Perth-based business Colonel’s Mowing is reaping the benefits of an Isuzu NLR 45-150 Traypack over the company’s previous ute that struggled to haul the weight.
Dan Clynk started Colonel’s Mowing in 2015 and as the name suggests, he’s a bit of a Hogan’s Heroes fan. With a nod to the long running television program, he worked a play on character Colonel Klink into the business name.
In WA, demand is steadily increasing for lawn improvement, and Clynk is moving with the times, offering services such as top dressing, lawn aeration and vertimowing for lawn restoration.
“In Perth we have a lot of sand which is really lacking in important organic materials,” said Clynk.
“And in modern home builds, I see a lot of turf being put straight on top of sand, rubble and building waste. I use an organic compost soil mix, combined with wetting agents for top dressing and levelling of lawns, and an aerator for de-compaction.
“The hydraulic aerator pulls out soil to a depth of about 75mm and around 120 holes per square metre, allowing oxygen, nutrients and water in and carbon dioxide out; it’s very good for compacted or thinning lawns,” he said.
The substantial amount of equipment required is carried in a 12’ tandem axle trailer which means there’s some solid towing involved.
In previous years, he relied on utilities to move the load around but found them lacking in both load capacity and safety for towing the trailer.
“When I started the vertimowing and aerating and carrying a lot of weight, the ute was decidedly lacking in performance; after more than a few dramas I decided that was that: It was time to find something stronger and with space for everything I needed,” said Clynk, adding that he had a few non-negotiables in mind; namely a vehicle that would fit into his shed to ensure his gear was safely locked away overnight.
“I went for the shorter wheelbase because I’ve got limited space at home to get through the carport. In the end I had 40mm to spare and can now back the trailer into the shed and have everything locked up,” he said.
“I also didn’t want to go too long so I’m not blocking off people’s driveways on jobs, especially in the more modern estates where they end up having very narrow driveway frontages.”
Clynk also opted for Isuzu’s Torque Convertor Automated Manual Transmission (TC-AMT) for ease of use in and around the suburbs of Perth.
“I bought the automatic because it’s easier for me day in, day out, not having to change gears all the time. With a fully loaded tray and trailer, the AMT has been great.
“It’s really good on fuel too – uses less than my ute, which I was not expecting. My first thoughts were that getting into a truck was going to cost me a fortune to run; it’s been great to see some savings there.”
The NLR 45-150 Traypack is powered by Isuzu’s efficient 4JJ1-TCS, four-cylinder, direct injection engine which produces 110kW (148hp) at 2,800rpm and torque of 375Nm between 1,600 and 2,800rpm.
When quizzed on the prospect of switching back to a ute, Clynk’s response was succinct: “When it comes to a truck, there’s so many pluses over a ute – I’ll never buy another one,” he said.