A crucial mainstay of the Australian economy, the construction industry is renowned for putting transport equipment under immense stress: Heavy payloads and uneven terrain put excessive strain on running gear and chassis, while dirt and corrosion jeopardise braking performance and bearing efficiency. What’s more, tight schedules often don’t allow for unscheduled maintenance and repair work – meaning equipment failure is not an option for the construction businesses that help build our nation.
To reduce the risk of unwanted equipment failure even in – increasingly frequent – high pressure scenarios, Hanson has been spec’ing SAF-Holland equipment for more than a decade now, knowing there is always enough leeway to up the ante if necessary. “In the construction industry, getting the trailer spec right is vital to ensuring the success of a project,” says Ken Dixon, Hanson’s Aggregates Transport Manager in Melbourne.
“That’s why we use SAF-Holland’s Intradisc plus Integral solution on most of our equipment – whether it’s tippers, cement tankers or agitators. It’s a lightweight, yet strong solution that doesn’t let you down and has the reserves you need when the going gets tough.”
According to Ken, who only recently commissioned some 26 new tippers from MaxiTRANS fitted with SAF-Holland’s innovative axle, suspension and brake package, maximising uptime and productivity is important – even when payloads go beyond the 50-tonne mark. “If you want to go to the extreme without jeopardising a project, you need suppliers you can trust – regardless how rough the environment.”
The ‘Integral’ part of the SAF-Holland disc brake system is especially helpful in that context, he reveals, as unlike conventional brake discs, the SAF-Holland disc is cast onto a splined adapter ring and bolted to the wheel hub. The connection between the adapter ring and the brake disc has thus absolutely no play. As a result, Ken says brake pads jumping out of alignment or discs cracking are not an issue for Hanson.
