The new Loftness Bad Ax update for skid steer loaders is lighter, stronger, has better balance and features a radial piston high-pressure motor, plus a fully machined 60-inch-diameter disc.
Machine balance is a critical safety factor when running bush-clearing disc mulcher. It also affects machine efficiency. The engineers at Loftness figured out how to move the Bad Ax five inches back, closer to the power unit. They made improvements to the steel housing and increased the diameter of the main shaft.
They trimmed about 400 pounds from the original unit, helping with balance as well as stability and flotation. The new Bad Ax weighs 2,643 lb., according to spokesperson Bryce Goodell.
He adds that the machine is designed to cut trees up to 14 inches in diameter.
“In a pasture bush-clearing operation, it will turn that 14-inch diameter tree into a pile of pulp on the ground. In a logging or firewood operation, the operator can leave the good logs alone and only mulch the smaller branches,” said Goodell, adding that the re-designed intake lets material flow through the machine more smoothly.
“The engineers called for a new radial piston high-pressure motor, which provides instant full torque capability at start-up for fast recovery time. The original model had an axial piston motor. The new Bad Ax uses the same 60-inch diameter fully machined, Quadco steel disc. There’s no welds, so there’s no areas subject to stress cracking. The disc is 1.25 inches thick.”
The new housing includes a re-cutter bar with counter teeth to hold material in place while mulching. This allows the unit to cut the material into particles that are finer than other disc mulchers. It also helps avoid log jams in the chamber, which can be difficult to remove.
Ultra-sharp, heat-treated steel Quadco blades slice through vegetation, rather than shredding and tearing material. The blades can be sharpened or rotated on site to keep a fresh cutting edge. The blades are mounted to the disc with a single hex bolt for easy removal. The bolt-on mounts can be replaced in the field without cutting, welding or rebalancing the rotor.
The Bad Ax housing design has parallel sides that provides better control. The front of the housing is angled so the teeth can mulch at ground level. A rigid discharge deflector gives better control of material discharge. Other standard features include an integrated pressure gauge, an adjustable tree-pusher bar with welded claw hooks, and anti-wrap bearing protection. The Bad Ax requires 70 to 120 hydraulic horsepower to operate.
