Hydraulic excavators in the >21- to 24-metric-ton class are the go-to construction machine for small- and medium-sized contractors. Several OEMs report that machines in this class lead their annual sales volume figures.
And that makes sense: these machines are used in a multitude of applications, from light utility work to support equipment in road building and other heavy construction applications. They are large enough to handle some on-highway truck loading jobs, but small enough to be quickly and easily transported without special hauling permits.
Also, as Scott Sutherland, product manager for Link-Belt, notes, excavators in this class are reasonably priced, compared to larger machines. “That means they really appeal to the small, owner-operator contractors out there,” he says. “But they’re productive enough that they’re also a productive buy for large fleet managers – either as support equipment on large jobs or for smaller projects.”
Will zero tail swing models become the standard in this class?
These machines are also evolving. In the past few years, zero tail swing models have made significant inroads in this market, supplanting the traditional style excavators that have
longer rear sections. Zero tail swing advocates say these newly configured excavators can lift as much, or more, than conventional models, while working in much tighter surroundings.
Ron Wallace is vice president and equipment manager for George J. Igel & Company, a construction firm in Columbus, Ohio. He says his company recently bought its first near zero tail swing excavator, a Komatsu PC-228, and liked it so much the company since added two more to its fleet of 20 excavators. “Normally, I’d rather rent than buy a specialty machine like this,” Wallace says. “But these units have a lot of applications in everyday use outside of working in tight surroundings. They’re just as strong, or stronger, than a conventional excavator. And although a zero tail swing unit costs 5 or 10 percent more to buy than a conventional machine, it’s worth it for the ability to rotate inside its tracks. We do a lot of highway work and jobs in downtown Columbus and at Ohio State University and our operators really appreciate the peace of mind of not having to worry about swinging the machine into traffic or a building.”
But, Wallace says, Igel is beginning to use these units in applications formerly handled by conventional excavators. “We measured them against the conventional excavators,” he says, “and found they’re more productive when lifting over the side of the tracks because of the counterweight configuration.”
Testimonials like that lead some OEM specialists to believe the days of the conventional excavator may be numbered. “Zero tail swing models are definitely a trend in the >21- to 24-metric-ton class right now,” says Eric Wilde, product manager, Komatsu. He says Komatsu’s PC228, spec’d by Igel, out lifts the company’s conventional design PC200 excavator by more than 10 percent. “We accomplished that by a reconfiguration of the machine’s engine placement and by using a solid cast steel counterweight that is significantly heavier than the concrete and steel shot mixture versions used on conventional machines. The end result is increased lift and the same balance as a conventional machine in a tighter package.”
