The thought of spending thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands, of dollars on a single excavator, loader, or dozer can be frightening. Add to that the fact that some machines are capable of producing only one aspect of a job. Suffice to say, the need for heavy equipment to play more than one role on a job site is an ever-increasing concern in a buyer's decision to add that piece to his fleet.

Rocky Mountain Grading & Excavation in Fraser, CO, works extensively in the Rocky Mountains and faces numerous challenges from extreme cold and snow to very heavy septic tank lift-and-place applications.

Rocky Mountain Grading & Excavation met a seemingly impossible challenge in placing a 15,000-lb. septic tank. "When my distributor [Power Motive Equipment Company] told me about the Komatsu PC150, I was interested in finding out more about it and what it could do for me," recalls Owner Will Tilghman. "I had a competitive model excavator that I couldn't count on to start in the extreme temperatures [-40° Fahrenheit in the winter] we face, so that was an obvious need. An excavator with enough horsepower and breakout force to lift and place septic tanks was also very important. My old machine had trouble lifting large loads."

Increases in Production and Comfort

To increase cycle times and production, the 39,500-lb. PC150LC-6 hydraulic excavator provides Tilghman with five working modes: heavy-duty, general, finishing, lifting, and breaking.

The unit's Active Mode enhances performance by matching engine speed and system pressure to a specific application. It maximizes productivity and increases efficiency by increasing engine speed, pump flow, and boom down-speed, resulting in productivity increases of more than 10% over its predecessor, the PC150-5. In addition, Komatsu's patented Hydraumind system allows the load-sensing and pressure-compensating valves to automatically adjust to individual work applications. This happens instantly, silently, and automatically without the operator having to worry about changing lever strokes. Hydraumind ensures maximization of boom, arm, and bucket movements, allowing full horsepower to be available at all times.

Tilghman believes that comfort and ease of operation play large parts in increased productivity, so the PC150LC-6 Avance excavator's larger cab–14% larger than the 150-5 model it replaced–is more than just extra real estate. Multiposition controls allow the operator to work comfortably while maintaining precise control. Viscous damping mounts offer the operator a quiet, comfortable environment.

As Tilghman says, "The PC150 is where I go to work every day. I don't know any other office, so comfort for me is not compromised."

The Right Choice

Rocky Mountain Grading & Excavation started in 1998 as a one-man operation. It has since grown to a six-person company working on jobs as different as pipe laying for sewer lines to septic tank placement and draining of leech fields.

"We subject our equipment to some unbelievable extremes," Tilghman states. "At more than an 8,500-foot elevation, I have to know it will produce for us on any terrain and in any weather."

The terrain Tilghman mentions is far from stable. The mountainous landscape wreaks havoc on the company's machines, and the nearly 400 in. of snow annually makes year-round work impossible. To remain profitable, the company must do as much as it can, as quickly as it can.

"We work at least six or seven days a week from May through October," Tilghman relates. "It's all the time we have to get our jobs completed."

Tilghman is quick to point out that excavator versatility, dependability, power, and quickness are very important factors in an excavator purchase. The results of those qualities are increased productivity, more range of jobs, and a machine that works in all conditions. The PC150LC-6 provides Tilghman's operation with these things and, ultimately, meets the company's every need.

GEC - September/October 2002