New RH9 Rock Drill Head From Vermeer

Oct 29, 2025 - 7 months ago

The Vermeer RH9 rock drill head is the newest addition to the rock tooling lineup for dual rod horizontal directional drills.

The RH9 rock drill head is a specialty tool designed for installing small diameter utilities including single fiber conduit lines, compatible with Vermeer D23x30DR S3 and D40x55DR S3 horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment. The RH9's precision-engineered design helps reduce the overall footprint of HDD installations while maintaining reliable performance in rock drilling applications with its field-rebuildable components.

"The RH9's compact design is ideal for contractors working with smaller diameter and shallow bore applications," said Cody Mecham, product manager at Vermeer. "This specialty tool functions like a scalpel for precise rock drilling projects that don't require larger diameter holes. Its lighter weight and shorter profile give crews better handling in the field with less equipment needed, making it particularly valuable for telecom installations in rock conditions."

The RH9 features a two-degree bend near the front of the tool for responsive steerability, similar to other Vermeer rock drill heads. It comes with multiple configuration options to meet diverse operational needs, including both direct connect and starter rod options. Contractors can choose between a smaller unit with 8-in (20.32-cm) sonde housing or the standard 15-in (38.1-cm) configuration to match their specific requirements. While the 15-in sonde configuration is common in the US market, the smaller unit provides international contractors with a more compact solution for shallower telecom work where depth capabilities of larger sondes aren't required.

The RH9 drill head is compatible with tricone and PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) bits for various rock formations. Along with the established RH10 and RH15 models, the RH9 joins the rock drill head product line from Vermeer, giving contractors a comprehensive range of options to match their specific drilling requirements.

Source: Vermeer