third time they had flooded in 15 years. In a state already committed to CRCP as its primary concrete pavement, the freeways’ ability to weather the flood brought a fresh look at why spending more upfront to install CRCP makes sense, says Lukefahr. With Texas, Illinois and California leading CRCP use, other states are beginning to incorporate it, such as Virginia, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Indiana recently used CRCP – which requires less concrete thickness compared to jointed plain – to rebuild the interstate pavement under a bridge that needed higher clearance because

Source: TxDOT.

Freeways in the downtown Houston area with continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) remained intact after Hurricane Harvey. “It is the joint area where many distresses occur in concrete pavement. This could certainly be one of the reasons why CRCP outperforms jointed concrete pavement,” says TxDOT spokesman Danny Perez. EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 51

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Source: Commercial Metals Co.

road technology

Scruggs Company paved this Georgia DOT CRCP project on Interstate 75 in 2010. Engineers and project managers from Florida DOT and Alabama DOT checked out the construction during an open house held by Commercial Metals, also on the project. Florida built its first CRCP project two years later at a rest area parking lot off Interstate 75.

Mike Plei, an expert on continuously reinforced concrete pavements, pictured on a CRCP jobsite in Cook County, Georgia, in 2010. He worked for Commercial Metals then and is now an independent national consultant based in Illinois.

it kept getting hit by trucks. From highways to airports, owners are weighing the higher initial cost of CRCP against long-term advantages, including fewer repairs and maintenance and more rehabilitation options. Lukefahr says the resiliency of CRCP can be critical, not just in flooded areas, but also for roads with heavy truck traffic. And in areas with wildfires, it will fare much better than asphalt, she says. “Those TxDOT CRCP sections in downtown Houston have performed better under those extreme weather events than most people would have otherwise predicted,” says Lukefahr, a former concrete and concrete pavement

engineer with the Texas Department of Transportation. Texas DOT officials confirm that repairs weren’t needed for CRCP. “We are not aware of any issues with the CRC pavement occurring after waters receded following Hurricane Harvey,” says Danny Perez, public information officer for Texas DOT. “It is the joint area where many distresses occur in concrete pavement,” Perez explains. “This could certainly be one of the reasons why CRCP outperforms jointed concrete pavement.” There’s no comparative data between flooded CRCP sections of Texas DOT pavements and other jointed and flexible

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Source: TxDOT

Source: Commercial Metals Co.

paving, according to the agency. One reason: all of metro Houston’s main lanes are CRCP. The Texas Concrete Pavement Association is working with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute to document CRCP performance and cost data. One goal of the research is to encourage engineers to factor pavement resiliency into their decisions. “This resiliency topic can be tailored to whatever the most immediate threat is in your geographic area,” Lukfahr says. Owners may start recognizing resiliency to extreme weather as a decision factor, perhaps leading to more CRCP in evacuation routes, she adds.

Several states incorporating CRCP Even though CRCP tests in 1949 and 1971 were successful, California stuck with jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP). But CRCP’s minimal repair and reha-

On Interstate 10 in Houston, crews used portable dams to hold back floodwaters last August during unprecedented flooding. The continuously reinforced concrete pavement on the TxDOT freeway system remained intact in the downtown Houston area. bilitation advantages have led California to return to it in the past decade, and other states are following suit. The Federal Highway Administration is working with several states to advance CRCP use, says Sam Tyson, FHWA concrete pavement engineer. “A significant new project on NM 136 will carry high volumes of heavily loaded truck traffic from an international border-crossing from Mexico to a rail facility north of the border in New Mexico,” Tyson says. The year-long project began last October, with CRCP construction slated for Spring 2018. Total project cost is EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 53

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Source: TxDOT

road technology

TxDOT mobilized equipment and crews to assist the Harris County Toll Road Authority with draining water from the West Sam Houston Tollway’s main lanes, south of I-10 West, after Hurricane Harvey and more than 40 inches of rain.

$47.6 million, of which nearly $22.7 million is for CRCP, according to Benito Trevino of the New Mexico DOT. States interested in incorporating CRCP have sought advice from TxDOT officials, who have shared specifications, design standards and programs. Says Lukefahr: “There is a tremendous application, even in Texas, for jointed pavement, and obviously, certain other states think that jointed pavements are a better solution for them than CRCP. But in fair-weather states, the ability to continue the life of the CRCP is more attractive than continuous repair and mainte-

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nance of jointed sections on busy roadways.” For decades, Texas has documented CRCP’s better long-term performance, smoothness and resiliency under heavier traffic. Experts say it offers more rehabilitation options than jointed concrete, in part because anything put on top of it does not have to contend with joints underneath. Texas DOT has used bonded concrete overlays extensively to double the pavement’s 30-year life to 60 years of performance.

Higher cost yet more durability, strength, longevity In Texas, the nation’s energy capital, there are plenty of freight trucks, and some interstates already have more allowances for heavier vehicles and chained vehicles. If a road has a lot of 18-wheel trucks, CRCP will be a better long-term performer, according to Lukefahr. Texas A&M Transportation Institute has been studying impacts of truck drafting, or platooning, to reduce wind resistance. The trucking industry is working with Texas DOT on having the lead vehicle operated by a conventional driver and vehicles trailing electronically. But these platoons impact pavement, which has no opportunity to rebound between sets of axles. Under that pressure, CRCP would fare best of all the pavement types, Lukefahr says. “Continuously reinforced really is the workhorse,

heavy-duty, long-lasting pavement,” she says. CRCP does sustain a number of cracks, with a transfer of crack in spacing anywhere between 2 and 6 feet. But she says that “because all of that reinforced steel is there, those cracks remain very, very tight, and so it’s not a problem from a durability aspect.”

