Equipment World

August 2016

Equipment World Digital Magazine

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August 2016 | EquipmentWorld.com 22 T renching is often done in homogeneous soils, but for cus- tomers who contend with rocks, roots and other obstruc- tions mixed in with soil, OEMs of ride-on trenchers of up to 75 horsepower are fi nding ways to improve the perfor- mance of their machines in these demanding conditions. Toro's answer on the RT600 is the HD PowerTrench drive. This system stores power from a fl ywheel and then transfers that power to a torque-amplifying planetary system. The inertia from the fl ywheel helps maintain digging power when the chain hits an obstruction. In addition to reducing chain stalling, HD PowerTrench minimizes hydraulic spikes and driveline shocks. The result is more consistent trenching in varied conditions with reduced wear on the machine. Toro also offers a new hydrostatic direct drive trencher, a cost-effective design suitable for less-de- manding conditions. Standard on the Vermeer RTX550 and RTX750 is TrenchSense. If the chain gets hung up, TrenchSense reverses the chain and the ground drive and then returns to trenching. It will do this up to fi ve times. If the obstacle is still stalling the chain, TrenchSense neutralizes the chain and the ground drive so the operator can reposition the machine beyond the problem spot. Even typical soils free of major obstacles will vary in density, so the cruise control on the Ditch Witch RT80 senses engine load and adjusts ground speed accordingly. Maneuverability in tight urban work zones is improved with 4-wheel steering, such as on the Ditch Witch RT80. The operator has independent control of the front and rear axles so steering can be front, rear, crab or coordinated. machine matters | by Richard Ries CHAIN STALLS? OBSTACLE-STREWN PATH? Today's smaller trenchers muscle through whatever's thrown their way Quad tracks, as shown on this Ditch Witch RT80, are among the features that have found their way from bigger machines to smaller models.

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