What is it?
A seal tractor is a specialized piece of equipment used to spread liquid seal coat across large surfaces smoothly and evenly. It consists of a tractor with a squeegee attachment hitched to the back and may also have a large tank of water attached to the front. As a safety feature, there’s a tall roll bar behind the driver’s seat on the tractor to prevent the tractor from tipping onto its back.
How does it work?
The seal tractors are some of our least complicated pieces of equipment in that they’re tractors with squeegees that pull seal coat across existing asphalt. The height of the squeegee is set to provide the optimal thickness of seal coat, and the driver operates at a rate of speed to spread the seal coat evenly. Large tankers hold the liquid seal and dump it through a large hose onto the asphalt for the tractor to spread.
Where they get more complex is on extremely hot days. Ambient temperature heats the asphalt to a point where it will immediately absorb the moisture out of the seal coat and can cause it to cure improperly. To counteract this, we spray water ahead of the area being seal coated to cool the asphalt and provide additional moisture to prevent the absorption of the moisture from the seal coat too quickly. The additional moisture also allows us to smooth out any tire tread marks, resulting in a smooth application that cures at the proper rate.
How do we use them?
While they’re relatively simple in design, they’re essential to our operation and in protecting your largest investment: asphalt. On our mid-size to large projects, the seal tractor is a great asset in spreading the perfect layer of seal coat to cover the asphalt evenly and protect it from damaging factors such as weather (rain, ice, snow, etc.), water penetration, UV rays, chemicals, and wear and tear. When it comes to seal coat, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and these tractors are vital assets for us and for your property.