Are you considering buying a snow blower this winter or do you already own one? Like a car or a motorcycle, snow blowers have mechanical parts inside that need to be taken care of regularly. Keeping up with regular maintenance tasks for your snow blower is crucial to ensure your equipment is ready to be put to work when the snow begins to fall, every time. Here are some basic maintenance tasks to keep your equipment running smoothly. After 5 hours of snow blower use Before doing anything, disengage all control levers and stop the engine of your snow blower before cleaning, repairing or inspecting it. If your snow blower is new, you will need to replace the engine oil after the first five hours of use. This will ensure your machine works properly in the future, as it will clean out any residue that was left during assembly. After the initial break-in period, make sure you check the oil level after each use. Also, don’t forget to inspect and clean up the exhaust area and air filter (if your machine has one). After 25 hours of snow blower use Once you have used your machine for a longer period of time, it’s time to check the spark plug for any signs of damage like deposit or cracks. If your spark plug has some damage, it’s best to replace it with a new one. What’s more, spark plugs are usually quite affordable, so it’s not a bad idea to have a couple backups on hand ahead of time. In addition, it is recommended that you lubricate the auger shaft at least once a season and again before storing it for summer to prevent rust. After every season To keep your snow blower running smoothly season after season, you will need to change the old engine oil in your machine. This should be done every season and after every 50 hours of use. This will ensure that your snow blower keeps operating properly and without risk of poor performance or expensive repair bills. Also, inspect the belts for any signs of fraying or splitting. Some machines like Cub Cadet’s three-stage snow blowers have more than one belt—make sure you install new ones that are compatible with your snow blower brand and model. Finally, it is advisable to replace the spark plug even if there are no signs of damage after every 100 hours of use. Other things to keep an eye on The basic maintenance tasks mentioned above are crucial to ensure that your machine works well. However, there are other items that can wear out, such as the scraper bar or skid shoes, that you should look for when servicing your machine. Be sure to check the machine thoroughly for other signs of developing problems from time to time for any signs of damage and replace or repair as needed. Don’t forget to refer to your operator’s manual for specific guidance about how to best service your snow blower. That’s it! Following these simple maintenance tasks should be enough to ensure that your snow blower performs at its best over the course of its lifetime.

The DD105 and DD105 OSC asphalt compactors from Volvo Construction Equipment now come equipped with Tier 3/Stage IIIA engines for emerging markets. Thanks to the integration of a Tier 3/Stage IIIA engine, the DD105 and oscillatory variant DD105 OSC double drum compactors are now available in emerging markets. These fuel-efficient and productive machines are equipped with an 86.3kW Tier 3/Stage IIIA engine that automatically adjusts output according to jobsite requirements, delivering power only when needed. Other smart features include Eco mode – which cuts fuel consumption by up to 30% without affecting performance – and an auto-idle function that reduces engine speed when the roller is stopped. Comfortably productive These robust machines are built to work hard but that doesn’t mean they can’t be comfortable. Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) prides itself on designing machines with the operator in mind. The company makes some of the most comfortable – and therefore productive – machines in the industry and the DD105/DD105 OSC is no exception. The ergonomically positioned controls and joystick guarantee effortless maneuverability, while the efficient climate system also helps keep the operator comfortable. The rear-mounted engine combined with a curved front glass panel and padded floor contributes to low levels of noise and vibrations within the cab – for a smooth and quiet ride. Safety and ease of operation are enhanced by the expansive front windshield which maximizes the view down to the drum and spray bars. The structural pillar supporting the roof is located at the rear of the cab, meaning the three front glass panels provide operators with an entirely unobstructed view of the road. When working close to obstacles, the fully adjustable operator station can rotate and slide to the side of the cab to easily provide a view down the edge of the asphalt – increasing safety and rolling precision. Smart technology, efficient compaction The 10-tonne compactors come fitted with a 1,680 mm wide drum whose unique design halves the power needed to start the vibration system with no compromise on productivity. This reduces the operator’s exposure to machine vibration while also ensuring a smoother finished mat. Fitted with the flexibility of the Volvo oscillation technology – which eliminates vertical vibrations – the DD105 OSC offers high compaction performance while producing a non-damaging oscillation movement. This transfers less stress to the surrounding surface, enabling compaction in more delicate application areas, such as bridges, over pipes and