Jack RobertsSafetyCover Story/Productivity guide: Pull-behind scrapers and power unitsAs earthmoving systems became increasingly mechanized in the 1930s and ’40s, pull-behind scrapers, usually coupled with dozer power units, were a highly popular and effective way of excavating and transporting large amounts of dirt. Eventually, pull-behind units were supplanted by motorized scrapers. By the 1990s, hydraulic excavator/articulated dump truck teams were considered the state-of-the-art way […]June 12, 2007BusinessTruck Management: Why tires failEnsuring proper tire inflation is, without a doubt, your best insurance against failure. Proper inflation is even more important in construction applications – specifically on dump trucks – because the chance for overloading the vehicle is much higher than in on-highway or long-haul applications. “Dump trucks don’t go across scales very often,” says Guy Walenga, […]June 12, 2007BusinessCover Story: Tracked asphalt paversIt’s not exactly a revolution. But contractors engaged in highway-class asphalt paving with units 40,000 pounds and over are definitely experiencing significant changes in the way they do business. The old “blow-and-go” approach that defined this paving niche for so many years is now giving way to a slower, more methodical paving method with a […]June 12, 2007MaintenanceTruck Management: Why tires failRight off the bat, Guy Walenga tells me he doesn’t like the title of the story I’m calling to interview him for. “I don’t like the word ‘failure,’” Walenga says. He’s not being rude. He wants to make a point: “When you say a tire fails, it makes it sound like it’s a living, breathing […]June 12, 2007BusinessCompact Focus: Compact directional drillsThe move into the compact directional drill market is a natural one for contractors in the plowing and trenching business. Compact HDD units can be used to install drop work, gas service, water lines, fiber-optic cables or other utilities from the curb to a house or small business, and there’s an obvious synergy with trenching […]June 12, 2007TechnologyFinal Word: Believe meEarlier this year I wrote in this column about some things I’ve learned so far in life and it got a pretty good reaction from readers. So this month, in a similar vein, here are some things I believe to be true. They may not necessarily be true. And you may not agree with some […]June 12, 2007BusinessCover Story: 2006 Class 7 and 8 conventional trucksShould you buy a new truck next year? The short answer is yes. As 2005 lurches to an end, be aware recent natural disasters, fuel and raw material shortages, as well as tighter diesel engine emissions regulations coming in January 2007 will lead to truck shortages and increased retail prices in the latter part of […]June 12, 2007TechnologyProduct Report: Ingersoll-Rand 8820TitanThe story of Ingersoll-Rand’s new 8820 Titan paver really begins 20 years ago with two brothers, Ron and Terry Peltz. The brothers were pioneers working with roller compacted concrete. “This is a dryer mix of concrete material compared to slipform concrete,” explains Brodie Hutchins, paver product manager, large paving equipment, Ingersoll-Rand. “And they realized they […]June 12, 2007EquipmentCompact Focus: Utility vehiclesSmart contractors know success on a job depends on consistent productivity from their machines and their employees. One key to productivity is efficiency: having your crews work smarter, not harder. For many contractors, the use of small utility vehicles is one way to do this. To the uninitiated, utility vehicles can seem rather pointless. Pickup […]June 12, 2007MaintenanceTrucks: Jobsite trucksInternational’s new Class 5 dedicated to vocational applications International has extended its medium-duty vocational truck offerings with the September launch of its 4100 model. This Class 5 conventional truck is designed for a wide array of applications, including construction, landscaping, flatbed and service body roles, dry van and utility service needs. “The International 4100 retains […]June 12, 2007Previous PagePage 12 of 21Next PageTop StoriesVintage Equipment“The Great Tractor Race” – Cat’s 1931 Film Reveals its Early Crawlers in Zany EventWatch Caterpillar Ten, Twenty, Thirty and Sixty track-type tractors traverse rugged, hilly terrain and crash through buildings.Compact equipmentMassimo Expands UTV Line with 6-Seater T-Boss 900LThe DirtWhat’s New on Komatsu’s Next-Gen PC220LC-12 Excavator? – Almost Everything!Market PulseTop-Selling New and Used Construction Equipment in the First Half of 2025Featured SponsorThink like a thief to protect your fleet. Watch our on-demand webinar.
