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Terex Digger Derrick

Digger Derricks: The Hole-y Grail of Digging and Lifting Equipment

Any industrial job that requires holes to be dug into the ground calls for a digger derrick – a crane-mounted truck with a large boom and an auger (a drilling device).

Depending on how big the auger is, a digger derrick (some call them auger cranes) can dig holes that are 18 inches in diameter and 10 ft deep. They also lift and shift heavy materials, like poles, and hoist personnel to perform aerial tasks.

The utility sector is where digger derricks find the most use, in power distribution and power transmission applications, but they’re also used by telecom, construction, forestry, and other industries.

Terex Telelect Digger Derrick
Duke Energy's Digger Derrick

THE HISTORY OF DIGGER DERRICKS

Like so many industrial solutions that evolved in the post-World War II climate of retooling and reinventing engineered products, the digger derrick was designed in the 1940s to modernize electricity.

 

 

Until then, electric pole installation was a slow and labor-intensive process with work crews digging holes using shovels and hand-augers.

 

 

Leroy C. Lindquist, owner of an equipment manufacturing company in Minnesota, came up with the idea of a machine run by power take-off on a truck’s transmission in order to speed up the digging process. By the 1950s, mass production of digger derrick trucks was well underway.

 

 

A hydraulic version of digger derricks was introduced in the 1960s. As the years went on, more innovations were introduced. These include fiberglass components to improve insulation and radio controls for remote operation. From digging to lifting heavy materials, these trucks could perform a multitude of tasks that simplified operations in a variety of jobsites.

DIGGER DERRICK TERMINOLOGY YOU MUST KNOW

Sheave Height

Defines the unit’s optimal digging radius and what size pole the digger derrick can lift.

Maximum Capacity

A metric to describe a unit’s maximum lifting capability – but only when the boom is fully deployed, straight up, at its highest angle, not at any other angle.

Capacity At 10-ft Radius

As is apparent from the phrase, this defines the amount of weight a digger derrick can lift when the load is 10 feet from the center of the truck. Ten feet became the industry standard measurement probably because it is the smallest load radius that has practical value when gauging a unit’s capacity. Keep in mind, though, that this capacity can change depending on the location of the boom on the truck.

Elliott Digger Derrick

What are the benefits of digger derricks?

  • For jobsites that require drilling into the ground as well as lifting functionalities, digger derricks are the ideal multitasker that can do the job of a standard boom truck in addition to digging.

 

  • Thanks to their versatility, digger derricks save on cost, time, and manpower. They reduce or eliminate the need for extra boom trucks on the worksite, and the same crew can accomplish both digging and hoisting jobs.

 

  • Compared to other means of breaking hard ground, such as explosives, digger derricks offer a less risky alternative and make the worksite safer.

     

Digger Derrick Auger

ANNUAL INSPECTION CHECK LIST

  1. Replace decals

    Any safety or operational decal that has worn out should be replaced. Make sure there are no mistakes in where they are positioned.

  2. Change oil

    Timely change of oil filters is one of the most neglected forms of maintenance. Also check hydraulic oil levels frequently to make sure that the hydraulic system isn’t damaged.

  3. Check winch rope

    Don’t just do a daily visual check. A manual check of the winch rope is the only way to guarantee operators’ safety.

  4. Check rotation bearing torque

    Do this according to manufacturer specifications to avoid unwanted downtime and costly repairs from bearing damage.

  5. Fix faulty bucket liners

    Bucket liner damage from daily usage can affect its dielectric strength.

DIGGER DERRICKS ON TRACKS

An alternative to digger derricks on wheeled chassis is an auger crane on tracks. Sometimes, they are better suited for terrains with less than optimal conditions, like grounds with inclines.

Waterlogged, sandy, swampy or snowy grounds may also be hard for truck wheels to negotiate. The continuous band of track treads has superior traction and covers a larger surface area, which better distributes the weight of the truck on uneven ground.

Looking for new/used track digger derricks on sale? Check out Custom Truck’s inventory, on the ground and ready to go, by clicking HERE.

Tracked Digger Derrick
Elliott D105 Digger Derrick

MAIN DIGGER DERRICK SAFETY CONCERNS

  • Instability during operation is a primary safety concern when working with any digger derrick. Instability can be caused by a variety of circumstances, such as improper set-up of the unit or uneven, soft, or inclined ground conditions.

 

  • Accidental contact with energized electric lines or gas/electric/water lines buried underground during the hole-digging process.
Terex Digger Derrick
Elliott D105 Digger Derrick
Versalift Digger Derrick

BUYING GUIDE: 6 TIPS ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT DIGGER DERRICK FOR YOUR NEEDS

  • How much weight do you need to pick up? Match this need with how much the unit you are considering will pick up at 10 feet from the centerline of the truck. If the digger derrick is too small for the job, it may dig a hole from a certain position but not be able to lift the pole. In such a scenario, the truck will have to be moved from its current position to get the right boom angle. This wastes a lot of time and effort on the job.

 

  • Select a sheave height that’s about two-thirds of the length of the pole you intend to lift and set.

 

  • What kind of terrain will you be working in? In extreme circumstances, a tracked unit may be better suited for your application than a wheeled one.

 

  • What size of auger will you need? Auger size depends on the size of the hole you have to dig. You don’t want to buy a digger derrick with a capacity that doesn’t allow it to lift an auger full of material out of the hole.

 

  • Do you need radio controls?

 

  • Do you need insulation? You may if you are working near power lines.

Looking to buy or rent a Digger Derrick that is JUST RIGHT for your business?

Custom Truck One Source has you covered with the industry’s most respected brand names in our inventory like Terex and Elliott.

CHECK OUT OUR INVENTORY OF DIGGER DERRICKS FOR SALE OR RENT BY CLICKING HERE.

We’re America’s first true single-source provider of specialized truck and heavy equipment solutions and we’re standing by to help you!

Call us at 844-282-1838 or email us at [email protected]

  • Digger Derricks
  • 1. History of Digger Derricks
  • 2. Benefits of Digger Derricks
  • 3. Annual Inspection Check List
About Us

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