Equipment: HDPA 25 Herculano

Client: Allan Noble

Sector of activity: Granite quarrying and some varied agricultural work

Partner Herculano: Ground Gear, Australia

 

 

 

Eugowra is the name of the small town in the Lachlan River basin where Allan Noble and his son Lachlan have their farm.

In addition to their agricultural business, they also operate a busy open-cast quarry that is highly recognized for its red and white decomposed granite, which makes it desirable for all types of civil and housing projects, including roads and residential subdivisions.

Since buying this 25-ton Herculano dumper in 2017, the family has always kept the machine busy, moving 10 to 15 loads a day. One of the features they value most is the loading height, which is lower than any other tipper trailer on the market, allowing them to load it more easily.

Comparing this tractor-trailer combination with an articulated lorry widely used in this industry, Allan is convinced that he made the right purchase decision.

"The build quality of this trailer is incredible. Nothing can break it!"

Another feature he mentions is the trailer's maneuverability, which allows him to access any point in the quarry with ease. He also highlights the safety and stability on uneven ground resulting from the two lateral hydraulic tipping cylinders, especially when compared to the single cylinder used on trucks.

They were also very impressed with the solidity and design of the chassis, which allows for a perfect fit with the box, as well as the wheels specially designed to withstand heavy loads and for optimum handling in tight bends.

Before buying his Dumper, Allan says that his John Deere 8000 Series tractor was an underused asset that spent much of the year idle. With the Herculano trailer, the tractor is now working almost every day, easily transporting loads of 24 to 26 tons.

Despite granite being one of the hardest and most abrasive rocks, Allan says that the HARDOX steel box has held up very well, especially considering the tons of rock that have been moved.

"The years go by and this 6 mm hardened steel shows hardly any signs of wear," he says, "it's shining like a silver plate."

"The other advantage of HARDOX is its high strength-to-weight ratio compared to other types of steel. This lightens the load and helps reduce wear and tear on my tractor and the trailer itself."

 

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Source: https://www.groundgear.co.nz/ground-gear-australia/tractor-pulled-dump-trailer-case-study/