Category Archives: excavator

Some Important Things You Need To Know About Excavation Equipment

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Normally heavy equipment is manufactured with its own intrinsic value attached to it; same goes in the case of excavation equipment. An excavator is predominantly built to unearth the surface and carry the dirt and the debris from the excavated place to the place it is supposed to dump. However, that is not all that one needs to know about an excavator. There are many things which one has to understand, right from the different parts of the machine to the safety measures one needs to follow while they are working with an excavator on the construction site. We must have seen the big construction companies hiring only experienced operators for a given project. By no means, they would give a critical job to a newbie. They may have the new guy train under an experienced operator but would restrict the new operator to operate the machine on his own.

We would be discussing few important things about excavation equipment that will throw some light on why it is termed as one of the most important construction equipment.

Demolishing, grading and hauling:-  Construction of commercial or residential properties can never be thought without the use of an excavator. The excavator is used to demolish an old construction in order to build something new in its place. For instance, you were living in a small house and now you want to hand over the piece of land to a contractor who will demolish the old property and construct a new one. It will take ages for the construction company to break off the old dwelling without the use of an excavator. At the same time, you also can’t wait till eternity to start living in your new house. An excavator has the ability to quickly demolish the existing construction, move the debris in no time and give you an empty piece of land to start building a new dwelling.

Not only, it is handy for demolishing the old settlement but also it helps to grade the land and level it accordingly. It can remove the dirt from high spots and can fill it at low spots thus leveling the land. As far as grading is concerned, excavator can also be used to level the roads thus proves to be very important equipment for road building. It can also be used to clear snow from the road during the winter season.

Last but not the least; it has very good capacity to haul the debris from one place to the other. These features of an excavator not only make it effective equipment in the construction sector but also save a good deal of money by multi-tasking. Small construction companies find this to be a safer bet as they don’t have to spend money buying several equipment for different type of work. They can get all done from the same machine.

There are many companies that are selling state-of-the-art excavators. You only need to upgrade your knowledge and know the type of excavator you need for your project.

Caterpillar 385 Excavator or John Deere 850 Excavator

Success in the construction industry depends on the type of control you have on your business. You may have the best men to work for you but it is more important to have a control on your men so that they deliver their best for you. The same attitude goes with your machines. You would want to have machines which have better control and meets all your requirements. You would definitely want to go for equipment which give you what your business wants and also keep a check on its operating expenses like maintenance. Well, in order to get such type of machines, there are very few heavy equipment manufacturing companies on whom you can rely on. Out of the few, the most trusted brand are Caterpillar and John Deere. The machines manufactured by these companies are considered to be the best in comparison to all others manufacturing companies and therefore are the most recommended brands in the history of heavy equipment.

We would be talking in length about the features of Caterpillar 385 excavator and John Deere 850 excavators and understand how beneficial they are to the construction companies.

Caterpillar 385 excavator:- Let us first start with the engine of this model. This machine in fitted with diesel engine with ACERT technology. It has a capacity of 18.1 litre 6 cylinder and possess a horsepower of 513. It is also installed with MEUI and overhead camshaft. The ACERT technology boosts up the power of the engine making it more efficient and augmenting its performance via advanced electronic control.

With the help of this new technology, it has successfully managed to reduce the consumption of fuel which saves a lot in a time when fuel prices are just not ready to fall down. The machine is also installed with a cooling system that helps in cooling off the equipment quickly. This becomes handy when the equipment is required to work in a temperature more than 40 degree Celsius. It has the electronic control system that plays a significant role in controlling the fan speed which is primarily based on 2 factors, coolant temperature and hydraulic oil temperature.

The engineers have also fitted a heavy lift mode in the equipment which allows it to augment its lifting capability while lifting heavy items. It is thus endowed with a lot of options which are extremely user friendly and have thus made its mark in the construction domain.

John Deere 850 excavators:-  John Deere is a brand that is known for its supreme quality and high worth deliverable. The engine of John Deere 850 excavator has a power of 532 hp, slightly more than Caterpillar 385 and its power is measured at 1800 rpm. It has more or less the same feature as available in Caterpillar 385 with very minute differences which makes it a bit unique. The fuel capacity of John Deere is 296 gallons and its engine oil capacity is 13.9 gallon.

