How to Protect your Tools and Equipment Against Winter’s Worst

How to Protect your Tools and Equipment Against Winter’s Worst

December 30, 2021

Slightly less than a year ago the residents of one of the hottest states in the country woke up to find their power out, pipes burst and icy havoc everywhere. The big freeze that hit Texas, February 13, 2021 and lasted almost a week, killed more people than the Alamo and racked up billions of dollars in damages.

That should be warning enough to take winter seriously. Whether it’s your tools or equipment you should understand the worst that could happen and prepare for it. Here’s a checklist of the dangers and what you can do to prevent them.

The #1 Rule

No set of rules could possibly cover all the contingencies for different brands and types of equipment, mobile, stationary, rubber-tire, tracked, low and high horsepower, diesel, gas, hybrid or fully electric. So the #1 rule is to check with the equipment dealer or OEM or consult the manual first.

Also don’t do this slapdash or just whenever you get around to it. Use our list here as a starting point but then study your equipment and needs, develop an action plan and then execute—before it’s too late.

Power Tools

The rechargeable batteries used to run saws, drills, flashlights and even some demolition tools should never be left out in cold weather. Below 40 degrees lithium-ion batteries won’t hold a charge and leaving them out in freezing temperatures can permanently reduce run time. Don’t store these in an unheated shop, or your truck toolbox when freezing weather threatens.

If you build a charging station to hold these tools, batteries and chargers, make it portable so you can bring it inside when necessary and always keep the batteries and tools within the temperature range recommended by the manufacturer.

Pneumatic Tools

Air-driven power tools such as DA sanders, nail guns rely on seals, O-rings and lubrication to function properly. When cold temps turn these materials brittle or cause the lubrication to gel, they won’t fire properly and may become permanently damaged. Always store them inside at the temperatures recommended.

If using them outside in freezing weather, follow manufacturer guidelines. If needed you can rotate tools from outside to inside throughout the day to keep them functioning properly. Also, consider using a cold-weather lubricant/pneumatic tool oil.

Compressors

Air compressors will accumulate moisture over repeated exposure to rising and falling temperatures. Make sure you drain the compressor at the end of every day. Use air hoses that remain flexible in the cold and consider using an in-line antifreeze product such as Kilfrost Pneumatic Tool and Antifreeze lubricant to prevent blockages.

Shop Heat

Shops without a dedicated HVAC system will sometimes use gas or propane forced air heaters to warm up the work environment. Be sure you follow all the manufacturer’s instructions on ventilation when using these. And note that these sometimes create a thin film on many surfaces. You won’t be able to see this film and it won’t affect most operations but it may prevent spray paint from adhering to surfaces should you want to paint anything that’s been stored in the shop. Extra degreasing on metal surfaces should alleviate the problem.

Electric space heaters are sometimes used for small spaces, just be aware that these will increase your power bill considerably.

Gas Engines

There is considerable debate among construction and landscaping professionals about how to store gasoline-powered tools for the winter. One camp says to drain the tank, completely, shoot a small squirt of lube oil in the spark plug hole and pull the starter rope a few times to coat the inside of the engine with oil. Others say to fill the tank with gasoline that’s been treated with an additive.

Our advice: do whatever the owner’s manual says to do. If you don’t have the manual most manufacturers post them online.

Equipment Lights

As winter’s shortened days close in, operators and foremen are tempted to keep working into the dusk. Before this happens check all the lights on your machines to make sure they’re in good working order.

Consider adding auxiliary lighting packages—today’s new LED lights can provide amazing illumination while also conserving battery power. And put a towel inside every machine so operators can clear the windshield of any condensation that occurs.

Diesel Engines

A long time ago contractors would start their diesel engines early, and do something else for five or ten minutes to let the engine warm up before driving off or starting work. And in cold weather, they’d also leave their diesels running for fear of them not starting back up. That’s no longer the case.

Today’s diesels need only a minute or so to warm up and they have sufficient battery power to restart even in the coldest temps. Running a diesel engine at low idle for long periods of time can actually cause carbon accumulation in the engine as the exhaust after-treatment process doesn’t get hot enough to burn it off. Go ahead and start working within 60 seconds of startup. Your engine and its DPF and/or DOC systems will thank you for it. For extremely cold weather (states bordering Canada), you may need a cold weather starting package that your OEM dealer can provide.

Newer machines and trucks generally run with low viscosity lube oils to improve fuel efficiency. The new 5W-40 and 0W-40 synthetic will perform well down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you are running thicker oils in your older equipment, check with the OEM before switching to low viscosity.

Keep it Clean

While you still have above-freezing temperatures pressure wash your equipment, paying extra attention to tracks and undercarriages. If ice or frozen mud is left on those, it will lock up the whole undercarriage and you will not be able to move the machine until it thaws out. And even if you do get it moving you could be damaging the pins, bushings and rollers unless all the frozen gunk is removed first.

Dirt and frozen crud will also hide leaky seals and components that if left unattended could create maintenance headaches down the line. Salt and other road-de-icing chemicals can also cause rust and corrosion if left on the machine for long.

Move it

Even if you’re parking your machines for the winter, it’s a good idea to periodically start them, move the joysticks, and travel a short distance. This keeps seals and fittings coated with lubrication and prevents ice build-up that might compromise operation when you need the machine.

Pushing fluid through the hydraulic system will keep valves and seals lubricated and in good shape. Also lubricate door hinges and other metal-to-metal parts to keep them swinging freely, ward off moisture and prevent rust.

Tires and Hoses

Repeated cold, thaw cycles can create small, temporary air leaks between the rim and sidewalls of your truck and equipment tires. Over the course of a few days this can lead to a loss of as much as 20 to 40 percent of the air pressure in your tires. Be sure to check your tires after the first hard cold snap and adjust the psi if necessary. Cold weather can also make tires brittle and more prone to damage, so tread lightly in operation.

