Trade Show Patrol
For the first few months out of the year,
the fortune-hunters at Compact Equipment are out on safari. We’re taking in trade shows like World of Concrete, the Rental Show, NUCA’s Utility Construction EXPO and the Work Truck Show, pursuing the biggest new machines in small equipment.
Already, this trade show season has been a
banner year for interesting iron beasts of burden. Great moguls of manufacturing — from John Deere to Vermeer — released innovative new compact equipment to the public. Under the bright lights in convention center cities like
Las Vegas and Atlanta, our scouts searched show floors and found 10 cutting edge machines that stood out above the rest.
Aerial work platforms with undercarriages, portable gas-powered water pumps, mini excavators with adjustable tracks and compact
telehandlers with long arms — these small and sturdy machines are the next generation of
inventive equipment. So take your time, peruse these next six pages and find the next big gun in your fleet of compact machines.
Keith Gribbins is managing editor of Compact Equipment.
Impregnable Shell
Atlas Copco’s XAS 185 JD7 HardHat Portable Air Compressor Is Tougher than Nails
The popular Western adage — whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible time — is a theory popularized by Major Edwards A. Murphy Jr. in 1948, while working on rocket sled experiments for the U.S. government. Today, Murphy’s Law can easily be applied to the infinite amount of variables of a construction site. After all, that’s why hardhats are required for crews.
Now, Atlas Copco has extended that universal protection to your compressor with the introduction of the XAS 185 JD7 HardHat portable air compressor. The compressor features a revolutionary polyethylene canopy — ready to take on Murphy’s Law.
“The all new XAS 185 JD7 HardHat enables Atlas Copco to offer the world’s most durable and attractive looking portable compressor on the market,” says Attila Madarasz, Atlas Copco product marketing manager for compressors. “We feel confident that our design will revolutionize the industry and thus sway the demand from traditional steel to polyethelene. We foresee the possibility of converting our entire line to this concept in the future.”
The HardHat was introduced at the Rental Show and is ideal for the rental industry because its polyethylene shell is capable of withstanding the harshest environment, resisting dents, rust, corrosion and fading, but also minimizing damage brought on by the daily bumps and bangs received by small equipment. For the weekend renter, the HardHat can also be towed easily by any mid-size SUV at a weight of just more than 2,000 lbs.
The durability of the HardHat doesn’t stop with the polyethylene canopy. A four-cylinder, 49-hp John Deere diesel engine and Atlas Copco’s patented rotary screw air-end generates a guaranteed 185 cfm. Plus, the controls, lights and couplers are all tucked away and recessed to minimize the chance of damage. MSRP: $18,353
One-Armed Bandit
The Marauders at Mustang Enter the Compact Telehandler Market with the Model 519
Little machines are growing longer arms — should we worry?
Not when it comes to Mustang Mfg. Co. and its new telehandler model 519. It’s the first of Mustang’s expanding telehandler product offering that falls within the compact equipment market, offering 19 ft of lift height and 5,500 lbs of maximum lift capacity on a compact and sturdy frame.
“The Mustang 519 is a true compact unit, well-suited for both rental and retail,” says Doug Snorek, Mustang marketing manager. “For small- to medium-size contractors, this is an ideal entry-level machine.”
The compact size of the machine allows an operator to easily transport the 519 to the worksite on a trailer behind a 1-ton truck. The frame of the Mustang 519 (with a length of 148 in., width of 71 in. and height of 76 in.) makes the machine well suited for tight jobsites where maneuverability and the ability to pick and place material are key. In fact, the unit has an 11-ft turning radius and can fit under a finished doorway. In addition to pallet forks, the 519 can be equipped with a rotating carriage, 1-cu yd bucket and a 2,000-lb rated, 5-ft truss boom. Optional auxiliary hydraulics are also available that provide up to 22 gpm to power attachments.
A 64-hp Deutz diesel engine powers the 519, which boasts a two-speed hydraulic transmission for low-end power, while providing a quick transport speed up to 15 mph. For serviceability, Mustang provides a large engine hood allowing easy access to service areas including the battery and oil fill.
To maximize maneuverability, the 519 features three steering modes, a trait shared by all Mustang telehandlers. Users can operate these machines in two-wheel, four-wheel and crab steering modes. MSRP: $63,500
Trimming the Hedges of Many Small Villages
Bobcat’s New Forestry Cutter Attachment Package Quickly Clears Unwanted Trees
Sometimes you gotta chew your way through the forest. When the job calls for clearing sites, creating firebreaks or removing pesky undergrowth, the Bobcat forestry cutter attachment can quickly eat trees, limbs and creeping foliage with its 30 carbide cutting teeth and 60-in. cutting width. Operators can punch into large-diameter trees with the attachment and bring the uppermost limbs quickly to the ground.