Illinois Tollway plans aim for 50-year design with CRCP In a $4 billion expansion of the Illinois Tollway’s most congested stretch, CRCP will be used on more than 25 miles of I-294 stretching from O’Hare International south to 95th Street. The privately funded tollway chose CRCP because of its zero-maintenance and longer life, says Mike Plei, an Illinois-based consultant who served on a research committee that built test sections for the massive project. “The life-cycle analysis done by the agency showed that the CRCP would be the best option” with the lowest overall cost, he says. Illinois has used CRCP for years, and the cracks don’t get wider or deteriorate, says Plei. With jointed pavement, Midwestern states have experienced deterioration in joints. That is partly from using de-icing chemical solutions, and temperature effects moving the concrete, Plei explains. The Concrete

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Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State has determined a way to mitigate that problem, “but unfortunately, susceptible projects have already been built,” he says. “There’s a lot of research on reducing the use of joints because that’s where the problems come in, and with CRCP, you can pretty much eliminate the joints.”

Plei, who has viewed most CRCP projects in the nation, says he’s met Texas contractors who love CRCP and won’t build jointed pavement. He notes that Texas hit a record in August with 1 million square yards of CRCP bid. Because of their vast experience and other factors, Texas contractors

also tend to build at much lower prices than in the rest of the country, Plei says. “The Texans are so used to building it, they do it efficiently,” Plei says. “For the contractors outside of Texas who build maybe one CRCP (project) every 10 years, the crews need to pay attention a little more.”

Contractor considerations Because of CRCP’s price and relatively new use, a lot of transportation agencies and contractors stay with what they know – jointed plain pavement, says Bill Davenport, spokesman for the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA). “We’re using dowel bars and tie bars, so we are using steel, obviously, in a lot of our concrete pavements, but the jointed plain is probably the most prevalent,” he says. “That has to do with cost but also the experience of the contractors with that type of pavement.” Some say CRCP is more laborintensive because it involves placing and tying more steel for continuous reinforcement, which adds to cost. The bars come in 60-foot lengths. But Gerald Voigt, ACPA’s president and CEO, doesn’t see much difference between jointed concrete pavement and CRCP. “In fact, CRCP can be a more uniform placement since the steel is continuous, and with jointed concrete pavement, there are dowel baskets every 15 feet.” “The learning curve is probably more about steel placement, splicing and fastening,” Voigt adds. “Vibration is one consideration, so the contractor has to have this set up properly to ensure quality, since the vibration has to get consolidation below the steel.” Eric Ferrebee, ACPA technical service engineer, says a consistent mix must be properly consolidated. “The consolidation is key for CRCP, as the concrete needs to adequately bond to the steel for proper performance,” Ferrebee says. 56 March 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com

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Maintenance How-To

| by Tom Jackson |

Adjusting track tension on CTLs See our video at http://equipmentworld.com/ctl-track-tension.

t’s one of the simpler maintenance chores you can do, but adjusting the tension on the tracks of your compact track loader is critically important. If your tracks get too loose, they may spool off the undercarriage and put you in a bind – replacing tracks in the field takes at least two people and often auxiliary equipment. If your tracks are too tight, they can damage the undercarriage and lead to premature wear. We teamed with Leland Garrigan, service technician at Thompson Tractor in Birmingham, Alabama, for a quick lesson on the proper way to tension the tracks on a Cat CTL. Note that different brands of CTLs will have different ways to accomplish this task, so consult your owner’s manual or your dealer and follow their instructions for the brand of machine you have.

TKackson@randallreilly.com

up the machine 1 Jack Raise one side of the

machine with a jack and place a suitably rated jack under the jacking points fore and aft on the machine.

plate 2 cover This will allow you access Remove the

to a special grease zerk connected to a cylinder that increases in length to stretch out and tighten the track. or remove grease 3 Add Use a grease gun to add grease to tighten the track. Remove grease to loosen the track.

Measure the track sag The top of the lower run of the track to the bottom of one of the rollers should measure about 1 inch for optimal performance. Once that’s achieved, replace cover plate, lower machine and repeat on the opposite side.

4 Illustrations: Don Lomax EquipmentWorld.com | March 2018 57

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CONGRATULATIONS

to the 2017 Contractor of the Year winner and finalists IN

Roy Chipley

Raymond de Vre’

Carl Jones

Hiram DuRousseau, II

Chipley Company Florence, South Carolina

Blacktop Paving Homewood, California

Carl R Jones Excavating & Hauling Fredricktown, Missouri

HD Truck & Tractor Lake Charles, Louisiana

Jim Hutzel & Charity Bennett

Leo Livengood

Matthew Whaley

KAT Excavation & Construction Hutzel’s Concrete Construction Sour Lake, Texas Malvern, Arkansas

Livengood Excavators Walnutport, Pennsylvania

Whaley and Sons Kodak, Tennessee

Richard Preston & Claudia Preston McCord

Joseph Palmer

Tom Sawyer

Marshall Flowers

McKinnley Excavating Chattanooga, Tennessee

Sawyer Construction Fremont, Nebraska

Sun Construction Darlington, South Carolina

Preston Construction Johnson City, Tennessee

Kerry & Belinda Trest