For close to a decade, Hercules Engineering has been a certified installer for German engineered tipper liner Okuslide, a plastic solution that’s designed to help protect operators’ tipping equipment.
Distributed in Australia by Bearing Thermal Resources, the Okuslide liner provides a protective barrier between the contact surface of the tipper body and the bulk material being transported.
A variety of materials can be particularly abrasive to a tipper’s aluminium floor sheets, such as road base, sand and quarry products. As a result, owners typically have to rely on having patch repairs done in high wear zones or in worse cases, a full replacement at a high expense – not to mention the time lost, as work is carried out.
Okuslide liners can last up to five times longer than standard aluminium floor sheets, with most typical installations seeing a minimum of three times longer lifespan. Though results will always vary depending on the bulk material being carted and the frequency of tipping.
When it comes to unloading stubborn or compacted material, the Okuslide liner comes into its own. Because the load being tipped doesn’t stick to the base of the trailer, tipping can often be done at a lower – and safer – tipping angle.
The Okuslide liner dramatically reduces friction in the tipper’s body, therefore reducing the tipping angle required to discharge the load.
Decreasing the tipping angle reduces the centre of gravity and therefore it also reduces the change of rollover.
Okuslide offers a boost for safety and a boost for efficiency, helping operators unload – minus any hiccups.
According to Hercules Engineering, one of the reasons it’s much safer to tip from a lower tipping angle is because the higher the hydraulic cylinders have to extend, the higher the chance that stability will be compromised.
That’s when the risk of a rollover is introduced, which is why keeping a low tipping height is crucial.
The importance of maintaining a low tipping height is why Hercules Engineering originally became an official installer for Okuslide.
Using Okuslide makes tipping much faster and easier than in a bare trailer.
Hercules has previously filmed a side-by-side comparison video of two identical tippers with identical loads. One was fitted with Okuslide and the other was not. The exercise provided a clear demonstration of the difference in tipping height that was required in each trailer.
What stood out the most was the speed and smooth delivery of the material from the Okuslide-equipped Hercules tipper.
Hercules says the safety improvements from the low tipping height is just the beginning, the video also made it clear how much faster unloading is too.
Since becoming a distributor and installer for Okuslide in 2016, Hercules Engineering has installed hundreds of these liners to its tipper bodies – helping to keep the equipment safe and increase efficiency.
Okuslide is a worthwhile investment for any operator that cares about their equipment.
For more information, contact Hercules Engineering in Victoria on 03 9728 2111 or visit the website at hercs.com.au – or for Hercules Queensland, phone 07 3712 0388 or visit the website hercqld.com.au.