Keep Newly Surfaced Lots Mark Free
Contributed by Ray Smith of Florida Supermarkets:When asphalt hasn't cured completely, it is quite easy to leave runner marks on it when you sweep. As you may have heard from a mall manager if you have been so unfortunate as to do such a thing, this is not particularly desirable... What you need to do in a situation like this, no matter what year or model of sweeper you drive, is to raise the head slightly so that the runners don't quite touch the ground while sweeping. Although there will, of course, be a loss in pick-up power, it is negligible when compared with the damage that can be done by the full weight of runners sliding along a new surface.
This Tip is designed to save effort and time when you need to keep from marking such newly surfaced parking areas with an older model, although it should work with any model that has 4 head springs. What I do is to make a set of 2 wooden blocks like the one shown in the diagram.
They are the right size so that by inserting them between the bracket and the nuts on the rods which hold the springs, the head is held just off the ground. By using the blocks, the operator doesn't need to tighten the adjustment of the nuts before sweeping a newly paved lot, then loosen them back again afterward. Instead, the blocks are simply inserted prior to sweeping the recently paved area, then removed once done. This also assures that the head weight will stay in adjustment.
Editor's Note: If you need help on sweeper models other than the ones covered by this Tip but don't know how to solve it for your machine, the engineering department for your sweeping manufacturer a call. Our guess is they'll be glad to provide you with whatever information they have on keeping the pavement 'mark free' with your particular model.
Have an idea that would be helpful to others in the industry? Please let us know what it is.
