All You Need To Know - Tires & Trax

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An excavator is one of the most popular machines in a fleet of heavy equipment.

Excavators are used in construction, agriculture, demolition, landscaping, mining, and so much more.

Excavator attachments will turn your excavator into a multi-facet tool, broadening the scope of work you can do with your excavator.

In this post I will look at the following:

• What is an excavator attachment
• What attachments you can get for your excavator
• The benefits of using excavator attachments
• Are excavator attachments universal
• How much do excavator attachments cost
• New attachments vs used attachments
• Excavator attachment suppliers

ALSO READ: BUYING A NEW EXCAVATOR

What Attachments Can You Get For Your Excavator

There are a number of attachments available on the market which will increase the capabilities of your machine.

Investing in excavator attachments could be very beneficial for your business.

Currently, the attachments you’re able to get for your excavator include:

• Couplers

• Augers

• Cold Planers
• Compactors

• Hammers

  / Rock Breakers
• Ripper
• Buckets
• Thumbs

• Grapples

• Pallet Fork

• Rakes

• Saws
• Trencher
• Crusher
• Grading Blade
• Steel Shear
• Mowers / Brush Cutter
• Tree Shear

• Barrier Handler

  / Pipe Handler

• Boom Extension

Many agents or suppliers have different types of attachments available, so finding the right supplier is key.

Keep reading to find out where you can get the perfect attachments for your excavator.

Remember: Most attachments used on excavators need hydraulic pressure to function. Each excavator has hydraulic specifications which you can get from your agent or dealer.

Let’s look at these attachments in more detail:

COUPLERS

Couplers make the work of changing attachments on your excavator a lot simpler.

Turning a pretty manual job which includes heavy lifting, into something your operator of the excavator can do easily.

Think of it as a tool for fitting the different attachments.

There are different types of couplers available. There are manual and hydraulic pin grabber couplers, hydraulic s-type couplers, tilting dual lock couplers, and pin lock couplers.

Make sure the coupler is properly connected to the different attachments before using it.

Couplers are easy to use.

However, if used or attached incorrectly they could lead to serious damage or even injuries.

Again, couplers make changing attachments much quicker and relatively effortless.

EARTH DRILLS OR AUGERS

Augers or earth drills are the ‘drilling machines’ of excavator attachments from 1 to 50 tons.

Like handheld drills, you get various types of auger bits (or drill bits) for drilling:

• In normal dirt
• In compacted soils
• In the solid or fractured rock
• In frozen ground or ice

Double Planetary Reduction Auger-Credit: Cleveland Brothers

For more demanding applications, you can use a planetary drive system.

Planetary Drive System – Credit: Lancereal

This attachment is used for earth drilling from 1 to 45 tons

Earth Drill-Credit: Auger Torque

Auger Bits

Auger bits are the drill bits of the drilling machine or auger.

They’re ideal for drilling foundation footings, postholes, holes for trees or shrubs, and more.

Auger bits come in a range of different lengths, widths, and weights.

There are different drill heads for different drilling applications, from heavy-duty to general-purpose work.

Auger Bits-Credit: Premier Attachments

COLD PLANERS

Planers are attachments that restore asphalt, and concrete surfaces.

Cold Planer-Credit: South African Heavy Equipment

COMPACTORS

Compactors are ideal for the compaction of ground or gravel.

Compactor attachments work well on construction sites, paving jobs, or in the laying of pipelines.

The two main types of compactor attachments for excavators are:

1. Vibratory plate compactor
2. Compaction wheel

Compacting can be a tedious job, using a compactor attachment makes the process far easier and more importantly, quicker.

Plate Compactor-Credit: John DeereWheel Compactor-Credit: Lesanco

HAMMERS/ROCK BREAKERS

Hammer or rock breaker attachments are used for breaking concrete, asphalt, and rock.

Work environments that get the most out of hammer attachments for excavators are:

1. Construction sites
2. Agricultural areas
3. Roadworks for breaking asphalt
4. Demolition
5. Quarries

Excavator Hammer-Credit: Alibaba

Note:

Hammers make easy work of breaking and demolishing. However, if used incorrectly or excessively they may damage your excavator.

