5 Types of Excavation Equipment

What Does an Excavator Do?

An excavator is a piece of machinery used in heavy construction and forestry equipment to remove dig holes, trenches, and foundations, as well as perform forestry mulching, handle materials, general landscaping, and more.

What Are Digging Machines?

Digging machines are pieces of equipment that are used to dig, move, or transport material. There are a variety of machines that can be used to dig, including excavators, backhoes, and skid steers.

What Are the Different Types of Excavation Equipment?

There are several different types of excavators that are each designed for a specific purpose, depending on the job. Here are the most common types of excavators:

Crawler Excavators

Crawler excavators are the most common type of excavator and are typically used for heavy-duty tasks such as excavating foundations, digging trenches, and moving materials. Crawler excavators have a long track undercarriage that provides stability and traction around uneven terrain.

Wheeled Excavators

Wheeled excavators are similar to crawler excavators, but instead of tracks they have wheels, making them easier to maneuver on paved surfaces. Wheeled excavators are typically used for lighter-duty tasks such as roadwork and landscaping, and deconstruction of buildings.

Long-Front Excavators

Long-front excavators feature a boom that can extend over 100 feet, which allows them to reach areas that would be difficult for other types of excavators to access. Long-front excavators are traditionally used for tasks such as power line installation, deconstruction of buildings, and bridge construction.

Backhoe Excavators

Backhoe excavators have a boom, stick and bucket in the back and a large loader on the front that can be used for digging, loading, and lifting. These types of excavators are typically used for landscaping and excavation.

Skid Steer Excavators

a href="https://www.machinefinder.com/ww/en-US/categories/used-skid-steer-loaders">Skid steer excavators are similar to backhoe excavators, but they are smaller and are easier to maneuver. For this reason, skid steers are typically used for landscaping, snow removal, and other small excavation tasks.

How Many Types of John Deere Excavators are There?

Excavators can be categorized into three groups:

Within each of these categories, there are different models that offer various digging depths, net power, performance tier, and more.

How Much Does an Excavator Weigh?

The weight of an excavator can vary depending on the manufacturer, model, and the specific attachments and features it has. That said, most compact excavators weigh between 3,800-13,500 lbs., mid-size excavators weigh between 16,500-90,000 lbs., and large excavators weigh between 103,500-188,750 lbs.

What is the Biggest John Deere Excavator?

John Deere's largest excavator model is the 870 P-Tier Large Excavator, which has a net power of 512 horsepower, maximum digging depth of 36.7 ft., and operating weight of 188,716 lb.

For more information regarding excavation equipment, contact your local John Deere dealer.

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Additional Resources

What is an Excavator? Benefits & Uses

What is a Skid Steer Used For?