New Ditch Witch JT21 Drill Slashes 40 Percent More Downhole Horsepower than Predecessor
HDD contractors can more efficiently complete fiber and other underground utility jobs with the new JT21 directional drill from Ditch Witch, shown by the company at Utility Expo. An upgraded replacement for the JT20, the KT21 delivers up to 40 percent more downhole horsepower than its predecessor, and 35 percent faster carriage speed than any drill in its class, the company said, empowering crews to work more effectively, increasing ROI.
The JT21 features 21,000 pounds of pullback, 20,000 pounds of thrust and 2,250 foot-pounds of torque, allowing crews to complete installations at a fast pace in a variety of soil conditions. Also, a new design and lower center of gravity increases stability.
“Any operator who puts the JT21 drill to work will quickly see why it’s the most powerful drill in its class,” said Britton Yunker, HDD product manager for Ditch Witch. “But it’s not sheer power alone that sets the JT21 drill apart from other drills in its class. It also incorporates several productivity-boosting enhancements, making it an ideal choice for contractors whether they’re looking to replace an aging drill or make crews more effective.”
Among the JT21 features that help boost productivity and ease operations are:
• Improved hydraulic efficiencies and a direct-drive rotation motor delivering more downhole horsepower.
• Virtually Assisted Make-up technology provides software-driven make-up and breakout of pipe to simplify operators’ jobs and help prevent pipe-thread damage to extend pipe longevity.
• A proven pipe-loading system provides horizontal-style pipe loading and helps optimize efficiency and uptime on jobsites.
• An enhanced operator station provides a common display with other HDD platforms and multi-mode joysticks that allow operators to choose their preferred control style, minimizing training needs across multiple platforms.
• Advanced telematics give operators access to a wide range of drill health and operating parameters, helping them make quick, informed decisions while improving overall jobsite management and reducing maintenance.
• A larger displacement pump, generating 35 GPM and running at a lower RPM, increases the life of the pump and wearables.
For more information, visit: https://www.ditchwitch.com/directional-drills/directional-drills/jt21/.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.