Summary of Financial Information by Reportable Segment and Product Line (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2019	Feb. 28, 2018	Feb. 28, 2019	Feb. 28, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	$ 271,907	$ 275,165	$ 564,438	$ 564,120
Operating Profit (Loss)	16,354	9,804	7,036	24,477
Assets	1,403,057		1,403,057		$ 1,481,338
Impairment & divestiture charges	6,886	2,987	43,339	2,987
Industrial Tools & Services [Member] [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	149,521	136,987	298,176	278,978
Operating Profit (Loss)	26,546	18,963	52,920	39,800
Assets	622,346		622,346		589,932
Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	105,584	105,302	208,352	206,422
Service & Rental [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	43,937	31,685	89,824	72,556
Engineered Components & Systems [Member] [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	122,386	138,178	266,262	285,142
Operating Profit (Loss)	(1,412)	(4,448)	(29,704)	(413)
Assets	618,854		618,854		657,370
On-Highway [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	55,013	59,297	115,604	124,179
Agriculture, Off-Highway and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	52,448	50,795	106,332	102,111
Rope & Cable Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	11,386	17,101	27,552	33,488
Concrete Tensioning [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	3,539	10,983	16,774	22,617
Off-Shore Mooring [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	0	2	0	2,747
General Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit (Loss)	(8,780)	$ (4,711)	(16,180)	$ (14,910)
Assets	$ 161,857		$ 161,857		$ 234,036