Choosing the right size excavator for your construction project is crucial. Selecting the wrong size can lead to inefficiency and higher operating costs.With so many options available, it’s difficult to determine which excavator size will best suit your project needs, especially when dealing with large-scale tasks. This article will explain what 20 ton excavator is, their benefits, and how they can improve the efficiency of your construction projects. By understanding their features and capabilities, you can make a more informed decision.
20 ton excavator is ideal for mid to large-scale construction projects, offering a balance of power, reach, and efficiency. They are versatile machines used in digging, lifting, and moving heavy materials. This guide will help you understand how they can optimize your worksite operations.
Now, let’s dive deeper into what exactly defines a 20 ton excavator, and explore why this size is commonly chosen for various construction tasks.
1,What Is 20 Ton Excavator?
20 ton excavator is medium-sized machines. They strike the balance between heavy-duty performance of some of the larger excavators and the maneuverability that the smaller ones. A 20 ton excavator can dig a hole over your head or dig a trench almost as deep as your mini-van is long. These are perfect machines for a lot of general site tasks.
A 20 ton excavator is typically used for digging, trenching, lifting heavy loads, and material handling in large-scale construction projects.
In general, they come with a variety of bucket sizes and a variety of attachments, so, while being more of a specialized construction piece, these machines can be a little bit more flexible than mini, midi, and some larger excavators. I use mine for everything from digging fence post holes to digging footings and even moving large rocks.
A 20 ton excavator is a perfect jack of all trades and a great way for a homeowner or a contractor to save a few dollars over purchasing a smaller machine like a mini-excavator and renting something larger when needed. With a 20 ton excavator, assuming the machine is used correctly, you have enough machine to tackle just about anything yet the maneuverability to work around townhouses, narrow driveways, or on most residential lots.
2,What Are the Key Features of a 20 Ton Excavator?
20 ton excavators are a perfect size for quick response. But these are not always in the funky, over-the-top crowd. 20 ton excavators have all the advanced features of the big over-the-top king-of-the-mount brute machines. They have advanced electronics, engines, and emissions systems. They’re designed for the maximum amount of performance and efficiency in the smallest, lowest weight package possible.
Key features of 20 ton excavators include hydraulic systems, strong lifting capacities, and high-performance engines designed to handle demanding construction tasks.
20 ton excavator have advanced hydraulic systems and they’re all worked in, so they’ll have precision damping that the little guys don’t. You can have your bucket filled to the brim with dirt and still reach over to dump it within inches of your track. These are great EQs if you are filling ag bags, running a vibratory plow for fiber optics, or driving a huge hydraulic post hole driver that the mini-excavator wouldn’t even think about.
20 ton excavators have to have these types of systems because of the heavier-weight earth moving tasks they do on a day-to-day basis. And 20 ton excavators have power. The engines in these typical machines are between 120 and 150 horsepower. Finally, they have all the bells and whistles so they can be worked in comfortably all day long. Everything from air conditioning to Bluetooth, hands-free phone use, sound-damping material in the cab, and even the owner can set up the seat where all the controls fall easily to hand. Whether you are looking for performance, maneuverability, or comfort, this baby has it all.
3,What Are the Benefits of Using a 20 Ton Excavator in Construction?
20 ton excavators are a perfect size for quick response. But these are not always in the funky, over-the-top crowd. 20 ton excavators have all the advanced features of the big over-the-top king-of-the-mount brute machines. They have advanced electronics, engines, and emissions systems. They’re designed for the maximum amount of performance and efficiency in the smallest, lowest weight package possible.
20 ton excavators are versatile, cost-effective, and capable of handling a wide range of construction tasks, making them an ideal choice for large and medium-scale projects.
Fifty-five thousand pounds seems to be the magic number where the usefulness really starts to increase. You can do anything you want with something smaller, but the 55,000 pound size just seems to be enough excavator that you can do just about anything. This is one of those things in life that’s interesting; it seems at every auction I go to, every conveyance I see on a road or a site, every article I read about repairing or maintaining a sewage system, the guys are always working with a 55,000-pound (or 20-ton) or slightly larger excavator. It’s like fifty-five thousand pounds is the minimum size you need to be useful.
