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Looking to Buy Equipment and Need Equipment Financing? TopMark Funding® Can Help! #1 Rated Equipment Financing Company. Don’t Wait! Get Pre-Approved Before You Buy.  Helping Business Owners Like You Grow Your Business and Increase Your Revenue!

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  • Get Approved for $250k Within 24 Hours – Application Only
  • Guaranteed No Hard Inquiries – No Impact on Your Credit
  • Get Pre-Approved Today!

Need Equipment Financing? #1 Rated Equipment Finance Company

Looking to purchase equipment and need equipment financing? We offer great equipment financing programs for owner-operators, small business owners, and large fleet owners with good credit scores. 

At TopMark Funding we have financing programs for all types of equipment. From semi-trucks and dump trucks to heavy equipment and business equipment.

Our equipment financing works to improve your cash flow and save money. We have great interest rates, and short or long terms with monthly payments you can afford.

We offer the best equipment lease and loan programs to help you so you can generate more revenue and increase your profits. 

Deciding to get an equipment loan or lease? Choosing between new or used equipment? Having a partner like TopMark Funding is crucial to your success. 

Our expertise in the equipment industry is second to none. We’re experts in financing, titling, registration, insurance, warranties, etc.

Get a Free no-obligation quote. Get pre-approved in minutes. Click the “Get Started Today” button!

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Our Process is Quick & Easy! Get Pre-Approved Today

Making smart choices with equipment financing is critical to any commercial equipment or construction company. Having up-to-date equipment to maximize efficiency and stay in compliance with the ever-changing regulations is important to a company’s growth and sustainability. We’ve made the funding process quick and easy so you can get funded fast.

  1. Apply Online: Click the “Get Pre-Approved Today” button. Fill out the contact form and one of our truck funding specialists will call you ASAP! Or for immediate assistance give us a call at (866) 627-6644
  2. Select a Solution: A finance specialist will contact you to go over your funding and business needs. We want to understand your needs to better help us find the best solution that meets your objectives.
  3. Review Documents: Once we have determined the best finance solution for you and your business, documents are generated and then emailed for review and signature. An electronic signature is acceptable on most documents.
  4. Get Funded: After the signed contract is returned, we’ll process your documents. Most transactions fund within 1 to 3 days. Fast turn around to get you the truck you want up and running.

Get Pre-Approved Click the Get Pre-Approve Button Below to get started today. Get pre-approved in minutes. We do a soft credit pull, NO hard inquiries (unlike our competitors), and are guaranteed not to hurt your business or personal credit score.

#1 Rated Equipment Financing Company What Our Customers Are Saying

At TopMark Funding your satisfaction is our top priority. With decades of equipment financing expertise, we know how important it is to deliver a great customer experience. Check out our great reviews from our amazing customers.

Semi-Truck Financing FAQ

What are the semi-truck financing requirements? We get asked this question every day. (Makes sense, we’re a semi-truck financing company). We’ve put together this article about semi-truck financing to answer the top 10 semi-truck financing frequently asked questions and you’ve been probably wondering about.

  1. What Are The Semi-truck Financing Requirements?
  2. What Credit Score Do You Need To Buy a Semi-truck?
  3. No Credit Check Semi-truck Financing?
  4. How Can I Finance a Semi-truck With Bad Credit?
  5. Do I Need A CDL To Purchase A Semi-truck?
  6. How Much is a New Semi-truck?
  7. How Much is a Used Semi-truck?
  8. What Type of Insurance Do I Need For a Semi-truck?
  9. What is Section 179?
  10. In-house Semi-truck Financing – Good Or Bad?

What Are Semi-truck Financing Requirements?

When it comes to semi-truck financing, the semi-truck you decide to purchase becomes the collateral, which helps to limit the lender’s risk on the truck lease or loan. By reducing the risk you’re more likely to be qualified for truck financing.

Several factors will determine your semi-truck financing terms, interest rate, and down payment. Here’s a list of all the truck financing requirements and factors that determine your eligibility and semi-truck requirements.

Factors That Determine Eligibility

  • Credit Score – 650 or Above for the Best Semi-Truck Financing Rates.
  • Time in Business with a CDL License – 3+ Years Preferred (But We Can Finance Start-ups Too!)
  • Down Payment Amount – How Much Can You Afford to Put Down on Your Truck.

Semi-truck Requirements

When shopping for your new 18-wheeler you need to keep in mind some requirements the lenders have. 

  • Make, Model, Year (Less than 10+ years)
  • Mileage (Less than 700k)
  • The truck needs to be for your intended use.
  • Condition Report
  • Any past major repairs.
  • Preferably sold by a semi-truck dealer. (We can finance private party)
  • Serial Number of the truck.
  • Is the semi-truck new or used
  • Minimum of 3 pictures

Lenders want to make sure the semi-truck you’re trying to buy is a good investment for you and will last the duration of the financing term. Also, the truck is the collateral for the financing. 

Semi-Truck Financing - $250k

What Credit Score Do You Need To Buy A Semi-truck?

When it comes to buying a big rig, credit can play a big role. When looking for semi-truck financing, you need to keep your credit health in mind. A lot of truckers actually harm their credit by applying haphazardly to any and every company that promises they can get them the truck of their dreams.

Click the link if you want to read our in-depth Semi-Truck Financing guide. Being knowledgeable about the process and what it means in terms of credit will help you make the best choices.

Breakdown of FICO Score Ranges

Statistically speaking, most people’s credit scores fall between the range of 600 to 720. We did some analysis of the funded deals we did in 2019, the majority of clients that got approved for semi-truck financing had an average FICO of 667 or higher. 

It goes without saying, the better the score the better the terms. But, it is possible to get approved with a lower credit score. You have to consider that your monthly truck payment is a business expense. And without having trucks on the road you can’t get paid. 

  • 300-579: A score in this range is considered Very Poor. Credit applicants with a score in this range will often be required to pay larger fees and deposits, or sometimes may not be approved for credit at all. 16% of people have a score in this range.
  • 580-669: Scores between the 580 mark to the higher 600s are called Fair credit scores. Often, people with scores in this range will be referred to as subprime borrowers. A total of 17% of people have a credit score in this range.
  • 670-739: This range is referred to as Good. Individuals with scores this high have a much lower rate of default. Statistically, about 8% of applicants with a Good range credit score will become seriously delinquent. Around 21% of people have a score in this range.
  • 740-799: People with scores in the mid to top 700s are in the range of Very Good. Borrowers with scores in this range will receive better than average interest rates from banks and lenders. 25% of people have a score in this range.
  • 800-850: The top of the scale is considered an Exceptional credit score. Individuals with a credit score above 800 receive the best rates from lenders. Around 21% of people have scores between 800-850.

No Credit Check Semi-truck Financing?

The phrase “no credit check semi-truck financing” sounds like a dream come true for some people looking for a new truck. What it means is an individual was able to get financing for their truck purchase without having the lender look into their borrowing history. The big question here is… Does no credit check semi-truck financing even exist?

