Scarab's Top Tips for Tackling Leafing Season

Autumn brings with it one of the most challenging periods for sweeper operators - ensuring roads, gulleys and pathways are clear of wet, slippery leaves to ensure people can safely enjoy the environment. Scarab’s range of truck-mounted road sweeping vehicles are designed to tackle challenging cleansing tasks in varying weather conditions and for this reason, are the optimal solution for leaf collection in the autumnal months.

Our machines offer a premium payload in their class so - when required to collect large quantities of heavy, wet leaves - operators can benefit from Scarab’s outstanding suction performance for the duration of long shifts, without being required to empty their hopper frequently. Coupling this with the robust and varied sweep configuration available with every machine, our sweepers are equipped with the tools needed to clear leaves even in the hardest-to-reach areas.

But how do you make sure you are achieving optimal performance during these challenging months? We asked some of our expert drivers for their top tips for tackling leafing season…

Don’t Race the Clock! ⌛

One of the biggest mistakes a sweeper driver can make when collecting vast quantities of leaves is rushing the task at hand. If you try to sweep heavily soiled areas too quickly, you increase the risk of blocking the suction nozzle or leaving streaks of debris behind. Let the machine do what it does best, sweeping!

Keep Your Screens Clean 🧽

Sticking to a strict cleaning schedule is the only way to ensure your machine remains in peak operational condition. During leafing season, it is crucially important that you pay particular attention to the screens in the hopper of your sweeper. If blocked, the machine’s airflow path will be compromised and drastically affect your sweeper’s ability to collect heavy, wet leaves.

Have You Checked Your Widesweep? 🤔

When you check the condition of your side brushes, it is good practice to also check your widesweep at the same time! If your segment brushes are too worn, you may have difficulty collecting the debris in one pass – so make sure you check this regularly. Scarab’s Parts team offers both regular, and hardwearing, segment brushes to customers, as well as offering a one-piece widesweep brush solution to customers - so make sure you are stocked up!

Control Your ‘Gobbler’! 😮

Many drivers affectionately call the nozzle box a ‘gobbler’ because, well, its job is to gobble up all the rubbish on the road surface! Scarab’s Control System allows operators to tilt the nozzle box while sweeping – so make sure you are making the most of this during leafing season. Let the machine do the hard work – simply, tilt the box to tackle large piles of leaves and reduce your risk of blockages.

Super Skirts & Robust Rubbers ✔️

The rubbers that line the outside of our sweeper’s nozzle boxes are vital in leafing season! If they are too worn, the seal to the road surface is broken and airflow path of the vehicle is compromised – hampering performance. It’s also important to make sure your skirts are a suitable length to help your machine collect debris and direct it into the path of the nozzle box. The Scarab Parts department is always stocked with these consumables parts to help ensure our customers can keep their machines on the road.

For more information, and tips, on how to ensure you are getting the most out of your Scarab sweeper, get in touch with a member of the team by calling +44 (0) 1622 831 006 or emailing scarab@scarab.fayat.com