Rubber hoses are also subject to brittleness and cracking or loosening up from their fittings in cold weather. Be sure to inspect these carefully before operation.

DEF Maintenance

Diesel exhaust fluid is mostly water, and it can freeze at 12-degrees Fahrenheit. Today’s Tier 4 and Tier 4 Final engines either have DEF system pre-heaters or will allow you to run them for a few minutes until the DEF in the lines and reservoir thaw out. But keep an eye on it. If it doesn’t thaw out, the engine could derate. If problems occur, call your dealer’s service department.

If you intend to store your machine in sub-freezing weather, drain the DEF reservoir. Upon restarting in warmer weather flush the DEF system with distilled water. And be sure you keep your bulk storage of DEF somewhere it won’t freeze. Otherwise, you won’t be able to dispense it.

Fuel

Number 2 diesel works fine in the warmer months and it is less expensive, but the hydrocarbons in diesel fuel can begin to gel when it drops below 40 degrees. Number 1 diesel (which you can buy at truck stops or specify from your fuel supplier) has a lower viscosity and is less likely to gel.

At the end of the day in any cold temperatures, it’s wise to top up your fuel tanks to avoid condensation and water. Use cold weather fuel additives when necessary but always make sure to check with the OEM or dealer on what additives to use. There’s a lot of snake oil out there. An engine block heater can alleviate some of these gelling problems by keeping the engine, fuel lines and injectors at a more favorable temperature when the machine is not running.

Lubes, Grease and Fluids

Prolonged cold temperatures may adversely affect engine oil, grease and hydraulic fluid making them less viscous and harder to pump. Check with your OEM dealer about best practices in your area and change these fluids before problems emerge.

If your regular grease gets too cold, it may block the lines and make it impossible to push low-viscosity/low-temp grease into the lines. Conversely, when temperatures start to rise, change back to your normal fluid regimen to prevent low-viscosity fluids from damaging your equipment.

Hydraulic Cylinders

If you intend to store a machine for the winter, spray a protective coating on the chrome to guard against rust. Even faint surface rust creates enough pitting to cause cylinder seals to leak when you start back up.

Battery Care

Heavy equipment and truck batteries do not like cold weather. Check the terminals and connections to make sure they are tight and corrosion free. Coat the battery clamps with dielectric grease to prevent mineral deposits or corrosion.

Left outside, batteries can freeze and take up to 30 hours to thaw. If that is a risk, use a battery blanket to keep your battery above 32 degrees. Have your battery and alternator tested before the cold season begins to make sure both can perform up to spec.

Preserving the Past: Top 5 Antique Equipment Stories of 2021

December 30, 2021

In 2020, we started an ongoing feature focusing on collectors of antique equipment and their favorite finds.

Little did we know that the stories would become so popular.

Readers seem to appreciate the historical significance of the old equipment and the personal stories behind them. And the collectors we’ve spoken with love to show their vintage machines, many of which underwent painstaking restorations. Along with being fans of antique equipment, they hope to reach a new generation and help preserve a bit of our country’s construction past.

So here are the top five antique construction equipment stories on equipmentworld.com for 2021, with links in case you want to read more:

Mike Oberloier1. 95 Years Under Water: Rare, Long-Lost Steam Shovel Rescued to be Restored

An old steam shovel at the bottom of a Michigan lake since 1925 couldn’t be rescued. Then a dam break in 2020 changed everything. Because of it, Mike Oberloier was able to resurrect a dream his father had back in 1975, when he led an unsuccessful diving expedition to find the lost steam shovel of Wixom Lake. A Herculean group effort has recovered the old shovel, and Mike has been working to restore it. The early-1900s Thew Type-O shovel is believed to be one of only two left in the world.

A shot of Erik Christenbury’s antique Cat with the original operator he bought it from.Erik Christenbury2. Almost Famous: This “Like New” 1956 Cat D6 Dozer Gets a Shot at the Movies

As founder and president of Chapter 12 of the Antique Caterpillar Machinery Owners Club, Erik Christenbury often gets calls from people wanting to display antique Caterpillar construction equipment. But one that stands out in his mind came about seven years ago from a coordinator on a major motion picture. Erik agreed to let them use his 1956 Cat D6 9U dozer. He had bought the machine about a year earlier – a rare find as it had less than 900 operating hours on it and all original parts. But he didn’t realize until later that they expected him to bring it to New Orleans, more than 800 miles from his home in South Carolina, and get filmed operating it. It turned into a long, strange, yet memorable experience.

A proud Casey Havemann with his restored 1958 Case Terratrac 320.Casey Havemann3. Casey’s Rare Case: Teen Restores 1958 Terratrac 320 Dozer

Casey Havemann is the youngest collector we’ve interviewed. But Casey showed he has the heart of a true aficionado of antique construction equipment when he found a rare 1958 Case Terratrac 320 dozer. He then spent 600 hours restoring it while he was in high school. His restoration work involved a lengthy parts search, parts fabrication, and taking the crawler tractor apart piece by piece and putting it back together again – twice.

The Holt Caterpillar 10-Ton back on the Vouk property in St. Stephen, Minnesota.Scott Vouk4. “Impossible” Quest Brings Home Family’s Century-Old Holt Caterpillar 10-Ton Tractor

Scott Vouk was 6 years old in 2001 when the Holt Caterpillar 10-Ton tractor was auctioned off. It was sold along with all the other equipment at the Vouk family’s antique steam show after his great uncle passed away. William Vouk Sr. had bought the Holt in 1938 for the family threshing and sawmill business. After the auction, the family thought it was gone for good, but 25-year-old Scott Vouk didn’t give up. In 2021, he managed to do what many of his relatives didn’t believe possible. He brought the century-old tractor home.

