Municipalities, utilities and contractors face stricter enforcement of overweight-vehicle laws. The X-10 vacuum excavator from Hi-Vac Corp. is designed as a lighter yet durable vehicle that safely digs holes and slot trenches.
“We used the knowledge of a number of hydroexcavation contractors to design this unit,” explains Patrick Snyder, vice president of sales and marketing. “We wanted a unit that meets state overweight-vehicle laws for a 6-by-4 chassis with a full debris tank. We tried to accommodate as many state regulations as we could with a standard design.”
Snyder notes that more and more states are cracking down on overweight vehicles. Some even use portable scales that allow them to pull over drivers anywhere.
“In a number of states, it doesn’t matter if you’re a municipal operator or a contractor, you’re going to get a ticket if you’re overweight,” Snyder observes. “Plus there are true traffic safety hazards associated with operating an overweight vehicle.”
The X-10 is engineered for maximum weight distribution. It weighs 54,000 pounds with a full debris tank, and the weight is properly distributed by using a 20,000-pound front axle and 34,000-pound rear tandem axles.
The unit has a 10-cubic-yard debris tank. Four side-mounted tanks hold a total of 1,000 gallons of water, and the water pump produces up to 18 gpm at 2,000 to 3,000 psi. A cold-weather recirculator aids the pump by keeping water moving so it doesn’t freeze.
In addition, a 27-inch Hg vacuum pump moves material at 3,800 cfm through an 8-inch vacuum tube. “We found that if you use a 27-inch vacuum pump and properly introduce water, you can dig a hole without producing a massive amount of mud,” Snyder says. “There’s no need to soak the ground, just get it wet enough to be easily conveyed.”
Additional features include a 360-degree-radius boom; a heated enclosure for tools, nozzles and clothing; a 700,000-Btu boiler that heats water for winter or clay excavating; a cyclone separator that helps keep debris from entering the blower; and a remote control that operates the boom and water pump. The unit also comes with an optional 15-cubic-yard debris tank.
“You can use our unit when it’s 30 degrees below zero or when it’s hotter than 120 degrees outside,” Snyder says. 800/752-2400; www.hi-vac.com.
