ABI Excavator-Mounted Drivers: A Good Idea

"I thought it was a pretty good idea," recalled Bob Carter, vice president and equipment manager for Bloomington, Indiana-based Weddle Brothers Construction Co., when he first saw an excavator-mounted vibratory driver/ extractor in a magazine. He soon rented an ABI HVR-75 from Hammer & Steel and started using the system in the field. That was several years ago, and he remains convinced it's a good idea.

In fact, Hammer & Steel customers around the United States are sold on the ABI excavator-mounted driver. As the name implies, the system attaches to a hydraulic excavator with an adjustable attachment bracket and operates off the existing excavator bucket hydraulic circuit without modifications. The ABI features a special multi-function hydraulic valve that provides sequencing of the clamp and vibrate functions, as well as pressure and flow controls. An excavator attachment bracket and hydraulic hose bundle are also supplied with the ABI hammers to complete the package.

Weddle Brothers Construction: HVR60

Weddle Brothers used an HVR-60 to install temporary sheeting to hold back the fill on an interstate highway rehab job. "The machine easily drives the 20-foot sheets to grade," Carter said. He also noted that the ease of switching between the driver/extractor and the bucket on the excavator gives a crew a lot of versatility. "The mounting kit just fits right onto the excavator. We've never had any problems with it."

Delta Construction Corp.: HVR-100

In Hawaii, Delta Construction Corp. used the HVR-100 model on a project that involved realigning a narrow old road with a very large drainage system underneath it. "We used it to install sheeting to shore up the drain system," explained Ken Kobatake, Delta's president. "The crew worked in very tight quarters, on a narrow road with existing businesses on both sides," he said, "and the excavator mounted system was a very efficient way to drive in 30-foot sheets." Kobatake added, "The hammer worked well, even when it encountered the hard coral found in Hawaiian soil."

Veit & Company: HVR-75

Jerry Rachel, vice president of special projects for Veit & Company in Rogers, Minnesota, likes the HVR-75 because it lets him get more work out of less equipment. "It lets us utilize a machine that we already have on the job site – a hydraulic excavator – rather than having to bring in another piece of equipment," he said. Rachel's company has been using the system for several years.

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