Continuous rotation
Turn and orient the load without repositioning the excavator for every movement.
Controlled pipe and material handling
Grip the load.Control every move.
DECKHAND® gives the excavator operator secure, precise control of pipe, poles, casings, road mats and more—without placing a ground crew beside the moving load.
30,000 lbrated handling capacity
360°continuous rotation
20–36texcavator weight class
15°tilt in either direction
One head. Multiple applications.
Positive control—not a free-swinging load.
The DECKHAND® head mounts to the excavator and works with interchangeable arm sets. From inside the cab, the operator can lift, lower, rotate, tilt and shift materials with a secure grip and precise placement.
✓Load-holding valves maintain grip independently of hydraulic pressure.
✓Interchangeable arms adapt the system to pipe, poles, casings and mats.
✓Off-centre gripping supports control in confined or difficult access areas.
Total operator control
Move, align and place from the safety of the cab.
The functions that matter when accuracy, coating protection and crew separation are essential.
Controlled tilt
Fine-adjust the main beam in either direction for accurate alignment and placement.
Side shift
Shift the arms along the beam to bring the material into the required position.
Load-holding valves
Maintain positive grip and help protect personnel, pipe and surrounding assets.
Made for varied work
One handling platform across the jobsite.
DECKHAND® combines a common powered head with application-specific arms for greater fleet versatility.
All-weather operation
Keep control in demanding conditions.
Designed for dependable handling through wind, mud, snow and ice.
Material handling
Pipe, poles and mats.
A secure grip for lifting, transport and precise placement.
HDD support
Drill rod and casing.
Purpose-selected arms support work around drilling operations.
Interchangeable arms
Configure it around the material.
The modular arm system is what makes DECKHAND® more than a single-purpose grapple. TA Drilling can help match the head, excavator and arm set to the job.
Dedicated arm sets for controlled handling of defined pipe diameters.
Changeable tips widen the usable diameter range from a common arm body.
Versatile gripping solutions for poles, smaller pipe and utility materials.
Designed around drill rod, casing and material used in HDD operations.
Support varied items where secure lifting and controlled placement are required.
Purpose-built handling for moving and positioning access mats efficiently.
Built around safety
Keep people away from the moving load.
Cab-based controls, a positive mechanical grip and accurate placement reduce the need for workers to guide materials manually beside the excavator.
DECKHAND® DH4
30,000 lbRated capacity for the standard DECKHAND® platform. Final capacity depends on the arm configuration and application.
Check compatibilityTechnical overview
Core DH4 specifications.
Use these figures as an initial guide. Excavator setup, hydraulic services, arm choice and lifting requirements should be confirmed for each application.
Model numberDH4
Excavator weight class20–36 metric tonnes
Supply pressure3,000 PSI / 207 bar
Hydraulic flow range20–30 GPM / 76–114 LPM
Recommended flow25 GPM / 95 LPM
Rated capacity30,000 lb / 13,608 kg
Machine weight2,900 lb / 1,315 kg
Overall dimensions83L × 37W × 63H in
The LaValley handling family
Two products. Two specialised roles.
DECKHAND® controls materials around the site; TONGHAND® manages exit-side HDD connections and tooling.
DECKHAND®
Modular handling for pipe, poles, casings, mats and other jobsite materials.
TONGHAND®
Precision make-and-break, drill-string handling and tooling control on the exit side.
Need safer, more controlled pipe handling?
Tell us what you need to move, the diameters involved and your excavator class. We’ll help identify the appropriate DECKHAND® configuration.