Ron Stone, owner of Watermains Australia, purchased JCB’s innovative Hydradig in November last year and is already reaping the benefits. According to Ron, the wheeled excavator has increased time efficiency and safety on-site.
The Melbourne-based company, which lays water and gas mains in new estates, uses the Hydradig for sand bedding, large diameter water main pipes and some excavating.

VISIBILITY

JCB’s Hydradig 110W wheeled excavator delivers excellent visibility for machine operators. The Hydradig is the best in class with uninterrupted 360 degree visibility. This allows the operator to have a clear view of all four wheels with a 1m perimeter around the machine. The reason for such great visibility is because the Hydradig’s engine, tanks and cooling pack have been moved to the chassis without affecting tail swing. A reduced counterweight and tail swing design enables close working against obstructions with confidence. The operator can view the trailer hitch, stabiliser and dozer from inside the cab without any requirements to slew the machine. Optional LED lights can give you amazing daylight working conditions after dark.

STABILITY

Wheeled excavators are sometimes accused of being less stable than tracked excavators. With the use of stabilisers you won’t have to sacrifice on breakout force, reach or dig depth. The Hydradig wheeled excavator offers the safety and manoeuvrability of a reduced tail swing excavator but with much greater stability. This is achieved through a low centre of gravity due to the engine placement below the ring and a 50:50 weight distribution, centrally mounted slew ring, double skinned service bays and moving heavier components into the chassis. The triple articulation boom offers a tipping capacity of 1,000kg for a full 360 degrees with dual tyres. The Hydradig wheeled excavator also comes with a configurable front and rear stabiliser or dozer blade.

MOBILITY

You can expect excellent mobility from wheeled excavators. The Hydradig has a hydrostatic transmission with the capability of travelling up to 40kph on road surfaces. The switchable 2WS and 4WS allows the operator to change between roading and site use with ease. Auto Drive is available to lock in a travel speed and a separate closed loop transmission pump for smooth multifunctioning whilst driving. An optional manufacturer fitted, dozer mounted 3.5 tonne tow hitch and an optional creep speed allows the operator to set machine speed between 2kph and 20kph.

MANOEUVRABILITY

Manoeuvrability is excellent for wheeled excavators. The Hydradig has a reduced tailswing of only 120mm at 90 degrees so it can work easily in confined areas. The 3 steer modes enable excellent manoeuvrability from a single machine with 2WS, 4WS and crab steer. The reverse steer option ensures steering orientation is always correct. You’ll be able to turn and work in a single carriageway with a turning radius under 4m and +/- 8 degrees oscillating front axle for traction and stability on uneven ground. Excellent in-cab visibility ensures a safe manoeuvrable wheeled excavator.

SERVICEABILITY

The JCB wheeled excavator allows for easy access to daily maintenance. The engine, tanks and ancillaries are all located in the lower structure of the Hydradig so that daily maintenance can be conducted on the ground level. Greasing of the dig end, dozers and stabilisers will need to be conducted every 500 hours. JCB LiveLink telematics enables effective fleet management and planned maintenance.

COMFORT

The Hydradig provides greater comfort and operator confidence with a JCB Ecomax engine mounted on the chassis and a lower centre of gravity coupled with adjustable smooth ride on the boom circuit. The Hydradig is ROPS and TOPS certified structure with an optional FOPS Level II guard. The pressurised cab prevents dust ingress, reduces noise and vibration levels to provide a more comfortable operator environment. Tactile rotary controller provides precise intuitive control for the all-new 7” colour display. The standard mechanical suspension seat and useful in cab stowage includes a large area behind the seat for a bag, A4 sized pouch on seatback, cup holder, bottle holder and phone/MP3 tray.

VERSATILITY

Wheel excavators may be beneficial in civil construction applications where space is limited due to pedestrians or traffic. The JCB Hydradig comes with a TAB or monoboom dig end and a standard hi-flow bi-directional auxiliary circuit with free flow return and adjustable flow rates. The Hydradig has a fully configurable dozer or stabiliser options to suit application and three tyre options are available on the 110W to suit different applications and terrains. The JCB wheeled excavator has the JCB attachments preloaded into the menu with controls and hydraulics set up to match. Additional attachments can be manually set-up and named. A handheld tool circuit is available to provide even greater versatility and an optional JCB approved dozer mounted 3.5t towing hitch is available.
Source: https://www.jcbcea.com.au/2018/09/jcb-hydradig-wheeled-excavator-improves-efficiency-and-safety/

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