Tracked vs Wheeled Excavators for Your Project!

Knowing the exact equipment you need for your project at the get-go can save you plenty of time, money, and energy. When it comes to choosing between tracked versus wheeled excavator, it is best to assess exactly what your project needs. In this guide, we discuss the primary differences of wheeled excavators vs tracked excavators as well as their unique pros and cons. If you are a professional, business owner, or entrepreneur with a need for heavy duty equipment rental like wheeled and tracked excavators, then this is the perfect read for you. Find out which of the two is best for your current (or future!) projects.

They are Both Excavators, So Do I Need to Know the Difference?

Great question! While wheeled excavators and tracked excavators may fulfill the same jobs, their effectivity with certain environments and situations may vary. By learning the difference between our excavators for rent, you can better gauge which ones would work best for your situation at hand. To do that, we should first detail what tracked excavators and wheeled excavators are on their own.

What are Track Excavators?

Track excavators are a type of excavator that is specially designed for maximum stability. Their belted tracks are constructed for increased traction, especially on inclines, uneven surfaces, and slopes. Excavators are typically built with two main parts— the arm and the carriage.

Like any other excavator, the tracked excavator has replaceable attachments at the end of its crane arm. However, the carriage of the tracked excavator is special due to its reinforced undercarriage. This is what helps stabilize its lowered center of gravity while channeling more power during arm operation.

One of the things that makes tracked excavators special is their peerless stability, even on rough terrain. This is because of the grousers and tracks that help the excavator maneuver over rocks, uneven asphalt, dirt, and more. Because of their heavier center of gravity and better grip on uneven surfaces, track excavators are the better choice for tasks that require plenty of power such as demolition, mining, and digging.

Pros of the Tracked Excavator versus the Wheeled Excavator

Increased Power

The tracked excavator is perfect for high-octane construction and pioneering work. If your project faces a lot of tasks that require power, you can rely on its lower center of gravity to help you draw greater force as your crane attachment comes down. Moreover, the hefty weight of the tracked excavator’s reinforced undercarriage makes for a more stable frame during operation.

Maneuver in Uneven Terrain

Not all project sites come with perfectly paved roads and pathways. The tracked excavator makes easy work of driving in rough terrain. Whether it be piles of rocks or hilly dirt mounds, the steel tracks attached to the undercarriage can carry you up over to do the job.

Cons of the Tracked Excavator versus the Wheeled Excavator

Larger Chassis Size

Need to store the tracked excavator after finishing up work for the day? Make sure that your storage space for it can accommodate its bigger size. The tracked excavator is considerably heftier than its wheeled counterpart, so be sure to rent a safe, dry place where you can store it for the end of the workday.

Unfit for Travel

The steel tracks underneath the carriage may be good for uneven services, but you run the risk of destroying perfectly smooth, paved roads if you drive over it with a tracked excavator. Tracked excavators also inch along at a very slow speed of 4 to 6 mph, so they require a dedicated trailer for safe and speedy transport. If your site has paved roads or you need to travel great distances across sites, you may want to stick to wheeled excavators instead.

Rent a Tracked Excavator If….

Your work site has uneven roads and surfaces, and steep inclines that require the traction of the steel tracks to stay stable. It is also a great choice for projects that require plenty of power like demolition jobs or quarry work.

What are Wheeled Excavators?

More self-explanatory than track excavators, wheeled excavators are a type of excavator that is equipped with four heavy-duty tires for better road mobility and site versatility. While the wheels don’t have the same traction and power that tracked excavators possess, they travel much faster on smooth surfaces because of their wheels.

Just like the tracked excavator, the wheeled iteration can be modified according to your tasks at hand. Wheeled excavators can be adjusted on-site with replaceable attachments at the end of its crane arm. The wheeled excavator is also more useful as a tool for transportation.

In terms of versatility, the wheeled excavator can perform many different tasks such as laying and cutting asphalt, tree cutting, and material transport. All this is made possible by the mobility offered by the heavy-duty wheels underneath the undercarriage!

Pros of the Wheeled Excavator versus the Tracked Excavator

More Versatility

While lacking the same torque as the tracked excavator, the wheeled excavator comes out on top when it comes to the sheer number of applications. From material transport to less intense digging and clearing work, the wheeled excavator is the perfect all-in-one tool if you want something versatile at the ready on your project site.

Independent Transport

When it comes to the wheeled excavator, independent transport is no issue. Wheeled excavators are perfectly capable of going up to 22 miles an hour on their own when driven on paved roads. You can save on both time and money since you won’t need to hire a separate transportation service just to take the excavator onsite.

Cons of the Wheeled Excavator versus the Tracked Excavator

Moderate Power

To emulate the same level of stability as the tracked excavator on uneven ground, the wheeled excavator requires deployed outriggers and a planted blade into the site’s earth. This is a must when exerting the same amount of power on unlevelled ground. However, the wheeled excavator can perform most tasks just fine so long as it’s operating on a smooth surface.

Unfit for Steep Operation

Is your worksite on an incline? You may want to opt for the tracked excavator versus the wheeled excavator. Because the wheeled excavator is built with a higher center of gravity in place, the wheels and chassis may experience imbalance on steeper terrain and inclined surfaces. This can make the wheeled excavator an unsafe choice compared to the tracked variant in certain project locations.

Rent a Wheeled Excavator If…

You want a multi-use solution onsite for excavation and equipment transport. The wheeled excavator is also great choice if you foresee a lot of mobility across your site. Just be mindful that you steer clear of uneven terrain while using the wheeled excavator.

You Know Your Project Best

At the end of the day, you know your project and worksite best. When deciding between wheeled excavator versus tracked, take the time to assess your project needs and work site to see which is the more effective and safer choice. If you are still unsure about which excavator would suit your needs and team the best, feel free to get in touch with us at Hastings Motor Corporation.

The Hastings team is comprised of expertly trained professionals, maintenance crew, and delivery fleet. As the premiere heavy equipment rental service provider in the Philippines, we are proud to say that we deliver topnotch end-to-end service for a hassle-free rental experience. Reach out to our team so we can help you with your project assessment and recommend the right heavy equipment for your project.