Tackle steep grades with BOMAG’s new BW138AC-5 combination roller

Updated Oct 25, 2013

BOMAG BW138AC-5 combination rollerHandle a range of compaction jobs including commercial parking lots, highway shoulders and secondary roadway maintenance with BOMAG’s BW138AC-5 roller, which features a traditional vibratory steel drum in the front and four smooth pneumatic tires at the rear for enhanced tractive effort.

The 4.5-ton, 54-inch-wide roller has a Tier 4 interim four-cylinder Kubota diesel engine. The 35.4-inch-diameter drum ensures minimal rolling resistance, and the smooth tires ensure the liquid asphalt is even throughout the lift, delivering a finer top finish on the material.

The tires also ensure improved performance during loading and unloading, and during hilly applications. The suspended operator’s platform is vibration-isolated and has an adjustable laterally sliding seat. Multifunction dual travel levers and a Smart Drive steering wheel enhance operator efficiency.

The unit’s pressure water sprinkler system includes a 76-gallon water tank that delivers extended operation between refills. Additional features include filtered spray nozzles, an interval sprinkler timer, solid windscreens and flexible spring-actuated scrapers.

The roller also has a 13-gallon tank that holds emulsion liquids for wetting the rear tires. Available options include the BOMAG Economizer system that enables continuous control of the compaction process.

The instrument panel display shows compaction levels via an increasing number of illuminated LEDs that alert the operator when maximum compaction is achieved, as well as notifying the operator when weak spots in the material are detected. The system also alerts to over-compaction conditions, helping to prevent fracturing of the aggregate.