United Rentals offers multiple sizes of vibratory rammers, also known as tampers, jumping jacks or wacker packers. They are designed for compaction of cohesive and mixed soils in confined areas. Rammers are ideal for backfills around foundations, forms, pipelines and other trench work, including preparation for concrete or asphalt. If you need deep compaction in a narrow area, this is the right compaction equipment for you.

FAQs about Rammers

What size is the foot?

• United Rentals offers three different sizes — small, medium and large. Small rammer compactors should be used for the narrowest areas, such as around pipelines or small trenches. Medium-size and large-size jumping jack rammers are designed for larger areas such as preparing concrete sites or driveways.

What compaction does this give me?

• Depending on the type of soil and the moisture content, these rammer tampers can offer up to 1” deep compaction. Rammers pack a lot of punch: they have up to 32,000 lbs. of impact force onto a small surface area. That is why rammers are ideal for cohesive soils and asphalt.

What compacts better — jumping jack rammers or plate compactors?

• Jumping jack rammer compactors are narrower and they have increased impact force. If you need to compact material in a narrow trench or around utility pipes, the rammer compactor is best. If you need to compact a large, flat area with granular soil, the plate compactor is the right choice for you. Instead of relying on impact force, the plate compactor vibrates, which moves the particles of the soil closer together and results in high-density compaction. However, the jumping jack and plate compactor work well together; use the plate compactor to prep the area, the jumping jack to compact the cohesive soils, and the plate compactor again to finish.

How do I pick the right rammer?

• United Rentals offers small, medium and large plate/foot-size gas-powered jumping jack rammers and heavy-duty diesel-powered large rammers. You should choose a rammer based on the size of the jobsite and the amount of compaction you need. If you have a larger work area and need deep compaction, a larger rammer would be advantageous. If you are compacting a very narrow trench around utility pipes or structures, a smaller size would be best.