Frankly, finding any reputable lending sources that have no credit check semi-truck financing programs is pretty difficult to come by. If a lender does offer a program like that, you should proceed with a bit of caution as this is outside the norms of the lending world.

The reason most banks and credit grantors want to see your credit is that they want to know if you’ll pay them back as promised. Your credit score and credit report are the fast and dirty way for lenders to see what types of risks you present them and their funds. Companies that forgo any type of credit check will possibly be looking to charge you with high-interest rates and large down payments to secure the money. 

Lucky for you, we have written an in-depth guide to aid you in your search for this type of program. If you want to brush up on your credit knowledge before checking out the ins and outs of semi truck financing with no credit checks, head on over to read The Trucker’s Guide to Understanding Credit.

How Can I Finance a Semi-truck With Bad Credit?

What is bad credit? We get asked this question all the time. To some bad credit might be a 550 credit score and to others, “bad credit” might be a 650 credit score. Some lenders may be fine with a 550 credit score if you have enough time in business, tradelines, ample down payment.

Just like any other financing program, you apply for, getting approved for semi-truck financing is dependent on your credit score and a few other factors that will determine your eligibility. 

Before you apply for semi-truck financing, you can fill out our quote form (no hard inquiries) or give us a call (866) 627-6644, and one of our semi-truck financing specialists can go over the process and see if you’re pre-qualified.

What Affects Your Credit Score?

  • Payment history – This shows if you’ve made your payments on time or at all.
  • Credit utilization rate – How much of your credit you are using on your credit cards.
  • Type, amount, and age of credit accounts – Lenders do want to see diversity on your credit report. Having a good mix of credit cards, a car loan, maybe a mortgage on their helps your score.
  • Total Debt Owed – This is the amount you owe in loans and how much is on your cards.
  • Bankruptcies, Child Support Due, Public Records – Filing for bankruptcy or having a large amount of delinquent child support will hurt your score.
  • New Credit Accounts – Opening a lot of accounts in a short period of time can hurt your score. If you have gotten too many loans or credit cards in a 2-year period, it can ding you.
  • Hard Inquiries – The number of times a lender has requested your credit information will affect your score. These searches stay on your report for 2 years.

Learn More About Credit And How It Affects Semi-truck Financing. – The Truckers Guide To Understanding Credit

Do I Need A CDL To Purchase A Semi-truck?

The short answer is no, you can buy a semi-truck without a CDL. The person paying for the semi-truck and the person driving the vehicle can be two different people. Let us assume you want to start a business with your brother, a trucking partnership. You will operate all of the behind the scenes work such as accounting, and your brother will be the one behind the wheel. You can be the one to purchase and own the Semi-Truck, while your brother, who has a CDL, can do the driving.

Essentially, it doesn’t matter who does the financing so long as the person with the CDL does the driving for the business. If you want to get into the business for yourself and do not have a CDL, however, there is no company that will rationally finance someone with no means of extracting value from the investment.

How Much is a New Semi-truck?

That depends (prepare to hear that answer a lot in this article!). There are various brands of semi-trucks that all run basically the same price in an attempt to stay competitive, but different big rigs have different features that impact the final price. These include features such as:

  • Engine specifications (horsepower, torque, fuel efficiency, etc.)
  • Fuel capacity in gallons
  • Day cab or sleeper, and, if sleeper, the size of the sleeper section of the truck.

In any case, the cost of a new Semi-Truck can run anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000. When you buy a new vehicle, semi-truck, or otherwise, it automatically depreciates in value by about 9%. Which can be used as a tax deduction!

How Much is a Used Semi-truck?

Depends. The single greatest determining factor of a used big rig will be the mileage: how many miles have the engine and the chassis traveled?

More so than with a new semi-truck, you will need to do your research on a semi-truck’s history to determine whether you are getting a good deal or a raw one. A low-priced truck might seem like a good investment, but if you have to spend money getting replacement parts every few months, was it really worth the savings on the initial purchase? Typically a nice used semi-truck is starting at $40k up to $80k+ depending on the make, model, mileage, and condition.

Check out these truck listing sites for more details and inventory

Semi-Truck Financing - $250k

What Insurance Do I Need For a Semi-Truck?

Before you get semi-truck financing, you will need semi-truck insurance. There are many types of insurance you may need, and what you need depends entirely on what you need to be covered. Insurance types include:

  • General liability
  • Primary liability
  • Non-trucking liability
  • Bobtail
  • Physical damage
  • Motor truck cargo
  • Worker’s compensation

If you want to learn more, check out our article on commercial truck insurance.

Insurance Cost Estimates

Your business is probably your largest asset, and not having the proper insurance for your trucking when an accident happens can cause financial ruin. Insurance is like anything else you buy. You get what you pay for. You want to make sure you use a reputable carrier and or broker.

  • General Liability (GL) – Typical coverage limit of $1 million with an estimated annual premium of $750 to $7,000
  • Primary Liability Insurance – Minimum interstate trucker coverage limit of $750k  with an estimated annual premium of $2,500 to $4,000 per truck
  • Non-Trucking Liability – Typical coverage limit of $250k with an estimated annual premium of $450 to $5,000 per truck
  • Bobtail Insurance – Typical coverage limit of $1 million with an estimated annual premium of $350 to $450
  • Physical Damage Insurance – Stated or the actual value of the truck with an estimated annual premium of $2.5% to 5% of the truck’s value.
  • Motor Truck Cargo Insurance – Typical coverage limit of $5,000 with an estimated annual premium of $500 to $1,000

If you’re a fleet owner and have employees and or multiple drivers you need to have a strong insurance portfolio. Having a good insurance broker can help you get the correct coverages and bundle discounts for your business insurance.

What is Section 179?

Section 179 allows knowledgeable business owners to write-off their depreciable assets as an expense instead, effectively getting a discount on the truck equal to their tax rate percentages.

Say you are the owner of a truck driving business that will owe the US government $100,000 in 2020, and your marginal tax rate is 35%. If you purchase a $150,000 new truck and use Section 179 to write it off as an expense, you will lower your tax liability by $52,500, meaning you will owe the US government only $47,500. This tax reduction effectively makes the cost of purchase for the new truck $97,500.

For more information, check out our article on Section 179.

What Is Form 4562?

Form 4562 is the IRS form to declare depreciation and amortization. It is also where you use Section 179 to deduct assets as an expense immediately. When filling out Form 4562, you will want to work backward: Part I, the part relating to Section 179, requires you to finish Part V first.

Want to check out Form 4562 for yourself? Here is a link to the PDF.

In-house Semi-truck Financing – Good or Bad?

Is in-house semi-truck financing a good or bad thing, that is the question? It all depends on the dealership’s finance and insurance department. Unfortunately, many F&I departments shotgun your credit application to dozens of lenders and you get hammered with hard inquiries that have a negative impact on your personal credit score. 

