More power and a smaller footprint are the hallmarks of the WC40 static puller from TRIC Tools Inc., the latest in a series of high-flow pullers for the municipal market.
“It’s very powerful for a machine its size,” observes John Rafferty, head technician for TRIC. “Its cylinders can easily deliver nearly 120 tons of pulling force at 6,000 psi, but we don’t recommend more than 5,000 psi with the current cable capacity.”
TRIC developed the WC40 in response to customer requests for a powerful yet compact cable-pulling ram. The unit’s average pull rate is 15 feet per minute at 20 gpm.
Like all TRIC systems, the WC40 directs pulling force vertically, rather than horizontally, so it can be used in a smaller space. That saves time and labor and results in less excavating and easier manipulation.
The unit has a 36- by 36- by 1 1/2-inch resistance plate and a 48- by 14- by 11-inch puller assembly. “It’s a smaller and simpler machine compared to equivalent impactor or rod-pusher units,” Rafferty says. The compact design aspects carry over to the tri-wheel pulley base, which has a 12 1/2-inch working radius in a housing 18 inches long. The overall size of the tri-wheel assembly is 18 by 16 by 24 inches.
“The tri-wheel offers the advantages of a large radius in a small frame,” Rafferty says. “It eliminates almost half the length of a single-wheel housing.”
The unit is intended for use on 6- to 16-inch pipes and runs 1-, 1 1/8- and 1 1/4-inch cable. Its components are lighter than most units its size (380 pounds for the puller cylinders, 365 pounds for the tri-wheel and 505 pounds for the resistance plate), making it easier to put together and take apart.
The hydraulically powered unit can use on-site excavating equipment, such as a backhoe, as a power source, or operate off a stand-alone hydraulic pump. “Our dedicated high-flow pump will achieve more power, and even though it’s mounted on a tow trailer, one person can wheel it around by hand,” Rafferty says. For more information: 888/883-8742; or www.trictrenchless.com.