If given an option on which one to select, it would depend on what kind of project one would be in and if one has multiple projects and need more than 1 excavator, it would be worth trying both at different locations. It can be said with certainty that the user will not find any major difference in the performances of both the machines.

Buy The Most Reliable Hydraulic Excavators From Kobelco Construction Equipment

Let’s start this with an assumption where we assume 2 companies selling dish cleaners. The company “A” manufactures and sells only dish cleaners but the company “B” apart from manufacturing and selling dish cleaners, they also have their hands into other household goods. This means that the company “B” is not able to give its 100% to the core product whereas the company “A” invests all its time and energy in researching what the customer wants and what innovative measures they can take to make the product more user friendly and thereby only manufactures dish cleaners. Using this example, from which company would you like to buy your dish cleaner? I suppose, it would be certainly company “A” that you would buy the stuff from.

Similarly, this is what we would do when it comes to buying heavy equipment and when it comes to buying hydraulic excavators, you may not want to rely on any brand other than Kobelco. Kobelco is one of the few companies which exclusively produce hydraulic excavators and hence their end product is finer and superior than the ones produced by other branded heavy equipment manufacturing companies that manufactures all kinds of construction equipment.

They are into production of full range hydraulic excavators that ranges between 3000 lb to 180,000 lb. They also produce excavators used for specific purposes like landscape or that works in a construction site, or the ones used in road building. Kobelco is widely known as a perfectionist in producing excavators which also helps them to sell their stuff with a premium. You may find their excavators to be slightly expensive than the equipment of other companies. They are installed with advanced mechanisms like system that can reduce noise and dust, advanced hydraulic circuitry that helps to reduce loss of pressure and also minimize the consumption of fuel making the equipment fuel efficient.

You can buy an excavator directly from Kobelco sales office either by visiting them in person or through a dealer. Precisely, buying it either way doesn’t make any difference as the buyer would get all the benefits like after sales service, warranty of the equipment and things that are related to the stuff after you done buying them. So if you’ve an authorized dealer closer to your place, then it makes more sense to place the order through the dealer rather than hunting for their shop.

If we talk about their after sales service, you may find it better than brands who claim to be the best in the industry. In case you see a problem in the equipment, you only need to register a complaint by calling them on their customer service number. They will register your complaint and within few hours, you’ll have an engineer at your place to fix it up.

Kobelco has its presence in many countries as it wants to spread it wings and reach out to as many customers as it can. It no longer is a domestic heavy equipment manufacturing company but has turned into a might player in the construction equipment segment.

How to operate an excavator?

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One of the most useful vehicles for construction site is excavator. It is the strongest vehicle that can perform any difficult task. This type of vehicle is made in a different way so that it can move on muddy or rocky places. It also can carry huge loads that a usual or normal vehicle cannot take. In any difficult condition it can move smoothly as it has the perfect frame that helps it to move easily. By taking the help of an oscillating hitch you can separate it from the cab. This is very important as it helps the body and the cab to run separately. This system actually helps it to work comfortably.

If you want to know the process of using this vehicle then you have to know the details of its different parts. There are some steps that will definitely help you to operate this system.

Steps:

You have to select a machine at first. Excavator comes in a number of sizes. There is super compact size which weighs 4000 pounds. If you want to have a bigger sized excavator then also you will get it in a standard size. Now you have to consider the project that you are going to do with this machine. If you are going to dig a small project like DIY irrigation or you have limited space for work then you definitely should choose the small excavator for your work purpose. However you can go with the 3 and 3.5 ton machine such as Bobcat 336 for large projects.

You have to check the ranges of the machine before buying it. You can talk to any rental business service provider and ask their opinion. All the large equipment requires a proper maintenance. If you cannot maintain your machine at a regular basis it will stop working. Then you have to pay some extra fees to repair it.

Now you have to check the manual in order to know and be familiar with its parts as well as controls. There are different types of manufacturer that produce this machine and each of them is slightly different than others. So you should check the manual carefully and apply it in a way so that your machine can give you its best performance.

You should check the controls, operator’s restraint system and gauges. On the right side you will find the ignition key and remember you have to be careful about the engine temperature, oil pressure and fuel of the machine during operating it.

Hold the joysticks very carefully and move it for using the machine.

Through these steps you will be able to operate an excavator. Though it is not difficult to rum an excavator but still you should learn all the process of moving it or operating it.

How to buy a used excavator?