Perhaps you’re not ashamed of your credit but rather, you don’t want any pesky hard inquiries on your report. Hard inquiries can ding your score up to 10 points! At the same time, the damage can last a long time.

This does not mean shopping around is impossible though. There are semi truck financing companies who can get you your terms and rates with a simple soft credit inquiry (these are the ones that don’t show up on your report). So, where are these companies?

Right here! Not to self-promote too much… but TopMark Funding can get you pre-approved with a simple soft inquiry. This way, you can get your rates and terms with no ding to your score and zero commitment from you. If you don’t like what we offer, you can simply say no thanks and continue on your search for a semi-truck financing or leasing program that works for you.

Semi-Truck Financing - $250k

Bottom Line

Financing a semi-truck, whether new or simply new-to-you, has a variety of different facets that need examination. Credit score, the truck brand and model purchased, the insurance required, knowledge as to who is driving the commercial vehicle, and more all impact the process.

Fortunately for you, TopMark Funding is here to help you with a plan to help you get commercial truck financing every step of the way.

We have a proven track record of helping small businesses, owner-operators, fleet owners, and trucking companies like yours grow by offering great semi-truck financing options. We utilize our vast expertise in the semi-truck financing and trailer financing industry to get you the monthly payments you can afford. Getting you on the road, increasing cash flow, and adding more profit to your business is our goal.

Get a Free no-obligation quote. Get pre-approved in minutes. Click the “Get Started Today” button!

Fill out the contact form or give us a call at (866) 627-6644. One of our truck financing specialists will contact you as soon as possible to go over your truck financing needs and learn more about you and your business goals.

What Are The Best Semi Truck Brands

We get asked this question all the time, what is the best semi-truck? Or what’s the most popular semi-truck? To help answer those questions we’ve put together a guide of the best semi trucks brands in the United States. We’ve also included a guide on the different styles of semi-trucks and semi-truck trailers. Plus, other frequently asked semi-truck questions.

Here’s our list of the top 5 best semi-trucks. Listed 5 through 1. Scroll down to see which truck brand is #1.

5. Volvo

Volvo Trucks is one of the leading heavy truck and engine manufacturers in the world. Today, Volvo Trucks manufactures a broad line of on-highway and vocational Class 8 vehicles. Each new or used purchase is supported by a strong dealer network and by industry-leading parts and service programs to smooth your ride on the road to success. 

Volvo trucks make up about 10 percent market share in America. Volvo a Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer also owns the well-known trucking brand Mack Trucks. In the USA Volvo ranks fifth, but worldwide ranks second for heavy-duty truck manufacturers. 

4. International

Navistar International Corporation (formerly International Harvester Company) is an American holding company that owns the manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks, IC Bus school, and commercial buses, Workhorse brand chassis for motorhomes and step vans, and is a private-label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van, and SUV markets. The company is also a provider of truck and diesel engine parts and services.

Navistar holds an 11 percent market share in the commercial trucking industry in the United States. Located in Lisle, Illinois, Navistar has 16,500 employees and a 2013 annual revenue of $10.7 billion dollars. 

Their products, parts, and services are sold through a network of nearly 1,000 dealer outlets in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. More than 60 dealers in 90 countries throughout the world.

3. Peterbilt

Peterbilt Motors Company, founded in 1939, is an American manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. A subsidiary of Paccar, which also owns fellow heavy-duty truck manufacturer Kenworth. 

For 80 years, Peterbilt has supplied the North American commercial vehicle market with the industry’s most rugged, reliable, and efficient products. Based in Denton, Texas, Peterbilt manufactures on the highway, vocational and medium-duty trucks that provide value to their owners and pride to their drivers.

Peterbilt is an iconic trucking brand. Their red oval design script-style lettering logo can be found on trucker clothing, truck hats, and more. Peterbilt makes up about 13 percent market share. Peterbilt is an iconic and beloved trucker brand.

2. Kenworth

Kenworth is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 8 trucks with offices based in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. Kenworth is one of three major truck divisions and brands under the parent company PACCAR.

Founded in 1912 by the brothers George T. and Louis Gerlinger JR as a car and truck dealership known as Gerlinger Motor Car Works. In 1914, they decided to build their own truck with a more powerful inline six-cylinder engine, the first put into a commercial truck.

Kenworth has majorly grown since 1912 with annual revenue of 19.1 billion dollars. With an estimated 154,000+ trucks sold in 2015 and pushed out Peterbilt sightly. They have about a 14% market share.

1. Freightliner

Freightliner Trucks is an American truck manufacturer and a division of Daimler Trucks North America. The division is known mainly for the heavy-duty class 8 diesel trucks it offers, as well as class 5–7 trucks.

Freightliner is the best-selling semi-truck in America today. They sell about 190K trucks per year! Freightliner dominates with 40% of the commercial truck market share. They also employ over 3,000+ workers in their MT. Holly and Cleveland facility. 

Freightliner manufactures several models and styles of commercial trucks from on-highway, medium-duty, severe duty, and natural gas vehicles. They are soon to roll out their new line of all-electric commercial vehicles named the Freightliner e-Mobility. There will be two models, the eCascadia and eM2 106.

Conclusion

Freightliner takes the cake for the most popular semi-truck in America for 2019. Whether you drive a Freightliner, Peterbilt, or Kenworth, every trucker driver has their favorite big rig. What’s your favorite 18 wheeler? Please comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for more great trucking content.

Semi-Truck Financing - $250k

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Need Trailer Financing? We Can Hook You up!

Are you looking to buy a commercial trailer and need trailer financing? TopMark Funding can hook you up! As a top-rated commercial truck and trailer financing company, we have several trailer financing and lease programs for any make, model, or style of trailer, that will fit your business needs.

With 20 plus years of specializing in the truck and trailer financing industry, we know what it takes to get you approved and on the road with your new trailer generating more revenue and growing your business! 

We have great rates, low down payments, and flexible terms for qualified customers. We can get you approved for up to $250k within 24 hours – Application Only! Don’t wait – Get Pre-Qualified in Minutes – get started today! No Hard Inquires. No harm to your business or personal credit score.

GET APPROVED FOR UP TO $250K WITHIN 24 HOURS

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Trailer Financing Quote

Type of Trailer We Finance

What are the different types of trailers for semi-trucks? A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. In the United States, the term is also used to refer to the combination of a truck and a trailer also called a tractor-trailer

A large proportion of a semi-trailer’s weight is supported by a tractor unit, or a detachable front-axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer. A trailer is normally equipped with landing gear (legs which can be lowered) to support it when it is uncoupled. 

Many trailers have wheels that are capable of being totally dismounted and are also relocatable (repositionable) to better distribute the load to bearing wheel weight factors Semi-trailers are more popular for transport than full trailers, which have both front and rear axles. Ease of backing is cited as one of the semi’s best advantages.

