The tough terrain of a quarry in Cookville, Tennessee, is being tackled by a Rokbak articulated dump truck that is capable of handling dusty trails and sharp inclines.
An RA40 hauler is transporting overburden, shot rock, and finished rushed limestone products for UC Materials. The large limestone rock quarry provides material to customers in the local area, and feeds other sites within the group in which the quarry operates.
The truck is rented by UC Materials from Ironclad Equipment, which purchased it in January 2023 from long-term Rokbak dealer Diamond Equipment.
"The reason we went with Rokbak is uptime and price," said Ironclad Equipment general manager and co-founder Barry Reese. "I personally prioritize profitability and knowing that the truck will always be working, and the RA40 ticked the boxes. The fact that the RA40 is performing really well, our operators like it, and it does everything other haulers do but for a lot less money, shows why we're very satisfied."
Since being acquired by Ironclad at the start of the year, the RA40 has already clocked up more than 1,600 hours of operation. The truck has been on its current assignment since September 2023, and has been working at around 40 hours a week. It is not Ironclad's only Rokbak truck; another is tasked with land-clearing on a residential site near Nashville, and a third RA40 has also just been purchased.
"The RA40 has really been a hit," Reese said. "We've seen what it's brought to the construction site and UC Materials quarry, so it makes sense to add to our fleet and choose a proven performer. We know what we've got, and we know the benefits this particular dump truck offers our expansive operations."
UC Materials uses the RA40 to move topsoil at the top of the quarry, as well as large amounts of rock from the face down to the base for stockpiling Operating conditions vary depending on weather, but the ADT works between eight and 10 hours daily.
An all-welded body with a haul capacity of 41.9 US tons and a heaped capacity of 30.3 cubic yards can be filled with three to four passes of a wheel loader, making it ideal for transporting high volumes. A dual-slope tailchute eases the material ejection from the RA40's body.
The RA40 is able to travel easily up the dusty, steep incline of the quarry's haul route and an effective power-to-weight ratio ensures material is moved as quickly as possible in all conditions, with the adaptable drivetrain maintaining traction and speed on the toughest sites.
"The quarry has the ability to continue for a very long time, so there is lots of hard work ahead for our Rokbak dump truck," explained site manager Matt Davidson. "There is 1,000 feet to go back from the current wall face. The operators are happy with the truck and we plan on operating it within the quarry indefinitely, with low manual maintenance and cab comfort two particular strengths that have impressed the team."
A spacious, ergonomically designed and pressurized cab ensures operators are comfortable when behind the wheel. Acoustic insulation helps minimize noise levels inside the cab, and a high-performance HVAC system ensures a stable temperature. Other comfort features include a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, an adaptive air suspension operator's seat with adjustable armrests, anti-vibration mounts for the engine and cab, and cushioned stops on the steering cylinders. A sharp reverse camera is useful for maintaining site safety.
Ground-level test points, a fully tilting cab, and an electronically raised hood all aid in maintenance work. Only two grease fittings require greasing manually every 250 hours. A full suite of on-dash diagnostic and machine health check data maximizes uptime by reducing intervention time.
"Success stories such as this in Tennessee emphasize that the Rokbak rebrand has led to accelerated demand in North America," said Rokbak regional sales manager Dan Meara. "Our trucks are out working across the United States and Canada, helping to generate further interest in the brand and contributing to the RA30 and RA40 being used on multiple large projects in this dynamic market."