close to residential areas. Additionally, when compacting against a cold joint, the risk of damaging the cold surface is reduced, and the material can be more effectively compressed to seal and protect the surface. The oscillatory movement of the drum can also improve surface smoothness, by re-aligning the material. To account for the increased wear on the drum surface, the Volvo DD105 OSC roller has a hardened, abrasion-resistant alloy steel drum shell, which increases longevity. Also helping operators to achieve a high mat quality in less time is the Compact Assist function. Powered by the Volvo Co-Pilot display, Compact Assist provides access to a set of work-enhancing apps – including pass mapping and temperature mapping – which provide real-time insight into the work being undertaken. With easy access to clear and detailed data, the operator can eliminate any damaging over-compaction and ensure complete coverage of the working area. Unrivaled uptime The Volvo DD105 and DD105 OSC both feature an automatic water spraying system with triple filtration that provides uniform coverage and variable flow, as well as helping prevent material pick-up. Furthermore, the two water pumps alternate during normal operation. In the rare event of a pump malfunctioning, a constant flow of water to the drum surface is automatically retained. The large 740-liter water tank allows for increased refill intervals, also helping to keep downtime to a minimum. Moreover, the tank’s low positioning affords the machine a low center of gravity for excellent stability and can be quickly and easily refilled at ground level. The double drum compactors are designed for simple servicing and maintenance. The swing-up hood provides complete access to the engine and hydraulic components for efficient service inspections. Using a single key, technicians can access exterior service hatches, while fuses and relays are safely stored in the cab. With ground-level access to the engine, radiator, battery, and filters, daily checkpoints are unobstructed. And when it’s time to leave the jobsite and load into the truck, operators can rely on the Anti-Slip Control to avoid damaging the pavement. To further optimize machine availability, customers can use CareTrack, the Volvo telematics system, to access a wide range of machine monitoring information designed to save time and money. When additional support is needed, the extensive Volvo dealer network is on hand to provide advice and solutions, which can help customers towards achieving their business goals and objectives. Key specifications   DD105 DD105 OSC Operating weight (Cab) kg 10 400 10 178 Weight @ front drum kg 5 149 5 161 Weight rear drum kg 5 252 5 017 Drum width mm 1 680 Nominal amplitude (low/high) mm 0.45/0.86 Tangential Amplitude (OSC) mm 1.37 Vibration frequency (low/high) Hz 40/50 Oscillation frequency Hz   39 Engine   Volvo d3.8, Stage IIIA/Tier 3 Rated power at installed speed 86.3 kW at 2,600 rpm Overall length mm 4 650 Overall height mm 3 000 Overall width mm 1 838

Heavy equipment has laid the foundation of great civilizations and modern communities. From the Great Pyramids to the 35-year construction of the Interstate Highway and high-rise buildings, these construction tools dug earth and moved stones to make way for impressive engineering and architectural feats both ancient and modern. Their history is intertwined with the rise of equipment technology, and promises a bright future for the industry – as can be seen in well-established companies such as Fortis Heavy Duty. Muscle Power in Ancient Times  The Egyptian civilization was the first ever to use heavy equipment in terms of manual and animal labor to operate simple levers, pulleys and cranes. In 2500 BCE Imhotep, an Egyptian chancellor regarded as the world’s first architect orchestrated the building of the Great Pyramids using a system of rollers, ramps and ropes. The Romans also used this system. Moving huge slabs of stone was done using smooth ramps and rolling pins. Cranes were used to create the Roman arch, and other structures. Vitruvius, a Roman engineer, described early heavy equipment in his treatise known as De Architectura. These were made of wood, and used treadwheel for power. 1800s: Steam, Traction and Hydraulics Much of what the ancient civilizations used was still in operation until the 1800s, primarily for agricultural purposes – far from super-mechanized engines and heavy equipment undercarriage parts. In 1886, American inventor Benjamin Leroy Holt created a combine steam harvester. Two years later, John Froelich created a gasoline-powered tractor with forward and reverse gears. In 1890 Holt once again produced a steam-powered tractor. These inventions proved beneficial to the agricultural industry as it allowed the transition from animal-power to more powerful steam engines. Apart from the tractor, steam engines also fueled dredgers and steam excavators.  Thomas Aveling also created the traction engine in the mid-1800s and is known as “The Father of the Traction Engine.” His invention has made a lasting impact in the development of succeeding heavy equipment. 