Semi-trailers with two trailer units are called tandem tractor-trailers tandem rigs or doubles. Other terms used are “B-train” or (when there are three or more trailers) “road train“. A double-trailer combination is possible with the use of a dolly, or “converter dolly”, essentially one to three additional axles placed under the front of a second semi-trailer. 

The first semi-trailer is connected to the power unit using the tractor’s fifth wheel coupling while the converter dolly, already attached to the second semi-trailer, is connected to the first semi-trailer with a drawbar. Read below for a list of the different types of trailers for semi-trucks.

Types of Trailers

Flatbed Trailer

Flatbed trailers are the most popular and common of semi-trailers used today. The length is either 48 feet or 53 feet, and the width of 96 or 102 inches. Including rub rails and stake pockets on the sides, which are generally placed every 2 feet. Some older trailers are only 45 feet or shorter if used in sets of doubles or triples, often used to haul hay. 

Several lengths and combination setups can only be legally driven on turnpike/toll roads which are far too long for most roadways. Body and frame can be one of 3 general designs: the heaviest and sturdiest is all steel, usually with wood planks. 

The ever-popular combo with a steel frame and aluminum bed. These types often have a wood portion for nailing down dunnage boards, and aluminum. Which is the lightest allowing for more cargo to be legally carried without overweight permits. 

Incredibly light and very expensive to purchase, all-aluminum trailers are very slippery when wet. They flex more and are easily damaged. They also have a natural upwards bend so that when loaded they straighten out to be flatter rather than to sag in the middle under a load.

Lowboy Trailer

A lowboy is a semi-trailer with two drops in deck height: one right after the gooseneck and one right before the wheels. This allows the deck to be extremely low compared with other trailers. It offers the ability to carry legal loads up to 12 ft (3.66 m) tall, which other trailers cannot. Lowboys are used to haul heavy equipment such as bulldozers, industrial equipment, etc.

Lowboys are designed to carry massive weights. 2-axle lowboy trailers have a maximum weight of 40,000 pounds. Lowboys can go up to 80,000 depending on the number of axles used.

Lowboy trailers may require additional permits to operate. State or municipal regulations should be strictly followed.

Reefer Trailer

A refrigerated trailer is also known as a reefer trailer. Generally used for transporting chilled or frozen products. The temperature inside this trailer can be controlled whatever the outside weather is. 

Refrigerated trailers are basically dry van trailers that have a cooling system and are insulated to keep the enclosed goods fresh. This type of semi-trailer is mainly used for frozen food and produce. Sometimes pharmaceuticals are shipped via reefer trailers. The maximum weight for refrigerated trailers is the same as dry vans, but they have a maximum legal width of 8.2 feet and a maximum legal height of 8 feet.

Reefer trailers can handle a max weight of up to 45,000 pounds. Maximum refrigerated trailer length between 48 feet to 53 feet.

Conestoga Trailers

Conestoga trailers are made by Aero Industries. Design and featuring an innovative sliding tarp system that covers your valuable cargo without damaging the items underneath. This protects the finish or moving parts of the goods or equipment. By sliding the tarp over and around the goods or equipment, making it unnecessary to move the goods in and out which limits the odds of scratching or damaging your freight.

Conestoga trailers are typically used sophisticated machinery or large items that need to stay in excellent condition. 

The roll-tops usually made of heavy-duty plastic, rubber, or canvas. They have a length that ranges from 48 to 53 feet a maximum legal width of 8.2 feet and a maximum height of 8 feet. Maximum weight capacity up to 45,000 pounds.

Step Deck Trailer

Step-deck semi-trailers are very similar to flatbed trailers with the only difference being the maximum fright height has to be 10 feet or less. Step decks we’re designed to carry good that flatbed trailer could not. Mostly due to the height restrictions. 

Also known ad a step-deck or drop deck trailer. The maximum legal dimensions are length 48 feet to 53 feet. Maximum step deck trailer width of 8.5 feet, and max legal freight height up to 10 feet. Step-deck can hold a maximum weight of 48,000 pounds.

Dry Van Trailer

A dry van is basically an enclosed trailer. Dry van trailers are the most common freight containers. These trailers are fully closed and sealed. Therefore, freight is protected from any external influence. 

Dry vans don’t have temperature control, so you can only use them for moving non-perishable goods. Dry vans are weatherproof and keep the good dry from the elements. Used primarily for transporting hard and soft goods like some food, clothing, and other merchandise that needs to be protected but not temperature sensitive.

Dry van’s maximum freight weight is 42,000 lbs to 45,000 lbs. Maximum dry van length 48’ to 53’, max-width of 8.2 feet, and a maximum height of 8 feet.

Power Only Trailer

Power-only trailers are used to tow other trailers. The requirements and legalities differ from state to state.

Power-only trailers have an adjustable fifth wheel that helps the truck fit the dimensions‌ ‌and‌ ‌specifications of your trailering on the weight loads and standard size load versus oversize loads, standard axle units, as‌ ‌well‌ ‌as‌ ‌four-axle‌ ‌units, available to suit your trucking needs. 

Extendable Double Drop Trailer

Extended double drop trailers are primarily used to carry and haul freight that has an excessive length and that standard double drop trailers can handle. Typically have 2 to 3 axles trailer and their length ranges from 29 to 65 feet. With a load height of 11.6 feet and a width of 8.5 feet. And mac freight weight of 40,000 lbs.

Like the name says double drop, the lower deck height lets you load products that are taller than 10′. It has a longer section in the middle called the “well”. The “well” usually ranges from 25-29′. 

Common things to carry on an extendable double drop trailer are heavy equipment and construction equipment.

Stretch Double Drop Trailer

This trailer generally transports oversized equipment. The lower deck allows for loads that can be as tall as 10 feet. The well or the lower section has a length of 25 to 29 feet. 

The stretch double drop maximum weight capacity is 45,000 lbs. The legal max length for the main deck is 29 to 65 feet and a max-width of 8.5 feet. The legal freight height is 11.6 feet.

Stretch Single Drop Deck Trailer

This trailer is specifically designed to transport and haul extremely long freight. It provides support and prevents overhang from extra-long equipment. 

The stretch single drop maximum weight capacity is 45,000 lbs. The legal max length for the main deck is 35 to 63 feet and has a max-width of 8.5 feet. The legal freight height is 10 feet.

Removable Gooseneck Trailer (RNG)

These trailers are perfect for hauling both tall and heavy loads and equipment. Designed to carry up to 150,000 pounds depending on the number of axles the trailer has. 

Removable gooseneck trailers can have up to 20 axles. The maximum legal length is 29 feet. RGN max weight is from 42,000 to 150,000 lbs. Max length of 29’ and a width of 8.5 feet. Legal max height of 11.6 feet.

Stretch Removable Gooseneck Trailer (RNG)

The stretch rng trailer is similar to the removable gooseneck trailer but the stretch version has a maximum length of 65 feet. With a heavier load, more axles will be required, but the absolute minimum is three axles. 

