Get FinancingWhat To Look For In An Asphalt Paver
All asphalt pavers lay down and pave asphalt, but not all are meant for the same paving jobs. There’s a big difference, for example, in the size, capacity, and power needed to pave neighborhood sidewalks than to pave long stretches of highway or an airport runway. As such, the category features a wide range in machines and pricing, as used models generally start at about $3,500, while new ones can exceed $500,000. Here are some considerations to mull when buying a new or used asphalt paver.
Intended Purpose
How you’ll use your model primarily will greatly determine the size, capacity, and engine requirements needed. Your options include gravity- and conveyor-fed models in mini, compact, midrange, and heavy-duty size ranges. That includes everything from Dynapac’s 8.5-horsepower F80W mini paver using a gas-heated vibrating screed with a 5.4-foot (1.65-meter) maximum paving width and a 35 tons (31.8 metric tons) per hour capacity to VÖGELE's huge 475-hp Super 3000-3i with extendable or fixed-screed choices using tamper, vibrator, tamper vibratory, and pressure bar options that can pave at up to 59 feet (18 meters) wide—essentially a four-lane highway—at an up to 1,984.16 tons (1,800 tonnes) per hour capacity. In between are midrange and large pavers spanning 8- to 25-foot (2.4- to 7.6-meter) paving widths, such as Cat’s 142-hp AP55F model with 8.4- to 16.4-foot (2.6 to 5-meter) standard paving width and 1,288 tons (1,168.5 tonnes) per hour max throughput capacity. If you’ll be paving golf cart paths, residential driveways, or similarly wide surfaces, a compact or midrange model should do. For extensive highway projects, sprawling parking lots, and other large commercial and industrial jobs, seek out the additional power, stability, durability, and performance of a large paver.
Operator Comfort
Anyone who has worked on a paving crew or even seen one in action knows paving is a hot, dirty, demanding job. Manufacturers are constantly working to alleviate this by introducing quieter, more comfortable, and more intuitive operator environments featuring adjustable air-suspension seating, fume- and heat-management systems, and technologies like Cat’s Quiet Heat mode that heats the screed quickly while operating the engine at a lower rpm. To give operators better visibility, meanwhile, many pavers feature dual-independent operator positions for the tractor and screed. LeeBoy’s LB P 150D, for example, includes two operator stations that help provide 360-degree visibility. Also look for ergonomic and intuitive controls, icons, graphics, buttons, and more situated within the operator’s reach, including within touch-control LCD displays, dashboards, and adjustable consoles.
Tracks Or Wheels?
Whether to buy a track or wheel asphalt paver depends largely on the primary applications and environments your company handles, plus expense. Track models cost more up front and are more expensive to maintain and repair long term, but they also provide better traction, flotation, and stability due to better weight distribution across the machine. Besides reducing surface compaction, track models also typically handle inclines more steadily and smoothly. Wheel models, meanwhile, are used often in asphalt-overlay jobs where traction matters less, and are considered to offer better handling, agility, and speed—traits that simplify intra-jobsite transportation. Dynapac’s City Paver lineup, for example, is well-suited for tackling street repairs in congested city work environments where a larger model might struggle. Some experts, however, argue that track models are the better all-around choice from a revenue generation standpoint because they can better handle wetter conditions earlier in the spring and later in the fall.
Technologies
In addition to vibratory, tamper, tamper vibratory, compaction, and pressure-based screed technologies, modern asphalt pavers are much like other heavy equipment in that they’re implementing increasingly more automated and preset features to make the operator’s job easier while also improving surface integrity, appearance, and durability. Automated vibration and slope and grade leveling, asphalt temperature and zone heat monitoring, auto-fill feeder systems, sensor-based material-flow systems and auger and conveyor adjustment, speed-limiting control, GPS navigation along configured routes, and automated assistants for cleaning and other tasks are a few examples. Others includes onboard diagnostic systems that make troubleshooting easier, telematics systems that do everything from monitor machine health to streamline asphalt deliveries, and eco modes that reduce fuel consumption. Elsewhere, look for such efficiency- and time-saving technologies as VÖGELE’s Repositioning function that saves paving settings before machine transport to another jobsite and then easily returns to them without losing any settings.
Find Your Asphalt Paver
You’ll find hundreds of asphalt pavers for sale every day on PavingEquipment.com, including track and wheel models from such leading manufacturers as Cat, Dynapac, LeeBoy, and VÖGELE.
Buying A Used Track/Wheel Asphalt Paver
Buying a used asphalt paver can provide a tremendous ROI, but you’ll likely have to forgo some newer features and customizations and you’ll need to put in more upfront research and inspection. The latter is particularly key in this space; asphalt cools fairly quickly after being poured, so delays due to bad components, electronics, systems, etc. that stretch on or repeat can lead to substandard surface finishes, which in turn can cut into your job efficiency and potentially damage the reputation of your company.
Before buying a used asphalt paver, it’s a good idea to verify that it runs and is operational. Thoroughly inspect it for poor wiring, nonfunctioning components, leaks, rust, and other issues to ensure everything from the tracks’ or wheels’ condition to the physical stability and operation of the screed, heating system, augers, hopper, conveyor, and more are acceptable. Additionally, always ask the seller for past maintenance, repair, and operating hours data and ask if manufacturer and/or third-party warranties are still in effect. Working with a trusted dealer will also ensure you’ll have a viable resource in the event that you do experience issues.