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In mining fields, or in construction sites, excavators are always very much in demand. For removing the ruins and wastes from the work site, or to load the construction materials to the site, excavators are the only vehicles that can help. However, buying a brand new excavators can burn a whole into the pocket, moreover, there is no specific necessity of a new one, as it serves no other purpose than what a second hand or used excavator does. Therefore, buying a suitable and good conditioned excavator is quite an intelligent task to do. This however needs a detailed survey of the used excavator, before buying it.

  • Inspect the physical condition of the excavator:

The first thing that the buyer should do is to carefully inspect the physical condition of the used excavator.  This includes everything from whether each and every part of the excavator like, the boom, the stick, the bucket, the cab etc. are in proper working condition or not. It should also be checked whether the engine starts smoothly or not. One of the most important factors that must be made sure is that there is no oil leakage from the engine of the excavator as it would mean that the excavator was not serviced properly or was not taken care of. If there is any visible damage on the used excavator, then it is very obvious that, that particular excavator should be removed from your wish list.

  • Make sure that the undercarriage is in proper condition:

Most of the buyers fail to inspect the undercarriage of the used excavators. However, it is very important to inspect that. It is very obvious that due to the usage of the excavator, the undercarriage would be a little scratched or a few other damages would be there. But it should be made sure that the undercarriage is in a repairable condition and it does not cost too much.

  • Check the papers:

The papers of the heavy mechanical vehicle are the most important thing. Without papers, the vehicle will have no further servicing. From the papers of the vehicle, it can also be inferred that when the vehicle was manufactured or how old it is. Thus you can take your decision, whether to invest on this used excavator or not.

  • Fuel consumption:

Before taking your final decision, start the engine of the excavator that you wish to buy and check its fuel consumption rate. If it is not satisfactory, then do not buy the excavator and look out for other options.

When you start a construction business or any other heavy business, it is very important that you are equipped with all the machines and equipment. This however burns a large hole in the pocket. Therefore, going to buy branded new machines or other equipment, then the cost automatically goes higher. A good conditioned, second hand equipment, especially a used excavator, comes at a much cheaper cost, but provide you with all the services that you require.

Try Caterpillar 330 excavators at your work place and get all the solution of your problem

Caterpillar 330 is a type of excavator that comes with great attributes. As the equipment can serve you a variety of works you can definitely consider this item anytime you require it. Excavators help to dig up materials or soil. This equipment is very strong and also possesses the right potential to carry a great loads and a lot of materials within a short time. The size of the excavator is very small and one can easily move it from one place to other place. There are several types of excavators that have great facilities. Among them caterpillar 330 excavator is the best one and also very common. There are some models that have the same specification like 330 excavators. In order to know the details of this excavator you have to know about its different parts and the best qualities of this machine.

Engine:

It is true that the most important part of an excavator is its engine that can give you the maximum power. Without a perfect engine a caterpillar 330 excavator cannot perform a single work. After examining its different parts it has been proved that the engine of caterpillar 330 is just like the 330BL excavator. It applies 222 horsepower. More over the point is that the engine is the most important part of an excavator that actually helps to do its work smoothly. Therefore if you are planning to buy an excavator then you definitely should check out whether its engine is good or not.

 

Bucket:

You know that heavy equipment can take huge loads and perform good works. In order to perform different types of works it is highly necessary to have good and proper specification. Bucket is another important part of the excavator. However, different types of excavators have different buckets. The size of the bucket is different from each other.

Other specifications:

There are several other specifications that actually important for running an excavator. It actually differs from machine to machine. Therefore, you have to make it clear that whether the excavator has perfect specifications or not before purchasing it.

 

You also want to know the fact that how you run an excavator. Don’t worry the process is very easy.

You have to start the important part of the equipment that is engine. Almost like the vehicles you have to start its engine. Therefore you have to turn a key to turn it on.

In order to run the excavator you have to be concerned over it. It has certain process that you have to follow. Without following such steps you will not be able to perform your works. Therefore, at first, try to get all the details about the equipment and then you can try this equipment at your work place.

Caterpillar Heavy Equipment- A Name to Be Trusted

Heavy equipment form an integral part of the construction industry. If you are someone who belongs to the construction industry, then dealing with heavy construction equipment must come as second nature to you. And for being successful in the field it is important that you select the best quality heavy equipment for your construction purposes. And the range of heavy equipment from Caterpillar no doubt serves the purpose to the best possible extent.