Design to transport massive loads and equipment. The maximum legal length is 29 to 65 feet. With the max weight from 42,000 to 150,000 lbs. Max width of 8.5 feet. Legal max height of 11.6 feet.

Sidekit Trailers

Sidekit trailers are most often equipped with wood side paneling and used to carry loads that aren’t packed, like dirt, gravel, and other materials that don’t need to be packaged. 

Their max height is 8.6 feet, and their maximum width is 8.2 feet. Basically flatbed trailers with a 4-foot attached to the side of the trailer. Their maximum load weight of 45,000 lbs.

Specialty Trailers

Specialty trailers are designed specifically for a specific type of product or hazardous materials to be hauled. They’re used for hauling fuel and other liquids. Specialty trailers have a lot of regulations. 

Specialty trailers can hold up to 200,000 pounds. Other dimensions depend on regulations imposed by the state(s)

Multi-Car Trailer

Multi-car trailers are used to transport cars and trucks. They can carry anywhere from two to eight vehicles. When you need to haul several vehicles you’ll use a double-decker trailer. The height can not exceed 11.6 feet because of overpass heights.

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Types of Heavy Equipment We Can Finance

We’ve put together a list of the most popular types of heavy equipment for construction. Construction projects typically rely on several types of heavy equipment to get the job done in a timely, safe, and cost-effective manner. Depending on the size and scope of the construction project, you’ll probably need to use at least one of these pieces of heavy construction equipment.

Types of heavy equipment

From excavators and dump trucks to concrete pumps and compactors, we’ve listed the most common types of construction heavy equipment. Click the link to jump to the type of equipment you’re interested in learning more about.

  1. Excavators
  2. Loaders
  3. Paving Machines
  4. Backhoes
  5. Bulldozers
  6. Dump Trucks
  7. Trenchers
  8. Compactors
  9. Graders
  10. Telehandlers
  11. Backhoe Loaders
  12. Tower Cranes
  13. Feller Bunchers
  14. Dragline Excavator
  15. Wheel Tractor Scraper
  16. Pile Driving Machines
  17. Concrete Pumps

Excavators

Excavators (hydraulic) are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, dipper or stick, bucket, and cab on a rotating platform known as the “house”. The house sits atop an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. They are a natural progression from the steam shovels and are often mistakenly called power shovels. 

All movement and functions of a hydraulic excavator are accomplished through the use of hydraulic fluid, hydraulic cylinders, and hydraulic motors. Due to the linear actuation of hydraulic cylinders, their mode of operation is fundamentally different from cable-operated excavators which use winches and steel ropes to accomplish the movements.

Excavators are also called diggers, mechanical shovels, or 360-degree excavators. sometimes abbreviated simply to “360”. Tracked excavators are sometimes called “trackhoes” by analogy to the backhoe.

Excavators are used in many ways:

  • Digging of trenches, holes, foundations
  • Material handling
  • Brush cutting with a hydraulic saw and mower attachments
  • Forestry work
  • Forestry mulching
  • Construction
  • Demolition with a hydraulic claw, cutter, and breaker attachments
  • General grading/landscaping
  • Mining, especially, but not only open-pit mining
  • River dredging
  • Driving piles, in conjunction with a pile driver
  • Drilling shafts for footings and rock blasting, by use of an auger or hydraulic drill attachment
  • Snow removal with snowplow and snow blower attachments

Loaders

A loader is a heavy equipment machine used in construction to move aside or load materials such as asphalt, demolition debris, dirt, snow, feed, gravel, logs, raw minerals, recycled material, rock, sand, woodchips, etc. into or onto another type of machinery such as a dump truck, conveyor belt, feed-hopper, or railroad car. 

There are many types of loader, which, depending on design and application, are called by various names, including:

  • Bucket Loader
  • Front Loader
  • Front-end Loader
  • Payloader
  • Scoop 
  • Shovel
  • Skip Loader
  • Wheel Loader
  • Skid-steer
  • Tractor Front Loader
  • Compact Front End Loader
  • Swing Loader

Paving Machines

pavers

A paver is also known as a paver finisher, asphalt finisher, paving machine, is a piece of construction equipment used to lay asphalt on roads, bridges, parking lots, and other such places. It lays the asphalt flat and provides minor compaction before it is compacted by a roller.

The asphalt paver was developed by Barber Greene Co., originally manufactured material handling systems. In 1929 the Chicago Testing Laboratory approached them to use their material loaders to construct asphalt roads.

Large freeways are often paved with concrete and this is done using a slipform paver. Trucks dump loads of readymix concrete in heaps along in front of this machine and then the slipform paver spreads the concrete out and levels it off using a screed.

Backhoes

A backhoe (also called a rear actor or back actor) is a type of excavating equipment, or digger, consisting of a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm. It is typically mounted on the back of a tractor or front loader, the latter forming a “backhoe loader”.

The section of the arm closest to the vehicle is known as the boom, while the section that carries the bucket is known as the dipper or dipper-stick, both terms derived from steam shovels. The boom is generally attached to the vehicle through a pivot known as the king-post, which allows the arm to pivot left and right, usually through a total of 180 to 200 degrees.

Bulldozers

Typically, bulldozers are large and powerful tracked heavy equipment. The tracks give them excellent ground holding capability and mobility through very rough terrain. Wide tracks help distribute the bulldozer’s weight over a large area (decreasing ground pressure), thus preventing it from sinking in sandy or muddy ground. Extra-wide tracks are known as swamp tracks or LGP (low ground pressure) tracks. 

Bulldozers have transmission systems designed to take advantage of the track system and provide excellent tractive force. Because of these attributes, bulldozers are often used in 

  • Road Building
  • Construction
  • Mining
  • Forestry
  • Land Clearing
  • Infrastructure Development

and any other projects requiring highly mobile, powerful, and stable earth-moving equipment.

Another type of bulldozer is the wheeled bulldozer, which generally has four wheels driven by a 4-wheel-drive system and has a hydraulic, articulated steering system. The blade is mounted forward of the articulation joint and is hydraulically actuated.

The bulldozer’s primary tools are the blade and the ripper.

Blade

The bulldozer blade is a heavy metal plate on the front of the tractor, used to push objects, and shove sand, soil, debris, and sometimes snow. Dozer blades usually come in three varieties:

  1. A straight blade (“S blade”) which is short and has no lateral curve and no side wings and can be used for fine grading.
  2. A universal blade (“U blade”) which is tall and very curved, and has large side wings to carry more material.
  3. An “S-U” (semi-U) combination blade is shorter, has less curvature, and has smaller side wings. This blade is typically used for pushing piles of large rocks, such as at a quarry.

Blades can be fitted straight across the frame, or at an angle, sometimes using additional ’tilt cylinders’ to vary the angle while moving. The bottom edge of the blade can be sharpened, e.g. to cut tree stumps.

Ripper

The ripper is the long claw-like device on the back of the bulldozer. Rippers can come as a single shank/giant ripper, or in groups of two or more multi-shank rippers. 

