What is a Tracked Excavator?

A tracked excavator, often called a crawler excavator or digger, is a heavy construction machine consisting of a boom, dipper (or stick), bucket, and cab on a rotating platform (known as the "house"). The house sits atop an undercarriage with tracks, providing superior stability and traction, especially on soft, uneven, or sloped terrain common in New Zealand construction and earthmoving projects.

Key features of a Tracked Excavator

• Tracked Undercarriage: Provides low ground pressure, excellent traction, and stability, making it suitable for a wide range of ground conditions.
• 360-Degree Rotation: The house can rotate fully, allowing the operator to dig, lift, and place material across a wide area without repositioning the undercarriage.
• Powerful Hydraulics: Utilises hydraulic fluid power to operate the boom, dipper, bucket, and swing movements, enabling significant digging force.
• Versatile Attachments: The bucket can be replaced with various attachments like breakers (hammers), grapples, shears, augers, and compaction plates, increasing versatility.
• Size Range: Available in various sizes, from mini excavators (under 6 tonnes) for tight spaces to large production machines (over 90 tonnes) for bulk earthmoving.

Tracked Excavator considerations

These factors are the main considerations when operating a tracked excavator:

• Size & Weight: Choose a size appropriate for the job's scale, considering digging depth, reach requirements, lifting capacity, and site access limitations.
• Operating Environment: Tracks excel on soft or uneven ground but can damage finished surfaces like asphalt or concrete (unlike wheeled excavators).
• Required Attachments: Ensure the excavator's hydraulic system and size are compatible with the necessary attachments.
• Transport Logistics: Larger excavators require specialised transport (low-loaders) between job sites.
• Operator Skill & Safety: Proper training is crucial for safe and efficient operation, including awareness of the machine's swing radius and lifting limits.

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