Big Trenchers (p.2)

Sept. 28, 2010

Astec has its Trencor line covering the large end of the trencher offering, topped off by the industry’s largest model, the 450,000-pound, 1,200-horsepower T1860. Indeed, the Astec product covers the largest range.

Astec has its Trencor line covering the large end of the trencher offering, topped off by the industry’s largest model, the 450,000-pound, 1,200-horsepower T1860. Indeed, the Astec product covers the largest range.

But if there’s a single brand name that comes closest to running the gamut of the trencher offering, it’s Vermeer, from the smallest gas-powered walk-behind to the 600-horsepower T1255 Commander 3. And while the 120-horsepower quad-track RTX1250 was garnering attention over the past year, the company was introducing an innovative new model at the larger end, too.

For the T1155 Commander 3, Vermeer co-developed with Rotary Power a 16-liter headshaft motor that eliminates the need for two trencher motors. The resulting location of the cab between the cross conveyor and trencher attachment emulates the styling on Vermeer’s smaller Commander 3 trenchers.

“We have one larger model, the 1255, on which we had to put the cab behind the cross conveyor, which restricts visibility somewhat,” says Dean Whitten, solutions specialist with Vermeer. “We wanted to get back to what the customers really love, that being the visibility to the trench from having that cab in between the working unit and the conveyor of the spoil. By doing so, we needed to develop one big motor, so that we could put one large motor on one side of the head shaft and not have two like the 1255 has — a 10-liter on each side.”

As standard, the 540-horsepower T1155 Commander 3 comes wired to accept telemetrics to monitor engine hours and location, as well as laser and GPS systems for machine control. The latter, says Whitten, is becoming a bigger customer want in both the sewer market and, when the machine adds a terrain leveler attachment, the mining industry.

As a new product offering, the T1155 Commander 3 is dependent upon shifting needs of established users of both smaller and larger models, says Whitten.

“The reaction is like any new machine: It’s always slow starting when you’re throwing another model into the mix,” he says. “People who have 1055s are looking at this very strongly because they may want a little larger machine, but their 1055s are still in very good shape or almost new — in that three- or four-year timeframe — and you have to wait on trade cycles. We understand that.”

By comparison, says Whitten, it’s not a matter of replacing machines for current T1255 Commander 3 customers, but rather considering adding the T1155 Commander 3 as an easier-transported complementary piece to work on slightly smaller projects.

For Ditch Witch, the innovations continue as the product line grows. The HT220 features a flywheel gearbox that delivers horsepower to the attachment on demand while protecting the hydraulic system from shock.

“Most of these units are designed to dig in rock, and when you have rock, you have a lot of dynamic shock load going back to the headshaft,” says Adkins. “By having the flywheel effect there, whenever you have these shock loads, that keeps the shock from going back into the hydraulic and drive system itself. It allows the flywheel to take most of that abuse.

“You’re in dirt and all of a sudden you encounter some rock: If you actually watch your chain, you’ll see it can stall very briefly, and the horsepower of the engine has to overcome that initial shock. What the flywheel does on there is allow that increase of horsepower to almost be instantaneous to the headshaft, so there’s no stalling of the chain.”

As for the consideration of models sized beyond the soon-to-arrive HT300, the availability of services throughout the Ditch Witch dealer network will have a lot to do with that, says Adkins. “We have to grow it at a rate where our dealers can support the equipment.

“I like to see our line growing,” he says. “At what rate? Our main emphasis is making sure that we can develop a product and still support the customer. We can build whatever we want, but if we can’t support the customer, we’re not doing him a favor.”

And the news of the day isn’t all bad, agrees a competitor who’s lived through more than his share of cycles.

“Many utility companies have a five-year plan, just like everybody else does,” says Astec’s Wren, “and there’s a lot of service work, maintenance work and replacement work outthere . . . even with the downturn in housing.”

