On November 12, Wirtgen North America gathered 1,200 customers, dealers, executives and members of the media in Antioch, Tennessee, for its 2024 North American Technology Days, showing off the company's latest tech and demoing new machines.
On the grounds – and new to North America – was Hamm’s HD 9 VV tandem roller. This unit features two 35.4-inch-wide vibrating roller drums, 21.6 horsepower and an operating weight of 3,682 pounds. Centrifugal force comes in at 3,825 pounds in the front and 2,475 pounds in the rear.
The unit measures 7 feet 6 inches front to back and 3 feet 5 inches side to side and has an inside turning radius of just under 7 feet.
One perk for end users is clear sides on the drum, allowing operators to get right up to and compact against the curb. The HD 9 VV also features a fixed offset between the front and rear drum and a three-point articulating joint for improved compaction and better drum contact on the material. Both drums are just over 2 feet in diameter and just under 3 feet wide.
Hamm Applications Support Manager Dan Sant Anselmo says the HD 9 VV fills a gap in the company’s product lineup between the older HD 8 and the HD 10 C. One feature he points out is an improved hood design for better operator visibility.
“We are mounting our engine in front of our hydraulics, and that cuts down the angle of the hood to give a better view from the operator's seat down to the drum,” says Sant Anselmo. “It gives a ‘wasp body’ shape to the machine to get that better visibility.”
The HD 9 VV is powered by an 8.7-gallon Kubota D1105 engine. Sant Anselmo says that since the engine runs mechanically, it allows Hamm to reduce the amount of electronics on it.
He says the unit is best suited for contractors doing small parking lots, driveways and any area requiring good maneuverability.