Nancy McDonnell with her 1956 Cat D4Nancy McConnell5. A Dozer of Her Own: It Was Nancy’s Turn To Restore a 1956 Cat D4

Nancy McDonnell had been watching her husband and others operating vintage construction equipment at antique machine shows, and she decided it was time she had a turn. After a local search in the late 1990s, the Germantown, Ohio, couple found a hidden treasure in two beat-up 1956 Cat D4 dozers. Neither dozer was good enough on its own, but by combining the good parts, they were able to put together one excellent restored dozer to operate at antique shows and give Nancy her first piece of construction equipment.

Contractor of the Year Finalist: Building on Family Faith, Oak Hill Contractors Expands Beyond its Mining Reclamation Start

December 30, 2021

Josh Burkholder grew up on his family farm and times were tough. Searching for ways to bring in family income, he started mowing lawns and then turned to construction. It’s a move that came out of necessity and he now says it “grew beyond anything I ever imagined.”

This growth shouldn’t be a surprise when you look at his background. “My dad always drilled customer service into us,” Burkholder says. “We’re here to serve the customer. That’s where our bread and butter come from.”

Along the way, several people have given his company a hand up, Burkholder says.

There was the small community bank that loaned him the money for his first piece of equipment: a zero-turn lawnmower. “We still use them, “ Burkholder says, “even though we’ve outgrown them to some extent.”

He also credits an engineering team with a local mining company with seeing Oak Hill’s potential in doing the mine’s reclamation work. In 2010, the mining company hired Oak Hill to move 170,000 yards of dirt, a job that they bid at around $500,000. “That was monstrous for us at the time,” Burkholder says.

“They really went out on a limb for us,” Burkholder adds. “They were instrumental in taking us from a couple of boys with a dozer to a company that could actually compete and perform major jobs.”

Oak Hill used a combination of owned and rented excavators, dozers and articulated trucks along with tractors and pull-behind scrapers to complete that first mining job. “A lot of the earthmoving involved short moves so we could do things efficiently,” Burkholder says.

Family first

Jon (left) and Josh Burkholder along with “assistants” (left to right) Alex, Kaden and Karson Burkholder.Equipment World

Family is a central theme at the company, part of the Burkholder’s deep Mennonite faith. Burkholder’s brother Jon manages the fleet, shop operations and projects. “He’s a lot more detail oriented,” Burkholder says. “It’s a good partnership. There’s a lot give and take, and it’s worked out really well.”

The family also had a narrow escape. While visiting an accounting firm in Pennsylvania, their plane crashed on takeoff. Burkholder, Jon and their dad Eugene all sustained serious injuries.

“We essentially flew into the side of a hill,” Burkholder says. “It’s a miracle we survived because the plane was structurally destroyed even though there was not a lot of visual damage.”

The accident happened in late 2015. “In 2016, our company basically ran on autopilot after coming off a good year,” Burkholder says. “I would go into the office and look at the stacks of paper, and I just couldn’t concentrate.”

The company rebounded in 2017 after another large mining project came through, but that also marked the last year that mining reclamation projects were the company’s primary income source.

Tandem excavators at work on a $4 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineer job along the Ohio River.Equipment WorldThree years ago, Oak Hill was almost 100% devoted to coal mine reclamation jobs. Those projects are now down to 30% of the company’s work as it has expanded into landfill cell construction and U.S. Army Corps of Engineer work. Corps work has stretched Oak Hill beyond it’s normal 150-mile geographical footprint; it’s now performing levee work on the Texas-Louisiana border, something Burkholder sees the company doing only on a limited basis.

Oak Hill crews are currently working a job alongside the Ohio River that involves both earthmoving and marine construction. “When bidding it, there was a question of which approach you would take – working from the land or from the water,” Burkholder explains. “We saw very little work that we couldn’t do from land, and it’s been an awesome contract.”

Oak Hill bid the project with crawler carriers but found that its tractors and 21-yard pull-behind scrapers were a better fit for the soft underfoot conditions. “The difference was in the volume of dirt they could move, but we’re still pulling one instead of two. There’s a lot of rolling resistance.”

Growth ahead?

Oak Hill contractors serves several markets including coal mine reclamation, landfill cell construction and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects.

Oak Hill’s annual revenues are now in the $14 million to $15 million range. “I see a huge variable in the bottom line if we can go from there to $18 million, because we have the infrastructure in place,” Burkholder says. “A lot of the overhead costs are taken care of.”

With growth in mind, Burkholder is considering adding a salesperson and a controller. “We’re trying to get better prepared for the long haul,” he says. “I’m trying to transition out of thinking I have to do everything to training other people so that I’m not so tied down with the nitty-gritty.”

The “long haul,” as Burkholder puts it, is also present as he sees the children – now still quite young – grow up in his family.

“Those who are going to survive in this industry are going to stay in the harness and figure out ways to adapt and get it done,” he says.

“We have finite resources and a finite amount of people. Good technicians are hard to find, so I now look at what investment can we make that makes us flow better and be more profitable each season.”

For example, this year Oak Hill had tractors and pull-behind scrapers available for jobs, but no artics, which prompted him to rent six trucks for a job near St. Louis. “But it’s going to be painful for me to write that rental check,” he admits. “I like to own the equipment we’re using.”

The company built its current office and shop in 2017. “I can’t imagine what we’d do without that shop and its overhead crane,” Burkholder says. “We do a high percentage of our own work.” The company also has an equipment division that manages buying and selling used fleet and trucking services.