I would recommend that these be used on excavators specifically purchased for demolition work as it has a very high wear rate.

RIPPERS

Rippers are useful for ripping apart ice, rock, hard ground, and asphalt.

A ripper is a big shank (arm) that tapers to a sharp edge to which you attach a replaceable ripper tooth, making easy work of even the toughest workloads.

Ripper -Credit: Cleveland BrothersExcavator Ripper Tooth-Credit: GLIKR Machinery

BUCKETS

There are different types of buckets available for your excavator, all created for different applications.

• General-purpose work buckets: used for general digging, loading, and other dirt-handling applications
• Ditch cleaning buckets: designed for cleaning ditches, sloping, grading, and other finish work.
• Grading buckets: used on wheeled and tracked excavators with tilt rotators for grading purposes.
• Trenching buckets: used for narrow trenches for laying water pipes, plumbing pipes, or cables.
• Skeleton buckets: these buckets are a blend of Ditch Cleaning and General Duty Bucket capabilities.
• Banana trenching buckets: open side plates and small width are the main characteristics of a banana-style trenching bucket. Specific for trenching cohesive materials for easy unloading.
• Heavy-duty and extreme-duty buckets: used for working with rock and extremely harsh conditions.

Wider excavator buckets are used for holding a greater capacity of dirt or soil. Narrow trenching buckets are available for digging trenches for pipelines or cables (typically mounted on the rear of your backhoe).

Heavy Duty Bucket-Credit: ITR

THUMBS

A thumb attachment works with the excavator bucket.

Thumbs work like the thumb on your hand, making it easier to pick up tree stumps and rocks.

This attachment makes light work of moving away or loading broken concrete on demolition sites as well.

Excavator Bucket Thumb-Credit: CAT

GRAPPLES

Grapples applications are for demolition, sorting, and loading all kinds of materials. A good way to describe them is a multi-grapple.

The basic structure is quite simple and similar for all brands: a rigid main body with two moving jaws mounted on both ends of the frame. These jaws are powered by one or two hydraulic cylinders.

For heavy-duty use, the hydraulic grapples are equipped with a powerful hydraulic rotator. For light loading and sorting jobs, a tilt rotator can replace it.

Heavy Duty Grapple-Credit: Geith

PALLET FORK

Forks are used for picking up, loading, and moving materials.

Fork attachments are great for use on construction sites where you may not have Telescopic Handlers or Forklifts available.

Pallet Forks

RAKES

Rakes are typically used for clean-ups and land clearing.

There are various rakes available for different applications:

1. Heavy Duty Rakes
2. Low Profile Rakes
3. Low Profile Scoop Rakes
4. Heavy Duty Grip Rakes

Excavator Rake-Credit: Earthmoving Warehouse

SAWS

Saws for excavators are used for tree, rock, and granite cutting.

There are some saw attachments manufactured by individual manufacturers which are not common or sold by dealers.

Excavator Saw-Credit: Solution Plant Hire

Here’s an example of a tree saw:

Tree Saw-Credit: GreenTec

TRENCHER

Trenchers for excavators make easy work of cutting narrow and straight trenches for laying pipelines and cables.

Excavator Trencher-Credit: South African Heavy Equipment

CRUSHER BUCKET

Perfect for on-site crushing of inert materials. The Crusher Bucket makes use of the hydraulic system of the excavators to which it is fitted.

It has many applications: from building demolitions, to the requalification of former industrial and urban areas to the processing of excavation materials, from the earth movement sector to road works, from quarries to mines, from environmental reclamation to applications on rocky soil.

Crusher Bucket-Credit: For Construction Pros

GRADING BLADE

Grader Blades are ideal for landscaping, scraping, grading, leveling, and shaping for drainage.

Grading Blade-Credit: Gardner Engineering

STEEL SHEAR

Steel Shears are suitable for a range of public works, including recycling, scrapyard management, and demolition.

