In a hire fleet the roller is filed by weight, because weight is what compacts. The line runs from small walk behind drums a couple of people can lift onto a trailer, through one to three ton ride ons, up to ten and twelve ton machines that arrive on a lowboy. Day rates run roughly $110 at the bottom to $700 at the top, and the class decides the transport too.
Yards file rollers by weight, not by name
Ask for a roller and the counter's first question is how heavy, because the catalogue is ordered that way. Walk behind, light ride on, mid ride on and heavy ride on are the working brackets, and every other distinction, drum type, drive and steering, sits underneath. Give the weight bracket and the surface and the conversation is nearly finished.
Weight is only half of what the drum applies
Static weight presses; vibration adds a rapidly repeating force that is a multiple of it. That is why a light vibrating machine outperforms a much heavier dead weight one, and why the amplitude setting matters near buildings and services. When comparing two machines, ask about both figures rather than the tonnage alone.
Past a few tons it travels like heavy equipment
Small units ride on a light trailer behind a pickup. Mid ride ons need a braked equipment trailer and a heavy truck. The ten ton class and above is a scheduled lowboy run, charged each way, and on a short job that transport can approach the hire itself, which often decides the class chosen.
Sizing up is not free
A heavy machine on a thin layer or a small area wastes its passes turning and can over compact or shear the surface. The right class is the lightest one that reaches through the layer you are placing, which keeps both the rate and the haulage down and usually finishes at the same hour.
Questions people ask about roller heavy equipment
What class of roller do I need for a car park base?
A one to three ton ride on covers most car park sub base and surfacing, with a walk behind for edges and around manholes. Full depth road base over a large area is where the heavier classes start to earn their transport.
Is a heavier roller always better?
No. Too much weight on a thin lift shoves material sideways and can crack a bound surface. Layer thickness, material and the number of passes decide the result, and the machine only has to be heavy enough to reach the bottom of the layer.
What should the operator wear and watch for?
Hearing protection, because a vibrating drum at close quarters is loud all day, and the seat belt, because a roller sliding off the edge of a fresh embankment is the classic incident with these machines. Keep a clear line behind you and never rely on a reversing alarm alone.