“When you’re getting the operator from them, you’re actually getting an operator and not just getting somebody that is sitting in a seat,” says client Chris Russell with Hamilton County Coal. “They are great communicators and that makes a big difference.”

“Josh and Jon are people of their word,” says Kevin Gore with client JennMar Services. “I couldn’t have higher praise for anybody that I work with.”

For an overview of Oak Hill Contractors’ operations, check out this video:

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Test Drive: Mack’s Return to Medium-Duty Trucks Doesn’t Disappoint

December 21, 2021

Mack’s MD Series is a rebirth of sorts for a company whose mantra is “Born Ready.”

Mack exited the medium-duty segment almost 20 years ago with the retirement of the Freedom, which was mostly a rebadged Americanized Renault. The Freedom concluded Mack’s 20-plus-year run with its medium-duty Mid-Liner.

The MD entered production just 13 months ago at the company’s new 280,000-square-foot Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) facility in Roanoke Valley, Virginia. Mack announced its re-entry into the medium-duty market in January 2020, but COVID protocols delayed production from July to September 2020.

Targeting medium-duty trucking vocations with frequent urban stop-and-go cycles like dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed, dump and tank, the 25,995-pound gross vehicle weight rating MD6 and 33,000-pound GVWR MD7 are both exempt from the 12% federal excise tax, and the MD6 model slides in just under the cutoff for requiring a commercial driver’s license for non-hazardous payloads.

Nextran Truck Centers Sales Manager Bruce Graham said the bulk of the units moving through his Birmingham, Alabama, dealership have been spec’d with flatbeds, but service bodies have become increasingly more common, with some vans mixed in.

Bruce and his team at Nextran loaned me an MD6 to shuttle around the greater Birmingham-area – a Glacier White Class 6 outfitted with a Lyncoach box. This is a fairly standard configuration for a local-route beverage hauler, which is exactly where this unit was headed.

Mack didn’t have to look far for inspiration for its MD Series. There’s no denying the influence of Mack’s on-highway flagship Anthem. The squared-off nose; the grille; the body lines; a wrap-around dash with ergonomic controls; a tilt telescopic steering column with flat-bottomed steering wheel; power windows and door locks; cruise control and a driver air-ride seat are all regular long-haul driver comforts found in the MD Model. Anthem’s paw prints are all over the MD inside and out.

The MD6 and MD7 models feature a sharp wheel cut for enhanced maneuverability, and their air-suspended steel cab features an industry-best bumper-to-back-of-cab measurement of 103 inches. Eight wheelbase lengths will support typical bodies from 10 to 26 feet. My test drive model was a 270-inch wheelbase.

The wheels are a standard 22.5 inches, but 19.5-inch wheels are available. Other standard features include the basics like power windows and locks, cruise control and air conditioning. An optional two-passenger bench seat allows fleets to deploy crews of three, and a flip-up bottom grants access to a large bin for storage.

MD’s turning radius was tight, making navigating crowded surface streets easy and safe when coupled with the shorter nose and improved visibility.

The view from the standard air-ride driver’s seat is commanding, and the air-suspension cab is comfortable. Base models get a spring rear suspension, but Mack’s Maxlite air suspension is available. My test unit had air.

It would be easy to assign a lot of the truck’s pleasant on-road manners to the air system, but that would overlook the durable yet lightweight chassis (7mm thickness for the MD6 and 8mm thickness for the MD7), constructed to an industry standard 34-inch frame width using 120,000 psi steel rails – a considerable bump from an industry standard 80,000 psi.

The MD is Mack’s first all-new truck model since the 2017 debut of Anthem. It’s also one of very few bulldogs to offer a non-Mack powertrain. Both MD models are equipped with an inline 6-cylinder Cummins B6.7 engine, making up to 300 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque.

The B6.7 is the most popular diesel engine Cummins builds, and its B Series has been on the market for nearly 40 years in various iterations. It’s pretty much the ubiquitous medium-duty engine. Cummins’ Single Module aftertreatment bundles the diesel particulate filter, selective catalytic reduction and diesel exhaust fluid doser into one unit.

In the MD, the B6.7 is matched with an Allison 2500HS transmission and Meritor axles. An Allison 2500RDS is available for applications needing a PTO.

My drive around Birmingham covered a little less than 100 miles, not an uncommon daily trip shunting around Coca-Cola products, and the truck felt just as at home at 70 mph pulling a grade as it was at 15 mph navigating a loading zone, or low-speed in a crowded Buc-ee’s parking lot. Yeah, I know. Buc-ee’s isn’t truck-friendly, but sometimes, when you want a Coke Icee, you have to take matters into your own hands.

Now that a formal infrastructure plan has finally passed, Mack couldn’t have picked a better time to get back into medium duty – especially with a model as versatile as MD.

In all, the MD Series is a comfortable and capable traffic fighter with plenty of workhorse capabilities and flexibility that both fleets and drivers will love, especially if you need to make a black-ops Icee run.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.cityheartsaberdeen.com/?p=933

Technician of the Year: “If Something Breaks Down … I’m All Over It.”

December 11, 2021

As a child, Chase Snyder was fascinated with construction equipment.

He would watch the “There Goes a Truck” series over and over on the VCR, especially the episodes that focused on heavy equipment.

That love of equipment has stuck with Snyder. Now, he’s 26 and each day he’s working on big diesel machines as senior fleet technician for the Manatee County, Florida landfill. The bigger, the dirtier, the more challenging the job – the better.

“I prefer the landfill stuff,” Snyder says, when asked about his favorite equipment to work on. “A lot of people think that’s weird when I say that, because it’s typically the dirtiest, the nastiest. When you’ve got to go and clean them and crawl up in the belly pans, you never know what you’re going to encounter.

