VIDEO: Dual Dozer
I recently headed up the hill to Huntly Heights, where I was greeted by Endraulic Equipment's territory manager Chris Skelton to test their Dual Dozer.
When I arrived, he and the building contractor were setting up the laser transmitter on the tripod and making a few adjustments to the machine's blade, a task that, Skelton says, only takes a matter of minutes once you've done it a few times.
The test
The job at hand was to carry out a final cut on an already partially-levelled site for a concrete slab house, so on this occasion we weren't going to get to see the full capability of the Dual Dozer, which was attached to a Mustang 1750RT.
However, even though the machine wasn't being set a heavy-duty task this time around, it did provide an ideal opportunity to see the laser control being put through its paces — a job it achieved with accuracy.
Accessing the site was easy, as there wasn't the usual plethora of stakes in the ground, eliminating the worry of accidentally knocking one over and throwing the whole site's level off kilter.
Also, the fact the levelling system worked just as well when going backwards as it did forwards, the job was completed in less time than using conventional methods.
How the system works
The laser transmitter sends out a plane of light to not just one, but two Trimble receivers mounted on the blade and hold grade by balancing the laser signal input from the twin sensors (Trimble is a leader in laser technology in the USA).
The blade is constantly and automatically adjusted on both right and left sides to maintain the correct grade-level on every pass.
The two receivers 'talk' to a hydraulic control box, which sends a signal to two levelling actuators, which in turn raise or lower the blade with a high degree of accuracy.
These receivers pick up and maintain the same plane on the graded surface, allowing the operator to grade single or dual slopes.
The dual receiver system also provides extreme accuracy over the full width of the blade, which can be supplied in 1.8-2.1-metre and 2.4-metre sizes.
The Dual Dozer is unique in that it can be put to work on any brand of skid-steer machine, or it can even be attached to a tractor's three-point-linkage system.
An immediate benefit of having a laser beam controlling level settings rather than using conventional methods can be appreciated by anyone who has spent a reasonable amount of time on a tractor, towing an appliance and craning their neck to see what's happening behind them — although many a chiropractor or physiotherapist's bank manager might not see it as being an advantage at all.
Levity aside, the versatility of the Dual Dozer can be observed by watching it traverse the worksite, levelling the surface during both forward and reversing manoeuvres, completing the job of site levelling up to 40 percent quicker.
Also, due to the laser technology's higher degree of accuracy in preparing the sub-grade, savings can also be made with the need to order less concrete when the time comes to pour the floor slab on the likes of a commercial or residential building site.
When operating the Dual Dozer on a skid steer loader, the job of changing from a four-in-one bucket to the dozer is performed in the normal fashion by way of quick hitches and two quick-couple connectors, meaning the job can be completed in a matter of minutes.
By using machine-mounted laser technology, staking the building site has become a thing of the past.
This not only saves time by not having to punch the stakes in the ground and set levels, but also removes an on-site hazard — one less obstacle to negotiate on the job.
The Dual Dozer operator has the choice of operating the blade via laser or manually by the hydraulics of the machine. The machine can be manually operated by way of a remote switch and wiring harness, supplied as part of the Dual Dozer package.
It's worth mentioning the Dual Dozer can also be switched from a skid steer machine to a tractor almost as easily as it can be swapped with a bucket or similar attachment.
The only noticeable difference to its operation is that the heavy-duty castors (jockey wheels) sit between the dozer and the machine it's attached to in a skid steer operation, whereas, when being pulled by a tractor, the machine follows the entire setup.
Positives
- No staking required for setting levels
- Easy setup
- Laser levelling works in all directions
- Can be attached to skid steer or tractor
- High accuracy level
Negatives
- Only available in yellow
Features
- All pivot points are greaseable
- Durable powder coat finish (in any colour as long as it's yellow)
- Two-year warranty (excludes laser receivers)
- Large-volume hydraulic block allows no restriction of oil, eliminating overheating when using adjustable flow control
- Replaceable grader blade
- Available in three sizes 1.8m, 2.1m, and 2.4m
For more information visit endraulic.co.nz.
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