If a tree falls in the forest and no one’s there to hear it, does it make a sound?
Turn up that buzz saw music of your new Bobcat cutter and find out. Simply lower the forestry cutter onto the tree and its fast cutting teeth will rip unwanted vegetation into shreds. Tilt the forestry cutter slightly forward to throw material against counter combs that reduce the wood particles to fine mulch. Lowering the optional front gate will help retain material.
“The Bobcat forestry cutter quickly clears trees from 4 to 12 in. in diameter,” according to Justin Odegaard, Bobcat attachment product representative. “The attachment may work
continuously to remove 4- to 5-in. trees, knocking them down and grinding below ground level, with more time required to clear larger 10- to 12-in. trees.”
The forestry cutter’s tube-style drum and spiral tooth pattern allow one tooth to engage at a time — so operation is smooth and less horsepower is required to do the job. The forestry cutter attachment package includes a Bobcat forestry cutter attachment and a required forestry applications kit that can be installed on specific Bobcat loaders. The Bobcat forestry applications kit also incorporates several safety guards and other features needed to better protect the operator, including an ISO 3449 Level II falling object protective structure (FOPS), polycarbonate top and rear windows, lift cylinder debris shields and much more. MSRP: $26,890 (includes forestry applications kit and forestry cutter attachment)
Principles of Performance
Ingersoll Rand’s DD-22 and DD-24 Pave a New Road for Double Drum Compactors
Amplitude, centrifugal force and frequency are the Three Musketeers of asphalt compaction. With the correct combination of this trio, even 19th century French novelists like Alexandre Dumas could have paved their palatial estates. While not known for penning historical adventure novels, the manufacturing magnate Ingersoll Rand is renowned for creating quality compaction vehicles that harness and control these three principles of physics.
The company’s new DD-22 and DD-24 (just released at the Rental Show) are double drum units built to produce the right combination of amplitude, centrifugal force and frequency to maximize daily productivity. Both compactors provide the choice of automatic or manual vibration and can operate in three modes: statically, front drum vibration only or both drums vibrating. Two vibrating frequencies (3,300 or 4,020 vibrations per minute) allow the DD-22 and DD-24 to produce smooth, dense mats with a reduced number of passes. At 4,020 vibrations per minute, these compactors have the highest frequency in their class.
“The variable frequency provides for the versatility to use the compactors on asphalt, with a high frequency of 4,000 vibrations per minute, or on other granular material with a lower frequency of 3,300 vibrations per minute,” said Anand Chaturvedi, marketing manager of soil compaction with Ingersoll Rand. “Having the appropriate frequency during compaction results in optimum productivity.”
The DD-22 and DD-24 double drum asphalt compactors are for light- and medium-duty applications, and both compactors feature a number of innovations that enhance overall performance. The DD-22 has a drum width of 39 in. and an operating weight of 5,400 lbs. The DD-24 has a drum width of 47 in. and an operating weight of 5,725 lbs. The front and rear drums on both compactors protrude beyond the frame, making it easier to compact around obstructions without the chassis getting in the way and giving operators a clear view of drum edges. Both the
DD-22 and DD-24 have a large water tank that allows the compactor to work for longer intervals. A standard, pressurized water system with hand-serviceable water nozzles is integrated into both units. MSRP: The DD-22 is $38,000 to 43,000 and the DD-24 is $40,000 to 44,000.
All-Around Excavator
John Deere’s New 17D Compact Excavator Adds Extra Talents to Your Machine Fleet
Ditch diggers that only excavate are already antiquated. If a compact excavator doesn’t help crews backfill, get into new jobsites and maintain lower operating costs, it’s just not doing its job anymore.
With numerous improvements, the new John Deere 17D compact excavator provides the maximum versatility and productivity that goes above and beyond what’s average. Chief among its enhancements are new, adjustable-width tracks and a new backfill blade with foldable end sections.
“The 17D’s ability to fit into tiny spaces coupled with its many attachment options and ample power make it among the most versatile compacts on the market,” explains Mark Wall, product marketing manager with John Deere Construction and Forestry Co. “This machine can perform well in any light-duty application that requires a nimble but powerful machine.”
When the tracks are retracted and the blade’s end sections folded, the machine fits through a 40-in. opening.
When fully extended to more than 50 in., the undercarriage provides maximum stability for operation. What’s more, the standard mechanical quick-coupler and hydraulic attachment package makes the jobsite possibilities almost endless.
