Summary of Financial Information by Reportable Segment and Product Line (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2019	May 31, 2018	May 31, 2019	May 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	$ 295,266	$ 317,096	$ 859,704	$ 881,216
Operating Profit (Loss)	47,360	32,692	54,397	57,169
Assets	1,393,156		1,393,156		$ 1,481,338
Impairment & divestiture charges	(10,597)	0	32,741	2,987
Industrial Tools & Services [Member] [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	166,732	158,735	464,908	437,713
Operating Profit (Loss)	34,877	31,658	87,797	71,458
Assets	609,690		609,690		589,932
Products [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	115,067	115,722	323,420	322,143
Service & Rental [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	51,665	43,013	141,488	115,570
Engineered Components & Systems [Member] [Domain]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	128,534	158,361	394,796	443,503
Operating Profit (Loss)	19,556	9,641	(10,147)	9,228
Assets	588,756		588,756		657,370
On-Highway [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	59,378	66,556	174,982	190,735
Agriculture, Off-Highway and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	57,793	58,386	164,125	160,497
Rope & Cable Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	11,363	20,436	38,915	53,924
Concrete Tensioning [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	0	12,983	16,774	35,601
Off-Shore Mooring [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net Sales	0	0	0	2,746
General Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Profit (Loss)	(7,073)	$ (8,607)	(23,253)	$ (23,517)
Assets	$ 194,710		$ 194,710		$ 234,036