Usually, a single shank is preferred for heavy ripping. The ripper shank is fitted with a replaceable tungsten steel alloy tip, referred to as a ‘boot’. Ripping rock breaks the ground surface rock or pavement into small rubble easy to handle and transport, which can then be removed so grading can take place. 

With agricultural ripping, a farmer breaks up rocky or very hard earth such as podzol hardpan, which is otherwise unploughable, in order to farm it.

The word “bulldozer” is sometimes used inaccurately for other similar construction vehicles such as a large front loader.

Dump Trucks

A dump truck, also known as a dumper truck or tipper truck, is used for taking dumps such as sand, gravel, or demolition waste for construction. A typical dump truck is equipped with an open-box bed, which is hinged at the rear and equipped with hydraulic rams to lift the front, allowing the material in the bed to be deposited (“dumped”) on the ground behind the truck at the site of delivery

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Types of Dump Trucks

There are several types of dump trucks for pretty much any application you can think of. Below is a breakdown of the different types of dump trucks.

STANDARD DUMP TRUCK

A standard dump truck is a truck chassis with a dump body mounted to the frame. The bed is raised by a vertical hydraulic ram mounted under the front of the body or a horizontal hydraulic ram and lever arrangement between the frame rails, and the back of the bed is hinged at the back of the truck. 

The tailgate can be configured to swing up on top hinges (and sometimes also to fold down on lower hinges) or it can be configured in the “High Lift Tailgate” format wherein pneumatic rams lift the gate open and up above the dump body.

SEMI-TRAILER END DUMP TRUCK

A semi end dump is a tractor-trailer combination wherein the trailer itself contains the hydraulic hoist. In the US a typical semi end dump has a 3-axle tractor pulling a 2-axle trailer with dual tires. 

The key advantage of a semi end dump is a large payload. A key disadvantage is that they are very unstable when raised in the dumping position limiting their use in many applications where the dumping location is uneven or off level.

TRANSFER DUMP TRUCK

A transfer dump truck is a standard dump truck pulling a separate trailer with a movable cargo container, which can also be loaded with construction aggregate, gravel, sand, asphalt, klinkers, snow, wood chips, triple mix, etc.

The second aggregate container on the trailer (“B” box) is powered by an electric motor, a pneumatic motor or a hydraulic line. It rolls on small wheels, riding on rails from the trailer’s frame into the empty main dump container (“A” box). This maximizes payload capacity without sacrificing the maneuverability of the standard dump truck. Transfer dump trucks are typically seen in the western United States due to the peculiar weight restrictions on highways there.

TRUCK AND PUP

A truck and pup are very similar to a transfer dump. It consists of a standard dump truck pulling a dump trailer. The pup trailer, unlike the transfer, has its own hydraulic ram and is capable of self-unloading.

SUPER DUMP TRUCK

A super dump is a straight dump truck equipped with a trailing axle, a liftable, load-bearing axle rated as high as 13,000 pounds. Trailing 11 to 13 feet behind the rear tandem, the trailing axle stretches the outer “bridge” measurement, the distance between the first and last axles, to the maximum overall length allowed. 

This increases the gross weight allowed under the federal bridge formula, which sets standards for truck size and weight. Depending on the vehicle length and axle configuration, Superdumps can be rated as high as 80,000 pounds. GVW and carry 26 short tons of payload or more. 

When the truck is empty or ready to offload, the trailing axle toggles up off the road surface on two hydraulic arms to clear the rear of the vehicle.

SEMI-TRAILER BOTTOM DUMP TRUCK

A semi bottom dump or belly dump is a 3-axle tractor pulling a 2-axle trailer with a clamshell-type dump gate in the belly of the trailer. 

The key advantage of a semi bottom dump is its ability to lay material in a windrow, a linear heap. In addition, a semi bottom dump is maneuverable in reverse, unlike the double and triple trailer configurations described below. 

These trailers may be found either of the windrow type shown in the photo or maybe of the cross spread type, with the gate opening front to rear instead of left and right. The cross-spread type gate will actually spread the cereal grains fairly and evenly from the width of the trailer. 

By comparison, the windrow-type gate leaves a pile in the middle. The cross-spread type gate, on the other hand, tends to jam and may not work very well with coarse materials.

DOUBLE & TRIPLE TRAILER BOTTOM DUMP TRUCK

Double and triple bottom dumps consist of a 2-axle tractor pulling one single-axle semi-trailer and an additional full trailer (or two full trailers in the case of triples). These dump trucks allow the driver to lay material in windrows without leaving the cab or stopping the truck. 

The main disadvantage is the difficulty in backing double and triple units.

SIDE DUMP TRUCK

A side dump truck also known as an SDT consists of a 3-axle tractor pulling a 2-axle semi-trailer. It has hydraulic rams that tilt the dump body onto its side, spilling the material to either the left or right side of the trailer. The key advantages of the side dump are that it allows rapid unloading and can carry more weight. 

In addition, it is almost immune to upset or tipping over while dumping, unlike the semi end dumps which are very prone to tipping over. It is, however, highly likely that a side dump trailer will tip over if dumping is stopped prematurely. 

Also, when dumping loose materials or cobble-sized stone, the side dump can become stuck if the pile becomes wide enough to cover too much of the trailer’s wheels. 

Trailers that dump at the appropriate angle, 50° for example, avoid the problem of the dumped load fouling the path of the trailer wheels by dumping their loads further to the side of the truck, in some cases leaving sufficient clearance to walk between the dumped load and the trailer.

WINTER SERVICE VEHICLES

Many winter service vehicles are based on dump trucks, to allow the placement of ballast to weigh the truck down or to hold sodium or calcium chloride salts for spreading on snow and ice-covered surfaces. Plowing is a severe service and needs heavy-duty trucks.

ROLL-OFF TRUCKS

A Roll-off has a hoist and subframe, but nobody, it carries removable containers. The container is loaded on the ground, then pulled onto the back of the truck with a winch and cable. The truck goes to the dumpsite after it has been dumped the empty container is taken and placed to be loaded or stored. 

The hoist is raised and the container slides down the subframe so the rear is on the ground. The container has rollers on the rear and can be moved forward or back until the front of it is lowered onto the ground. 

The containers are usually open-topped boxes used for rubble and building debris, but rubbish compactor containers are also carried. A newer hook-lift system does the same job, but lifts/lower and dumps the container with a boom arrangement instead of a cable and hoist.

OFF-HIGHWAY DUMP TRUCKS

Off-highway dump trucks are heavy construction equipment and share little resemblance to highway dump trucks. Bigger off-highway dump trucks are used strictly off-road for mining and heavy dirt hauling jobs. 

There are two primary forms: a rigid frame and an articulating frame. The term “dump” truck is not generally used by the mining industry, or by the manufacturers that build these machines. The more appropriate U.S. term for this strictly off-road vehicle is “haul truck”.

