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Compact Focus: Compact excavators (2.5 to 3 metric tons)

May 28, 2009 |

At one time, many contractors felt compact excavators in the 2.5- to 3-metric-ton weight class were incapable of providing cost effective or efficient productivity compared to the full-sized models, but no longer. In 2005, there were nearly 25,000 compact excavators retailed in the United States and about 25 brands marketing more than 160 models.

Make no mistake, the compact excavator will never replace the digging capacity of the full-sized models – most compact excavators in the 2.5- to 3-metric-ton class have a dig depth of only 7 to 9 feet – and you will still see the full-sized excavators digging basements and large trenches, but alongside them will be the compact excavators doing the precision work such as digging trenches for utility and gas lines. Where at one time it was a machine with limited use, it has now become a common sight on many work sites.

“It was a machine that a lot of dealers and rental companies were renting, but it wasn’t a mainstay,” says Mike Ross, product manager for Takeuchi. “It wasn’t a machine that was sought after as a part of a fleet. Today it’s the complete opposite. Most contractors have at least one compact excavator in their fleet.”

There are a few reasons for this change of heart. According to Ross, contractors have become educated about the abilities of this machine. In addition, the residential construction sites where the 2.5- to 3-metric-ton compact is seeing the most use are getting smaller, while the houses are getting bigger.

“As today’s jobsites become more tight, the equipment used becomes more compact,” says Bill Anderson, product manager for Volvo. “Many sites require close trenching to buildings or retaining walls. The compact excavator can maneuver into places a larger machine can’t get to. Performance will overcome machine size in many applications.

Heavy-duty lightweights
Compact excavators in this class have engines that average about 24 horsepower and booms that can swing right or left in ranges from 50 degrees to 90 degrees. The machine’s 3,600- to 5,000-pound range breakout force and multifunction hydraulics give operators fast cycle times and impressive digging force. High-efficiency, torque-limiting piston pumps help advanced hydraulics deliver more usable power by continuously responding to loads. These abilities make the compact excavator more nimble than other machines in some situations.

“The house on a compact excavator can continuously rotate 360 degrees,” says Tom Connor, product manager for Bobcat. “This allows for enhanced spoil placement, superior visibility and reduces repositioning for work in tighter spaces.”

Many models have little or no tail swing, providing an added benefit to how and where you can use this machine.