“But it doesn’t deter me. I just find it interesting what the machines are able to do.”

That attitude, his professionalism, his ability to save money by handling repairs in-house and his commitment to training have earned Snyder the top honor in his profession – the 2021 Technician of the Year Award by the Association of Equipment Management Professionals’ Education Foundation.

Chase Snyder prefers working on large, yellow iron at the Manatee County landfill.Courtesy of Manatee County

Growing up, Snyder fed his love of equipment by visiting his grandfather’s construction business. As he got older, he would also spend time with his other grandfather, who was a technician at a Ford dealership, restoring 1950s-era Fords. “I’d always be out there watching him and trying to help him tinker,” Snyder says.

In high school, he decided being a heavy-diesel technician was what he wanted to do. He saved up to buy a diesel pickup truck he could work on to prepare for his future career.

“When you’re younger and don’t have a lot of money, you’ve got to learn how to make stuff run and learn how things work, because you can’t have somebody fix it for you,” he says.

He learned mechanical repair on his truck by trial and error. He also got a job at a farm while in high school and performed basic maintenance on tractors.

When it came time for college, he got his associates degree. After that, he broke with family tradition of getting a four-year college degree and instead went to trade school.

“I wanted to get into heavy diesel just because I found it interesting,” he recalls. “But I had to go to school at night, because I was working full time during the day, and there’s no diesel program within an hour and a half drive of where I was living at the time. So I went at night for general automotive.”

While attending Manatee Technical College, he tried to work as a technician for some construction companies, but he didn’t have the diesel experience. But he was able to land a job with Sarasota County working on transit buses. He learned a lot to help him in his career. One longtime worker there was particularly generous with his knowledge.

“Luckily he took me under his wing and taught me a lot of some of the older-school tricks that still are relevant,” he says.

Chase Snyder prefers to tackle the challenging jobs.Courtesy of Manatee County

After graduation, he started working for Manatee County. At last, he was with the yellow iron he loved so much. The county has a 170-piece fleet, including heavy dozers, wheel loaders, excavators and massive landfill compactors.

His supervisor at the county landfill shop, David Alligood, won last year’s AEMP Technician of the Year Award. Snyder did not know Alligood before he came to work for Manatee County, but he had heard of him. When looking for work while in tech school, Snyder met the fleet manager for Sarasota County, who had also worked at Manatee County.

“And I met with him and he laughed, and he goes, ‘You remind me of this guy David that I hired about 10 years ago,’” Snyder recalls.

When he went to the job interview for Manatee County, Alligood was in the room.

“There were four or five of us in that room,” remembers Alligood. “And when he walked out, we all looked at each other. We’re like, ‘That’s probably the best interview we’ve ever had.’”

“I couldn’t believe it,” Alligood adds. “He was a dead ringer.”

Back-to-back winners in Manatee County show their winning custom John Deere toolboxes side-by-side.Courtesy of Manatee County

Snyder has worked in Manatee County’s landfill shop for about three years and has already made an impact.

He’s a quick learner and willing to tackle the tough jobs, say coworkers.

“I love the big equipment, the nasty equipment,” he says. “If something breaks down in the field or up in the trash, I’m all over it.”

They also appreciate his calm demeanor and willingness to offer new ideas and solutions.

When the landfill’s 19-ton wheel loaders’ center pins began to wear out, he convinced management to do the work in-house rather than farm it out.

“And I think we came in roughly 50% of what the quote was to have the vendor do it,” Snyder says. “Since then we’ve done three, and every time we get a little bit faster at it and save a little bit more money.”

Another accomplishment came when the pin bores on the blades of the landfill’s 40-ton dozers were wearing out. Working with the parts department, they found some replacement bearings that fit. A diagram was made of the parts numbers to keep on file for future repairs.

“It saved us a lot of costs and machine work,” he says. “…And also it’s going to save future downtime.”

Norman Hagel, Manatee County fleet operations chief, recalled another cost-saving project, due to Snyder’s welding and fabrication skills. The county had a 10-ton trailer that Snyder converted for use as a spreader in summer and as a transporter during winter.

“His diverse skillset has saved us money on multiple occasions,” Hagel says.

Chase Snyder doesn’t shy away from the dirty work. “I love the big equipment, the nasty equipment,” he says.Courtesy of Manatee County

At 26, Snyder is the youngest member of the landfill shop team. He’s grateful for the experienced people he’s worked with who have passed along their knowledge. He tries to return the favor by taking on some of the heavier, dirtier work.

“They’ve done their time of doing all that work, and so if I’m able and willing to take on some of the grunt work from them, they pay it back by educating me,” he says. “So it’s a mutual respect there.”

He also makes a point of keeping up with the rapid technological advancements on the machinery. He recalls some advice he got early on when he was getting frustrated while working on a bus’ diesel exhaust fluid system. He let out a common grumble he had heard from the older techs about the new diesel emission systems. One of the veteran technicians chuckled.

“Look,” he told Snyder. “I’ve learned enough to get by till I retire next year. You’re still pretty new in the industry, and this is your reality. So you either learn to figure this stuff out, or you go find another career path, because it’s not going away.”

“And that stuck with me,” Snyder says.

“This field has changed so much in the last 10 to 15 years. And I’ve kind of been brought into it as this wave of updating and new technology has come out. And it’s only going to continue from here.”

But that change is fine with Snyder.

“The running joke I always say is you’ve got to be smarter than what you’re working on. And with how technical some of this stuff’s getting now, it’s hard to do that some days. But it’s always a challenge, and the challenges are what keep you interested. They’re what keep you up at night and keep you motivated to come in the next day to figure it out.”