The Caterpillar Corporation

Born out of the fusion of Holt Manufacturing Company and C. L Best Tractor Company, the Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Company has gone on to become a name that is widely relied upon as far as heavy construction equipment are concerned. Having its base in California, it has been providing the construction industry of America with some of the best quality construction machinery for quite some time now. Today the company is a global manufacturer of all kinds of heavy equipment, right from Articulated Dump Trucks, Dozer, and Tractors to Compactors, Drag Lines, Excavators and the like.

The Caterpillar Range of Heavy Equipment

The Caterpillar Corporation has a number of heavy construction equipments to its credit that has been a great help to quite a number of construction companies.

The Caterpillar Articulated Dump Truck is perhaps one of the most popular and ever in demand heavy construction equipment to exist. There are a number of models from which the companies can pick, depending on their requirement. Each Articulated Dump Truck from Caterpillar has been designed in a manner such that it is easy to operate, simple and comfortable, with more productivity and less maintenance hassles.

The next equipment on the block is the Caterpillar Asphalt Pavers, used for paving asphalt on roads, bridges, parking lots and the like. It includes which three major variants, viz, the Wheel Asphalt Pavers, the Track Asphalt Pavers and the Screeds. The Caterpillar Excavator is equally important heavy equipment in the construction arena. The four variants of the Caterpillar 300 Excavator family offers four variants, from which the construction companies are free to choose a make and model of their choice- the small, mini, medium and large Excavators. Like the Excavator, the Dozer family also comes in three variants, viz the small, medium and large Dozers.

The Caterpillar Draglines, available in three variants, viz, 8200, 8750 and 8000 are also supposed to be quite an important tool in the mining and construction industry. It does not really need a genius to figure out the importance of drilling equipment in the construction arena and the Caterpillar Corporation offers two variants of drilling equipment for construction purposes, viz, Rotary Drills and Track Drills.

The Caterpillar compactors have also been designed in a manner so as to cater to the variety of purposes for which it may be required. The Soil Compactors, the Landfill Compactors, the Vibratory Soil Compactors are all designed by the company in such a manner so as to fit the demand of the construction companies.

The Caterpillar Heavy Equipment manufacturing company, therefore, always strives in supplying the construction and mining industry with high end heavy machinery that caters to their particular requirements.

Shield Your Heavy Equipment From The Deadly Winter

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Winter is welcomed in many parts of our country but in some parts, it is indeed a pain as one has to go through a good deal of trouble to protect themselves from the ferocious weather. It is just not for us that this season comes with pain but also for the construction segment as a whole. Imagine in cities where it snows for most of the time in the year, winters are just deadly. Folks from the construction domain are more worried about their heavy equipment as this season not only dampens their business but also the working capability of their machines. It just takes away the power from the equipment leading to enough complication once the weather changes. This leaves them with a damp business and few rotten machines. Though, the equipment can be fixed, it takes time to get them back on their toes.

What should one do to winterize their equipment?

The owner of the construction equipment needs to follow some very basic principles. The first would be to lubricate the machine before the start of the season. It would be practically impossible to do the lubrication thing once it starts snowing. No one can dare to deal with the machines in such a rough weather. Therefore, it would be prudent to do away with the oiling and maintenance stuff at the very beginning and before you start feeling the cold breeze swaying your cheeks.

Winterizing your equipment begins with checking each point of your machine that you feel should be lubricated. It would be wise if you prepare checkpoints before you begin working with it. The checkpoints will help you identify the various points in the machines that you need to work on. As you keep completing the work, keep ticking the checkpoints. This will ensure that you leave nothing behind and have taken care of everything mentioned on the list.

Get a good mechanic to get this job done

One of the most important steps towards shielding your construction equipment from winter is to get the overall machine checked by a good mechanic. It may not cost you much to hire an experienced mechanic who knows the in and out of the equipment and knows what needs to be done to protect them from winter. If he finds any part of the machine to be faulty, that should be replaced immediately. There are instances where the equipment owner gave the job of winterizing the equipment to the operator and they with their limited knowledge tried doing everything possible to prevent the machine but eventually, it took its toll. The machine weren’t working with the beginning of the next season and the owners were left puzzled. Had they given the work to an expertise, things would have been favourable to them.

