Northern Irish groundworks contractor Darren Gordon says his new Rototilt R4 tiltrotator has been a good investment.
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A tiltrotator allows for angled movement without repeatedly moving the excavator
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Getting the right digging angle on a compact construction site can eat up time, moving the excavator backwards and forwards, as well as using extra fuel.
On top of having to watch out for overhead cables and other equipment, excavator operators traditionally had to keep a close eye on fellow site workers as well.
That was all before tiltrotators were invented, giving excavator operators extra flexibility on sites, once they master the new control functions on the joysticks.
Using a tiltrotator allows operators to twist, turn and reach into the most acute angles on a site without having to keep moving the excavator.
Tiltrotators also improve safety on sites as they can cancel out the need for extra labour, but they do come with a hefty price tag, which has to be justified by the business owner.
Having heard a lot of talk about tiltrotators, County Down groundworks contractor Darren Gordon scoured the internet to view them working in videos before deciding if the investment would be a worthwhile one for his business.
Gordon runs two Hyundai 140 excavators in his business based in Annalong and, as he works on his own, thought a tiltrotator would be a very useful addition.
“I’ve been operating excavators for the past 25 years,” he says. “I carry out any type of work for the construction industry on housing sites or any other type of site.
“I also work in the agricultural industry as well preparing sites for buildings and digging out ditches, enough to keep me busy.
“I had heard about tiltrotators for some time before taking the step to actually research what exactly they can do and how useful one would be for me, if at all.
“After a few hours of watching videos on the internet I decided to go for one and set out to find what was available in Northern Ireland.”
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County Down groundworks contractor Darren Gordon has seen a huge benefit from buying a tiltrotator
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R4 MODEL
Over the years, Gordon has operated a number of 14-tonne Hyundai excavators and currently runs a new Hyundai HX140LC. He also has an older 2015 Hyundai 140 that he uses as a backup machine.
Gordon did a bit of searching locally before he could find anyone distributing the tiltrotators, but finally came in contact with Aiden O’Neill from Cullion Plant Service based near Dungannon, which is the agent for the Rototilt range of tiltrotators in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
“After making enquiries with Aiden at Cullion Plant Service, I ordered the R4 model as it suits my 14-tonne Hyundai 140,” explains Gordon.
“The machine arrived just as the coronavirus pandemic was taking hold in March and it took a bit of getting used to.”
Rototilt’s R4 model tiltrotator is designed for excavators between 10 tonnes and 16 tonnes. It is built with an oil-filled rotor housing cast in a single piece for maximum lubrication and minimal wear, which means very long service life.
Rototilt’s control system (ICS) boosts the tiltrotator with smart functions and a user-friendly operation.
Gordon chose to have his tiltrotator fitted on a Hurricane T-Lock S-type coupler so that he can interchange attachments with ease. Connected to the tiltrotator is a 2m bucket, which is perfect to use on his current work site.
“I normally try to stay within a 10 mile [16km] radius of home when working a digger,” Gordon says.
“This current job is a new housing site right in the middle of my local village Annalong, so it is very handy indeed.
“I already dug out the site for the builder David McKee and am back now helping fill in the floor levels. It is now that I really notice how useful the tiltrotator is.
“At the start it took me a good month to get the hang of the controls for the Rototilt, but once used to them it becomes easy to use. I can now operate in more confined areas and am able to twist the bucket into a number of angles to offload stone and level it off without having to move the excavator back and forward.
“There is also the added benefit that I can do more work safer with the excavator and not have to watch out for labourers very close to the machine.
“Plus, it makes my operations more efficient and time-saving. Therefore, I can move on to other jobs faster as well.”
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Gordon went for the Rototilt R4 attachment to suite his 14-tonne Hyumdai 140
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HYUNDAI HITS THE MARK
The combination of Gordon’s Hyundai HX140LC and the Rototilt R4 is perfect for the work he carries out. He is also full of praise for the Hyundai excavator that he purchased off Northern Lift Trucks in Lisburn.
“I’ve always run Hyundai excavators and rate them very highly,” he says.
“I recently bought my latest Hyundai HX140LC, replacing a two-year-old similar machine.
“I find the Hyundai 140s have plenty of power, are very quiet for the operator in the cab when working, as well as having excellent visibility. The 140 can handle the Rototilt R4 with ease even though the attachment is quite heavy.
“I have heard of some tiltrotator owners replacing their digger arms with a shorter one to compensate for the heavy attachment, but for me there was no need as the Hyundai seems to be able to cope with it.”
The Hyundai HX140LC has an operating weight of 14,050kg and is powered by a Cummins QSF 3.8 Stage IV compliant engine with a power output of 95kW.
Gordon has gotten so used to operating his tiltrotator these days that he really finds it difficult to handle an excavator without one, as he found out recently.
“I had to do a job with my other Hyundai excavator with the ordinary attachments and I could hardly get it going. Now that I am very familiar with the Rototilt tiltrotator and the benefits it brings I will stick with it. It certainly has been a justifiable investment,” he added.