“His diverse skillset has saved us money on multiple occasions,” says Norman Hagel, Manatee County fleet operations chief, of Chase Snyder.Courtesy of Manatee County

Snyder believes that one way the diesel tech industry can help put a dent in its labor shortage is to help the younger generations stay trained and headed toward career advancement.

“A big thing that a lot of the younger guys look for, that I know I look for a lot, is what type of training am I going to get,” he says. “That way I can stay current and learn this new stuff.”

Manatee County has done a good job of offering and emphasizing training, as well as providing updated software and access to manufacturers’ information, he says. He has earned about 25 ASE certifications.

He offers this advice for young people starting a career as a diesel technician:

“Keep your head up, and eventually, some of the right doors will open up. I know that’s what happened with me. … If you work hard enough and push hard enough, things have to fall into place eventually.”

As for himself, Snyder definitely has an eye to the future.

“I love what I do right now, but I also know that it’s not what I want to do forever. I definitely know that I want to progress up within our organization here. … And I definitely want to be able to progress as far up as I can.”

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Embark Trucks Intros New Autonomous Trucking Lane in Texas

December 10, 2021

Autonomous truck tech startup Embark Trucks on Thursday announced its expansion into Texas and the launch of a new autonomous trucking lane between Houston and San Antonio.

Embark plans to hire aggressively in the greater Houston area in 2022 for its new autonomous truck facility in the state.

Embark noted the Houston area offers the three key advantages as it works to scale its business:

Well-positioned trucking hub

Houston is a trucking hub that is uniquely positioned for commercially viable long-haul autonomous freight. Houston is located at the center of key 600-plus-mile trucking lanes that are ideal for automation, as they cannot be completed in a single day by a human driver due to hours-of-service limitations. For example, a 600-mile run could take approximately 22 hours to complete manually, assuming full compliance with the federal hours of service rules, while that same run would take just 12 hours to complete autonomously.

Industry-leading expertise

The Houston area is home to academics and research institutions dedicated to autonomous vehicle technology, such as those at Texas A&M University, which the company will partner with on the autonomous-lane project. Embark expects to work closely with partners to test, deploy and validate its technology. Houston also has a mature trucking and autonomous vehicle workforce, representing a deep talent pool for Embark to draw from as it expands its headcount in the region.

Embark’s partnership with Texas A&M University is one of the cornerstones of expansion, as the company will use the university’s expertise and test track at the RELLIS Campus to pioneer novel AV capabilities and achieve its remaining technology milestones. These milestones represent the final hurdles to deploying commercially viable autonomous trucks, and include challenges such as emergency vehicle interactions, pulling over to safety in emergency situations, and performing evasive maneuvers, among others.

Public sector engagement

Texas has forged extensive public-private autonomous partnerships. By engaging with developers to support the safe operation of autonomous trucks, the Texas Departments of Transportation and Texas Department of Public Safety have established the state as a leader well-positioned to reap the safety and efficiency benefits of the technology. Embark will continue to cultivate its relationships with state and local agencies as it prioritizes highway road safety and responsible integration of autonomous trucks into the state transportation system.

Together, these factors enable Embark to execute against its go-to-market timeline as it prepares for commercial launch of the Embark Driver in 2024. Embark expects to begin hauling freight for its partners between San Antonio and Houston as early as 2022.

Embark’s expansion into Texas builds on several years of engagement with state officials to share information on the development of autonomous trucks. Embark is a longstanding participant in the TxDOT Connected and Automated Vehicle Task Force.

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Need a Part Tomorrow? Cat Will Guarantee it Arrives or Give You Credit

December 2, 2021

In these days of parts scarcity and increased project demands, Cat has two service offers that might catch your attention.

Within Cat’s Customer Value Agreements (CVA) is a new feature Cat is calling a “Services Commitment Program.” Introduced in July in the U.S. (Canadian customers will see it in January), the program has two components: a parts availability commitment and service response time commitment. These are available on machines less than 10 years old that are covered by a new or renewed CVA.

Parts availability: Cat guarantees maintenance and common repair parts will be available to CVA customers when they need them. If a maintenance part is not available by the end of the next business day or Cat can’t get it to you Cat will credit you up to $1,000 for the amount of the unavailable parts. For common repair parts on dealer-performed service, the $1,000 credit applies at the end of the second business day.

Service response time: This ensures that you will have priority appointment scheduling, getting the next available slot in the dealer’s shop. Diagnostics are run before the machine comes in or the technician arrives, and the customer receives progress updates as their machine is serviced.

“Customers continue to choose CVAs in record numbers,” says Marcy Bytner, Cat marketing consultant. “In fact, 60% of our construction industry machines are sold with CVA, and 45% of those customers choose to renew.”

Self-service options

CaterpillarManaging most of your own repairs? Cat’s new Self-Service Options (SSO) offering is aimed at you.

“Typically a customer has to do all the research on a repair and sometimes guess as to what parts are needed,” says Mike Hernandez, Cat program manager. “SSOs take out the guesswork and make the repair process easier and more convenient.”

Working at your direction on what repair you want to make, Cat will put together an SSO package that includes the parts, instructions and recommended tooling to complete the specific work on more than 300 models. Repairs covered include minor engine bolt-ons, service brakes for drivetrains, replacing batteries and alternators, hydraulics and implement controls. The service instructions are available in 10 different languages.

“This is not a traditional kit, which is typically a fixed quantity of parts in box sitting on the shelf,” Hernandez says. Instead, each SSO can be customized to include only the parts and tooling you need to complete the repair by yourself. Customers can then complete the repair in-house and on their own schedule.

SSOs can be ordered online at Cat’s parts store or by contacting your local Cat dealer. The dealer fills the order, and if questions arise during the repair, your service tech can receive additional support from the dealer. “Customers are not alone in the repair journey,” Hernandez says.