1900s: Rise of Heavy Equipment Vehicles By the 1900s, the second phase of The Industrial revolution was well underway and created a huge demand for heavy equipment in various industries. Track vehicles emerged at this time, with the first successful patent made by Alvin Orlando Lombard in 1901. In later years he would invent the first commercial tractor crawler, the forerunner of today’s tracked construction vehicles. Heavy equipment was also introduced to the construction industry in the early 1900s. In 1907, the Galion Works built motor and pull graders, steam and internal combustion rollers, wheeled scrapers and hydraulic cranes. Adaptations were made on these vehicles to suit the demands of construction. The bull graders were introduced in 1920s. It quickly grew in popularity, and in the 1930s it was renamed the bulldozer. This vehicle has since evolved into the bulldozer we know today, hauling boulders and tree stumps from the earth. Bucket-wheeled excavators also began in the 1920s, as digging machines for the mining industry. They have proved beneficial to surface mining operations over the years. Dump Trucks were also introduced at this time, also known as tipper or dumper trucks. 1930-1960: Tough Times and Tough Builds This 30-year period is marked with tough times, from the Great Depression to WWII. There was also notable construction taking place, including the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and the beginning of the Interstate Highway. This is often considered as the boom of the heavy equipment industry, as vehicles became monster-sized to address the demands of the massive interstate construction. The world’s biggest dragline, shovel and 360-ton truck emerged.  1970-1980: Embargo and Recession Demand for machinery continued to increase during this period, and equipment became more sophisticated. The Arab embargo of 1973 also caused greater demand. It is at this time that safety measures were given for heavy equipment. 1990-2010: Compact and Efficient Vehicles Machinery now utilized diesel engines, and while this shift improved efficiency, it had negative effects to the environment. Environmental compliance demanded that manufacturers build cleaner and more efficient engines. The economic recession: the third to hit the heavy equipment industry, has created a trend favoring rent rather than purchase of heavy equipment. Manufacturers are compelled to comply with the specifications rental companies for durability and efficiency, as well to ensure compliance with continuous emission-phase testing from 2001-2008.  2010-2019 The heavy equipment industry is one again seeing growth. Advances in construction equipment came in the form of telematics, electromobility and autonomous machinery. IoT, or the Internet of Things is also employed to increase machine life cycles. 

Ambitious construction support services specialist Leedale became one of the UK’s first customers for Arocs tipper-grabs equipped with Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ ground-breaking MirrorCam technology when it commissioned a pair of eight-wheelers in January.  The family-owned business also purchased two tipper-grabs by another manufacturer at the same time. But it was to Mercedes-Benz Dealer Rygor Commercials that it has just returned for the latest couple of additions to its fleet. So impressed is Leedale with the 8×4 Arocs, and with the rapid turnarounds achieved by Rygor, that the Dealer is now firmly established as its preferred construction truck partner.   The muscular, high-riding Arocs is purpose-designed for operation on rough sites. Like their predecessors, Leedale’s new trucks had been pre-built for Rygor’s WorkReady programme, so were supplied from stock. They have ClassicSpace M-cabs and, as 3240K variants, employ 10.7-litre ‘straight-six’ engines which produce 290 kW (394 hp) and drive through smooth and efficient 12-speed Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated manual transmissions. The trucks’ steel Loadmaster bodies are by Thompson, and their Palfinger Epsilon M125L Classic cranes work with Kinshofer clamshell buckets. Safety equipment, meanwhile, includes a 360-degree camera and side-scanning system to protect vulnerable road users, as well as LED strobe lighting front and rear, and a roof-mounted LED beacon bar. Fast-growing Leedale is based in Alfreton, Derbyshire, and operates a fleet of 50 trucks, 20 of them sweepers. Of the remaining tippers, tipper-grabs and flat-beds with Hiab cranes, 17 now wear three-pointed stars – Rygor also delivered six WorkReady 8×4 Arocs tippers with wing mirrors late last year. Established in 1989 by Lee Walkup, Leedale is a well-established supplier to main contractors, consultancies, developers and public sector clients in the East Midlands. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of muckaway, aggregates, demolition and general haulage services, as well as waste management, and vehicle and plant hire. It has also seen a surge in demand during the Covid-19 pandemic from homeowners, garden designers and landscapers, for deliveries of one-tonne bags of materials. Led by Managing Director Oliver Walkup, the founder’s son, Leedale has now embarked on a major expansion programme, its aim being to tender for and win new contracts on a national basis. To this end, it has set its sights on upgrading its current Bronze FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) accreditation to Silver at the earliest opportunity, and has just appointed its first National Sales Manager. Kim Smith joined the company in August and brings an impressive record of achievement in the earth moving sector to her new role. “The construction sector is in full flow and Leedale is extremely busy right now,” she said. “This explains why we needed more new vehicles, and quickly.” She continued: “We’re committed to a strategy of growth, and to