Lugging a MaxLiner HotKick unit (PrimeLine Products) to remote locations for pipe lining jobs used to give Keith Witt a bit of a workout. But thanks to an all-terrain attachment made by Kei Carts, the owner of Witt’s Water Works plumbing service in Willard, Utah, now must get his exercise somewhere other than at work.

Equipped with large rubber tires, the aluminum attachment adds new dimensions to Witt’s business, namely improved productivity and portability. “It’s made getting the unit in and out of my truck much easier, as well as easier to transport on longer distances,” says Witt, a sole proprietor who established his business in 2004. “When I work at remote locations, it cuts transport time significantly. And we all know your time is worth something.”

Powered by a diesel engine, the HotKick is used to heat and cure the felt liners used in MaxLiner pipe lining systems. It weighs around 177 pounds and measures 36 by 24 by 49 inches. The cart that comes with it is great for paved surfaces. But it’s not as adept at traversing rougher terrain, notes Witt, who does service and repair plumbing, drain cleaning, and pipeline rehab work throughout northern Utah.

A recent job required Witt to move the HotKick several hundred feet on an uneven lawn, including an 8- to 10-foot drop down a hill. Observing how difficult it was to move the machine, a MaxLiner representative who was showing Witt the ropes suggested that he buy the Kei Carts all-terrain attachment, made specifically to handle HotKicks.

“We did two shots on the job — one section of 4-inch-diameter pipe about 35 feet long and another section of 3-inch-diameter pipe about 40 feet long — and then another two-shot job,” Witt recalls. “And that all-terrain attachment would’ve come in real handy on both jobs. It took two people about 15 minutes to get the HotKick to the job site, and with the all-terrain cart, I could’ve done it by myself in about five minutes,” he explains.

So Witt invested around $500 in the attachment, which weighs about 27 pounds and measures about 22 inches long by 10 1/2 inches wide. It features four 10-inch-diameter pneumatic tires, two on each end.

“I wasn’t concerned about the cost,” he says. “I just knew it was a tool that could really help me be more productive.” Witt says he was also influenced by John Larsen, the owner of Rhino Rooter in Brigham City. Witt and Larsen often combine forces on drain cleaning and pipe lining projects.

Larsen was already familiar with Kei Carts because he owns one of its Stealth carry-reel carts. A Stealth cart with a 12-inch reel can carry 300 feet of 3/8-inch-diameter hose or 200 feet of 1/2-inch diameter hose. The Stealth enables Larsen to work in remote, hard-to-access locations where he can’t take his large 4018 trailer-mounted jetter, made by US Jetting (4,000 psi at up to 18 gpm). The Stealth can also be built with 8- or 22-inch carry reels and features two 10-inch-diameter pneumatic tires. It weighs about 65 pounds and measures 46 by 22 by 24 inches (with a 12-inch reel).

It takes less than a minute to affix the attachment to or detach it from a HotKick cart. To attach it, just position it under the rear of the HotKick cart, raise it into place, slide a connecting rod through the assembly, and push a large hairpin clip pin through one end of the rod. The connecting rod self-stores on the attachment when not in use.

The all-terrain attachment is one of many custom attachments made by Kei Carts, owned by Rodney King and based in Mount Vernon, Illinois. He also builds attachments that make machines such as the Picote Solutions Maxi Miller, RIDGID SeeSnake pipeline inspection cameras and Envirosight cameras easier to transport. (For more information, visit www.keicarts.com or www.facebook.com/kei-carts-538860102945234.)

Witt says the attachment also provides a big assist in weather-related problems, such as snow, along with terrain issues like hills, mud, and sand. “We did a job about two or three weeks ago where there was quite a bit of snow on the ground,” he explains. “The attachment definitely helped me get the equipment to the job site, which involved traveling across about 200 yards of snow-covered grass. It took me just a couple minutes. Without the attachment, I would’ve been snowplowing with the cart.”

The company also owns a Dodge 3/4-ton pickup truck, a 14-foot cargo trailer made by Wells Cargo, drain cleaning machines made by Spartan Tool (100 and 300 models), a Clog Squad from the Clog Dog, and a TCM-2000 from GI Industries. Witt relies on the PipePatch system from Source One Environmental to perform point repairs in pipes.

Could Witt work without the attachment? Sure, he agrees. “We’re persistent — we’d make it work. But now transporting equipment doesn’t press on my mind any more. I know I can get the HotKick where I need it, quickly and efficiently.”