Top 100: New Extraction Cage Speeds Pipe Bursting

TT Technologies redesigned the extraction cage for its Grundotugger lateral pipe-bursting system to create space between the Grundotugger unit and the pit wall to allow pipe to be pulled into the pit at the end of the burst. The new smooth-jaw pulling system helps reduce cable wear. The Grundotugger allows a small crew to replace 4- to 6-inch laterals up to 150 feet long with same-size or larger new pipe. It can negotiate bends in the line of up to 45 degrees. Because it is designed around a low-pressure hydraulic system, a skid-steer loader or backhoe-loader can be used as a power source. But the company claims the unit is capable of burst rates up to 12 feet per minute. Estimated list price: $24,900.