The Blog

The power capabilities of an excavator can be so exhilarating to one that if they have the financial backing, they just decide to own one. Admit it. Passing by a construction site, don’t you just wish you could grab the operator, throw him out of the cab and operate that beast yourself? Considering that one would have to part with around $20,000 for a small sized excavator, and for the top range about $80,000, you have to ensure that the purchase is worthwhile. It is therefore recommended that one consider a few factors before purchasing one.

The first thing would be to determine the application of the excavator. For personal purposes such as landscaping, an excavator with basic functions would do. For construction usage, a more precise, detail configured machine would be the better option. Next would be to consider the size and dimensions of the machine required. To determine the optimal size one would have to look at the depth of the digging required, the force required depending on the nature of the site, dump height and so on. It is important that one gets an appropriate size and doesn’t waste money on a machine that would be unnecessarily large.

Next would be to choose the model of the excavator. To compare models from the different manufacturers in the market, one would have to look at other technical factors such as the cycle time, the pressure and rate of flow of the hydraulic components, travel speed and operator comfort. Cycle time refers to the amount of time the excavator takes to rotate. This of course would be determined by the excavator swing bearing (slew ring or swing circle) and the boom speed, which refers to the amount of time taken by the workgroup to dig, collect and dump. This would have to be determined at the time allocated for the project and the rate at which the work is to be done. The pressure of the hydraulic components is important also for determining the boom speed; therefore ensure what pressure and rate flows would be appropriate. The travel speed would be particularly important for construction-purposed excavators. This relates directly with the excavator undercarriage and one would have to ensure that the treads are in proper condition, as well as the nature of the rollers.

Additionally, one would have to check how easily the excavator would be maintained, especially for excavators bought for personal purposes. For instance, if the grease in the track adjustor was to be changed, one would have to determine how easily it could be done, how accessible it is and such other details. One is required to do lot of research, compare prices and other factors before deciding to make so huge an investment.

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