What You Need to Know About Excavators

You might know what an excavator is and what it’s used for, but how much do you know beyond that? Most laypeople don’t have more than a passing familiarity with most heavy equipment. Excavators have been important to the construction industry since they were first invented. These diggers can do the work of multiple people in a lot less time, which means the construction process is a lot easier. Here are some important facts about excavators in Jeffersonville, IN:

• Size and weight: Excavators come in three main sizes (compact mini, mid-size and large), and can range in weight from 1.5 to 780 tons. That means, depending on the type of job you need to perform, you have a wide variety of sizes and weights to choose from. Mini excavators are suitable for small household jobs like private lawns, whereas large excavators are usually reserved for commercial and industrial digging.
• Hydraulic innovation: Although excavators have been around in various forms for decades, it wasn’t until 1951 that they were outfitted with hydraulics. A French company traded out the traditional cables and winches for hydraulic technology. The same company later went on to invent an excavator that could rotate 360 degrees.
• Work capacity: It is said that excavators can do the job of 20 people. The larger the excavator and trough, the faster they can dig up the earth. While buying an excavator is expensive, it’s nothing compared to the time and money it would take manual laborers to accomplish the same goals by hand. They range from 14.5 to 512 horsepower. That’s why excavators are used for everything from building roads to putting in amusement parks. If the job requires digging, an excavator will help.
• Digging deep: While the smaller excavators can only dig a few feet into the earth, larger ones can dig up to 32 feet deep. That makes them excellent for digging large trenches and more.
• Requires impeccable maintenance: All that power means that you have to take care of the motor. Many excavators fail because the final drive motor filter was clogged. Be sure to inspect and/or change your final drive gear oil at least once every 100 hours, and change the filter as necessary.
• Prone to overloading or undercutting: Overloading (digging up too much dirt to safely hold in the trough) and undercutting (digging below the machine’s path) are both common problems when unskilled operators use excavators. Take care to avoid these issues, as they could lead to tip-overs or trench collapse.
• Must stay away from electrical lines: Finally, it’s important that you stay away from electrical lines when using an excavator, and train your workers about how to handle them if they accidentally hit one.

Now that you know these important facts about excavators in Jeffersonville, IN, get in touch with Estes Excavating Inc. to hire our skilled workers. No matter the size and scope of your project, we can help—with more than four decades of industry experience, we’re ready to tackle your job!

Categorised in: Excavating Contractors

This post was written by Writer