winning new business beyond our East Midlands heartland. Many of the prospective customers we want to target require their suppliers to be accredited to FORS Silver standard. Health and safety, and compliance, are therefore at the very top of our agenda. “Not only have our Mercedes-Benz trucks proved to be more reliable and cost-effective to operate than other marques on the fleet, but they are also ahead of the rest when it comes to safety. MirrorCam, for example, has been a huge hit with the drivers who are using it. So much better is the level of visibility the system offers that not one of them would want to be without it now.” MirrorCam’s compact, roof-mounted cameras relay images to screens mounted inside the cab, on the A-pillars. Not only does this pioneering technology provide much-improved rearward vision, but it also eliminates the forward-facing blind spots created by conventional mirrors. As previously, Leedale took advantage of competitive funding support from Mercedes-Benz Finance to acquire its latest Arocs. Ms Smith observed: “Leedale has built a great reputation and excellent client relationships over more than 30 years, by offering a first-class service. “That’s also what we’ve received from Rygor Commercials. Its Truck Sales Executive Marcus Cahalin has been both efficient and responsive in delivering our Arocs within a couple of weeks of the orders being placed, while the vehicles are also perfectly specified for the job.” As well as tippers and tipper grabs, the broad selection of pre-built trucks that Rygor offers under its WorkReady banner includes hookloaders, mixers and skiploaders. Marcus Cahalin added: “Leedale is a business that’s clearly going places, and it wants to get there as quickly as possible. For customers like this, who need their new trucks with minimal delay, Rygor’s WorkReady programme has all the answers.” www.leedale.com

Business is booming for a farming company which is now supplying specialist composts, manures and mulches in bulk thanks to a unique project between Hiab and Nugent Trailer. Nick and Heather Stevens initially started growing mushrooms at Connetts Farm some 20 years ago and have progressed to selling mushroom compost, horse manure, compost, top soil, mulch and fire wood. Initially sold in feed or fertilizer bags, customer demand has recently soared for horticulture products available by cubic metre, which called for an on-road lifting solution which would support larger bulk deliveries. A unique partnership between Hiab and Nugent Trailer has seen Connetts Farm benefit from a new electric-powered crane installed on a trailer with solar-charging ability. Nick Stevens from Connetts Farm said: “We reached a point where our customers wanted us to supply more specialist composts, manures and mulches in large bags directly to their door. At that time, we only had a tipping trailer which wasn’t suitable for clean, effective and safe delivery. “Top soil is one of the heaviest products we sell which needs a heavy-duty crane to lift it off the truck. I was already familiar with Hiab’s cranes, so I spoke to them to see if they could help. We’ve since invested in a HIAB T-CLX 018-2 (with 1 manual extension) on a Nugent F3720H 3.5 tonne flatbed trailer which has opened up doors for us as a business. “We’ve been able to meet increasing demand throughout spring and summer while people focused on improving outdoor spaces during lockdown. It’s given us real scope to grow our customer base.” John Abbott, southern key account manager for Hiab said: “There is currently a gap in the market for a quality trailer-mounted crane with excellent lifting capabilities. Our partnership with Nugent offers a practical solution to the market which has the added bonus of green credentials. “When Nick approached us, we were able to offer something which ticked all of his boxes. The HIAB T-CLX 018-2 with one manual extension can lift 430kgs at 4.2m with a maximum lift of 995kg, combined with the Nugent Trailer it’s the perfect solution. “Our crane is also fully electric and very quiet to operate, which is also better for the environment.  We’ve worked with Nugent to connect an impressive 400AH battery pack which is charged with a 30 AMP solar charge panel within the trailer. The power can then be monitored through a simple phone app. “We’re always looking at ways to make life easier for our customers and this is one of the solutions we have developed to offer specialist heavy-duty lifting equipment straight from a manufacturer ‘off the shelf’. I’m confident this solution will prove popular as we roll it out further across UK and Ireland.” Colm Brown, sales and technical director for Nugent Trailer said: “This specialist trailer crane we have developed with Hiab will help farmers, builders’ merchants, gardeners, horticulturists, plant operations and local councils, anyone in fact who is having manual handling issues for deliveries where a crane/trailer combination could be the solution. “We have engineered the chassis to accept the crane from the factory, it has been designed to be completely stable carrying weight on the trailer and moving bulky items at height. “Our Dual Drive™ suspension reduces vibrations and suspension chatter, minimises stress on the chassis and cuts shock waves to the towing vehicle. The trailer itself is extremely low noise, making it suitable for use in residential areas, combined with the electric HIAB crane – it’s a top-quality piece of kit which offers best possible pay load for the user.”