With an excavator tonnage range of 4 – 97 tons, Shears can easily cut through steel plates, H and I beam profiles, tanks, etc.

It has a 360-degree continuous rotation and a high shearing force.

The jaws are designed for optimal opening and cutting power.

Steel Shear-Credit: ZATO

MOWER / BRUSH CUTTER

Mowers and Brush Cutters are ideal for:

• Landowners who want to control trees and invasive species.
• Land Clearing.
• Landscaping and maintenance.
• Suitable for professional contractors and councils/municipalities.

Rotary Mower-Credit: Colbrook Industries

TREE SHEARS

Tree Shears can cut all types including hardwoods.

Shears are ideal for biomass-clearing operations. Different applications are for removing diseased trees, fire prevention methods, water conservation, power line utility tree removal, and all general clearing operations where trees of all sizes and shapes need to be removed.

Tree Limb Shear-Credit: Dymax Inc

BARRIER HANDLER / PIPE HANDLER

Barrier Handler and Pipe Handler attachments make easy work of moving pipes and barriers on sites.

It used to be that moving and positioning concrete barriers, pipes and oddly shaped materials could be cumbersome, time-consuming, and at times, unsafe.

Often, the process involved slings, straps, and chains secured manually under and/or around an object, requiring direct human interaction that put workers at risk.

Barrier Handler-Credit: For Construction Pros

BOOM EXTENSION / TELESCOPIC ARM

In applications that utilize long boom/arm combinations, the main benefit is an expanded working range that can add versatility for certain applications.

There may be a drawback to using a boom extension as the digging forces will be reduced.

The bucket size may also need to be reduced in order that the machine maintain stability.

Boom Extension-Credit: For Construction Pros

Benefits of Using Excavator Attachments

Here are the benefits of using excavator attachments:

1. Safer work environment
2. Lower labor cost
3. Do more jobs with one machine
4. Less downtime
5. Fewer machines needed
6. Optimally bringing you a higher return on investment
7. Gives you the edge over your competitor

Are Excavator Attachments Universal

Couplers help to make attachments more universal between brands.

The following factors will determine whether an excavator attachment is universal or not:

1. Pin diameter
2. Center-to-center measurements on the arm
3. Hydraulic pressure
4. Weight

The example below shows how to measure the pin diameter and the center-to-center diameter:

Measuring Example for pin diameter and center-to-center-Credit: JB Equipment

Many companies and suppliers have designed generic attachments for excavators and other machines, some more universal than others.

Caterpillar or similar companies have attachments developed for their particular brands only, you can get these specifications from your agent.

How Much Do Excavator Attachments Cost

Buying individual machines for different jobs is very expensive.

Purchasing excavator attachments for different applications will cost you a lot less.

You can purchase new or used attachments for your excavator.

These attachments can be found online, or through machine brokers, or through new or used earthmoving machine dealers.

Prices of the attachments will be determined by numerous factors, such as the size of the machine as well as the different makes of attachments, and the various suppliers of the attachments.

New Attachments vs Used Attachments

There are many options available when buying attachments.

I will always recommend buying a new hydraulic-operated attachment, as there is usually a guarantee or warranty. To save some money, you can go for a refurbished option preferably with a warranty.

Refurbished or reconditioned hydraulic attachments should generally come with limited warranties.

Thoroughly test hydraulic attachments especially used attachments before purchasing them.

Buying a used attachment may be more expensive should you buy an attachment that hasn’t been refurbished correctly and thoroughly tested.

Excavator Attachment Suppliers

You will find many companies online that supply new and used attachments for excavators.

Be sure to use suppliers with the best reputation to ensure you get the best quality excavator attachments that will last.

Dealers and agents will cover most of your attachment needs.

These are the companies I recommend for your excavator attachments:

ALSO READ: Backhoe Tires Buyers Guide | All You Need To know

Hi, I’m the Owner and Writer for Tires & Trax.

I have over 20 years of experience in mining and earthmoving machinery and vehicles, and I want to share what I’ve learned with you.