6 October 2015, 16:40
For virtually all municipalities throughout the U.S., there's a constant need to do more with less - to accomplish more work with fewer men and fewer machines. That's particularly true in the Southwest, where cities are experiencing rapid growth and, as a result, a rapidly growing need to further manage the flow of rain water. One New Mexico city - which is not permitted to use its name - is continuing to rely on Gradall versatility for drainage ditch work and has recently replaced an existing Gradall 880C excavator with a new XL 4100 IV model with an attractive new standard feature - an automatic transmission.
GRADALL VERSATILITY ADVANTAGES
Properly maintaining drainage ditches helps divert storm water runoff as well as manage irrigation for residential and agricultural areas. That's also important in desert grassland areas, commonly dissected with arroyos - dry streams - that carry water after frequent afternoon thunderstorms during the summer
The new XL 4100 IV Gradall excavator purchased by the New Mexico municipality is equipped with a six-foot boom extension, which expands the excavator's reach to over 31 feet - enough to reach across and down to the bottom of large drainage ditches. The six-foot extension is never removed from the machine as it switches between a 60-inch Alamo mower and a 66-inch ditching bucket, clearing away soil, debris and vegetation. The 220° full-tilting Gradall boom and convenient joystick controls enable the operator to place the mower or bucket exactly where they are needed, actually mimicking the curves along the edges of the ditches for precise mowing and cleanup. Tilting without any loss of power allows the attachments to achieve full productivity, while the low-profile telescoping boom works easily in hard-to-reach spots like under bridges and overhanging trees - places where conventional knuckle booms cannot work.
The Gradall excavator can be driven at speeds up to 60 mph, making it possible to work on more than one ditching cleanout location in a single day without the need for a low-boy trailer. The XL 4100 IV model replaced an aging 880C Gradall excavator, so operators were quick to appreciate a range of improvements, specifically praising the automatic transmission. On routine cleanout jobs, a new transfer case also makes it easier to reposition the excavator along the edge of the ditch without leaving the upperstructure cab. And at the end of the day, Gradall mobility advantages are apparent again when the operator drives the XL 4100 IV back to the safety of the equipment yard, eliminating the possibility of vandalism or theft.