The new Lone Star truck-mounted LS T1 geotechnical drill rig is designed to allow faster and easier transportation from site to site, offering engineers and soil technicians a drill for standard penetration tests (SPTs) and sampling through tough soil in a range of environments.

Little Beaver’s Lone Star LS T1 drills can be mounted to the bed of a small truck or flatbed for faster and easier transportation from site to site. Source: Little Beaver

With its specially designed frame, the LS T1 can be mounted to the bed of a small truck or flatbed, or on a rugged, lightweight, single-axle trailer equipped with a 2-inch hitch, three leveling jacks and a spare tire. It has jacklegs to supplement the truck’s suspension. A hydraulic lift cylinder raises and lowers the mast and can be folded down when the unit is moved.

The SSK1’s soil-sampling kit includes a tower, pulley, third hydraulic valve and steel cathead, and it allows users to perform standard penetration tests with Little Beaver’s optional 140-pound safety hammer, split spoon samplers and AWJ drilling rod. An optional interchangeable head allows operators to switch from auger drilling for soil sampling and SPT testing to mud rotary drilling for water wells. The unit’s three-way ball valve allows the operator to bypass the mudflow when changing the drill pipe, eliminating the need to shut down the mud pump.

The unit is capable of drilling 6-inch boreholes down to 100 feet or to 60 feet with its two sizes of hollow-stem augers. The hinged shuttle plate allows users to swing the rotary aside for access to the borehole. For water-well drilling in hard rock, Little Beaver also offers down-the-hole (DTH) hammers that can be paired with 185-cfm air compressors typically found on jobsites. The frame, rotary and swivel are constructed of high-strength welded steel, and all crucial maintenance and greasing points are easily accessible. The drill also comes equipped with assembly tools for fast and easy setup.

The drill employs a bypass flow control system to offer exceptional control. Users can make precise adjustments to achieve the necessary pushdown force in challenging soil conditions. The drill has a 5,000-pound lifting capacity to easily remove augers and extensions, while an optional anchor kit provides even more force if necessary.

 A 20-horsepower Honda gas engine powers the drill, and a 3,000-psi hydraulic system operates at 10 gpm to achieve a rotary speed of 150 rpm.

Little Beaver has been manufacturing quality, safe and productive drilling equipment for three generations. With a full line of easy-to-operate equipment, along with a complete offering of accessories, including augers, extensions, points and blades, Little Beaver serves the needs of end-users from professional contractors to rental centers. For more information, visit www.littlebeaver.com.