3 Useful Extras to Install on the Plate Compactor

Proper compaction is an essential part of getting prepared to lay paving stones, concrete, asphalt, or similar surfaces. If the surface isn’t compact, there is a high risk of the lower levels shifting, which will have a major impact on the entire project. One of the best tools to prepare the base material is the plate compactor. The standard tool is highly effective in preparing the surface, but with a few useful additions the plate compactor will be a lot easier to use. Let’s take a look at three of the extra features to consider using:

Throttle control

The typical plate compactor is likely to have the throttle control positioned in an area close to the engine. However, this isn’t the easiest place to reach, especially if it is necessary to start and stop the machinery at regular intervals. Also, it can be quite a safety hazard to bend over to reach the control while the unit is still active. A practical solution to make the tool a lot more straightforward to use is to install a handle-mounted throttle control. It not only gives much easier access to this control, but will also ensure the plate compactor is safer to use.

Hoist hooks

A plate compactor is a heavy piece of machinery, so relocating from one job site to another can be a difficult process. A simple solution to lift the unit onto the rear of a vehicle is to make sure a built-in hoist hook is in place. While this feature may be common for certain brands, it may need to be an extra or upgrade on some of the older units.

Wheel Kit

A wheel kit is a useful but often ignored piece of kit for the plate compactor. The wheels are only effective in certain situations, but they are certain to benefit when it comes to moving this heavy tool in a showroom, around the repair shop, or on any hard surfaces on the job site. In most cases, the wheel kit is an optional extra, but these are some models that will have the feature as a standard part of the build. This is certain to help with any projects that need the plate compactor moved around a lot and will definitely save time.

Even though these extra may seem small, they are certain to make the all-round experience of using a plate compactor a lot easier to use and handle.