Manufacturers of vehicles that need innovative, superior steerable hydraulic drive axles are turning to Tuthill Drive System's (TDS) Mud Hog brand.

Manufacturers of vehicles that need innovative, superior steerable hydraulic drive axles are turning to Tuthill Drive System's (TDS) Mud Hog brand. 'And our list of successes proves it', TDS President Randy Minier told workers recently. Addressing Tuthill team members on the 30th anniversary of the introduction of Mud Hog, the world's leading brand of steerable hydraulic drive axles, Minier highlighted some of the Brookston, Indiana, facility's ground-breaking inroads in the construction machinery, commercial turf care and cargo loading market sectors.

'We've done for them what we've done for our customers in the agricultural market where we're so well known'.

'We've helped them improve the quality of their product, which set them apart from their competition, and we've done it while helping them control their engineering, manufacturing and procurement costs', he said.

In fact, TDS' durable, dependable Mud Hog axles dominate the agricultural market, and are the world leading drive solution for cotton pickers, combines and other self-propelled farm equipment.

For three decades, Mud Hog products have helped farmers harvest their crops in soggy, muddy fields that would have bogged down other drive systems.

'There's no doubt about it', said Minier.

'Farmers know Mud Hog and what it can do for them'.

'They've put their Mud Hog axles through the most challenging testing ground there is, muddy crop land, over the past 30 years'.

Now, manufacturers that build other heavy duty equipment (such as motor graders, pavers, commercial turf care mowers, cargo loaders and other vehicles) and their customers are praising Mud Hog for the competitive edge the brand's quality engineering and swift, nimble manufacturing have offered them, Minier told Tuthill associates.

Faced with the need to make design changes, many firms have realised it is simply not economical to try to complete engineering in-house, let alone undertake initial manufacturing, which consumes not only critical company capital, but facility floor space that may not be readily available.

'So, they've sought out the experts at Tuthill Drive Systems for their hydraulic drive axle needs', said Minier.

'Because solving steerable hydraulic drive axle design challenges is what we do well and have done well for 30 years, we can help our partners avoid the dead-end delays associated with engineering from scratch'.

'We've been down those roads and dealt with those problems'.

'And we've got the talent, facilities and decades of experience to get the job done'.

'Whether it's a design change to an existing machine, or a totally new product, with Mud Hog, our original equipment manufacturer partners and other customers don't have to re-invent the wheel, so to speak', Minier said.

'What's more, OEMs get a product that's virtually bolt-on ready', he added.

John Deere is a prime example, according to Minier.

John Deere twice turned to TDS for help.

The first project in the 1990s helped John Deere make a quick, competitive entry into an international market with a golf course mower that could handle rolling terrain - all without a comprehensive redesign to the company's existing mower.

'They were definitely satisfied with the application'.

'So much so, they came back to us', Minier said.

The next project involved a new lightweight mower with a particular challenge: multiple welds around an integrated hydraulic fluid reservoir needed to be meticulously executed.

Any weld spatter could contaminate the oil, and the tiniest of holes could cause a leak, resulting in a disastrous spill on prime golf course turf.

'We got the job done and we helped pack more structural strength into the front axle of that mower', Minier said.

Similarly, Jacobson/Textron turned to TDS when it needed changes that offered more tractive ability, handling and flotation from its municipal/park-style mower - all within a seemingly impossible deadline of under a year.

'We not only got the design done, but we did it on time, including completion of the testing verification, which is something our customers know us for', said Minier.

TDS project for Champion Road Machinery is another example, Minier continued.

When the firm wanted to convert its six-wheel motor grader to all-wheel drive, redesigning the entire grader to accommodate hydrostatic drive was not an option.

TDS answered the challenge with an adaptive, addon kit, that it designed, built and tested in a little more than a year - a fraction of the time it would have taken Champion on its own, Minier noted.

'It was a win-win situation', continued Minier.

'The company got its product to market faster, grabbed a competitive advantage, and just as importantly, served their end users'.

'There's no doubt about it'.

'Tuthill Drive Systems and the Mud Hog team have made the difference for us, period', said Bill Stalzer of Bomag, a global leader in the design and manufacture of world-class paving machinery, including roller compactors, pavers and pavement milling machines.

The initial manufacturing and engineering required to get more traction from two of their pavement recycling models was cost prohibitive, so Bomag turned to TDS.

The result was a patented hydraulic valve and a drive system that mounted the same way on three different Bomag pavement recyclers, which saved more time and money.

'One of the big benefits Mud Hog brings to the design table is that our experts take care of our OEM partners' and customers' steerable hydraulic drive challenges, allowing them to concentrate on other design and manufacturing issues'.

'The bottom line is Mud Hog has the engineering enhancement specialists, the manufacturing knowledge and experience and the testing facilities to make the competitive difference not just in the agricultural market, but in any market sector where only the fastest and best will make it', Minier said.