Manufacturing 500 TTR 20 Hose Carts
In 2015, five years after Ben Puck cut the ribbon on the first dedicated manufacturing facility, Puck expanded to add a new location in Worthing, South Dakota. In that same year, the first turn table reel was built and sold, becoming a flagship product of Puck and setting the standard for hydraulic hose carts. Over the next decade, slight upgrades would be made, but the durability and capacity of the TTR 20 have remained. Ten years after the fabrication of the first TTR 20, the 500th unit made its way through production.
Jeremy Puck, CEO, remembers the first TTR 20 and its manufacturing. “This was an evolution going from the HC 16 into a hose cart that’s bigger, that can carry more hose,” said Jeremy. “Some design points we had to overcome included road width, transportation length, and how to get through the field. The design led us to a tandem axle with four floatation tires on it to help get us through the field.” Additionally, Puck took inspiration from a Kinze planter to turn the reel sideways. This allowed the hose reel to be narrow on roads while still providing width in the fields. The turned reel can also be helpful when laying hose in a ditch along the side of the road, deploying the hose from the side.
Updates Through the Years
Since the first TTR 20 in 2015, the hose reel has seen a few changes. Now on version five, the TTR 20 has been upgraded over time through our own use, feedback from others, and a desire to find more efficiencies. Among the upgrades to the hose cart is the chassis adjustments. “The tongue position has changed drastically. We went from a single tube into an A-frame tube.” The establishment of that base feature allowed Puck to explore capacity improvements.
“The idea behind the TTR 20 was; how do we carry two miles of 8” hose? How do we carry a mile of 10” hose?” recalled Jeremy. Since asking those questions, Puck has designed and released solutions with carrying capacities that exceed the original goals. “The core functionality of the cart hasn’t changed, it’s just been updated,” said Jeremy. “Some of our customers also remember going from the plastic slides underneath and some of the issues with it sticking from frost and mud and debris,” noted Jeremy. “We’ve gone to a slew bearing design that helps it swivel from side to side.”
Puck has seen some major changes, both in company size and our manufacturing process. “Some of the design features of the TTR 20 have changed from a tubular structure to more of a sheet metal structure,” said Jeremy. “A lot of that design has come to help us produce these faster and more efficiently through the shop, as well.” Puck equipment isn’t just designed for efficiency in the field, it is also designed for efficiency of maintenance and repair. The manufacturability of the cart has changed to allow for easier upkeep, as well.
Flagship Features
The design of the TTR 20 reflects the patented features of Puck’s HC 16. All Puck hose carts feature the Arch Guard design that prevents hose from spilling over, as well as the domed reel ends that keep hose from twisting or kinking. Additionally, the patented features include the pivot off the center line of the reel. These elements in Puck hose carts have been the backbone in all of our hydraulic hose reel designs while maintaining the cart’s integrity.
Within the first decade of its release, Puck has manufactured and sold 500 TTR 20 hose carts. The first one is still in regular use today with the original customers, Twist-View Farms. Find more behind the scenes videos and product discussions by following Puck on social media.