The end result: The 17D’s big benefits translate into big productivity with lower owning and operating costs. Multi-function operations mean the operator can easily execute simultaneous operations such as swinging and traveling. Maintenance is fast and simple, since all service checks can be done by opening just two covers. The battery, fuel tank, hydraulic reservoir and coolant reservoir are
conveniently located behind a single service door. In addition to the adjustable width feature, this reduced tail-swing 17D also provides improved performance specs, including 14.8 hp, 2,316 lbs of arm force strength and 3,597 lbs of bucket dig force. MSRP: $29,280
Uplifting Undercarriages
Loegering Launches Its New QTS Traction System for Telescopic Boom Lifts
When it comes to designing traction for machines, few companies have the history, experience and product line of Loegering Mfg. The company single-handedly created the original over-the-tire track systems for skid steers in the 1960s. Along with designing tracks, the company has been launching a new line of removable undercarriages over the last few years (just check out its VTS unit for skid steer loaders).
Complementing that new focus, Loegering announced at the World of Concrete its newest innovation in traction — the QTS-QUAD Track System. QTS is a set of four rubber-track undercarriages that bolt directly to the standard hubs of most telescopic boom lifts. Simply unbolt the tires, install a Loegering wheel spacer with anti-rotate mounts and bolt on the QTS system.
“So far, we have fit and tested QTS applications for the Genie S60 and S65, as well as the JLG equivalent, with great success,” says Ron Hansen, senior project engineer for Loegering. “We are continuing these efforts to fit more OEMs and more models every day.”
The QTS system offers 3,236 sq in. of track to the ground, which means superb floatation in soft soil conditions, increasing versatility and extending the wet-work season for crews (please, no whining about the extra hours fellas). These innovative track systems eliminate flat-tire down time and the costly expense of fluid-filled tire repair, while minimizing rutting in turf applications and improving safety by minimizing “machine-bounce” both around the jobsite and at travel speeds.
These durable undercarriages are constructed out of high-grade steel and feature fully sealed greaseless bearings for minimum maintenance. In addition to their sturdiness and fortitude, the QTS system features an easy grease tensioning system for fast, reliable track adjustment. MSRP: $29,500 for a complete set, including spacers.
Primed Pumps
Godwin Expands Its Wet-Prime and Sub-Prime Pumps for a Variety of Wet Situations
Come hell or high water, Godwin Pumps has probably engineered an innovative pump system for your problem. Construction dewatering, landscaping and irrigation, farming, remote firefighting and even marine construction can be confronted with the company’s new line of portable, gasoline-powered Wet-Prime pumps and its new Sub-Prime electric submersible pump (both just released at the Rental Show).
“Like their Dri-Prime, Sub-Prime and Heidra counterparts, our Wet-Prime pumps are built with superior materials of construction, including silicon carbide seals, chromium steel impellers and ductile iron volutes,” says Jack Farrell, product manager for Godwin Pumps. “No matter what series or model pump you buy from Godwin — whether it’s a 12-in. Dri-Prime or a 1-in. Wet-Prime — you get the same level of reliability and responsiveness.”
The Wet-Prime pumps are available in dewatering, trash, plastic, pressure and diaphragm models and are capable of maximum heads to 285 ft and maximum flows to 425 gpm. The new Sub-Prime electric submersible pump features a compact, slim-line design with convenient top discharge and is capable of maximum heads to 65 ft and maximum flows of 140 gpm. Powered by a dual voltage motor, this pump provides easy field changeover. Capable of fitting in caissons or casings 8 in. in diameter, the GSP20SL pump is ideal for applications such as
construction, mining and industrial dewatering.
The new line of portable, gasoline-powered Wet-Prime pumps and the Sub-Prime electric submersible pump are immediately available and come with the same quality and service customers expect from the Godwin’s Dri-Prime pumps. In addition, the company stocks a variety of suction and discharge hoses and couplings to complete customers’ pumping application needs. Service and support include 24/7 on-site service and repair, engineering specialists to tailor pumping solutions specific to customer needs and a comprehensive parts and service facility. MSRP: $395 to $3,165 for the Wet-Prime product line.
Arm Your Loader with Tracks
New Holland Fortifies Its Track Loader Line with High-Performance in a Small Package
Like a little Sherman tank, New Holland’s newest compact track loader rolls to jobsites like mobile artillery. New Holland introduced the C175 at the World of Concrete in January with an aim of meeting the needs of landscape, construction, utility and grounds maintenance contractors who require the right armaments in their equipment munitions depot.
