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What's Important About Vacuum Trucks

You've seen these giant trucks out and about on many different job sites, but what makes these trucks so versatile?


At Tiger Manufacturing, we've made and serviced hundreds of these finely tuned machines. We want to share some of the knowledge gained so you might be able to make better decisions for your business.


The two most common types of industrial vacuum equipment are categorized into vacuum trucks and trailers. With many customization options that assist in more specific tasks.


80 bbl vacuum truck

Standard Vacuum Trucks

Above is a standard vacuum truck and normally comes in a 70 or 80 barrel capacity. The design consists of a large tank for liquid storage, a pump for creating the vacuum and multiple hoses that allow access into tight spaces. Some of the uses include:


  • Sumps & Sewers: The larger storage capacity offers a perfect solution

  • Disaster Relief: Remove water from areas to protect everything from buildings to wildlife

  • Hazardous Materials: Use a certified truck to transport/store materials from something like a chemical spill


140 bbl vacuum trailer

Vacuum Trailers

These trailers come in a standard 130 or 140 barrel capacity and offer a few benefits from the industrial vacuum truck.


  • Dropable: You can set a vacuum trailer on a site and use the tractor for other things

  • Bigger Capacity: Some jobs call for more material to be moved around which can be limited with a 70 barrel truck

  • More Power: These tankers typically come with a larger vacuum system that offers much faster load/discharge speeds


Having a trailer also adds ease of transport in on-highway applications.


Truck and Trailer Specialization

Mentioned previously, units can be manufactured to focus on the completion of a task. For example, a truck carrying ammonia must meet certain requirements set by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. (ASME) These codes can cover anything from the type of hoses required to the amount of pressure allowed for the tank.


Specialization also includes other factors like internal linings, hydraulic dumping controls, furnaces and filter vessels.


dumping vacuum trailer with rear head open

Increased Safety

Vacuum equipment is an integral piece in maintaining safe conditions both on job sites and in the city. The job site may have a hazardous material leak that requires quick and effective clean-up. A city may use a dumping vacuum truck (shown above) as a waste management tool. Whether large or small, these machines are able to handle the messiest jobs.


mini vacuum trailer

Smaller Capacities

Having a massive truck or trailer can be an expensive and unnecessary in some cases. Tiger also produces smaller 17 barrel vacuum trailers that can be towed by a standard ball hitch. These trailers are fantastic in moving around in tighter spaces and offer benefits when pumping resturant grease traps, septic tanks and flooded basements.


Conclusion

Purchasing any piece of heavy equipment boils down to your specific needs. Vacuum trucks and trailers are perfect examples of units that are great for any application or one application.


With hundreds of options out there, we recommend finding a manufacturer that has all of the proper certifications. Use a website like The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors (NBBI) to find a certified facility near you. You can also reach out to Tiger Manufacturing as we hold the "R" stamp from the NBBI.

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