4,When Should You Use a 20 Ton Excavator Over Other Sizes?
The reality is that most of us won’t need an excavator at all. For those of us who do, we often only need one for a weekend or a week at most. So it can make more sense to rent rather than to purchase an excavator outright. But there are some situations where that’s not true. If you live in a rural or semi-rural area like we do and if you have your own well or septic (and maybe even if you don’t have your own well or septic), then it’s almost a given that you will need to buy an excavator.
A 20-ton excavator is ideal for mid-sized projects where a larger machine would be too cumbersome, yet a smaller one would lack the necessary power for heavy lifting and digging.
Twenty-ton machines are the perfect size for quick response. Twenty-ton excavators have all the advanced features of the big jack-of-plates king-of-the-mount brute machines like CAT 320D excavator. They have advanced electronics, engines, and emissions systems. They’re designed for maximum amount of performance and efficiency in the smallest, lowest weight package possible. Twenty-ton machines have advanced hydraulic systems, and they’re all worked in, so they’ll have precision dampening that the little guys don’t. You can have your bucket filled to the brim with dirt and still reach over to dump it within inches of your track.
These are great EQs if you are filling ag bags, running a vibratory plow for fiber optics, or driving a huge hydraulic post hole driver that the mini-excavator wouldn’t even think about. 20 ton excavators like komatsu PC200 also have to have these types of systems because of the heavier-weight earth moving tasks they do on a day-to-day basis. And 20-ton machines have power. The engines in these typical machines are between 120 and 150 horsepower.
Finally, they have all the bells and whistles, so they can be worked in comfortably all day long. Everything from air conditioning to Bluetooth, hands-free phone use, sound-damping material in the cab, and even the owner can set up the seat where all the controls fall easily to hand. Whether you are looking for performance, maneuverability, or comfort, this baby has it all.
5,How Much Does a 20 Ton Excavator Cost?
In general, twenty-ton excavators are a perfect size for quick response. In most cases, these are not in the crowd that’s over-the-hill, buy-the-biggest-machine-you-can-stand-to-haul-everywhere-and-dig-yourself-silly. Twenty-ton excavators have all the advanced features of the big over-the-hill, king-of-the-mount brute machines. They have advanced electronics, engines, and emissions systems. They’re designed for the maximum amount of performance and efficiency in the smallest, lowest weight package possible.
On average, new 20-ton excavators can range from $80,000 to $150,000, while used models like hyundai 215 excavator can be found for significantly less, depending on their condition and age.
You can probably pick up a used 20-ton excavator for somewhere around 50,000 to 90,000, depending on the bells and whistles. Well-used machines are cheaper than less-used machines. If you take a look locally, you can check out the new and used equipment dealers or even try a local auction. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, bring a mechanic. If you’re considering a used machine, find out what to expect by checking out equipment auction prices, greasing options, and common break points. That way you’ll have a good idea of when to start running before you start burning money.
And get the machine checked over by a mechanic before you buy it.ivBut, check out the numbers in this purchase guide. There are a handful of other aftermarket pieces that every excavator should have. And some of them like your thumb or clean-up bucket will come as a package with a new machine for cheaper than you’ve ever seen one offered as an aftermarket piece. We can go over those common after-market pieces.
Then we can also go over the things to look for when you check out a used excavator, once you’ve figured out what size machine you need. So the better question than what size is, is what size machine can you comfortably afford and operate. After all, there’s no need to go bigger when you can’t afford it or dig all day long because you are paying for fuel.
6,What Are the Operating Costs of a 20 Ton Excavator?
The cost to run a 55,000 pound machine is no more than a smaller machine. You may burn a little more fuel to keep the machine running all day. And parts are more expensive because it’s a bigger machine. But things add up to a wash in the end. Still, the name of the game is to get the job done and move on to the next so you can make more money. It doesn’t matter if you use a bigger or a smaller machine, just work. Then, don’t discount a machine bigger or smaller than you think you need to buy.
