(Virtual Showroom) As municipalities and service providers demand greater efficiency, reliability, and ease of maintenance from their sewer-cleaning and industrial jetting and vacuuming equipment, hydraulic-driven pumps are increasingly becoming the standard. According to Sebastian Werner, MD of leading local manufacturer of high-pressure jetting and vacuuming trucks, Werner Pumps, although V-belt driven pumps have long been used in high-pressure jetting trucks, hydraulic technology offers numerous benefits.

“We try to convince all our customers to opt for the hydraulic-driven pump because it’s a more modern solution that offers better reliability, less downtime, fewer repairs and ultimately a lower total cost of ownership,” he says. “Almost all our trucks use hydraulic-driven pumps and we only fit the V-belt option if a customer insists on it. Even then, we’ve developed a more robust system that uses a sturdier single belt because the traditional multi-belt option means that when one belt fails, all the belts need replacing, which is costly and (in my opinion) a waste.”

Werner explains that V-belt systems are prone to wear and tear. “Belts can slip, stretch, crack, or break entirely, especially under high loads or in the dusty, wet environments that are typical of sewer-cleaning or industrial jetting or vacuuming operations,” he says. “This not only reduces performance but also increases the risk of unplanned downtime.”

Hydraulic-driven systems, by contrast, offer superior durability. “With fewer moving parts exposed to environmental stressors, they’re less vulnerable to the mechanical failures that often plague belt-driven setups. This reliability translates directly to more uptime and greater peace of mind for operators in the field.”

Hydraulic drives also offer more flexibility in equipment design. Because hydraulic lines can transmit power over a distance, pump placement is less constrained by the position of the truck’s engine or gearbox. “This makes it easier for us to optimise the layout of components and build more compact, ergonomic truck-mounted units,” says Werner. “For example, while many of our competitors’ V-belts sit underneath the truck, where they can easily be damaged by debris on the road or being physically knocked, the hydraulic system on our trucks sits neatly behind the operator cab. This means they are located well above the level where they could easily be damaged and offer much easier access should repairs ever be required.”

Maintenance is another area where hydraulic systems shine. While V-belts must be regularly inspected, tensioned, and replaced, hydraulic systems typically require only routine checks of fluid levels, filters, and hoses. This means fewer service interruptions and lower lifetime maintenance costs. 

“Although hydraulic systems may carry a higher upfront cost, which is what seems to put some customers off, their superior durability, reduced downtime, and lower maintenance needs result in a lower total cost of ownership over time,” says Werner. “Especially for our customers who own and operate multiple trucks, this long-term value is a compelling reason to invest in hydraulic-driven units.