PREVIOUS PAGE1 | 2The Cost of Ownership Trencher Size Avg. List Price *Hourly Rate 76 - 130 horsepower $80,462 $65.48 131 horsepower and up $561,166 $286.57 * Hourly rate represents the monthly ownership costs divided by 176, plus operating cost. Adjusted operating unit prices used in the calculation are diesel fuel at $4.73 per gallon, gasoline at $4.11 per gallon, mechanic’s wage at $44.79 per hour, and money costs at 4.75 percent. Source: EquipmentWatch.com, phone 800/669-3282 Chain Trencher Specifications (100 horsepower and up) Mode Operating Weight (lb.) Max. Cutting Depth Cutting Width (in.) Engine Model Gross Engine Power (hp) Wheels or Track Max. Travell Speed (mph) Source: Spec-Check Verified Xpanded Specs (as of July / 08) Astec RT1160 14,439 7’0” 7 - 16 Deere 4045T 115 4WD 11.5 Ditch Witch HT115 17,650 7’10” 6 - 24 Deere 4045TF275 115 Track 4.7 Ditch Witch RT115 13,630 7’10” 6 - 24 Deere 4045TF275 115 4WD 9.4 Vermeer RTX1250 18,055 6’0” 6 - 18 Cummins QSB4.5-TAA 120 Track n/a Vermeer RTX1250 w/Tires 13,120 6’0” 6 - 18 Cummins QSB4.5-TAA 120 4WD n/a Vermeer T455 23,000 6’0” 8 - 24 Deere 4045T 125 Track 2.5 Astec T560 30,000 8’0” 10 - 24 Cummins 6CTA8.3 185 Track 1.9 Tesmec TRS700B 29,000 8’0” 8 - 24 Cummins 6BTA5.9 Elite 185 Track 2.2 Vermeer T555 Commander 3 32,000 8’0” 6 - 24 Deere 6068HF285 185 Track 1.8 Vermeer T558 Commander 3 52,000 6’0” 6 - 24 Deere 6068HF285 185 Track 2.15 Tesmec TRS750 39,683 6’0.4” 7.9 - 24 Cummins 6BTA5.9 215 Track 2.3 Ditch Witch HT220 42,990 8’0” 12 - 24 Cummins QSB5.9 220 Track 2.3 Astec 765HD 55,000 8’0.2” 10 - 18 Cummins 6CTA8.3 250 Track 2.0 Trencor T765 65,000 8’0” 12 - 30 Cat C-9 250 Track 2.0 Tesmec TRS900 EXT 50,000 8’0” 12 - 26 Cummins 6CTA8.3-260 260 Track 3.3 Vermeer T755 Commander 3 75,000 10’0” 14 - 36 Cat C9 ACERT 275 Track 1.7 Port Industries 2500 Hydramaxx 38,000 7’6” 11 - 22 Cummins M11 330 4WD 22 Tesmec TRS1065 78,000 6’0” 9 - 24 Cat C-9 DITA ATAAC 335 Track 3.9 Tesmec TRS1075 85,000 10’0” 14 - 36 Cat C-9 DITA ATAAC 335 Track 3.3 Tesmec TRS1085 95,000 8’0” 18 - 28 Cat C-9 DITA ATAAC 335 Track 3.1 Trench-Tech TT-2350 85,000 10’0” 12 - 36 Cat C9 ACERT 350 Track n/a Trencor T1060 85,000 12’0” 12 - 36 Cat C9 ACERT 350 Track 2.0 Vermeer T855 Commander 3 102,000 12’0” 16 - 36 Cat C9 ACERT 350 Track 2.14 Vermeer T858 Commander 3 100,000 8’0” 14 - 30 Cat C9 ACERT 350 Track 2.33 Tesmec TRS1100 85,000 12’0” 16 - 36 Cat C-10 365 Track 2.8 Tesmec TRS1175 D-7 119,000 12’0” 16 - 42 Cat 3406C DITA 402 Track 3.0 Vermeer T955 Commander 3 119,000 12’0” 16 - 42 Cat C13 ACERT 415 Track 1.5 Vermeer T1055 Commander 3 128,000 14’0” 26 - 42 Cat C13 ACERT 415 Track 1.2 Tesmec TRS1275 142,000 1’2” 26 - 48 Cat C-12 425 Track 3.0 Trench-Tech TT-2450 125,000 12’0” 12 - 40 Cat C13 ACERT 440 Track n/a Trencor T1360 148,000 12’0” 16 - 42 Cat C13 ACERT 440 Track 2.0 Trench-Tech TT-2550 195,000 18’0” 16 - 48 Cat C15 ACERT 540 Track n/a Vermeer T1155 Commander 3 170,000 16’0” 28 - 42 Cat C15 ACERT 540 Track 1.41 Tesmec TRS1475 198,000 16’0” 28 - 48 Cat C-16 DITA ATAAC 600 Track 1.62 Vermeer T1255 Commander 3 245,000 18’0” 30 - 48 Cat C18 ACERT 600 Track 1.25 Trencor T1460 185,000 18’0” 14 - 54 Cat C18 ACERT 630 Track 1.0 Trench-Tech TT-2650 234,000 20’0” 16 - 54 Cat C18 ACERT 635 Track n/a Tesmec TRS1675 232,000 24’0” 28 - 60 Cat 3412E 760 Track 2.1 Trencor T1660 250,000 25’0” 14 - 60 Cat C27 ACERT 800 Track 1.0 Trencor T1660M 325,000 25’0” 16 - 72 Cat C27 ACERT 800 Track 1.0 Trench-Tech TT-2850 315,000 24’0” 28 - 60 Cat C27 ACERT 875 Track n/a Trench-Tech TT-2950 360,000 30’0” 42 - 54 Cat C27 ACERT 950 Track n/a Trencor T1860 450,000 35’0” 36 - 96 Cat 3512 1,200 Track 0.75