Ditch Witch RT80 Ride-on Trencher Reimagined For Urban Utility Work

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The new RT80 trencher offers a narrower footprint and a modular design to fit and function in small, urban environments. (Photo courtesy of Ditch Witch.)

Ditch Witch is updating its popular RT80 ride-on trencher with a narrower and more versatile design, including a modular track frame that lets operators quickly switch between tires and tracks in the field. The new RT80 trencher is still built for heavy-duty work with a 74.5-horsepower (55.5 kilowatts) Deutz Tier 4 diesel engine, as well as static load rating of 35,407 pounds (16,060 kilograms) and a wide-axle rating of 39,000 pounds (17690 kilograms). Ditch Witch says the new model is ideal for heavy-duty trenching, vibratory plowing, and microtrenching in confined urban and residential areas where larger machines cannot maneuver as freely.

Overcoming Unique Challenges

“The RT80 trencher was built to adapt,” says Chris Thompson, Ditch Witch product manager, heavy-duty trenchers. “Faced with tighter deadlines, smaller budgets, and more congested underground networks, contractors need a utility trencher that can fit and function in any environment. That was our mindset when designing the new version of the RT80.”

With a footprint of just over six and half feet, the slimmer RT80 trencher is able to work in a typical residential street lane (often 11 feet wide). Ditch Witch also installed a higher seat that can rotate 90 degrees for greater comfort and simplified operation.

Modularity & Efficiency

The RT80 trencher’s new modular track-frame design simplifies moving the machine between jobsites. Ditch Witch notes, for example, that when the trencher is equipped with tracks, the RT80 should easily fit on a standard drop-deck trailer. The ability to switch between tracks and tires also gives operators the flexibility to use the RT80 trencher in any terrain or weather condition. During operation, the RT80 trencher also helps to maximize efficiency with a three-speed, shift-on-the-fly ground drive system. Operators just select the correct range, without having to stop working.

Source: Ditch Witch

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