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Works harder, cheaper
 John Deere says its new 300 series skid-steer
loaders incorporate more than 100 improvements in the previous series,
giving them best-in-class productivity and lower operating costs. The
five-model series ranges from 1,750 to 3,175 pounds in rated operating
capacity (more with counterweights), with high-flow hydraulics available in
each size.
Deere engineers focused on stability to enhance
productivity, achieving it through a low center of gravity, a longer
wheelbase to reduce rocking, a 60/40 weight distribution (front to rear),
and larger tires.
Standard features include Deere’s patented
vertical-lift boom which has a true vertical-lift pattern, 35-degree
rollback, and 45-degree dump angle.
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Automating laborers
 Total Machine Concepts designed its Demo-Dumper to
enhance laborer productivity and reduce injuries. The compact track loader
fits through a standard 28-inch door and reaches up to 48-inches high to
unload material into a drop box. It has a maximum capacity of 1,200 pounds
and can climb a 45% grade, according to the company.
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Shifty, slick compacts
 John Deere’s new compact loaders combine
operator-friendly features like a walk-through cab and 360-degree
visibility, with productivity enhancements like stereo steering for tighter
turning radii, a quick coupler that can handle skid-steer attachments, and
an automatic return-to-dig mode. The 1-cubic yard 244J has a 59-horsepower turbodiesel; the 1.4-cubic yard 304J has a 73-horsepower turbodiesel.
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Modular track system
ATI says its modular track system can convert a
wheeled machine to tracks in about 90 minutes per track assembly, with
minimal equipment required. The modules weigh about 6,000 pounds each and
can be retrofitted to a wide range of machinery using an ATI installation
kit. Applications include tractors, soil stabilizers, milling machines, and
vibratory compactors.
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New feed system feature
 Morbark has made reversing automatic feed systems
standard equipment on two models, the 2400XL Hurricane without loader, and
the 13 Tornado. The new feature makes it possible to stop the feed system
and also to reverse the material away from the drum. This allows the chipper
to regain its RPMs quicker, increasing fuel economy and productivity.
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High-flow moves snow
 Bobcat’s B-series 5600 Toolcat is now available with
a 56-horsepower turbodiesel engine and 26 gallons-per-minute, high-flow
auxiliary hydraulics, enabling the four-wheel-drive, four-wheel-steer
machine to handle a high-flow snow blower, wood chipper, and stump grinder.
The turbo improves high-altitude performance and comes with an additional
fuel tank that nearly doubles the machine’s fuel capacity. The Toolcat has a
top speed of 18 miles per hour and can be used for mowing, snow removal,
ground leveling, lifting pallets, and a variety of landscaping chores.
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Belt spreader debuts
The Ragland Roller salt spreader uses a belt drive
system rather than the traditional chain and hoist to move salt, sand, or
even asphalt off a truck. The belt drive was developed for live-bottom
trailers and can be used year round with no equipment changes, according to
Ragland. The company says it is also more productive and requires less
maintenance than conventional systems.
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New angled dozer
John Deere’s new utility-class J-Series dozers sport
an infinitely adjustable blade pitch link that allows the blade edge angle
to be adjusted from 52 to 60 degrees, to match application and soil
conditions. The series includes the 70-horsepower, 16,283-pound 450J; the
80-horsepower, 17,016-pound 550J; and the 90-horsepower, 18,560-pound 650J.
Each has a turbocharged engine featuring 500-hour oil change intervals,
quieter operation, and improved cooling.
Dual path hydrostatic-drive transmissions provide
live power turns, infinite speed control, and automatic tracking control. A
new transmission control system features an adjustable decelerator pedal, a
record of miles and hours in forward and reverse for undercarriage
management, and expanded on-board diagnostics capabilities that don’t
require a laptop computer connection.
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Improved fiber injection
Tarmax’s Model 2400 cellulose fiber-injection
machine provides improved separation of fibers, according to the company.
After leaving the pugmill section, fibers go through shredding augers, a
cage mill, secondary shredding augers, and a hammer mill, then a 1,300
revolutions-per-minute fan separates the remaining small balls of cellulose
into fiber threads. The plant also features weigh depletion controls, and
rejects foreign debris.
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Historic landmark award
 Bobcat Company and Cyril and Louis Keller, inventers
of the skid-steer loader, have joined the ranks of the Eli Whitney cotton
gin, the John Deere plow, and the McCormick reaper by receiving the historic
landmark award from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.
The Keller Brothers invented the first three-wheel
loader in 1957 and sold the patent to Melroe Manufacturing — known today as
Bobcat Company. Melroe continued the Kellers’ pioneering work to develop the
world’s first skid-steer loader in 1960. The Bobcat name was added two years
later.
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Snow melter clears clean
Snow Removal Systems claims its new heat transfer
system is the most environmentally friendly snow-melting process available
for road and airport applications. The new system employs extreme
high-pressure water jetting. The closed system keeps exhaust particulates
out of the melt water and assures users that they are not introducing new
pollutants into the storm drain system. It has a rated capacity of 150 tons
per hour.
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Above the ditch
 Rockland says its RKS Road King Sloper allows the
operator to stay on the road while maintaining ditches, increasing traction
and travel speed. It can be used while the grader is articulated and is easy
to remove.
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High-flow grinder
 Fecon has expanded its line of wood-grinding
attachments with the introduction of the BH62SS, a narrower model designed
for high-flow skid-steer loaders. The new model weighs 1,950 pounds, and has
an overall width of 62 inches with a cutting width of 50 inches. It can
mulch 3- to 4-inch-diameter material, and trees up to 6-inches diameter,
according to the company.
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Fifth-wheel frame option
 Morbark’s slow-speed, high-torque Predator Shredder
is now available with an optional fifth-wheel frame. Available with two or
three axles, the 44,000-pound portable unit can process difficult materials
such as construction and demolition debris and railroad ties.
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Sure-footed utility
 Bobcat
has introduced its first 4x4 utility vehicle.
The Bobcat 2200 is the only vehicle in its class with automatic locking
differentials that engage immediately when a wheel loses traction. The
company says its IntelliTrak system also disengages the differential locks
when turning to avoid damage to the ground, tires, or drive components. The
vehicle comes with a 20-horsepower gas or diesel engine and has a
1,200-pound load capacity.
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Pulverizes and grades
 The new tractor-drawn Harley Power Box Grader is
designed to level uneven shoulders. It uses a carbide-tooth roller rotating
at 270 revolutions per minute to pulverize and process road shoulder
materials, and a hydraulically controlled barrier to provide level placement
of the pulverized material.
The unit comes in 6- and 8-foot widths and can
be attached to a tractor or a skid-steer loader.
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Reprinted from Better Roads Magazine
September 2004 |
