Bolt-on shells

[72V]

What experiences have you had with bolt-on shells for a roller? I've only been around Elliot Grid-Pak shells bolted to a smooth drum. It worked okay for what we needed (breaking up and compacting pit-run rock on forest roads).

I know there are bolt-on pad foot shells that attach to smooth drums, and I think I've heard that there are bolt-on smooth shells that attach to pad foot drums. I'd like to hear anybody's experiences with them.

[surfer-joe]

From my experience, mostly what you will have is demands from project management to put it on, take it off, put it on, take it off. This is several times a week, even two or three times in one day.

The Elliot Grid that we had worked well. It was being put on a smooth-drum Hyster single drum vibratory compactor. Always had to use new bolts every time we put it back on as the threads on the old bolts always seemed to get mucked up taking the grids off.

Can't answer for a sheeps-foot type, never was around one, nor a smooth-drum wrap for a pad-foot.

[Turbo21835]

They have pad foots to go over smooth drums also. Its pretty common to see them around here. We have a mix of clay soils, and sandy soils. Never been around when someone has bolted/unbolted a cover. From what the mechanics tell me it takes over an hour to do. :beatsme As far as compaction its pretty much the same as a comprable machine.

Any pictures of the elliot grid? Ive heard of them, but never seen one.

[iron kid]

what is the cost ? I have a pad and was thinking of buying one 60 in

[72V]

Here's a link to Elliot...

http://www.elliotattach.com/products.html

I've only taken shells on or off once or twice, with a 980B and a chain, plus a shop truck with a good 3/4 gun. Once the first shell is bolted in place, the others are fairly easy to install.

[Northart]

Hello 72V,

The ones I been around work great.

The zig zag bars work great for crunching up weak rock, to create fines , makes for a nice road bed.:)

Get more versatility out of a compactor, for the various material.

[DPete]

I rented an 84" Dynapac that had a pad foot on a smooth drum, worked OK for the month we had it. I have had them shift and then the pads start rubbing the cleaners. If the halves are tight they seem to do OK

[JDOFMEMI]

I have a smooth shell for my CP 563 Cat, but I have not had it on yet.
It has places to bolt it through the drum, instead of just clamps. I just have to cut 4 holes on each side of the drum. I suppose that will keep it from shifting.

[CM1995]

I have a CS 533E compactor that is a smooth drum with a pad foot bolt on shell. This unit is 3 years old with 2K + hours on it and it works great. We have not had any problems with this particular drum shifting or otherwise causing a problem. The one thing, which has been mentioned, is you will need new bolts when you put the shell back on most of the time, since the threads do get messed up.

It really isn't that difficult to take the pad foot shell of the Cat and put it back on. It takes 30 mins to take the shell off with a 3/4 gun and a crane, backhoe or track hoe for lifting. Putting it back on takes about an hour to get the shells lined up with the bolt holes in the drum. The CS 533E has the normal cleaner bars and scrape plates for the smooth drum.

I think we have taken the pad foot shell off a couple of times in 3 years. The only time we need a smooth drum is when trimming and compacting subbase prior to paving.