When you’re going to take the plunge of a construction project that has heavy earth-moving work in the scope, you need to pick one among bobcats, an excavator, and a backhoe. Yes, they have similarities but in many ways they are different and each machine is suited for a different set of jobs. Understanding the difference will further guide you in choosing the best one that not only suits your project’s requirements but also let you undertake the job efficiently.
So, in today’s read, we’d be going to explore the ways these three heavy types of equipment differ apart.
Table of Contents
Excavator
When you imagine an excavator you presume a heavy-duty digging machine. That’s right because excavators are supposed to be large and heavier than backhoes and bobcats. Generally speaking, excavator hires are common in the industry and have a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Excavator has a long beam with a dipper stick that is attached with a bucket. That’s what makes an excavator a digging giant. The operator’s cabin sits atop the undercarriage that is mounted on tracks or wheels. Excavator entire chassis, arm, and cab can rotate 360 degrees above the undercarriage.
Backhoe
A backhoe, unlike an excavator, is made up of a traditional tractor having an attachment and can only swivel across a range of about 200 degrees. A typical backhoe, as the name refers, has a digging bucket on the end of a two-part articulated arm. On the opposite side, it typically has a front-loader attachment. It is also called a rear actor or back actor because of the way it operates. The operator seat can swivel 360 degrees to allow the operator to face the working side.
Although a typical backhoe is smaller than an excavator it can be used for a whole bunch of works. You can use a backhoe for small demolition jobs, light transportation of materials, digging holes and trenches, landscaping, breaking asphalt, digging or moving trees, digging fence post holes, minor excavation jobs, or even paving roads.
Bobcat
A skid-steer is commonly referred to as a bobcat machine. It is a compact and comparatively smaller engine-powered machine that has specialized maneuverability due to skidding action. The wheels of the skid-steer don’t have a separate steering mechanism instead, left-side wheels can be driven independently to the right-side drive and the turning is achieved by differential steering i.e. the left and right wheels are operated at different speeds. So, unlike excavator or backhoe, the assembly doesn’t rotate but the whole machine rotates or steers.
A skid-steer comes with a conventional bucket that faces outward from the operator and allows lifting. The loader-arm has a hinge at the rear of the machine that pivots the arm in the air in an arc that swings up over the top of the operator. A bobcat is used for numerous digging and lifting applications. It can help to transport raw material around the job site and digging a hole in steps. It is very useful in situations where the excavator boom cannot operate.
The Bottom Line
So, now you see that you’ve got a variety of options while choosing the earth moving machinery. Hence try to do your homework, access your project requirements before jumping on a decision. Whether you’re looking to buy an excavator or want to go with an excavator rental hire service; make sure to pick the right size and the right type.