HAUL TRUCK

Haul trucks are used in large surface mines and quarries. They have a rigid frame and conventional steering with the drive at the rear wheel. As of late 2013, the largest ever production haul truck is the 450 metric ton BelAZ 75710, followed by the Liebherr T 282B, the Bucyrus MT6300AC, and the Caterpillar 797F, which each have payload capacities of up to 400 short tons. 

Most large-size haul trucks employ Diesel-electric powertrains, using the Diesel engine to drive an AC alternator or DC generator that sends electric power to electric motors at each rear wheel. The Caterpillar 797 is unique for its size, as it employs a Diesel engine to power a mechanical powertrain, typical of most road-going vehicles and intermediary size haul trucks. 

Other major manufacturers of haul trucks include SANY, XCMG, Hitachi, Komatsu, DAC, Terex, and BelAZ.

ARTICULATED HAULER

An articulated dumper is an all-wheel-drive, off-road dump truck. It has a hinge between the cab and the dump box but is distinct from a semi-trailer truck in that the power unit is a permanent fixture, not a separable vehicle. 

Steering is accomplished via hydraulic cylinders that pivot the entire tractor in relation to the trailer, rather than a rack and pinion steering on the front axle as in a conventional dump truck. 

By this way of steering, the trailer’s wheels follow the same path as the front wheels. Together with all-wheel drive and a low center of gravity, it is highly adaptable to rough terrain. Major manufacturers include Volvo CE, Terex, John Deere, and Caterpillar.

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Trenchers

trencher

A trencher is a piece of construction equipment used to dig trenches, especially for laying pipes or electrical cables, for installing drainage, or in preparation for trench warfare. Trenchers may range in size from walk-behind models to attachments for a skid loader or tractor, to very heavy tracked heavy equipment.

5 Types of Trenchers

  1. Wheel Trencher – A wheel trencher or rockwheel is composed of a toothed metal wheel. It is cheaper to operate and maintain than chain-type trenchers. It can work in hard or soft soils, either homogeneous – compact rocks, silts, sands, or heterogeneous – split or broken rock, alluvia, moraines.
  2. Chain Trencher – A chain trencher cuts with a digging chain or belt that is driven around a rounded metal frame, or boom. It resembles a giant chainsaw. This type of trencher can cut ground that is too hard to cut with a bucket-type excavator and can also cut narrow and deep trenches.
  3. Micro Trencher – A micro trencher is a “small rockwheel” specially designed for work in urban areas. It is fitted with a cutting wheel that cuts a micro trench with smaller dimensions than can be achieved with conventional trench digging equipment.
  4. Portable Trencher – Landscapers and lawn care specialists may use a portable trencher to install landscape edging and irrigation lines. These machines are lightweight (around 200 pounds) and are easily maneuverable compared to other types of trenchers. The cutting implement may be a chain or a blade similar to a rotary lawnmower blade oriented so that it rotates in a vertical plane.
  5. Tractor-Mount Trencher A tractor-mount trencher is a trenching device that needs a creeping gear tractor to operate. This type of trencher is another type of chain trencher. The tractor should be able to go as slowly as the trencher’s trenching speed.

Compactors

A compactor in construction has three main types: 

  1. The Plate 
  2. The Rammer
  3. The Road Roller 

The plate compactor, vibrating plate, or tamper, has a large vibrating baseplate and is suited for creating a level grade.

The rammer compactor has a smaller foot. The rammer, or trench rammer, is mainly used to compact the backfill in narrow trenches for water or gas supply pipes, etc… Road rollers may also have vibrating rollers.

The roller-type compactors are used for compacting crushed rock as the base layer underneath concrete or stone foundations or slabs. 

In plates and rollers, the vibration is provided by rapidly rotating eccentric masses. In smaller plates, the vibration causes a tendency to move forwards, while some larger plates are provided with directional control. 

In the rammer, the foot is mounted on a sleeve that slides vertically in the leg. Inside the sleeve, a piston is driven up and down by the engine through a reduction gear, crank, and connecting rod. Substantial coil springs above and below the piston connect it to the sliding sleeve. 

The connection between the sleeve and foot is a small angle so that the whole rammer leans away from the operator. The vibrating motion is therefore slightly off the vertical, and this gives the rammer a tendency to ‘walk’ forwards. The sliding joint in the leg is protected by flexible bellows.

Graders

A grader, also commonly referred to as a road grader or a motor grader, is a construction machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface during the grading process. Although the earliest models were towed behind horses or other powered equipment, most modern graders contain an engine, so are known, technically erroneously, as “motor graders”. 

Typical models have three axles, with the engine and cab situated above the rear axles at one end of the vehicle and a third axle at the front end of the vehicle, with the blade in between. 

Most motor graders drive the rear axles in tandem, but some also add front-wheel drive to improve grading capability. Many graders also have optional attachments for the rear of the machine which can be ripper, scarifier, blade, or compactor. 

For snowplowing and some dirt grading operations, a side blade can also be mounted. Some construction personnel refers to the entire machine as “the blade”. Capacities range from a blade width of 8 ft to 24 ft and engines from 125 hp–500 hp. 

Certain graders can operate multiple attachments, or be designed for specialized tasks like underground mining.

Grader Manufacturers

  • Case Corporation
  • Caterpillar Inc.
  • Deere & Company
  • Galion Iron Works
  • HEPCO
  • Komatsu Limited
  • LiuGong Construction Machinery, LLC.
  • Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
  • New Holland Machine Company
  • Sany
  • Sinomach
  • Terex Corporation
  • Volvo
  • Mahindra & Mahindra

Telehandlers (Telescopic Handler)

A telescopic handler, also called a telehandler, teleporter, reach forklift, or boom lift is a machine widely used in agriculture and industry. It is somewhat like a forklift but has a boom (Telescopic cylinder), making it more a crane than a forklift, with the increased versatility of a single telescopic or articulating boom that can extend forwards and upwards from the vehicle. 

At the end of the boom, the operator can fit one of several attachments, such as a bucket, pallet forks, muck grab, or winch. Telehandlers are sometimes called cherry pickers in North America, as that name can refer to any truck or heavy equipment that has such a boom.

In industry, the most common attachment for a telehandler is pallet forks and the most common application is to move loads to and from places unreachable for a conventional forklift. 

For example, telehandlers have the ability to remove palletized cargo from within a trailer and to place loads on rooftops and other high places. The latter application would otherwise require a crane, which is not always practical or time-efficient.

In agriculture the most common attachment for a telehandler is a bucket or bucket grab, again the most common application is to move loads to and from places unreachable for a ‘conventional machine’ which in this case is a wheeled loader or backhoe loader.

Backhoe Loaders

A backhoe loader, also called a loader backhoe, digger in layman’s terms, or colloquially shortened to backhoe within the industry, is a heavy equipment vehicle that consists of a tractor-like unit fitted with a loader-style shovel/bucket on the front and a backhoe on the back. 

