earthmoving · Equipment & asset finance
Roller finance
Rollers work in short bursts and last a long time. We match the term to the machine’s real working life rather than defaulting to the shortest option.
What is roller finance?
Roller finance is funding for a compaction roller — smooth drum, padfoot, multi-tyred or combination — secured against the machine. Rollers are essential on road, subdivision and pavement work in Australia, and because they accumulate hours slowly they often stay financeable and saleable well past ten years of age.
Compaction is the step that determines whether a pavement lasts or fails, so most civil contractors end up owning at least one roller rather than hiring every time. The class you buy follows the work: a 1 to 3 tonne tandem for driveways and footpaths, an 11 to 14 tonne smooth drum for subdivision roads, a padfoot for bulk earthworks, and a multi-tyred roller for asphalt sealing.
Rollers are unusual among earthmoving assets because low annual hours mean a machine bought used often has most of its life ahead of it. That supports longer finance terms and gentler repayments. If you already own a roller outright, a sale and leaseback can free the equity for working capital while you keep using the machine, though your broker should compare that against simpler options first.
Roller finance at a glance
| Typical price range | $30,000 – $350,000 |
|---|---|
| Finance term | Up to 84 months |
| Useful life | About 15 years |
| New or used | Used rollers are abundant and financeable because hours are typically low relative to age; new purchases are common in the small walk-behind and 1 to 3 tonne classes. |
| Indicative rates (Chattel mortgage) | 6.9% – 14.5% p.a. · rate history |
| Finance structures | Chattel mortgage (recommended), Equipment loan, Sale and leaseback |
How lenders assess roller finance
Lenders like rollers because they clock few hours and hold value. A 12-year-old machine with 3,000 hours is often treated more favourably than a 6-year-old excavator with 9,000. Drum condition, vibration bearings and the ADT or exciter system are the valuation points. Small walk-behind and trench rollers can fall below a lender’s minimum funding amount and may need to be bundled with other equipment on the one contract. Ex-hire units are accepted with service records, and private sales require PPSR clearance.
Before you buy
- Test the vibration in both amplitudes for the full warm-up cycle — exciter bearing failure is expensive and does not always show cold.
- Check drum shell thickness and look for cracking or repair welds, particularly on ex-quarry padfoot machines.
- Confirm the machine has a current compaction plate or test data if you need it for council or RMS-style compliance work.
Commonly financed
Caterpillar CS56 and CS68 · Bomag BW211 and BW120 · Dynapac CA2500 · Ammann ARX26 · Wacker Neuson RTLx
Estimate roller repayments
- Number of repayments
- 60
- Balloon at end of term
- $38,000
- Total interest (est.)
- $53,784
- Total repaid (est.)
- $243,784
This calculator provides an estimate only and does not account for fees, charges or the specific terms a lender may offer. It is not financial advice or an offer of finance.
Key terms
What is roller finance?
Roller finance is a secured loan or lease used to buy a compaction roller, with the machine as security. Terms usually run 48 to 84 months and the funds are paid to the dealer, auction house or private seller on settlement.
Why do lenders accept older rollers?
Rollers accumulate engine hours slowly and have few wearing components compared with excavators or loaders. A 12-year-old roller with low hours can have a decade of service left, so lenders assess hours and drum condition more heavily than calendar age.