Hello everyone, Ok so I saw a thread before that mentioned wheeled excavators and quick hitches. So I thought what would happen if you had 4 or 5 (maybe more) buckets and the excavator operator wanted to move around with them easily? Then I though, why not make a trailer to carry them, and then just tow them about? It wouldn't be too hard to not dig where the trailer was, just keep the undercarriage front pointing to where the digging is happening, and make the trailer draw bar low and long enough that the swing wouldn't effect it. So if a bucket change was needed, then swing around behind the machine and drop the attached bucket into the trailer and pick up the new one. Has this been done, and pros/ cons? Any ideas?
Seen this before the biggest issue is you cant uses a wheeled excavator in the same working places as a tracked machine seen them get boged a lot more then a tracked machine and also the price is stupidly high you would just be better of getting a normal excavator and a cheap used truck.
Wheeled excavators are great. Wish they were more widely available on the hire market in the UK. Back on topic, I've seen one out on the road going to a job site with just the setup you are talking about. He was just using an old farm style trailer, so I guess he unhitched it whilst working as it would probably get in the way if there was a lot of shunting about. I have also seen one towing a van on an A frame, so I guess he was going to leave the excavator on site overnight and take the van home.
Everyone who has a wheeled ex here has a small wagon or trailer with them that they carry a fuel tank, forks, packer, hammer, variuos buckets, road closure signs and much more things that's needed in their daily job. More often than not it is also plumbed so they can load gravel and other materials and tip it if needed.
Ok, thanks for all the info everyone! I was unaware that it had already been thought of.
Wheeled excavators are almost a necessity on urban jobs. Nothing else comes close to their versatility. Load trucks one moment, move barricades the next, cut some sidewalk grade, clean up and reload when a dump truck tailgate comes open going down the road three miles from the sidewalk job. I even drove some sheet piling once with a "rubber-tired track hoe". As a matter of fact, I cut my teeth on one before ever getting on a trackhoe. I liked it because it would bounce and flounce around like a log loader on those rubber tires. If you're really good, try running one without the stabilizers down...LOL
Yair . . . posts #3 and #4 are classic examples of (what to us) is outside the box thinking that can be utilised to reduce the "whole of job"costs. This is the sort of dicussion I think needs to be had. There are other ways of doing jobs with unfamiliar techniques and methods. Cheers.
I really prefer a trailer one, the wheeled excavators is not good as a crawler one in many aspects. Why buy the wheeled one ?
I recommend you all to ceforum.co.uk. Look under "rubber ducks/wheeled excavators." You will learn from the master, Atlasrob. You will see all that has been brought up here and more.:notworthy
You have got to love the closed minded, often times those are also the ones who only believe what the big manufacturers tell them as well. I should be happy that their is so many small minded out their otherwise I would have several of competitors. I do somewhat enjoy having NO competition, I was able to walk onto a wide open market.
In the Netherlands (as in whole NW europe) wheelded excavators are very common, and almost every one has a quick coupler. Bucket trailers áre used in various types. Google picure search "bakkenwagen" and will find lots of inspiration. Often a pick up hitch is welded to the dozerblade, so the trailer can be moved without leaving the cab.
The main reason a wheeled excavator cant go where a trackhoe goes is because they're not Meant for the same work. They're aren't reallyany wheeled excavators around here and only a couple gradalls. But it burns my butt to see a trrackedmachine walking up the tarmac to clean ditches or change culverts or replace power poles. All perfect tasks for a rubber duck. As well as shoulder repair, waterline repair there are multitudes of task they would excel at .
In my area ducks are rare, you see gradals and track machines, alot of contractors only have track machines, some of the reasons is due to our soil conditions. In additon the contractors have not acapted the machines because they feel the duck is not capable of serious work, but in the urban areas one would think it would be benifical to own a duck. I have been doing some of work as of late with my Menzi because they do not want a track machine on the roadway.