Backhoe vs. Excavator: Which Machine Is Best for Your Project?

The term “backhoe” can be confusing because the digging bucket is actually on the front of the machine. But the backhoe's name actually refers ...   10%OFFHaulingWhenYouBookOnline! BigRentz › ThinkBigBlog › Backhoevs.Excavator:WhichMachineIsBestforYourProject? Backhoe • Equipment • Excavator Backhoevs.Excavator:WhichMachineIsBestforYourProject? By: BigRentz,Inc. onMay28,2019 Thoughit’ssometimesdifficulttotellabackhoeandanexcavatorapart,theydifferinthreemainways:size,versatility,androtation.Thesefactorsmakeeachmachinesuitedfordifferentjobs,soit’simportanttochoosetherightoneforyourproject. Size Themaindifferencebetweenthetwomachinesissize—excavatorsarelargerandheavier,whilebackhoesareslightlysmaller.Theexcavatoristypicallyabetterfitfordemolitionprojects,mining,drivingpiles,drillingshaftsforrockblasting,andoveralllarge-scaleindustrialprojects.Thebackhoe,asthesmallerandmoreadaptableofthetwo,isbetterforfarming,snowremoval,loadingjobs,andmedium-scaleconstructionandexcavationprojects. Versatility Thebackhoeandexcavatorarealsoverydifferentintermsofversatility.Thoughbothmachinesofferanumberofattachmentoptions,thebackhoehasamuchgreaterselectionandisthereforecapableofawidervarietyoftasks.Backhoescanalsobedrivenonroads,whichmakesthemthebetterchoiceforprojectswithspreadoutworksites. Rotation Finally,backhoesandexcavatorshavedifferentrotationrangeswhichmakethemverydifferentmachinesfromanoperator’sstandpoint.Anexcavatoroperatorcanrotatetheentiremachine’schassisandarmtogetherinacompletecircle,whileabackhoe’sarmonlypivotsacrossarangeofabout200degrees. Thebestwaytodeterminewhichmachineisrightforyourprojectistolearntheinsandoutsofeach. WhatIsaBackhoe? Abackhoeisanexcavationmachinecomprisedofastandardtractorbasethatsupportsadiggingbucketontheendofajointedtwo-partarm.Theoppositesideofthebackhoewilloftenhaveafrontloaderattachment(inwhichcasethebackhoeistechnicallycalleda“backhoeloader”),sotheseatswivels360degreestoallowtheoperatortofacewhicheversideisbeingusedatthetime. Thepartofthebackhoearmthat’sattachedtothetractoriscalledtheboom,andthesegmentthatholdsthediggerbucketiscalledthedipperordipper-stick.Thepivotthatconnectstheboomanddipperiscalledtheking-post.Thereisawidevarietyofattachmentsavailableforabackhoe,likedrills,hammers,rippers,rakes,breakers,andmore.Thefrontloadercanalsobereplacedwithdifferentbrooms,plows,andforklifts.Insomecases,abackhoecanevenserveasacranebyloopingthestrapsofaliftedobjectoverthedipperstick. Theterm“backhoe”canbeconfusingbecausethediggingbucketisactuallyonthefrontofthemachine.Butthebackhoe’snameactuallyreferstothewaythatthemachinedigsbypullingearthtowarditself,orbackward,ratherthanpushingitforwardlikeatraditionalshovel. WhatIsanExcavator? Anexcavatorisadiggingmachinethatconsistsofaboom,dipper,diggingbucket,andchassis—muchlikeabackhoeisconstructed—thoughanexcavatorcanhaveeithertracksorwheels.However,whileabackhoeisoftenmadeupofatraditionaltractorwithabackhoeattachment,theexcavatorispurpose-builttoperformtasksusingthediggingarmandthereforecanhandleheavierprojects. Oneofthemostnotabledifferencesinanexcavatoristhat,unlikeabackhoe,itsentirecabrotates360degreesatopitsundercarriage.Mostwheeledandcompactexcavatorsalsohaveadozerbladeattachedoppositethediggingarm. Likethebackhoe,theexcavatoralsohasarangeofattachmentsthatmakeitcapableoftasksbeyondstandarddigging,likeheavy-dutydrillinganddemolition.Excavatorsarealsooftenusedinconjunctionwithbrush-cuttingattachmentsinforestryprojects. Excavatorsareoftencalleddiggers,mechanicalshovels,or360s.Excavatorswithtracksinsteadofwheelsareoftencalled“trackhoes,”adirectreferencetothemachine’ssimilaritytothebackhoe. WhichOneMakesMoreSenseforYourProject? Thereareafewfactorstoconsiderwhendeterminingwhetherabackhoeorexcavatoristhebestfitforyourproject. Size Thesizeofyourmachineshouldmatchthescaleofyourproject.Ifyou’reworkingonalarge-scaleconstruction,excavation,ordemolitionprojectwheresheermachinepowerisimportant,you’relikelybetterservedbyanexcavator.Ifyourprojectismoremoderateinscope,youmightconsiderusingabackhoe. Mobility Oneadvantageofthebackhoeisthatitcantraveleasilyacrossajobsiteandevendriveupto25mphonroads.Ifyourprojectisspreadapartandyouneedtocompletetasksindifferentareas,you’llhaveaneasiertimeusingabackhoe. TaskSpecificity Sometasks,likedigging,canbedoneusingabackhoeorexcavator,butthereareothersthatarereallyonlypossibleforonemachineortheother.Evaluatethespecifictasksandattachmentsyouforeseeneedingonyourprojectandmakesuretheequipmentyouchooseiscapable. Ifyou’restillnotsurewhichmachinemakessenseforyourproject,considerspeakingdirectlywithaheavyequipmentprofessional.Someonewhoknowstheinsandoutsofbothmachines,aswellastheirvariousattachments,cantakealookatyoursiteplansandmakeanexpertrecommendationastowhichofthesemachinesisrightforyou. RelatedPosts  TypesofPalletJacks  11TypesofCranesCommonlyUsedinConstruction  6WaysDronesinConstructionAreChangingtheIndustry  World'sBiggestandStrongestCranes  8InnovativeSmartWasteManagementTechnologies  HowtoStartaConstructionCompanyin5Steps  CATExcavatorSizeGuide  CraneHandSignalstoKnowforaSafeConstructionSite  HowMuchDoesItCosttoRentaSkidSteer?  SkidSteervs.CompactTrackLoader:WhichisBest? GetthelatestfromtheThinkBigBlogdeliveredtoyourinbox. 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