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April 28, 2009 |

Editor’s pick
Hyundai 9 series excavators
The new 9 Series excavators from Hyundai represent a clean sheet design reengineered from the ground up with dozens of new features. Most innovative is the “Posi-Nega” hydraulic system (available on the R210LC-9 and R290LC-9), which combines the easy diagnostics of a negative hydraulic system with the fine control of a positive system. A button on the joystick gives you an instant power boost of up to 10 percent. A Computer Aided Power Optimization system matches engine effort to hydraulic needs to ensure fuel efficiency in several different work modes, and it’s customizable. A GPS-based remote management system allows you to access critical machine information from anywhere in the world, and Hyundai offers the telematics service free to the owner for the first two years.

Further fuel savings come from a side-by-side cooling system and an on-demand, bi-metal fan clutch with infinitely variable speed. In company testing, this efficiency plus a bigger fuel tank (106 gallons) enabled the R210LC-9 to operate for three days (10 hours a day, 70-percent utilization) on a single tank of diesel. And if you’re looking for something to motivate your operators, the 9 Series cabs have AM/FM radios with CD player and MP3 input plus a USB charge port, not to mention more room, a heated air ride suspension seat and skylight – all standard.

Heavier castings on the boom and arm add strength to the working end of the machine and a tubular frame adds rigidity and an extra measure of protection to the cab. There will be four machines in the new lineup: the two previously mentioned and the R140LC-9 and R250LC-9 due later this year.
- Tom Jackson

EMISSIONS ELIMINATOR
Navistar International’s 2010 MaxxForce 13-liter EGR engine meets the EPA’s 2010 emissions standards for on-highway diesel engines by using advanced fuel injection, air management, electronic controls and proprietary combustion technology. Navistar’s EGR approach will not require the use of urea or on-vehicle urea storage tanks, converters, heaters or additional electronics required by SCR systems.

ROCK OUT
Ditch Witch’s 300-horsepower HT300 rock trencher can trench up to 10 feet deep and 36 inches wide in extreme jobsite conditions. The steel-tracked HT300 includes a sturdy undercarriage and trench stabilizers that automatically adjust to terrain changes to isolate vibration in rock and other harsh materials. A fully enclosed cab featuring climate control shields the operator from noise and the elements, while a cruise control system automatically adjusts to ground speed.

GRAB AND GO
Designed for excavators in the 10- to 24-metric-ton class, Daniel Manufacturing’s Mega-Beak attachment handles rocks, trees and demolition materials. The attachment has an operating weight of 2,210 pounds, a 57-inch jaw opening and a fork length of 48 inches. Like its predecessor, the Beak, the Mega-Beak uses high strength steel plates to grip materials.

WELD ON SITE
Lincoln Electric’s Outback 185 engine-driven DC stick welder and AC power generator for on-site welding applications includes Low-Lift grab bars for more leverage when transporting the unit. The Outback’s engine control panels are accessible from the front, allowing users to start up, turn off and adjust output on truck-mounted units. The welder delivers up to 185 amps for welding steel, stainless steel or cast iron.

CURB APPEAL
Power Curbers has updated its Power Curber 5700-B slip-form curb machine to the model 5700-C, with improvements such as a 130-horsepower Tier 3 Cummins engine, choice of a MOBA Smart Amps analog control system or a fully networked digital system, and a redesigned control console. The 5700-C also holds 50 percent more water (or 132 gallons) compared to the previous model’s 88 gallons.