10 Parts of an Excavator + Bonus FAQs

Before working with excavators, you need to know how they work. Excavators are essential heavy construction machines designed for digging, moving and lifting materials. They help make construction and excavation projects safer and more efficient. Understanding what the basic parts of an excavator are can help you be a better operator. Learn the excavator’s components and functions in this guide.

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10 Main Components of an Excavator

Knowing the basic parts of an excavator and how they work can help you choose, work with and maintain your machine. You’ll know what each part is, what it does and how everything fits together. Here are the main excavator components:

1. Boom

The boom is a fundamental component of an excavator. This large main part extends outward from the machine’s body. It primarily provides the excavator with its reach, allowing the operator to position the arm and bucket precisely for digging, lifting or placing materials. Booms come in various lengths and configurations, depending on the excavator’s intended application. Long booms are generally used for tasks requiring an extended reach, while shorter booms are better for confined spaces.

2. Arm

The arm, also called the stick, connects the boom to the bucket and helps control the excavation’s depth and precision. By extending and retracting the arm, the operator can adjust the distance between the boom and bucket, enabling precise digging, grading and lifting. The arm’s length varies depending on the excavator’s size. While mini excavators have shorter arms for better maneuverability in tight spaces, larger excavators have longer sticks, allowing for deep excavations.

3. Bucket

The bucket is the attachment at the end of the arm responsible for digging, scooping and carrying materials. Buckets come in various shapes and sizes, each designed for specific tasks. Excavator buckets typically have teeth or cutting edges for breaking through tough soil or rock. They can be swapped out for other attachments, like grapples or thumbs, to expand the excavator’s capabilities. The bucket’s size and shape significantly affect productivity and efficiency, so choosing the right one for the application is important.

4. Cab

The cab is the operator’s compartment. It contains the operator’s seat and the control panel. From here, the operator manages the machine’s functions, using various controls, joysticks and pedals to operate the boom, arm, bucket and other movements like rotation and travel. Modern excavator cabs are equipped with air conditioning, ergonomic seating and advanced technology, enhancing operator safety, comfort and productivity.

5. Undercarriage

The excavator’s undercarriage supports the machine’s weight, provides stability and facilitates movement. It includes tracks or wheels, depending on the excavator type. Tracks offer excellent traction and weight distribution, enabling crawler excavators to navigate rough and uneven terrains more easily. Wheeled excavators provide maximum agility on smoother surfaces such as asphalt and allow more mobility. The undercarriage may have features like adjustable width or retractable tracks to adapt to various job site conditions, ensuring the excavator’s stability and maneuverability.

6. Engine

Excavator engines usually run on diesel fuel. The engine’s size and power output depend on how big the excavator is and how it’s used. Modern engines are designed for improved efficiency and reduced emissions to meet strict environmental standards. Engines power the excavator’s movements and supply the energy needed to operate the hydraulic system.

7. Hydraulic System

The excavator’s hydraulic system is a complex network of high-pressure hoses, pumps, valves and cylinders that control the movements of the boom, arm and bucket. Using the hydraulic system, the operator manipulates these components to complete tasks. The hydraulic system is exceptionally responsive and powerful, making it an essential part of the excavator. It provides the strength needed to carry out heavy-duty tasks while maintaining accuracy and control in the operator’s hands.

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8. Counterweight

The counterweight is a heavy component, often located at the excavator’s rear. It provides balance and stability during lifting and digging operations. Since the excavator’s bucket at the front is frequently loaded with materials in the bucket, the counterweight opposes the weight of these materials to prevent the excavator from tipping over. Counterweights are adjustable and can be tailored to the machine’s specific requirements, ensuring safe operation and preventing accidents.

9. Swing Gear

Swing gear, typically loaded at the machine’s base, allows the excavator to perform a 360-degree rotation. This feature is essential for positioning the bucket accurately and efficiently without needing to reposition the entire machine. The operator can easily swing the excavator to reach different work site areas. It greatly enhances productivity and versatility, as the excavator can work within a wider radius without physically moving the undercarriage.

10. Blade

Some excavators are equipped with an optional blade at the front end for leveling and grading tasks. The operator can adjust this blade to control the grading depth and angle, making it a critical feature for projects requiring precise earthwork and leveling. The blade complements the excavator’s digging and material-handling capabilities, transforming it into a versatile machine for site preparation and finish grading work.

Excavator FAQs

Here are the answers to some common excavator questions to help you learn more about these machines and how to keep them in good condition.

How Does an Excavator Work?

Excavators use a combination of the boom, stick, bucket and hydraulic system to dig, scoop and lift materials. The operator controls these functions from the cab. The hydraulic system activates these components, allowing the excavator to dig into the earth, scoop materials, and perform precision tasks like trenching or loading trucks.

