Product Spotlight - November 2020

Product Spotlight - November 2020

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Suction booms are used every day to load and offload materials and liquids. Boom swivel bearings — or rotating seals, as they are often called — are an integral part of the boom and play a crucial role, as their design allows suction booms to be rotated and used under vacuum or pressure.

The applications for suctions booms include hydrovacs, catch basin cleaners, sewer flushers, portable restroom service trucks, industrial hazmat trucks and agricultural equipment. For more than 60 years, Fruitland has manufactured boom swivels for numerous pieces of machinery and their applications.

“Fruitland offers many styles of boom swivels and sizes, from 4- to 17-inch, to ensure a proper fit for our OEM-specific applications,” says Toby Jones, sales director for the manufacturer. These bearings are offered with or without gears depending on the anticipated use.

Lighter applications may allow the boom to be rotated manually. However, heavier applications will require a gear drive attached to the bearing to allow for powered rotation, which are also available with the Fruitland boom swivel.

Along with an extensive line of sealed boom swivels, Fruitland offers nonsealed swivels designed for high-pressure water hose reels, as well as worm drive swivels available with or without hydraulic motors. Worm drive swivels are available in 10- and 13-inch models and feature multiple grease nipples to allow for easy greasing access to ensure longevity.

Raw materials for the swivels are sourced in North America and several types of steel were used in the beginning before settling on the best material for long life. “All of our swivels are made from high carbon steel,” Jones says. “These swivels go through the same quality assurance and ISO testing that our vacuum pumps go through.”

The bearing grooves, or raceways, are laser-hardened for long life and durability. “We went through an extensive process of research and development to ensure that this hardening process went deep enough into the high carbon raceway,” Jones says. All swivels use properly sized chromed bearing balls, and the internal seals are lip seals rather than just O-ring style to ensure a proper seal under both vacuum and pressure.

“We have always had positive feedback from our OEM customers that utilize our boom swivels,” Jones says. 800-663-9003; www.fruitlandmanufacturing.com.



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