Cat is concentrating on its small and compact equipment first with this program. Machines include compact track loaders, skid steers, compact wheel loaders, backhoes, compact excavators, small wheel loaders and dozers and telehandlers. As new machines are introduced, new Cat SSO packages will be developed.

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Cat intros 8-foot pavers for smaller, tighter jobs

December 1, 2021

To the contractors asking for a compact paver from Caterpillar: your wish has been granted.

Cat has filled the gap in its product offering with a new line of 8-foot size-class paver and screed combinations. The AP400, AP455, AP500 and AP555 asphalt pavers, along with the SE47 V and SE47 FM asphalt screeds, are designed for small, tight jobs such as narrow streets, driveways and small parking lots.

“Compact pavers and screeds offer opportunity to both large and small contractors,” says Cat sales consultant Jon Anderson. “For large contractors doing pullouts and shoulders, this is the perfect machine for that at a lower cost point. For smaller customers, it gives them the opportunity to move up and do some bigger jobs that they’ve always wanted to bid on but didn’t feel they had the equipment for.”

The SE47 V screed can be extended to any width between 8 and 15 feet 6 inches, with a maximum width of 20 feet. The SE47 FM screed offers a standard paving range between 8 feet and 15 feet 6 inches, with a maximum width of 20 feet 6 inches. Both screeds offer paving depths up to 10 inches.

“One of the hardest things is to do a job where the paver is too big and you’ve got to do everything at the very minimum width,” says Anderson. “It’s a real challenge, so this provides new opportunities.”

Easy to load or road

When moving between multiple jobs per day, equipment must be easy to haul. Cat says these 13- to 15-ton size-class machines don’t require special permits for transport and have convenient tie-down locations.

With a length of less than 18 feet 6 inches and width of 8 feet 6 inches, the pavers easily fit on trailers and can be hauled with other equipment. In addition, the front-loading angle of 17 degrees and high bumper clearance simplifies loading without the need for additional blocking material.

Roading it rather than loading it? Anderson says the versatile undercarriage design delivers “excellent traction and speed for traveling to the next starting point.”

The Cat Mobil-trac undercarriage design used on the AP455 and AP555 features a unique four-bogie system with self-tensioning accumulators and center guide blocks. This helps prevent slippage and reduce wear, while the oscillating bogie wheels help deliver smooth transitions when exiting the cut over transverse joints of mill and fill applications.

A simple wheel undercarriage design is also available with sand-rib or radial drive tire options. The AP400 can be equipped with a front-wheel assist option, while the AP500 can be equipped with front-wheel assist or the all-wheel drive option for increased performance on soft base materials or when pushing heavy loads.

Simple, intuitive operation

Simplified menu structures offer touch-screen activation from the main screen.Equipment WorldStandardized controls across the Cat paving product line make it easier to move crew members between machines and train new hires.

“We have some new, simplified menu structures that make it easier to make changes and a single-touch activation for the feeder system,” says Anderson. “The new display has fantastic visibility even in bright sunlight.”

The screed heat, fumes ventilation, vibration settings and the washdown system are all accessible with the touch of a button from the main menu, helping operators start faster and increase productivity.

Versatile new screeds

Screeds with rear or front-mounted extenders enable contractors to match their application needs. The SE47 V is a rear-mounted screed, meaning hydraulic extenders are behind the main screed. This design enables material to naturally flow out to the end-gates for smooth, stable performance.

The SE47 V and SE47 FM offer efficient heating and simple adjustments.Equipment WorldRear-mount screeds are typically chosen by 25 percent of customers, and Pennsylvania-based Schlouch Incorporated is one of them. “Over the years our employees have consistently given us the feedback that the rear-mount screed works the best for them,” says Glen Powell, Schlouch paving department coordinator and project manager.

The crew at Schlouch has been field testing the AP455 with the SE47 V for the past year. Here are some of the reasons why they prefer the rear-mount screed:

Full catwalk: “It has a full catwalk. When you run the extensions out, the catwalk extends with it so they can continue to walk out to the end of the extension,” says Powell. This allows for excellent visibility when paving in neighborhoods around stormwater inlets. Durability, rigidity and weight: The setup is also well-suited for high-tolerance applications such as sport courts. “The added weight of the screed behind the machine gives us a nicer mat coming out from behind, gives us a little better compaction right behind the screed and allows us to achieve good results,” says Powell.

A front-mounted system may be a better option for contractors who frequently need to maneuver around obstacles like curbs and light poles. The SE47 FM is equipped with hydraulic extenders in front of the main screed and offers a smaller footprint that reduces handwork at the start of the paving pass. When the paving width is reduced, material is quickly drawn back into the auger chamber.

For contractors requiring wider paving capability, optional extension packages, as well as berm attachments, are available for the SE 47 FM.

Fuel-efficient power

Cat designed the new pavers with an eco-mode feature that pairs with automatic speed control to reduce fuel consumption. In most conditions, the engine can operate at a lower rpm and still deliver the required power to meet performance requirements. If needed, the engine will automatically adjust to a higher engine speed if certain load conditions are met.

The AP400 and AP455 have a 120-horsepower Cat C3.6 engine, and the AP500 and AP555 run on a 148-horsepower Cat C4.4 engine. Both engines meet Tier 4 Final emissions standards.

Enhanced visibility

Operators will immediately appreciate the enhanced visibility into the hopper and unrestricted forward view on these compact machines. The exhaust stack has been integrated into the new hood design and does not extend upward as it does on other Cat paver models. The pavers’ small footprint delivers excellent mobility in tight spaces and low-clearance applications.

