The Backhoe
Often referred to as the swiss army knife of heavy equipment, the Backhoe Loader is great for excavation and digging projects of all sizes – one end to dig up dirt and the other end to move it around. It’s the machine that is great for any project. It is a popular piece of equipment seen on many job sites.
The Different Attachments for the Backhoe
The backhoe can be fitted with hydraulic power attachments. This allows the machine to be used for other tasks besides lifting and digging.
The most common kinds of backhoe attachments used by contractors are breakers and hammers. They allow the operator to break up rocky soils, asphalt and concrete. The tiger tooth attachment is good to break through frost or harder soil which makes the backhoe a valuable piece of equipment especially in northern climates.
A backhoe loader is heavy construction equipment that consists of a tractor-like unit fitted with a loader-style shovel/bucket on the front and a 388 Loader Backhoe on the back. Backhoe loaders can tackle landscaping jobs of all sizes and types, such as digging up trees and moving them to new locations, even keeping the root ball intact. They can also be put to work moving boulders, rocks, and gravel, or moving dirt and pushing topsoil into place. Backhoes are also great for digging fence post holes or minor excavation jobs, such as digging small ponds and water features. They can even be used to dig trenches for irrigation lines to keep the landscape watered and healthy all year round.
Parts of a backhoe loader
Backhoe loader consists of a tractor, a loader and a backhoe. Each piece of equipment is suited to a particular sort of work. On a typical construction site, the backhoe operator usually uses all three components to get the job done.
The Tractor is the core structure of a backhoe loader is the tractor. It has a powerful, turbocharged diesel engine, large, rugged tires and a cab with basic steering controls (a steering wheel, brakes, etc.). Backhoe cabs are either completely enclosed or have an open canopy structure to give the operator protection.The loader is attached in the front and the backhoe is attached in the back. These two components serve very different functions.The loader can do several different things. In many applications, you can use it like a big, powerful dustpan or coffee scoop. The operator controls the loader while driving the tractor.
Designed to fill the gap left by their full-size counterparts, compact excavators can be—and are—used in a wide variety of applications. “When space is limited or efficiency is the priority, compact excavators can handle any type of excavation job on a smaller scale, including trenching, grading, material handling, and operating attachments,” says Jay Quatro, product application and training specialist at Wacker Neuson Sales Americas, LLC.
Big is in the eye of the beholder, believes Tom Connor, product specialist with Bobcat Company. “Fifteen years ago, we considered compact 1 Ton Mini Excavators to be 3,000–7,000 pounds. Now, they can be 2,000–9,000 pounds. Even minis have expanded.” Most draw the line at 8,000–10,000 pounds. he estimates; but “definitively,” if it has a blade and swing boom, it’s a compact.
These small machines can handle some fairly large jobs. They might not be able to complete some jobs as quickly as larger machines, but mini excavators can access places other machines cannot, says Greg Worley, senior project engineer with CAT.
Mini Excavators are ideal for getting into tight spaces where larger excavators cannot. Ed Brenton, brand marketing manager at CASE Construction Equipment, points out that they can handle a variety of jobs even on the larger end, such as installing septic tanks and other jobs of that size. “These machines are kind of like a secondary excavator. They’re not going to be running your mainline services; they’re going to be doing more of the floor pits for running communication lines, digging around obstacles, and getting into the tight areas that the big excavators can’t.”
Many equipment owners associate Wheel Loaders with being durable, versatile machines because they can withstand long hours of use, transport heavy payloads and operate multiple attachments. As some equipment manufacturers expand their product lineup with smaller wheel loaders, many owners are realizing that smaller wheel loaders can work just as hard as their larger counterparts.
Small to midsize wheel loaders provide the best of both worlds — strong, capable machines in a smaller package. The machines complete load and carry applications without sacrificing maneuverability, have the ability to quickly change attachments and can be easily transported. In addition, some manufacturers now offer hydrostatic transmission-type wheel loaders versus a conventional torque converter transmission, which can deliver more performance at lower engine speeds.
By considering five features of smaller wheel loaders and purchasing the smaller models, owners may improve their productivity. For example, they can match their machines with different attachments for better performance and productivity when working in infrastructure, and commercial and residential building situations.