Try one out, read specs and look at numbers, watch YouTube videos, and think. Can you justify buying a new or used machine in your lifetime? Can you make money with a 55,000-pound machine, and be better doing it than with a 55,000-pound piece of rented junk? Can you afford a 20-ton excavator? Then you should buy it. See how easy buying an excavator can be? Ten grand from the guy as he read that last sentence with a puzzled look, “Won’t the bank need my money?”
Not if the bank thinks they can get your money later. Again, this is what buying a mid-size excavator is all about. This is why the used market is flooded with 55,000 pounds EEs, and this is why you should buy one and save a little money.On average, a 20-ton excavator consumes around 10-15 gallons of fuel per hour, depending on workload and operating conditions. Maintenance costs depend on the brand and age of the machine.
Twenty-ton machines are the perfect size for quick response. Twenty-ton excavators have all the advanced features of the big jack-of-plates king-of-the-mount brute machines. They have advanced electronics, engines, and emissions systems. They’re designed for maximum amount of performance and efficiency in the smallest, lowest weight package possible. Twenty-ton machines have advanced hydraulic systems, and they’re all worked in, so they’ll have precision damping that the little guys don’t. You can have your bucket filled to the brim with dirt and still reach over to dump it within inches of your track.
These are great EQs if you are filling ag bags, running a vibratory plow for fiber optics, or driving a huge hydraulic post hole driver that the mini-excavator wouldn’t even think about. Twenty-ton machines must have these types of systems because of the heavier-weight earth moving tasks they do on a day-to-day basis. And 20-ton machines have power. The engines in these typical machines are between 120 and 150 horsepower. Finally, they have all the bells and whistles, so they can be worked in comfortably all day long. Everything from air conditioning to Bluetooth, hands-free phone use, sound-damping material in the cab, and the owner can set up the seat where all the controls fall easily to hand.
Whether you are looking for performance, maneuverability, or comfort, this baby has it all.
7,What Maintenance Is Required for a 20 Ton Excavator?
When purchasing a 20-ton excavator, focus on the maintenance records. It’s easy to get caught up in the shiny new piece of machinery and forget to look at how well it has been maintained. Dig into the maintenance records to make sure everything has been and continues to be properly maintained.
Regular inspections, lubrication, and timely repairs are crucial to maintaining the performance and longevity of your 20-ton excavator.
To keep a 20-ton excavator running smoothly, it is essential to perform regular maintenance tasks such as checking fluid levels, inspecting hydraulic systems, and replacing filters. The undercarriage, particularly the tracks, should be checked for wear, as this can affect mobility and safety. Hydraulic systems should be flushed and refilled at regular intervals, and any leaks should be addressed immediately to prevent further damage. Scheduling these maintenance activities at regular intervals can significantly reduce the risk of costly repairs and downtime.
8,How Long Do 20 Ton Excavators Last?
The amount of time a 20-ton excavator lasts depends on three factors: how the unit was maintained during its life, the environment in which it was used, and how often and hard it was used.
With proper care, a 20-ton excavator can last up to 10,000 to 12,000 hours of operation before requiring major overhauls or replacements.
From anywhere between 10,000 and 12,000 operational hours would be the norm for a good, well-maintained 20-ton excavator. The nature of the tasks you’re completing, the operating conditions (extreme heat or cold, rough terrain), and how well you maintain your unit all play a factor in the hours you can get out of an excavator. If you take care of your new unit and service it like you should, you may get even more hours of service from it. When the unit does reach those peak operating hours, you may have to replace or rebuild certain components to keep it running as needed.
Summary:
In summary, a 20-ton excavator is a versatile, powerful, and cost-effective unit ideal for medium to large construction projects. They can do anything you ask and do it quickly and easily if the operator is skilled. The wide variety of tasks they can perform with both precision and brute force makes them invaluable to a construction company wanting to get the most efficiency out of each piece of equipment they use. With a plethora of features designed for fuel efficiency, power, and the operator’s comfort, these units prove a worthy return on investment. Know the benefits, features, and costs associated with these units to make an informed decision the next time you’re shopping for a new excavator.
Contact with us for more information of 20 ton used excavator!