Rock & Dirt Blog Construction Equipment News & Information

The new Tier 4 Final/Stage IV-compliant EC250E and EC300E crawler excavators from Volvo Construction Equipment are powerful and efficient machines, designed to reduce fuel consumption and increase productivity. New Volvo EC250E and EC300E crawler excavators deliver a 5 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over past models, saving customers both time and money. This efficiency is […]

Dedicated to offering customers the most cutting-edge equipment and jobsite solutions on the market, John Deere upgrades three models on the successful G-Series excavator line. The models – 250G LC, 350G LC and 380G LC – are equipped with a powerful Final Tier 4 engine and meet the strictest emissions standards, providing customers with higher productivity, […]

What size machine does it take to get the job done? It’s a question with varied answers dependent on the type of equipment, the application, methods of transportation and the environment you work in. And it’s an important question: too small of a machine could leave you short of your production needs, and too large […]

Two Hitachi EX5500-5 front shovels achieved elite status October 2013 at the Yanacocha gold mine in Peru by surpassing 100,000 operating hours. Both EX5500-5 machines – the predecessor to Hitachi’s current EX5600-6 model – were delivered 14 years ago and have been working at numerous pits in the 251-square-kilometer open mine ever since. The first […]

It's the largest board game ever played with CAT Equipment! During the Caterpillar Built For It Trials, "Stack" pits five heavy equipment operators against a mountain of massive wood blocks! Excavators and Telehandlers are used to remove and reposition a stack of 27 JENGA blocks one at a time without toppling the structure.   Source: […]

The latest addition to the revolutionary excavator-based pipelayers from Volvo, the PL4809D, has been enhanced with a whole host of new productivity-enhancing features, including a unique load management system. The PL4809D rotating pipelayer is the second largest member of the revolutionary family of excavator-based pipelayers from Volvo. Offering excellent stability with a 90-ton lifting capacity, […]

Komatsu America Corp.’s PC170LC-10 excavator is the newest addition to its dash-10 series. With operating weights ranging from 38,100-41,600 lbs., the PC170LC-10 provides improved performance with up to 5% more lift capacity with the standard counterweight, while an optional heavier counterweight provides up to 15% more lift capacity when compared to the previous model PC160LC-8. […]

Caterpillar Work Tools, the leading provider of wheel loader and excavator attachments, is introducing a new generation of Multi-Processors for Cat® hydraulic excavators. Caterpillar’s Multi-Processor MP318 and MP324 can handle virtually any demolition job simply by using the basic housing and a choice of up to six available jaw sets. Other models will be added […]

Heavy equipment hydraulic systems are in need of an update Ever since Joseph Bramah patented the hydraulic press in 1795, little has changed in terms of the fundamentals of hydraulic machinery. The basic premise is simple – hydraulic fluid is pumped through steel tubes or flexible rubber hoses by a motor. This fluid then acts […]

CASE Construction Equipment launched the new CX75C SR and CX80C mid-sized excavators – two new models designed to bring the power and performance of a full-sized excavator into a smaller package for improved jobsite accessibility and convenience. Both machines offer a first-in-class Tier 4 Final engine solution featuring a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC)-only Cooled Exhaust […]

Have you checked out Caterpillar Inc.'s YouTube Channel? We found some great videos about Hydraulic Excavator Maintenance and Inspections: Daily Walk Around - Walk around inspection guidelines for the Hydraulic Excavator.   Swing Bearing & Swing Gear Maintenance - Learn how to maintain the swing bearing and swing gear on your hydraulic excavator.   Undercarriage Tips […]

Tip 1: Use high-grade oil Maintaining proper oil change intervals per the manufacturer’s recommendation is basic to excavator performance and life. Engine oils, particularly those with additives, can break down under high duty-cycles. The newer Tier 4 engines with exhaust gas recirculation and anti-pollution equipment require higher-grade oils. Engine oil is no place to save […]