Wheeled or tracked excavator?

An excavator is undoubtedly the most important machine used for earthworks, which we wrote about here. However, choosing an excavator is not so simple – the buyer has to think about many parameters. One of them is of course the type of chassis and the answer to the question: tracked or wheeled excavator?

Tracked excavator

Among the tracked excavators we can find machines weighing several tons, as well as small, compact mini excavators. They are mainly connected by the opportunity to work in any area. This machines will cope well on muddy ground, in mud or on sand. They are also not disturbed by various unevenness of the terrain – they are great on the ground with numerous ditches and holes. All thanks to the crawler track system. Which increases the contact surface of the vehicle with the ground, while reducing unit pressure. The tracked excavator, however, is much less mobile compared to the wheeled excavator. It cannot move on roads, and its transport is only possible via platform trailer.

Wheeled excavator

Compared to crawler excavators, wheeled excavators can move not only on the building site, but also on public roads. They are also much smaller and lighter, and thus simply more agile. They are used primarily on construction sites in cities or on roads, i.e. in areas that are definitely less demanding. Compared to a crawler excavator, the wheeled version is also slightly cheaper to operate.

Of course, there is no clear answer to the question which excavator is better and which is worth investing in, because the choice depends on the type of work performed. Where a wheeled excavator works well, a tracked excavator may simply not be able to cope and vice versa. There is no doubt, however, that excavators are machines necessary for earthworks. They simplyfy and accelerate many projects, and the possibility of using interchangeable equipment determines their multitasking. When choosing an excavator, it’s also worth considering what power interests us and what work it will perform most often. Not every construction machine will cope with every situation – small and light works will not work well with large machines, as in small works, where precision is important, large and heavy ones will not work.