Due to its relatively small size and versatility, backhoe loaders are very common in urban engineering and small construction projects such as building a small house, fixing urban roads, etc.. as well as developing countries. 

This type of machine is similar to and derived from what is now known as a TLB (Tractor-Loader-Backhoe), which is to say, an agricultural tractor fitted with a front loader and rear backhoe attachment.

Tower Cranes

tower crane

A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist rope, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves, that can be used both to lift and lower materials and to move them horizontally. 

It is mainly used for lifting heavy things and transporting them to other places. 

The device uses one or more simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal capability of a human. 

Cranes are commonly employed in the transport industry for the loading and unloading of freight, in the construction industry for the movement of materials, and in the manufacturing industry for the assembling of heavy equipment.

Tower cranes are a modern form of balance crane that consist of the same basic parts. Fixed to the ground on a concrete slab and sometimes attached to the sides of structures, tower cranes often give the best combination of height and lifting capacity and are used in the construction of tall buildings. 

The base is then attached to the mast which gives the crane its height. Further, the mast is attached to the slewing unit (gear and motor) that allows the crane to rotate. On top of the slewing unit, there are three main parts which are: the long horizontal jib (working arm), shorter counter-jib, and the operator’s cab.

Feller Bunchers

A feller buncher is a type of harvester used in logging. It is a motorized vehicle with an attachment that can rapidly gather and cut a tree before felling it.

Feller is a traditional name for someone who cuts down trees, and bunching is the skidding and assembly of two or more trees. 

A feller buncher performs both of these harvesting functions and consists of a standard heavy equipment base with a tree-grabbing device furnished with a chain-saw, circular saw, or a shear—a pinching device designed to cut small trees off at the base. The machine then places the cut tree on a stack suitable for a skidder, forwarder, or yarder for transport to further processing such as delimbing, bucking, loading, or chipping.

Some wheeled feller bunchers lack an articulated arm and must drive close to a tree to grasp it.

Dragline Excavator

Dragline Excavator

A dragline excavator is a piece of heavy equipment used in civil engineering and surface mining.

Draglines fall into two broad categories: those that are based on standard, lifting cranes, and the heavy units which have to be built on-site. Most crawler cranes, with an added winch drum on the front, can act as a dragline. These units (like other cranes) are designed to be dismantled and transported over the road on flatbed trailers. 

Draglines used in civil engineering are almost always of this smaller, crane type. These are used for road, port construction, pond, canal dredging, and pile driving rigs. These types are built by crane manufacturers such as Link-Belt and Hyster.

The much larger type which is built on site is commonly used in strip-mining operations to remove overburden above coal and more recently for oil sand mining. The largest heavy draglines are among the largest mobile land machines ever built. The smallest and most common of the heavy type weigh around 8,000 tons while the largest built weighed around 13,000 tons.

A dragline bucket system consists of a large bucket that is suspended from a boom (a large truss-like structure) with wire ropes. The bucket is maneuvered by means of a number of ropes and chains. The hoist rope, powered by large diesel or electric motors, supports the bucket and hoist-coupler assembly from the boom. The dragrope is used to draw the bucket assembly horizontally. By skillful maneuver of the hoist and the dragropes the bucket is controlled for various operations. A schematic of a large dragline bucket system is shown below.

Wheel Tractor Scraper

In civil engineering, a wheel tractor-scraper is a piece of heavy equipment used for earthmoving. The rear part of the scraper has a vertically moveable hopper with a sharp horizontal front edge that can be raised or lowered. The front edge cuts into the soil, like a carpenter’s plane cutting wood, and fills the hopper. When the hopper is full it is raised, closed, and the scraper can transport its load to the fill area where it is dumped. With a type called an ‘elevating scraper,’ a conveyor belt moves material from the cutting edge into the hopper.

Scraper Configurations

  • Open bowl: usually requires a push-cat (bulldozer or similar) to assist in loading.
  • Elevating scraper: self-loading as it uses an elevator to load material; requires no push-cat.
  • Tandem scrapers: separate tractor and scraper engines provide better traction in steep or slippery areas; a push cat is required except when loading loose materials.
  • Tandem Push-Pull: concentrates the combined horsepower of two such machines onto one cutting edge. The push-pull attachment allows two individual scrapers to act as a self-loading system, typically loading both machines in less than a minute, one after the other.
  • Auger uses a vertically mounted auger in the bowl to pull material upwards.
  • Pull type scraper: uses an agricultural tractor, articulated dump truck, or bulldozer to pull. Pull type scrapers can be utilized individually or two or three units can be pulled behind a single tractor.

Pile Driving Machines

A pile driver is a device used to drive piles into the soil to provide foundation support for buildings or other structures. The term is also used in reference to members of the construction crew that works with pile-driving rigs.

One type of pile driver uses a weight placed between guides so that it can slide vertically. It is placed above a pile. The weight is raised, which may involve the use of hydraulics, steam, diesel, or manual labor. When the weight reaches its highest point it is released, and hits the pile, driving it into the ground.

Types of Pile Driving Machines

  • Diesel Hammer
  • Vertical Travel Lead Systems
  • Hydraulic Hammer
  • Hydraulic Press-in
  • Vibratory pile driver/extractor
  • Piling rig

Piling Rigs Categories

  1. Small-sized – torque is around 60–100 kN m, engine power 108 kW, drilling diameter 0.5–1.2 m, drilling depth 40 m, total quality 40 t.
  2. Middle-sized – torque is around 120–180 kN m, engine power 125–200 kW, drilling diameter 0.8–1.8 m, drilling depth 60 m, total quality 42–65 t.
  3. Large-sized – torque is around 240 kN m, engine power 300 kW, drilling diameter 1–2.5 m, drilling depth 80 m, total quality 100 t.

Concrete Pumps

A concrete pump is a machine used for transferring liquid concrete by pumping. There are two types of concrete pumps.

The first type of concrete pump is attached to a truck or longer units are on semi-trailers. It is known as a boom concrete pump because it uses a remote-controlled articulating robotic arm (called a boom) to place concrete accurately. Boom pumps are used on most of the larger construction projects as they are capable of pumping at very high volumes and because of the labor-saving nature of the placing boom. They are a revolutionary alternative to line-concrete pumps.

The second main type of concrete pump is either mounted on a truck or placed on a trailer, and it is commonly referred to as a line pump or trailer-mounted concrete pump. This pump requires steel or flexible concrete placing hoses to be manually attached to the outlet of the machine. Those hoses are linked together and lead to wherever the concrete needs to be placed. 

The length of the hoses varies typically 10’, 12.5’, 25’, and 50’ depending on the diameter of the hose. Line pumps normally pump concrete at lower volumes than boom pumps and are used for smaller volume concrete placing applications such as swimming pools, sidewalks, single-family home concrete slabs, and most ground slabs.

There are also skid mounted and rail mounted concrete pumps, but these are uncommon and only used on specialized job sites such as mines and tunnels.

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