The Hydrema name has for many years been synonymous with the manufacture of dump trucks with impressive low ground pressure capabilities. Construction Plant News investigates.
Founded in 1959 by Kjeld Werner Jensen, 1962 saw the Hydrema’s first foray into the manufacture of earthmoving equipment for the construction and agricultural sector with “The Phantom” a tractor mounted loader.
While the Danish manufacturer is headquartered in Støvring near Aalborg, the range of articulated dump trucks has been manufactured in the former East German town of Weimar.
The factory once produced a wide variety of vehicles including small wheeled loaders, rolling stock and military equipment, but since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the incorporation of the Eastern half of the country, production dwindled with Hydrema taking ownership of the facility in 1996.
The Weimar facility currently manufactures both the 912 4×4 and 922 6×6 trucks. Whilst the range may be small, the company offers a large range of bespoke body options for both trucks and will look at any reasonable request from potential customers.
The trucks manufactured at the Weimar plant are constructed from the ground up with only the highest quality Swedish steel used. Chassis, body and cab components are all designed and manufactured within the four walls of the factory.
This bespoke manufacturing allows the company to adjust any particular component to customer requirements. With the design team based on site, detailed drawings for alterations can be undertaken and adopted very quickly.
To ensure the total reliability of their product, the company even undertake the manufacture of all hydraulic cylinders used on their vehicles.
Ever since their introduction in 1983 the UK market has also been a very popular and important one for the Hydrema brand.
The UK was the first market to readily accept the radically different design concept for carrying smaller amounts of material.
Initial supplies of the vehicles were brought into the country by current UK Sales Director Tim Wadsworth’s late father, who worked for Browns of Otley, the original importer for the range.
Serviced by Hydrema UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Danish company, the trucks are favoured for their ability to keep going when others can’t, thus increasing the muck-shifting season, something the UK traditionally suffers from.
While the factory manufactures the skeleton of the trucks, transmissions are sourced from ZF, axles from NAF and Carraro and engines from Cummins.
The UK bound trucks are now fitted with Stage 4 Final compliant power plants in the form of a Cummins QSB 4.5 for the 10 tonne capacity 912F and a larger QSB 6.7 in the 922F.
Both engine options offer excellent flexibility and fuel economy producing 147 and 296hp respectively. Both trucks have DOC and SCR with AdBlue systems fitted to meet Stage 4 regulations.
Each truck undertakes a series of tests and evaluations before being shipped. A series of four, six hour checks and tests are carried out on each truck to ensure all systems are working correctly and that the truck will be in perfect condition when arriving with its new owner.
The current stage 4 compliant 912F models come in three chassis variants; standard, front suspension (FS) and high mobility (HM) with the 6×6 922F being available in three width options; a narrow axle 2.55m version and a standard machine with either 600-60 or 800-45 tyres.
912F
For many years the 912 range has been a very popular machine with UK contractors requiring a high mobility dump truck able to carry a large payload compared to standard forward-tip models. Its performance in poor ground conditions also finds favour with operators as does a spacious and well-appointed ROPS/FOPS cab.
Constant four-wheel-drive ensures the vehicle will go anywhere it is pointed to, and the HM version shod with wide 800-45 tyres, produces a lightweight footprint of only 88kPa.
Thanks to the perfect driveline set up the truck is able to offer high speed travel across uneven ground. Combined with the suspension option, both operator comfort is increased as are the cycle times making the 912F by far the most cost effective truck in its class.
922F
The 20t capacity 922F boasts what the manufacturer describes as the lowest unladen weight, highest power to weight ratio and the lowest ground pressure of any similar capacity truck on the market.
A short and steeply sloping bonnet aids all-round visibility and an economical Cummins engine ensures operational efficiency. Both trucks have been designed to be operator friendly, with daily servicing points all accessible from the ground as are re-fill points for the fuel and AdBlue tanks.
A major plus point for both vehicles is the low centre of gravity afforded by the design of the vehicles. Thanks to the low and wide design, the trucks are ideal for working where ground conditions are far from perfect. Ground clearance has not been compromised with the low centre of gravity with both trucks exceeding that of similar capacity machines.
Body styles
While the majority of models in both drive configurations leave the factory as dump trucks, the company is able to supply a wide range of body variants including the Streumaster lime spreader.
“It all depends on the customer’s specific requirements.” Comments Wadsworth “We can accommodate most requests either through our own manufacturing process or with the assistance of specialised outside parties.”
The company manufacture a range of in-house body options for the 912F range, including standard tip, flatbed and the very popular option of a 180-degree swivel skip. The 912F can also be ordered as a chassis cab for customers wanting to body the vehicle themselves.
The 922F has a smaller option list with the standard body being replaced with a hook-lift version, allowing the rapid changeover of various body styles.
For further information on the range of machines available from Hydrema click here.