“A few of the things we noticed right off the bat was the visibility around this machine,” says Powell. “Most notably, the elimination of a stack in front of the engine compartment. That now allows the operator to really see what’s in front of him, as well as a little bit lower hopper size on the machine. When you’re dumping trucks into the paver, the spotter that stands next to the machine can see in the hopper, see when it’s filled, see when the truck is empty and has better visibility into that area.”

Smooth material flow

Smaller augers deliver smooth material flow at narrow widths, helping contractors achieve quality targets. The 14-inch diameter augers efficiently move material through the auger chamber. Operators can control each material feed sensor when using cut-off shoes or when paving at narrow widths. Simply switch to manual and use the proportional control dial for the feed system.

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Toyota Boosts Power, Safety, Looks on 2022 Tundra

December 1, 2021

Toyota’s slow reveal of its 2022 Tundra has finally culminated in an impressive grand finale that clearly sets the full-size truck apart from previous iterations.

Aside from a bigger truck that’s more refined and includes more driver-assist technologies, the 2022 Tundra is more powerful.

Though fans may lament losing the long-running 5.7-liter V8, they may find solace in a more powerful 3.5-liter V6 that offers 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. A hybrid 3.5-liter i-FORCE MAX offers 437 horses and 583 pound-feet of torque. Both variants are bolted to a new 10-speed automatic. For those keeping score — and who doesn’t? — the outgoing 5.7 offers 381 horses and 401 pound-feet of torque.

More power and anew high-strength boxed, steel-ladder frame that the 2022 Tundra shares with the 2022 Land Cruiser offer a jump in max towing from 10,200 pounds on the 2021 model to 12,000 pounds and a max payload capacity of 1,940 pounds, an increase of 210 pounds.

Lackluster fuel economy in the dated 5.7, which comes in at 13 mpg city and 17 highway, will surely be bested by the more fuel-conscious V6s, but we’ll have to wait on final EPA numbers.

A new interior offers creature comforts for driver and passengers alike, including a 14-inch infotainment touchscreen, available panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats, rear sunshade, heated steering wheel.

The instrument panel can be optioned with conventional gauges or a 12.3-inch instrument panel display.

2022 Toyota Tundra’s new interior comfortsToyotaA host of new tech features are found throughout Tundra as well, such as towing aids, off-road enhancements, an all-new multimedia system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and over-the-air updates.

Two different four-door layouts are available, as well as various bed lengths, including a 5.5-foot bed, 6.5-foot bed and an 8.1-foot bed.

Safety first!

Toyota Tundra was the first full-size truck to feature automated emergency braking, and starting with the 2022 model, every Tundra comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5.

The Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS with PD) features multiple enhancements, including not only detecting the vehicle ahead but also a pedestrian in low light, bicyclist in daytime, an oncoming vehicle and a pedestrian at intersections when making a turn.

At intersections, the system is designed to detect an oncoming vehicle or pedestrian when performing a left-hand turn and provide audio/visual alerts and automatic braking in certain conditions. Additional PCS functions include emergency steering assist, which is designed to stabilize the driver’s emergency steering maneuvers within their lane while avoiding a pedestrian, bicyclist or vehicle.

2022 Toyota Tundra boasts a multitude of safety features.ToyotaTundra will be equipped with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC). Lane Departure Alert notifies the driver by sound if it senses the vehicle is leaving the lane without engaging a turn signal. When DRCC is set and engaged, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA) provides a slight steering force to help center the vehicle in its lane using visible lane markers or a preceding vehicle.

Automatic High Beams detect preceding or oncoming vehicles and automatically switch between high-beam and low-beam headlights. Road Sign Assist (RSA) is designed to recognize certain road sign information using a forward-facing camera and display it on the multi-information display (MID).

Toyota’s Rear Seat Reminder comes standard on all 2022 Tundras. The feature can note whether a rear door was opened within 10 minutes of the vehicle being turned on, or at any time after the vehicle has been turned on, with a reminder message in the instrument cluster after the engine is turned off, accompanied by multi-tone chimes.

In addition to the TSS 2.5 system, the standard Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) helps detect and warn you of vehicles approaching or positioned in the adjacent lanes. Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) can offer added peace of mind by helping to detect vehicles approaching from either side while backing out and alerting you with a visual and audible warning. The available Parking Support Brake is designed to implement brake control when there’s a possibility of a collision with a stationary object, approaching vehicle or while parking.

Improved suspension and handling

The 2022 Toyota Tundra’s new multi-link rear suspension drops rear leaf springs for coil springs, which leads to improved ride comfort, stability, handling and increased towing capacity.

The front of the truck gets a new double wishbone suspension, which offers a kingpin offset angle reduction to improve straight-line stability and high-speed driving.

The caster trail gets a 1-inch boost for added stability. To improve cornering, roll steer has been reduced by 25% compared to the benchmarks, and the roll height center has been elevated (152mm compared to 104mm, or roughly 6 inches compared to 4 inches) to reduce body roll, especially when cornering.

The 2022 Tundra gets twin-tube shocks at the front and rear of each truck. The shock absorbers feature triple-oil seals and extended dust covers for added protection and durability. New aluminum forged knuckles are used to cut weight. TRD Off-Road packages offer monotube Bilstein shocks.

TRD Pro grades get 2.5-inch diameter Fox internal bypass shocks that provide a 1.1-inch lift up front. The aluminum-bodied front and rear shocks feature piggyback reservoirs to house additional oil for improved off-road performance. The shocks use a new polytetrafluorethylene-infused (PTFE) Fox shock fluid to improve on-road comfort. This fluid includes microscopic particles infused with the oil to reduce friction.

The all-new Tundra will go on sale in December.

Pressing a button in the rear taillight causes a lighter tailgate for the 2022 Tundra to drop down.Toyota

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