Compact Excavator Size Guide

01 · ACCESS

Measure access and working space

Measure the narrowest point on the complete route from unloading position to work area. Include gates, side paths, retaining walls, eaves, overhead services, soft ground and turning points.

• Use the machine’s working width, not a nominal tonne label, as the first access check.
• A retractable undercarriage can help through a narrow opening, but the machine normally needs to work in its stable operating configuration.
• Allow room for boom movement, bucket curl, counterweight or tail swing, spoil placement and safe separation from people and structures.
• Where the route is the limiting factor, compare the cost of a smaller machine with the cost of removing access restrictions or completing additional hand work.

02 · WORK ENVELOPE

Match depth, reach and lift to the task

Maximum digging depth is not the same as comfortable production depth. Record the required trench bottom, machine standing level, spoil position, pipe or object size and any need to reach over an obstruction.

• Choose a machine that can complete the typical work without operating at the edge of its envelope all day.
• Consider dump height and loading reach where spoil must enter a truck, bin or stockpile.
• For lifting, use the applicable machine load chart, configuration and safe operating procedure; tonne class alone does not establish lifting capacity.
• Deeper digging and heavier attachments generally increase the need for machine mass, stability and working space.

03 · TRANSPORT

Confirm the complete transport requirement

The relevant transport weight is the complete travelling combination, not only the excavator’s published operating weight. Buckets, hitch, grab, breaker, fuel, trailer and other equipment all contribute.

• Confirm machine transport dimensions and the actual attachment package.
• Match the trailer, restraints, tow vehicle or truck and loading method to the complete load.
• Check applicable licensing, registration, mass, dimension and road-use requirements before transport.
• Include transport time and cost when comparing ownership, hire and a larger machine delivered to site.

04 · STABILITY

Consider ground conditions and stability

Soft, sloping, uneven or disturbed ground can change traction, stability and production. The narrowest machine is not automatically the safest or most productive once it reaches the work area.

• Consider track width, undercarriage position, machine mass and the space available to work with the blade and tracks correctly positioned.
• Assess soil type, groundwater, trench edges, buried services, overhead hazards and nearby structures as part of the work plan.
• Heavier machines can offer more stability and production, but can also increase surface pressure, access requirements and reinstatement work.
• Use competent site planning and the machine’s operating information rather than relying on a generic size recommendation.

05 · ATTACHMENTS

Match attachments and hydraulics

The intended attachment can determine the machine class. A bucket-only landscaping job has different requirements from continuous auger, breaker, grab or hydraulic-thumb work.

• Confirm attachment weight, hitch or pin dimensions and mechanical compatibility.
• Confirm auxiliary flow, pressure, return-line and case-drain requirements where applicable.
• Check whether the machine provides the required control method and whether the attachment affects lift or stability.
• Specify the material, hole or trench size, production target and site conditions before selecting a tool.

Request attachment and fitment support.

06 · COMMERCIAL PATH

Choose buy, hire, finance or source

The right machine path depends on utilisation, timing, capital, transport, support needs and how certain the future workload is.

NEXT STEP

Match the machine to the work.

Send CORUM the access width, digging depth, application, attachment needs, delivery location and timing. CORUM can compare the current range or discuss sourcing and hire pathways without assuming one tonne class fits every job.