The high-performance vacuum rigs and precision drills that power hydroexcavation, trenchless utility installation and horizontal directional drilling jobs all share a relentless appetite for diesel. And when it’s time to refuel, agility is everything.
For years, supporting these decentralized fleets meant a logistical compromise: choosing between slow-pouring transfer tanks or investing in massive fuel trucks that couldn’t navigate tight job sites. Thunder Creek Equipment shattered this bottleneck with its Diesel Pickup Skid, a truck-bed-mounted fueling platform engineered for the nimble nature of alternative excavation.
The DPS packs heavy-duty fuel infrastructure into a compact footprint designed to slide effortlessly into a standard pickup bed, flatbed or utility trailer. Boasting a total diesel capacity of 230 gallons, the skid splits the payload between two isolated 115-gallon, 10-gauge steel tanks. By isolating fuel into individual tanks under the 119-gallon legal threshold, Thunder Creek’s multitank design legally bypasses hazmat hauling regulations. This eliminates the need for specialized CDL drivers, allowing any crew member to handle field refueling.
Alternative excavation demands absolute operational uptime; a stalled vacuum truck can pause an entire job site. The DPS addresses this with a fully integrated, commercial-grade pumping system. Equipped with a 12-volt electric fuel pump pushing 11 gpm, a 10-micron fuel filter and a 35-foot retracting hose reel, field refueling is whittled down from a grueling chore to a quick, clean transition.
Crucially, alternative excavation equipment relies heavily on Tier 4 Final engines. The DPS integrates a 25-gallon stainless steel DEF tank underneath its rugged frame, feeding a 12-volt electric DEF pump and its own 35-foot hose. By eliminating the reliance on easily contaminated, single-use plastic DEF jugs, the skid safeguards sensitive systems from job site dust and debris, preventing forced engine derates.
Wrapped in a heavy-duty steel frame with integrated fork pockets and a lockable pump enclosure, the Thunder Creek DPS provides alternative excavation contractors with the independence and mobility required to keep their specialized iron humming, no matter how restricted the workspace.
866-535-7667; www.thundercreek.com
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