At some point, manually digging holes doesn’t make sense. You have to bring in the machines to a better return on investment (ROI)! But before you go about buying an excavator to make life so much easier, there are some key tips you should consider.
In this short guide, we’ll run through some key tips so that you can get your bearings on what to look for with an excavator. Whether you’re after a new or used excavator, the following suggestions and advice should help. So let’s dig into this matter a little further.
Know Your Options for Excavators
There are various types of excavators you can choose from on the market. Therefore, it’s a good idea to become acquainted with common excavator features.
First of all, the tends to be two general weight classes to choose from. A mini excavator may weigh anywhere from 1 to 6 tons. A full-size (standard) excavator can be from 6 to even 90 tons in weight! So be clear on the outset about how heavy your excavator needs to be to handle certain loads so you can narrow down your search somewhat.
Specialist Options
You can also split excavators into a few specialist types which will be suited to specific work. For instance, there are long reach and high reach excavators.
Then there are the super-large dragline excavators, which have a bucket and dragline system in place. Also, there are vacuum excavators that suck up soft dig material in an efficient manner.
Mobility Options
You also might be aware that you can choose from wheeled and crawler excavators. Wheeled excavators are well suited to work where you need to keep roads and pathways in good condition. However, due to their high center of gravity, they may not work as well as crawler excavators.
A crawler uses tracks, just like a tank, to gain more traction on the ground. The problem is you can easily damage roads with these tracks, and they are harder to transport.
Excavator Attachments
Any decent local excavator dealer will offer a variety of excavator attachments. Such attachments can include:
- Bucket attachments
- Auger attachments
- Thumb or clamp attachments
- Grapple attachments
- Rake and ripper attachments
And there are countless other attachments, such as a mulching head, for example, which you can learn more about.
New Or Used?
New and used excavators tend to differ in price a lot. Used models will be much cheaper in most cases. However, there are some reasons why you might want to choose a new model.
Some reasons for a new excavator may be:
- The need to meet EPA Tier 4 regulations
- Better fuel efficiency
- Up-to-date technology for ease of use
You should also consider purchasing used excavators but then combining them with new attachments for better longevity.
Buying An Excavator the Right Way
It’s important you conduct a decent amount of research and thoroughly assess your needs when buying an excavator. And, make sure you understand the variety of attachments that are available to you.
Thank you for reading through this guide. If so, why not take a look at our blog for more tips and advice on similar subjects?
