Although wheeled excavators have yet to proliferate in North America the way they have in Europe, manufacturers have been adding models here as well as technology, and the already-versatile units are receiving a boost from tiltrotators.
Designed for work on and off road, but not on viscous, loose surfaces, wheeled excavators are best known for their mobility—the ability to travel quickly between jobs without the use of a trailer. They can also work near buildings and on narrow streets (hence the popularity in Europe), and many can work within one lane of traffic.
The ability to use various buckets allows the excavators to excavate soil, sand, and other materials. They can also trench and perform rolling ditch work and load a variety of trucks and dumpers.
Hammers, grabs, forks, thumbs, plate compactors, boom-mounted mowers, and more, serve many different applications.
What’s right for you?
European dealer Avesco Cat has a solid primer on selecting a wheeled excavator.
First, decide on the scope and nature of the work, and consider the area in which it is to be carried out. For example, the tracked mini excavator is ideal for small tasks in the private sector, for minor construction work and for laying pipe, electric, or communication cables. Larger models on tracks are recommended for tasks in large suburban sites, quarries, and mining.
For construction work in the city, a wheeled excavator can be the best choice. It can travel public roads and doesn’t require special transport arrangements for short distances. Loading a heavy crawler excavator and transporting the equipment to its destination and then unloading it not only requires special transport, but also incurs higher costs.
In addition to excavating or loading into trucks, the right choice of wheeled excavator will allow its use for leveling the site before the foundation work starts, as a crane for unloading or loading building materials, and for other tasks such as the placement of concrete blocks or Jersey barriers.
Among the main criteria for choosing an excavator are its weight and power.
Larger excavators should be bought for long-term, permanent work. A machine of this size and power will pay off the purchase and maintenance costs with its efficient performance, Avesco says.
If the workload is not sufficient, the excavator will often stay idle. For more cost-effective use of the machine, it would be better to buy a lower-powered excavator.
However, choosing a model that is too small may not meet the needs of the job at hand. On the other hand, choosing a model that is too large can be too complicated and, more importantly, too expensive.
To make the right choice, analyze the issues relating to the nature and amount of work to be done.
This will also determine the excavator’s capacity requirements, which is why both the lifting capacity and bucket size are important.
If the excavator is loading dump trucks, the bucket should have the capacity and size to load the truck body in four to six loading cycles. However, in this case, we do not know the power required for the excavator. To solve the issue of excavator performance at the expense of the bucket size will not only overload the hydraulic system, but excessive boom loads can cause rapid wear and breakage.
In addition, without the right balance between the bucket, the boom, and capacity, the stability of the excavator is compromised, where a fully extended boom and a full bucket can make the machine unstable and cause it to tip.
Therefore, not only must the size of the bucket and the power of the excavator be selected, but also the permissible combination of bucket and boom. Of course, a larger bucket can pick more soil at a time, but this combination also has corresponding power requirements.
The larger unit, the M320, was given 9% more swing torque than its F Series predecessor and the hydraulic system was improved to increase efficiency when working with the company’s attachments.
A Cat C4.4 engine has efficiency-minded standard features such as one-touch low idle with automatic engine speed control, auto engine idle shutdown, and on-demand cooling fans.
The M320 also has a dedicated swing pump for multitasking. An advanced hydraulic system is designed to automatically balance power and efficiency to give operators more control in precise working environments. A heavy lift mode feature boosts lifting capacity.
Right-side and rearview cameras are standard, and an optional 360-degree visibility system combines input from multiple cameras around the machine to enhance the operator’s view.
Takeuchi has brought its first ever wheeled excavator model to North America.
The TB395W features two four-wheel steering modes: 4WS (all-wheel steering) and 4WSC (crab steering). A wide-range, longer stick arm allows for greater clearance between the bucket and dozer blade due to the arm mount position. As a result, operators of the TB395W can pull the bucket all the way to the dozer blade, which helps when working in narrow spaces or moving an obstacle out of the way.
Auto Cruise enables operators to set and adjust their travel speeds by pressing a button or operating a toggle switch (on an optional, multifunction grip). Auto Cruise is ideal for attachments that require a consistent, repeatable travel speed, such as a mulcher, mower, or trencher.
Case Construction Equipment has also brought wheeled models to the North American market, including the WX175E SR. It is designed to reach tight urban job sites at speeds up to 25 mph.
Operating weight is just over 44,000 pounds, and rated power is 173 horsepower at 2,200 rpm. A load-sensing hydraulic system allows for multifunctional operation and precise machine movements, and proportional auxiliary hydraulics enable smooth, precise control of attachments.
An optional Fine Swing control increases precision with less material spillage, and Power Boost provides an instant increase in power when needed.
