Briggs & Stratton introduced its new Commercial Power group at a World of Concrete press conference last week. This new division will have a singular focus commercial engines and services for construction and industrial applications. Product offerings will include both gasoline and diesel engines with ratings from 2.4 to 34 horsepower.
Briggs & Stratton introduced its new Commercial Power group at a World of Concrete press conference last week. This new division will have a singular focus commercial engines and services for construction and industrial applications. Product offerings will include both gasoline and diesel engines with ratings from 2.4 to 34 horsepower.
The new business unit has partnered with Japanese engine manufacturer Daihatsu to develop engines specifically for North American commercial applications. The company’s premier line of Vanguard engines will also be configured for commercial applications using state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing facilities.
Concurrently, Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power also used the World of Concrete press conference to unveil its Vanguard 31 horsepower engine, which product manager John Stauder says is the first air-cooled engine available in this class. “This two-cylinder engine is the largest commercial-grade, air-cooled Briggs & Stratton has ever produced,” he says. “It provides horsepower and torque numbers that rival the best two-cylinder liquid-cooled engines available today, but because it is an air-cooled unit, it’s lighter, less expensive to purchase and easier to maintain.”
The Vanguard 31 HP features an all-new block design, which allows a large 54 cubic inch displacement. An industrial Donaldson-type 5-inch centrifugal air cleaner increases engine life and further reduces maintenance demands. The design also keeps both engine noise and vibration levels low for enhanced operator comfort and reduced component wear.
Since debris can allow engines to overheat, cutting the unit’s productive lifespan, Briggs & Stratton engineers designed an advanced debris management system into the engine’s air-cooling system, Stauder says. “A rotating steel screen at the flywheel aggressively breaks down debris and chaff so it can easily pass through the cooling system,” he notes. “A labyrinth interface between the rotating screen and the engine’s blower house makes it virtually impossible for debris to bypass the screen and enter the engine.”
The new Vanguard 31 HP is scheduled to go into production in the second quarter this year. For more information, go to www.commercialpower.com.
