Equipment
Best Attachments for Excavation
On an excavation site, there is no shortage of work. Attachments provide you with more versatility, utilization, and productivity. The right attachments can turn a single working machine into a multi-faceted piece of equipment for every season and job - keeping your business growing and your machine working. In this blog, learn more about the best types of excavator attachments and see them in action. If you need help or have questions about attachments, Empire can help you dig, grade, or move soil more efficiently today.
COUPLERS
Couplers allow a single person to change work tools in seconds for maximum performance and flexibility on the jobsite. One machine can move rapidly from task to task, and a fleet of similarly equipped machines can share a common work tool inventory. Various types of couplers and their benefits include the following:
- Hydraulic Couplers are ideal and safer for larger excavators. They can be used by a solo operator.
- Pin Grabber Couplers stay pinned to your machine allowing you to switch out attachments between similar models quickly.
- Mechanical / Manual Couplers are less expensive than hydraulic models and are ideal for compact excavators, providing a tighter fit.
See It In Action! | The Cat Hydraulic Connecting S-Type Coupler
Dig Deeper! | Learn more about buckets for Mini Excavators.
BUCKETS
Here are five types of excavator buckets that dig into the soil and / or level out working areas:
- Digging buckets often have teeth and are available in several shapes and sizes.
- Grading buckets have a cutting edge to create smooth surfaces.
- Riddle buckets filter debris away from other materials.
- Rock buckets are heavy-duty digging buckets designed to cut through rocks. They are also known as rock-ripping buckets.
- Trenching buckets are narrow to create cable and pipe trenches.
- Tilting ditching buckets are fitted with a hydraulic cylinder that enables side-to-side movement.
AUGERS
An auger's spiral design paired with choosing the right bit is built to penetrate the ground and remove material, dig, or match another excavation application. Learn about the bit options that get the job done.
- Standard bits use a bolt-on system to engage the teeth to cut the ground. These bits are best suited for general-purpose drilling jobs.
- Industrial bits are ideal for rougher ground conditions. They can feature a hammer-on or hammer-off ground engaging tool.
- Rock head bits, also known as severe duty bits, are the strongest models suitable for hard materials, like rock and frozen ground.
- Tree bits drill holes to plant trees or for landscaping.
Learn More! | An Auger Overview from Cat
See It In Action! | A Cat Compaction Wheel Overview
COMPACTORS
Compactors create smooth surfaces during construction on gravel, sand, base, and other soil types. Three different types of compactor attachments are available:
- Vibratory Drum compactors roll over the earth, using a spring-loaded system to evenly flatten surfaces while applying pressure.
- Vibratory Plate compactors send high-impact blows into the ground and are best suited for mini excavators.
- Wheel compactors use the equipment's weight to compact the soil and use a backfill plate to smooth out material.
Explore Other Excavation Attachments
HAMMERS
Hammers are ideal for breaking up materials like rock and concrete for demolition. View hammer attachments that are available in various blow-per-minute capacities and sizes.
THUMBS
Grip and grab material using a thumb. You'll typically combine it with other attachments, like a bucket. Check out thumb options that operators use to have more precise control of the equipment.
GRAPPLES
Similar to thumbs, grapples have a claw-like shape and are ideal for demolition, loading and unloading loose material, sorting trash, and site cleanup. Find the right size grapple for your jobsite.
MULCHERS
Mulchers transform plant material into mulch, cleaning up the jobsite and making it ideal for environmental maintenance such as creating fire lanes or other applications. Choose from different sizes.
RAKES
Rakes feature fabricated steel teeth for strength and long life for cleaning up debris on jobsites. Discover the rake options for your next project.
MULTI-PROCESSORS
Multi-processor attachments make short work of demolition with powerful jaws that crush or cut debris into smaller pieces. Learn more about the various models.
FIND THE RIGHT ATTACHMENT WITH EMPIRE
Our team can help you find the right excavator attachment for your needs. Find a location near you, reach out to us, or view our attachment deals!