ForConstructionPros.com

Concrete buggies are tremendous labor-saving devices, effectively reducing the need for manpower in a range of applications from concrete pouring to landscaping and demolition projects. To maximize the potential these machines have to offer, you need to select the right model for your job.

There are basically two types of power buggies: walk-behind and stand-on, says Fred Russell, regional sales manager with Miller Spreader. Walk-behind models typically have 10- or 11-cu.-ft. buckets and are powered by 8-hp gas engines. The rear steering wheel is caster-mounted. The operator steers the buggy using the handles to control the direction of the caster wheel.

Stand-on buggies, on the other hand, are available with either 16- or 21-cu.-ft. buckets. The 16-cu.-ft. models usually are equipped with a 13-hp gas engine, while 21-cu.-ft. models usually have a 20-hp engine. As with the walk-behind unit, the rear tires do the steering. A steering handle controls the direction of the steering tires much like a handlebar on a tricycle.

Russell adds that two variations of the stand-on buggy are the all-wheel drive and tracked machines. The all-wheel-drive buggy has a hydraulic drive motor powering all three sets of tires. The track buggy uses the front-drive tires to drive the track. Steering in both variations is still the rear-tire assembly. Both varieties have 16-cu.-ft. buckets but use larger 18-hp engines.

According to Frank Wenzel, vice president of engineering at Stone Construction Equipment, the primary defining characteristic of a buggy is its hopper capacity. "They are offered in a variety of sizes with the most popular being 16 cu. ft.," he explains.