We are often asked whether it is OK to tailgate?
Tailgating refers to a second mixer truck dumping its concrete onto the conveyor belt of the first truck to the job site.
Many customers tailgate as regular practice.
The first mixer truck equipped with the conveyor can start the job. The conveyor is positioned for placing and does the first load on concrete. A second mixer serves up its load onto the conveyor belt and perhaps a third as needed to complete the placing operation.
Some people have asked how much is too much?
It is true that a conveyor is not a pump but it can compete against a pump for lots of jobs, the ones where pumps are simple not necessary and expensive.
You can run a concrete boom pump seamlessly for 8 hrs at 60-200 c ft/hr and pour between480-1600 yards Normally, with the conveyor repositioning from time to time, in 8 hrs you will do around 40ft/hr and pour 40 yards.
We learned recently that one of our customers, for example, sent two conveyors out to a site and in 8 hours finished a 720 yard pour by continuously having trucks tailgating onto the placer mixer. They sent the mechanic out to be on hand but everything went flawlessly.
We have several customers who very effectively combine their THEAM conveyors with their Front Discharge fleet. THEAM placing units are sent out first and are then feed easily with Front Discharge chutes.