Once you are done with the repair job, the next thing is to store the equipment in a cool and dry environment. It should not be exposed to outside climate or else it might develop complications.

Following these steps will ensure a safe winter for your heavy equipment.

 

Looking To Rent Your Equipments In Texas – It’s A Must To Read This

There are times when we all go through a sluggish period and do not have much work in hand. At this juncture, we not only have to manage the recurring costs to keep the company going but also have to ensure that the heavy equipments that are lying idle are well maintained. We can’t just let them rust for doing nothing. Therefore, the maintenance adds up to the cost making things all the more difficult. Under this situation, it is wise to simply rent the equipments to someone who is in need of them and can also afford to pay the rent that you want.

Renting heavy equipment may sound complex but in reality it is pretty simple to do so. You only need to find the right guy for your machine. We may be a bit apprehensive with the thought that the person using it may not care for it and that might lead to the machine getting wear off in less time than it should have. Well, these are just apprehensions and things can always be worked to set them in the right place. For instance, you can rent the machine to someone you know or if at all you’re giving it to a stranger, you can make an agreement where you can state that you may do an inspection of the equipment after every quarter and if you find that they are misusing the machine, you have every right to cancel the agreement and take your machine back.

One of the simplest forms of renting the heavy equipment is by posting it on internet. For the ones living in Texas, there are several sites which can connect them with the prospects. These websites work as an intermediary between the giver and the taker. In order to post your stuff on their websites, you have to first register with them. There may be an annual subscription fees that they may charge you for your services or may bill you for only listing the item on their website. The fees may differ depending upon the price of the equipment. Higher the price of the item more would be their fees. You have to update your credit card information on their website and then are post the equipment. It also gives you the privilege to monitor the number of prospects who have visited your item and if needed you can also communicate the prospect or vice-versa.

If you find a party who is interested in your equipment, ask them to pay a visit at your place and if they want, they can check the equipment to ensure that it’s working. Once they are content with the stuff, you can draft an agreement and can ask them to credit the money in your bank account.

You can also opt to advertise in a local newspaper that is widely circulated all over Texas. You may find some success in that as well. However in this modern age, it is recommended to post things on website as that may give you more and better responses.

Save Your Heavy Equipment from Potential Theft- Install the GPS

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Thieving has and will always be an issue of concern for individuals and organizations of all fields. What if your heavy equipment meets the same fate? Surely you wouldn’t want to lose your functioning heavy equipment to thieves and incur loses? So, what can you do to save your machinery from potential theft? Installing a GPS System in such a situation seems to be a good way out.

 

What Is GPS?

 

Among the many benefits that individuals and organizations have derived out of technological advancements is the GPS navigation system. The GPS or Global Positioning System is a “satellite navigation” system, which monitors and tracks the location of a certain device anywhere on the planet. Originally meant for military purposes, this navigational system is now open to use for all civilians. Install the GPS system in your equipment and always remain updated on its current location.

 

GPS Tracking System for Heavy Equipment

 

For starters, one needs to understand that the GPS system is a long term investment, the setup of which is going to cost you hefty but the gain that one incurs from the installation more than makes up for it. Setting up the device is a piece of cake. It is a hassle free procedure; all the users have to do is connect the device physically and then your equipment will be under surveillance 24 x 7 and you will receive an alert if there is something unusual. Now let us look into the pairing of the device. The GPS system needs to be linked with a trustworthy “fleet management software”. There are a number of alternatives available on this score and your choice should be governed by the need of your equipment. When picking up the “fleet management software”, you need to keep certain aspects of the same in mind- organization, price, “fleet size”.

 

Benefits of Using the GPS System for Your Heavy Equipment

 

Installation of the GPS device comes with a number of benefits for your equipment.

 

For one, round the clock monitoring of the equipment enables you to safeguard the same from potential theft. The setup is perfect for this purpose as even with a defunct battery, the system manages to send signals with regard to out of the order activities.

With the GPS navigation system, you can also monitor the schedule of your equipment. This helps you in taking decisions as to how and when to plan the next schedule of the equipment in order to meet the deadline.

 

Technological advances of the 21st century have made it possible for individuals and organizations to approach issues in a way they have never before done. And the GPS device is one such boom of technology that will help you to ward off potential thieving threats to your equipment and also help you monitor the equipment in order to serve other purposes. So, without further ado, set up the GPS System in your heavy equipment and keep track of your equipment.