Loftness has introduced the Battle Ax mulching attachment for 7- to 15-ton (6.3 to 13.6 t) excavators to its VMLogix line of products. Featuring a new rotor, two-stage cutting chamber and direct-drive variable displacement piston motor, the heavy-duty Battle Ax is designed for highly efficient vegetation management, including right-of-way maintenance, land clearing, forestry applications and more.
The Battle Ax is available with 41-, 51- and 61-in. (104, 129 and 155 cm) cutting widths. Its 17-in. (43 cm)-diameter rotor features built-in depth gauges, which function similarly to raker teeth on chain saws to prevent the attachment from engaging too much material at one time. This design is more ideal for managing the amount of material being fed into the attachment than ring-style rotors, which many operators find to be overly limiting, according to the manufacturer.
The variable displacement piston motor on the Battle Ax is designed to accommodate the output of various excavators. The motor is directly mounted to the rotor with an anti-vibration coupler to eliminate the hassle of drive belts and reduce overall maintenance concerns of the mulching attachment.
Two tooth options are available: ultra-sharp Quadco reversible knives and highly durable carbide teeth. Due to a two-stage cutting chamber, which allows material to be cut twice by the rotor, both styles of teeth are capable of producing some of the smallest particle sizes in the industry. The primary shear bar is adjustable for customizing particle size.
Other standard features include a spade hook, adjustable skid shoes that allow cutting up to 1.5 in. (3.8 cm) below grade, anti-wrap bearings, premium strength steel housing and steel deflector chains. Custom mounts are available for all makes of excavators. A self-contained hydraulic thumb also is optional for customers who do not wish to use the factory excavator thumb.
Loftness manufactures the VMLogix line of vegetation management equipment, which includes hydraulic oil coolers, the Kwik-Trim compact mechanical tree trimmer, and high-performance mulching heads for a variety of equipment, ranging from skid steer loaders to 400-horsepower prime movers.
For more information, call 800/828-7624 or visit www.loftness.com.