What Are the Main Types of Excavators?

Excavators come in different types to suit diverse needs. Standard crawler excavators are versatile and excel at many tasks. Mini excavators are compact and ideal for tight spaces, while wheeled excavators offer mobility on the road. Long-reach excavators extend for specialized reach and depth requirements. Your choice of excavator depends on the specific job and its demands.

What Are the Key Applications for Excavators?

Excavators find extensive use across construction and excavation projects. They’re essential for digging trenches, excavating building foundations, leveling and grading land, demolishing structures, and loading or unloading heavy materials. Their adaptability and precise control make them indispensable on job sites.

What Are the Three Major Parts of an Excavator?

The boom and arm, undercarriage and cab are the 3 major parts of an excavator.

Can Excavators Unscrew Themselves?

An excavator can not unscrew itself. Excavator parts are securely bolted, and the rotating cab is designed to stay firmly attached to the base.

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I have been thinking of possibly purchasing an excavator - probably in the 3-4 ton range.

First let me state - I do not know much about excavators - so the questions may reflect that.

First - is there any manufacturer(s) that are better than the others? More reliable - better specs for the money, etc?

Are there specific features that I should look for to make the equipment more efficient?

I have done some preliminary looking around and the John Deere 35D ZTS is probably in the range of what I would be looking for. I would probably want to buy one with a cab too - not just a canopy.

My experience at this point is limited to a few hundred hours on a BX23 Kubota - and a few hours here and there on larger tractors and and excavators.

Is there some sort of training I might - or should, take?

What kind of work opportunities are out there for equipment of this size? My intent is that I would use this to try and make a little money on the side here and there. If you are not comfortable fixing them yourself or doing routine maintenance make sure you pick a brand that has a local dealer. I would star with Kubota, Bobcat, Takeuchi, Volvo and Mustang. They all have good presence in the north east. Deere is a great machine, but I think you pay to much for the name, especially if you are using it for personal use. Kubota seems to have a good, well thought out machine. The angle back fill blade also makes it easy for the unexperienced to back fill (this is not meant to berate you )

Puck I can't remember the exact relationship but Gehl and Mustang are more or less the same excavators so I would think one dealer would be able to work on the other branded excavator. I didn't look at all the specs but if you look at the excavators they look identical with the main difference being Gehl or Mustang on the machine.

If you are looking at new machines then you don't have to worry as much but if you are looking at used units and don't have much experience with excavators make sure you take someone to look the machine over well before you buy. It won't take much to put you in the poor house with a used mini excavator.

One other thing, unless you have a tie into the construction market there are a lot of people now with mini excavators and as a result there is a lot of competition. If your main reason to buy is so you can own a new toy then go for it but be prepared for a tough market if you try looking for side jobs.

AND ALWAYS CALL BEFORE YOU DIG. I don't know if the number is the same all over but we have one number to call to have all of the utilities marked and if you hit something while digging that isn't marked you are not liable. If it is marked and you hit it you will have a bill (just make sure it isn't a fiber optic line that you hit )

Robert_in_NY said: One other thing, unless you have a tie into the construction market there are a lot of people now with mini excavators and as a result there is a lot of competition. If your main reason to buy is so you can own a new toy then go for it but be prepared for a tough market if you try looking for side jobs.

Listen to what he's saying here. With residential construction being slow in New England, your competition will be increased. There seems to be alot of builders with the extra toys that are sitting idle and would be happy to put them to work for less $ than they would have a year or so ago. As others have said, consider after the sale service in your equation unless you're skilled at maintaining tracked vehicles. Maintenance is pretty straight forward, but you'll want some experts to fall back on. Operating one is pretty simple; half an hour of practice will have you feeling pretty confident. Many dealers have sandboxes for their customers to play in.

Why are you looking at a zero tail swing model? Not making a judgement, just curious if you have a need for one. Do you know the pros and cons of ZTS?

Another machine to consider would be one of the smaller Volvos. Up here you find them with a few hundred hours of rental time for a LOT less than new. I have a Kubota KX121-3S with a hydraulic thumb and the angle blade. Hockeypuck feels the blade is useful for inexperienced operators, but I find it incredibly useful for backdragging and for stabilizing the mini-ex on slopes, scooping silt out of drainage ditches on dirt roads that would be chewed up by excessive pivoting, etc. I also love the thumb and wouldn't buy an excavator without one. I have a 24" digging bucket and a 42" cleanout bucket. I dig up a lot of stumps and boulders so would like to add a 12" bucket to the mix.

What do you intend to do with this machine? Fill in those gaps and you'd get better advice.

Happy digging! It's the most fun you can have fully dressed!

Pete