The C175 is a smaller size compact track loader, fleshing out New Holland’s lineup, with a 2,200-lb rated operating capacity and an operating weight of 7,535 lbs. Having an overall width of 71.1 in. over the tracks, a length of 129.5 in. and a ground pressure of 5.3 psi, the C175 can get into hard-to-reach areas with little disturbance to the working environment and will fit on most standard trailers for your various war parties.
The C175 struts a New Holland turbocharged engine rated at 60 gross hp and features a standard two-speed transmission for travel speeds up to 7.4 mph. With the superior lift capacity and reach of the Super Boom vertical lift linkage (remember New Holland invented vertical lift skid steers in the 1970s?) and a great set of tracks, the C175 features industry-leading features in stability, lift height and speed.
“The C175 has one of the fastest boom and bucket cycle times in the industry, like all New Holland compact track loaders and skid steer loaders,” says David Daniels,
New Holland brand marketing manager. “The new machine also has many of the same optional features found on our larger compact track loaders such as an air conditioned cab and pilot controls.”
With a full 10-ft lift height, 30 in. of forward reach and incredible stability, the C175 reaches higher and farther than other little loaders. Arm your cavalry with this new track loader and watch your hard working brigades get more hours out of the rainy season, more
push power than a skid steer and more traction than a wheeled unit — all with less ground disturbance on sensitive jobsites. MSRP: $39,736
Tight Site Excavators
Terex Construction Expands Its Zero Tail Swing Mini Excavators with Its New TC50
When a pro needs to pierce the earth with precision — especially on a confined jobsite — he or she will need a long-armed digger in a small and smart package. Designed for trenching and excavating in such space-restrictive applications, Terex released its TC50 compact crawler excavator at the Rental Show.
“The TC50 is going to be popular with operators who need to dig deep, reach far and lift heavy loads on jobsites where space is at a premium,” says Bill Parker, compact excavator product manager with Terex. “This machine offers some of the same capabilities as a conventional heavy excavator but in a smaller package. Because it is a good all-around machine, it’s ideal for fleet owners who need to maximize their equipment acquisition costs.”
Offering a stable, zero tail swing platform, the new TC50 excels in constricted work environments. It is designed to turn within its tracks, guaranteeing that the rear of the machine does not swing into nearby structures or landscaping or out into oncoming traffic during operation. Ideal for landscape, plumbing, septic, electrical and utility installations, the TC50 is designed with an 39.4-hp Yanmar 4TNV88 engine and load-sensing and load-independent flow division hydraulics system that are matched to the machine’s size. This gives operators a greater power ratio and smooth, simultaneous operation for maximum worksite production.
The TC50 boasts a light footprint without sacrificing performance. It weighs in at 11,067 lbs and it offers a maximum dig depth of 12 ft, 1 in. and a maximum reach of 20 ft, 4 in. The optional quick-attach coupler system allows for easy bucket and attachment changes, offering contractors versatility for multiple jobsite applications with one machine. MSRP: Cab unit is $66,500 and a canopy unit is $62,335.
Tracking Ride-on Tractors
Vermeer Teams Up with Loegering to Create the Ultimate in Tractive, Ride-On Tractors
It’s a little larger than the machines CE typically covers, but the RTX1250 ride-on tractor looked so cool sitting on the showroom floor, we just had to give it some copy. Vermeer Mfg. Co., a leading maker of utility equipment, introduced the innovative RTX1250 ride-on tractor with a new quad-track design at World of Concrete. This unique, tracked tractor utilizes its quad-track concept to give great traction and stability with outstanding floatation in soft or sandy soils in a variety of applications.
“We are extremely excited about the innovative product offering of the RTX1250,” says Tony Briggs, director of underground sales for Vermeer. “The enhanced characteristics of sidehill stability, floatation and increased tractive effort is a differentiator for our existing core applications such as plowing, trenching and rockwheel applications. The incremental excitement comes from the opportunities to expand this product into new applications.”
The quad-track design enhances the performance of the standard dual track system. For example, the RTX1250 has relatively no break-over point, which improves operator comfort and control. The ground drive features available on rubber-tire units, such as axle oscillation, four-wheel steer and crab steering, are
also functional with the quad tracks. Vermeer has an exclusive agreement with Loegering Mfg. for the RTX1250 track design. Loegering is a leader in the development of a wide range of track systems.
In addition to its quad-track design, the unit features a 120-hp Cummins turbocharged and air-cooled engine that delivers a more aggressive torque curve. This results in a 5-hp power bulge that allows the RTX1250 to run at maximum horsepower in work mode. The RTX1250 is capable of trenching depths up to 72 in. and widths up to 18 in., pulling plow blades up to 36-in. deep.
MSRP: Not available at print.
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