Ditch Witch JT21 Profile

Ditch Witch Unveils JT21 Drill for Fiber Work

HDD contractors looking to add more power and speed to complete their fiber and other underground utility projects more efficiently should take a look at the Ditch Witch JT21 directional drill. 

Ditch Witch recently introduced a highly anticipated update to its flagship directional drill, after more than three years in development, providing HDD contractors with a more efficient solution for completing fiber installations and other underground utility projects.

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“The JT20 has been a staple of the industry and has been our most popular drill but having been on the market for 20 years, the time had come for an upgrade,” says Ditch Witch HDD product manager Britton Yunker.

The JT21

The result is the JT21 — an upgraded replacement for the JT20 drill that delivers up to 40 percent more downhole horsepower than its predecessor and 35 percent faster carriage speed than any drill in its class, empowering crews to work more effectively, increasing ROI.

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The JT21 features 21,000 lbs of pullback, 20,000 lbs of thrust and 2,250 ft-lbs of torque, allowing crews to complete installations at a faster pace in a variety of soil conditions. Also, a new design and lower center of gravity increases stability.

Ditch Witch Jt21 drill rod

Yunker is excited for contractors to get this machine out on their jobsites.

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“Any operator who puts the JT21 drill to work will quickly see why it’s the most powerful drill in its class,” he says. “But it’s not sheer power alone that sets the JT21 drill apart from other drills in its class. It also incorporates several productivity-boosting enhancements, making it an ideal choice for contractors whether they’re looking to replace an aging drill or make crews more effective.”

The JT20 dates back to 2004 with its introduction as the JT20 MACH 1. The JT20 arrived in 2013 but the only significant adjustment made was to the machine’s engine emissions, going from an 85-hp engine to a 74-hp engine.

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“So, technically we’ve had a 20-year-old machine with hardly any improvements,” Yunker says. “It was definitely time.”

Who better to ask what drillers need than the drillers themselves. Ditch Witch turned to its customers — frequent users of the JT20 — for insights, asking what they’d want in a new compact rig, particularly a rig that would be front and center in the fiber market.

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Customer response was clear: more power and speed. Taking that feedback to heart, Ditch Witch got to work and delivered with the JT21.

Ditch Witch JT21 HDD operator station view

Key Features

Yunker points to several features that the JT21 boasts to boost productivity and ease operations:

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  • Improved hydraulic efficiencies and a direct-drive rotation motor delivering more downhole horsepower.
  • Virtually Assisted Make-up (VAM) technology provides software-driven make-up and breakout of pipe to simplify operators’ jobs and help prevent pipe-thread damage to extend pipe longevity.
  • A proven pipe-loading system provides the horizontal-style pipe loading customers asked for and helps optimize efficiency and uptime on jobsites.
  • An enhanced operator station provides a common display with other HDD platforms and multi-mode joysticks that allow operators choose their preferred control style, minimizing training needs across multiple platforms.
  • Advanced telematics give operators access to a wide range of drill health and operating parameters, helping them make quick, informed decisions while improving overall jobsite management and reducing maintenance.
  • A larger displacement pump, generating 35 GPM and running at a lower RPM, increases the life of the pump and wearables.

“This rig is built with fiber work in mind,” Yunker says. “The fiber market is huge domestically right now. Contractors love this drill because it has 400 ft of pipe capability and it’s compact to get you into urban areas, where the work is. Everyone wants to get in and get out of those jobs and move to the next one.”

And this rig provides the drillers the opportunity to do just that, he adds.

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Available for purchase now, the JT21 makes its official launch in April at bauma 2025 in Germany. Its U.S. debut will be at the 2025 Utility Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, this fall.

Sharon M. Bueno is editor of Trenchless Technology.

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