To give bulk transport operators the versatility to fill in the gaps around harvest season, Gough Transport Solutions (GTS) has released a hydraulic valve with an option that can operate both tippers and moving floors.
According to the National Farmers Federation, the grain industry continues to grow year after year, with exports reaching $6.8 billion in 2013.
“With grain season coming up, we’re getting a lot of requests for supply and installation of our semi-tipper hydraulics kits. We have many options for trailer builders, and different set up options for the prime movers that tow them,” says Daniel Nelson, GTS Sales Support Manager.
“Hydraulics is an important part of the GTS product range,” adds Gary Butler, Hydraulic Product Manager at GTS. “We only stock the premium Italian brands, including OMFB for PTOs, pumps, valves, controls and hydraulic tanks – everything that’s required to make the tipping motion.
“The high quality Italian products are reliable, and if you have reliable products you don’t have problems.”
While the grain industry is growing, the cyclical nature of farming means that for part of the year, some transport companies want to put their equipment to work in other industries while the next year’s seeds take root.
Rather than limit its customers’ offering to just tipping applications, GTS has found a way to give equipment increased versatility with a new OMFB hydraulic valve option that can operate both tippers and moving floor trailers.
“The hydraulics for a semi-trailer are typically set up to work either a tipper or a moving floor trailer which, apart from some similarities, require different operating pressures. The new valve has an option to set two relief-valve pressures, so it can be configured to operate either type of trailer depending on the required application,” Gary explains – adding that this level of versatility could only previously be achieved by installing additional valving, resulting in a more complicated and costly system.
Only introduced to the Australian market recently, Gary says that GTS’ trailer builder and truck body builder customers are already jumping on the concept. Some are ordering the valve individually, but Gary mentions that it’s more common for operators to get it as part of a tipper kit, which the GTS team also readily installs in its workshops in Melbourne or Brisbane.
“Some people like to fit their own equipment, but others want the full service, so they can bring a truck in to one of our workshops and we fit and commission a complete system, typically over two days,” Gary explains, adding that GTS installs, repairs and services all equipment that it sells, including work for hydraulics, tail lifts, under-deck compressors and braking systems.
Another feature of the new valve is an increased number of return ports for easier mounting and plumbing. “It has been designed with more return ports to make for easier installation. This saves time and results in a neater job,” Gary adds.
“The OMFB valve with dual pressure setting feature really makes it easy for our customers to open up their equipment to a wider variety of work, helping operators in bulk grain haulage do extra business while the next harvest is still sprouting.”.
For more information, contact Gough Transport today.
