INNOVATIVE RIDE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM FROM CHAMPION 
OFFERS DRAMATIC REDUCTIONS IN COST OF ROAD MAINTENANCE

	The Champion RP626 Asphalt Profiler is used by counties and racetracks to smooth, seal and restore asphalt surfaces.

Nashville, TN - Contractors and public works officials at the National Pavement Expo here were introduced to an innovative new system developed to improve ride quality and extend the life of asphalt roads and highways, without repaving.

The Roadmaster™ Ride Quality Improvement System was demonstrated at the nearby Music City Motorplex (Nashville Raceway) by Champion Motor Graders and its development partners. The flagship of the system is Champion’s new Roadmaster RP626 Asphalt Profiler, a unique piece of road finishing equipment that mounts a 6’ grinder cutting head under the front frame of a Champion C60 Motor Grader. The RP626 Asphalt Profiler smooths asphalt surfaces by grinding away any bumps and irregularities within tolerances of 1/8^th inch or less. The complete 3-step Roadmaster system follows up the smoothing process with a sealer to fill any remaining cracks in the surface and then applies a rejuvenator that restores life and resiliency to old asphalt.

Bryan Abernathy, Executive Vice President at Champion Motor Graders, says that the Roadmaster concept is an ideal fit with Champion’s existing product line. “When Jim Wasson and Charlie Freeburn brought this idea to us, we could see right away that the system could be a real advantage to our customers. They had done their homework on how the smoothing, sealing and rejuvenating process could save millions of dollars for municipalities and counties every year. Maintaining ride quality at a reasonable cost has become a key challenge for planners and contractors in recent years, too. Our graders have been a valuable tool for safe and affordable road maintenance for 25 years. Now we can offer a new solution that goes even further to reduce costs for taxpayers.”

With a background in maintaining asphalt runways for military airports, Jim Wasson collaborated on developing the Roadmaster concept with Charlie Freeburn, a specialist in finishing the paved surfaces for drag strips and race tracks. The pair first built their own version of the RP626 profiler before showing the idea to Champion.

“Charlie and I took a hard look at the range of prime movers available to support the cutting head we were working on. We recognized that a grader chassis was the right place to start for fine road work. We were committed to having a fully hydrostatic drive for low-speed control and efficiency, so that narrowed the field considerably. Then when we started looking at hydraulic systems, manufacturing quality and engineering capability for the final product. Champion really stood alone. The support and enthusiasm they brought to the project proves to me that we made the right choice for bringing the system to the market.”

Wasson says that customers in the motorsport market have been more than impressed by test results on their tracks. “At 200 mph,” he says, “small bumps in the road make a pretty big difference in performance and safety!” But for public roads and highways, the practical value of the Roadmaster system is in the cost savings in the restoration of paved roads and in extending their useful life. “Refinishing the existing road surface with the Roadmaster system is significantly faster and lower in cost than resurfacing or rebuilding the road. We have been completing 2 lane/miles of roadway in a single 8-hour shift, including the sealer and rejuvenator applications. Contractors and maintenance crews can do the job with less equipment, less material and, compared to other methods of road improvement, there’s almost no disruption to traffic.”

According to Wasson, improved ride quality is a major factor in the lifecycle of a road surface. A smoother road results in reduced wear and less impact from the vehicles that drive on it. Meanwhile, taxpayers get the added value of a safer, more comfortable ride that reduces fatigue, improves fuel efficiency and minimizes wear on their vehicle.

“I couldn’t believe the difference!” says Abernathy. “The first time I drove straight onto a Roadmaster test strip from a normal stretch of road, it was like night and day: less vibration, quieter, just a silky smooth ride!”

Champion’s Engineering Department, under Chief Engineer Jeff McKee, is continuing to refine its design of the RP626 Asphalt Profiler while the prototype is in demonstration. “We are still looking at its power requirements for optimum speed and efficiency,” McKee reports. “We expect to upgrade our standard engine to the 200 HP range to supply power for both the hydrostatic drive and the cutting head. We are also looking at alternative configurations for double-wrap and triple-wrap cutting heads, which could lead us to even higher levels of productivity.”

“This is a very exciting project for Champion; a truly unique innovation in the road maintenance industry.”

Founded by Gary Abernathy in 1980, Champion Motor Graders returned to family ownership in 2004. The company has specialized in the design and manufacture of compact motor graders throughout its over 25-year history. The Champion production facility in Charlotte, NC, produces a full line of single-axle and tandem-axle compact graders, including all-wheel-drive models, as well as the industry’s widest range of attachments for grading and paving applications.

For more information on the Roadmaster RP626 Asphalt Profiler and the complete Roadmaster Ride Quality Improvement System, contact:

Bryan Abernathy, Executive Vice President
Champion Motor Graders
8844 Mount Holly Road
Charlotte, North Carolina 28214
Telephone: 704-392-1038
Fax: 704-394-0802