bob cat mini excavator bucket quick exchange

Bob cat mini excavator bucket quick exchange full#

Maintenance costs also need to be considered when choosing the best mini excavator for your needs, said Kramlich. Are they out of harm's way, or could they get caught on an object?'Īccording to Jonathan Gardner, product manager, construction equipment – Kubota Canada, you'll want to choose a mini excavator that provides easy access to the key maintenance points: oil filter, hydraulic filter, fuel filter, fuel/water separator and air filter. Check if the hydraulic hoses are standard equipment and how they're routed on the excavator's boom and arm. It's also important to inquire about secondary auxiliary hydraulics flow for attachments that require it. 'Make sure the machine has enough hydraulic flow required for some hydraulic attachments. Kleingartner recommends discussing auxiliary hydraulic flow with a sales specialist.

Bob cat mini excavator bucket quick exchange full#

A small machine may be able to run a certain attachment, but not at its full potential. If you already own attachments and are shopping for a mini excavator, pick the machine that will run those attachments to their maximum potential. 'Depending on which figure you look at, you might not be comparing apples to apples,' he said, and added that you'll want to factor in fuel consumption and fuel efficiency as there can be tradeoffs with horsepower.īefore buying an attachment, you need to ensure that your machine is capable of operating it – check the flow and pressure requirements, ensure that the machine has adequate auxiliary circuits, and make sure that the attachment is not too heavy for the machine, recommends Kramlich. Paying attention to gross versus net horsepower when looking at engine ratings on mini excavator models is also essential. Steger noted that contractors need to understand that higher engine horsepower does not necessarily mean higher hydraulic horsepower. When selecting the best diesel engine for your needs, you'll need to evaluate your end goal: do you need the highest-performing excavator, the most fuel-efficient excavator, or a combination of both?

What you need to know about engine size and hydraulicsĬhris Lucas, excavator product manager for JCB, recommends considering the application when choosing attachments and hydraulic capability. Common tools, such as buckets or thumbs, are staples for an excavator owner, but you may also need a hydraulic breaker, auger or other specialty tools depending on your line of work, said Aaron Kleingartner, product and dealer marketing manager for Doosan Infracore North America. Knowing which work tools you will need on the job is essential when approaching the machine selection process – this includes both rental tools for occasional use and the tools that you own. By comparison, a zero- or minimal-tail-swing model that delivers similar performance will be about 70 inches wide. According to Boerger, the usual width of a conventional tail swing on a 3- to 4-metric-ton excavator is roughly 60 inches. If the operator routinely needs to pass through tight spaces, a conventional tail swing may be the best choice. When choosing between conventional, limited or zero-tail-swing options, Jason Boerger, marketing manager – excavators, Bobcat Company, said, 'If customers work in confined spaces like residential properties or commercial properties, every inch counts.' He noted that a zero- or minimal-tail-swing excavator of a given size will generally be wider than a conventional model. For the contractor, it is important to balance size and navigation needs with the power to do the job at hand. Size, operating weight and tail swing are also key considerations that give mini excavators an advantage on urban job sites, as well as other work spaces that are narrow, have a low ceiling profile, or are hard to access. 'Purchasing a compact excavator capable of digging or lifting roughly 25 percent more than what you typically do daily will allow your business to grow without having to replace equipment as fast.' When evaluating the dig depth and lift capacity for your job site, Justin Steger, solutions marketing manager, site development and underground, for John Deere Construction & Forestry, suggested considering whether your business will expand into larger, more complex jobs. That job information can then be matched to the capability of the mini excavator. Keith Kramlich, national product and training manager, Takeuchi-US, next recommends that you determine the amount of material you'll need to move and how fast you'll need to move it. The first step to choosing a mini excavator is to evaluate the job or jobs that it needs to perform – for both the appropriate size and necessary features, as well as transportation considerations. What you need to know before visiting your dealer