Why Rental Biz Owners Should Consider Making Vacuum Excavators Part of their Fleet

Why Rental Biz Owners Should Consider Making Vacuum Excavators Part of their Fleet

Vacuum excavators are becoming more popular in the rental industry. These are just some of the reasons behind the “why” of what makes these machines great for rental customers.

There are many reasons why a rental yard would select a piece of equipment to be in their inventory. However, when considering all the equipment options available to them, a couple criteria consistently come to the surface. For starters, how often will the machine be out on rental? And secondly, how much maintenance, service, and parts are required to keep it working? Both criteria lead to the most important metric for rental store owners and managers: return on investment (ROI).

With that as a backdrop, it is no wonder vacuum excavators are becoming more popular choices in the rental industry. They are great machines for rental customers to consider, and for the reasons listed below, rental stores like them, too.

Broad Use

Historically, vacuum excavators have been used for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) support to help manage drilling fluids. As growing regulations and best practices have been implemented, vacuum excavators now go out ahead of crews to pothole existing utilities as a soft excavation practice to prevent damage. The machines also transport spoils from HDD jobsites to approved disposal sites. There won’t be a better piece of equipment to keep drillers on the jobsite and making money. Their benefits in this arena are unquestioned, and as more and more HDD jobs are on the horizon and soft excavation becomes mandated, the use of the vacuum excavators will only increase.

However, we have been seeing customers come up with new and innovative ways to profitably use these machines. We’ve seen an uptick of usage in the landscaping and arborist industries. The vacuum excavators are being used to dig thin trenches for irrigation line installation and do it without leaving much evidence that they were even there. Additionally, arborists and tree care professionals can dig holes to plant the trees and breakup the surrounding soil to stimulate growth, all with the same machine.

People are using the vacuums to clean out manholes, vehicle wash pits, landscaping beds, parking garages, and nearly anything that’s been flooded with water, like basements, bathrooms, storm shelters, and even sand bunkers on golf courses. It truly is amazing to see where some of these machines end up working for people, and we love hearing about all the unique and one-off ways customers use vacuum excavators.

Low Maintenance

A growing list of uses with extremely low maintenance requirements for rental stores is a great combination for rental owners and managers.As versatile as vacuum excavators are for operators, they require minimal maintenance for rental stores. The main components of a vacuum excavator are the debris and fresh-water tanks, and there are very few wear parts.

A lot of the parts costs endured by rental stores are tied to ground-engaging parts. If used properly, the only ground-engaging part of a vacuum excavator should be the end of the suction tube, which is incredibly durable.

Equipment manufacturers are always considering functionality and serviceability improvements. Vacuum excavators are more often being equipped with features to boost ease of maintenance. Recently, Ditch Witch accomplished this by adding lift-off power pack doors for greater access to maintenance points. Also, improved filtration systems minimize filter cleaning frequency and increases component life.

Even the trailer configurations are designed for operator convenience and are extremely low maintenance. Vacuum excavator trailers are built to haul with full debris tanks, so they are sturdy and can handle the rigors of vacuum excavation work. But they maintain a simple maintenance process; rental owners and managers just need to remember to grease the axles as the only regular maintenance.

Short ROI

A growing list of uses with extremely low maintenance requirements for rental stores is a great combination for rental owners and managers. By helping customers understand that there are many, many ways vacuum excavators can be utilized, rental stores can keep the machines working and out on the job.

Whether it’s legislation that requires these machines to be on jobsites or their wide range of uses, vacuum excavators will help rental owners’ bottom line. 

Originally seen on ForConstructionPros.com

HYDRAULIC BREAKER
Used for construction and demolition, our breakers can be used to break up asphalt, concrete or even clay. The hydraulic hammer is perfect for any small or medium job you might have. More up-time in the field is always the goal, and with only two moving parts and a few seals, there’s no reason for down-time.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

ROCK SAW

Best suited for irrigation and fiber installation, the Rock Saw attachment can effortlessly cut through rock, concrete, and other tough materials with unmatched precision. 

Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

BACKHOE
Easily move materials for rebuilds, new construction, footings, utility repairs and more with this compact and versatile attachment.
Compatible Models

SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

STUMP GRINDERS
Featuring a heavy-duty boom design, powerful stump grinding attachments quickly shred stumps down to nothing. Easy maneuvering from stump to stump and increased visibility turns more ground stumps into more profit.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

MULTITASK TOOL
Your multipurpose tool for the ultimate multi-tasker is here. Engineered to grab tight to heavy materials and move them with ease and precision, the multi-task tool is your go-to for heavy applications. Easy to operate with convenient, functional levers.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

CORE DRILL
With the MC-450 coring attachment, utility maintenance is simple and less disruptive. Featuring intuitive controls and an integrated water tank, the MC-450 is the perfect choice for quick cuts and a more productive coring process. A fully adjustable 0 to 280 rpm speed allows for enhanced control and greater productivity.
Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

SOIL CULTIVATOR
Prepare food plots, gardens, and landscaping projects with a soil cultivator. It gets land ready by stirring organic material back in the soil for a healthier, more stable lawn. Buries the biggest of rocks for a looser topsoil.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

BLADES
Whether you’re looking to increase dump height or digging depth, attaching a backfill blade is an easy way to save manpower on your jobsite while working with precision and timeliness. Available in various widths.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

AUGER DRIVER
Ideal for landscaping and tree care, an auger attachment will expedite hole creation and allow operators to quickly plant trees or install fence posts than if they were hand-digging or relying on a hand-held auger. Available in 6" to 30" diameters.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

TILLER
Tough and effective tillers prepare your garden by breaking up tough soil and removing unwanted weeds. Available in 4' width.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

GRAPPLES
Tree grapples come with 48" or 57" openings to efficiently remove logs and debris from the jobsite. It has an excavator style boom design with a powder coat finish and a cylinder lock for increased safety. Brush grapples available with a gap opening of 29" and widths of 42" or 54".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

CARRY ALL LEVELER
One of our most simple yet versatile attachments, the Carry-All Leveler is perfect for carrying bulky material, leveling soil and adding a flat, smooth finish to your project. Available in 49" width.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

BUCKETS

From landscaping and hardscapes to tree care and construction-grade tasks, your stand-on skid steer can take on more than you think. We've got you covered with a variety of buckets from 4-in-1 to heavy and light material buckets. Widths range from 34" to 66".

Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

PALLET FORKS
Take on your heaviest loads with precision and dependability with Ditch Witch pallet forks. They easily attach to any of our skid steers and can easily accessorize with hay spikes, brick guards, and much more to add even more ROI. Available in widths ranging from 36-48.75" and lengths from 36-48".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

MICROTRENCHER
Fiber installation and other street-located work is rapidly growing. A microtrenching attachment is key for operators looking to get into fiber installation at the street level. They cut both concrete and asphalt in controlled increments so contractors don't need to stop traffic. Maximum width options are 0.5-1.5” or 2” with maximum depths of 12” or 16”.
Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

ROTO WITCH®
The Ditch Witch Roto Witch® attachment is used for short bores underneath sidewalks, driveways and other obstacles. It offers great digging performance while minimizing jobsite restoration. Compatible with numerous Ditch Witch stand-on skid steers, the Roto Witch attachment can bore and backream up to 12" (300 mm) in diameter.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

PLOW
Install fiber and other utilities quickly with a vibratory plow attachment for your skid steer. It creates less ground disruption and cleanup than traditional trenching to get the job done faster. Available in maximum depths of 14" and 24".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

POWER RAKE
Clean, level and prep jobsites or smooth and loosen soil for sodding with a rake attachment. Most rake attachments require 10 to 14 gpm, but the higher horsepower creates even more drum torque to tear through the most demanding soil types. Width measures 4'.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

MICROTRENCHERS
Fiber installation and other street-located work is rapidly growing. A microtrenching attachment is key for operators looking to get into fiber installation at the street level. They cut both concrete and asphalt in controlled increments so contractors don't need to stop traffic. Maximum width options are 0.5-1.5” or 2” with maximum depths of 12” or 16”.
Compatible Models

SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

ROTO WITCH®
The Ditch Witch Roto Witch® attachment is used for short bores underneath sidewalks, driveways and other obstacles. It offers great digging performance while minimizing jobsite restoration. Compatible with numerous Ditch Witch stand-on skid steers, the Roto Witch attachment can bore and backream up to 12" (300 mm) in diameter.
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750

PLOWS
Install fiber and other utilities quickly with a vibratory plow attachment for your skid steer. It creates less ground disruption and cleanup than traditional trenching to get the job done faster. Available in maximum depths of 14" and 24".
Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000

TRENCHER

Stay efficient on large jobsites with a trencher attachment for your skid steer. It’s a smart alternative to large, specialized equipment for utility installation and landscaping jobs. Available in standard 6”, 8” and 12” maximum widths with maximum depths of 36", 38", 48” and 55.5”.

Compatible Models

SK600, SK800, SK900, SK1050, SK1550, SK1750, SK3000