What You Need to Know About Hiring Earthmoving Equipment
Earthmoving contractors use specialised equipment to carry out a number of services across the residential, commercial and public sectors. This can include asphalting, cleaning dams, removing tree stumps, preparing driveways, cleaning up demolition sites, supplying gardening materials, landscaping and removing swimming pools. Earthmoving contractors can also offer a hire service for excavators and plants. Here is what you need to know about some of the equipment you can hire from earthmoving contractors.
Plant Hire
Earthmoving plants are used to transport and place materials such as soil. The type of plant you hire may depend on the type of soil on the site, the distance that the material needs to be moved and the quantity of the material that needs to be moved. Earthmoving plants include dumpers, bulldozers, scrapers, graders and loaders.
Dumpers typically hold the greatest loads. They are a good option for sites where there is a large quantity of material that needs to be moved. Dumpers are operated hydraulically, which allows for the material to be unloaded more quickly. Dumpers can unload through a skip on either the front or side or a skip which is elevated.
Bulldozers are typically used for pushing earth from one area to another. They can also be used to clear small trees and vegetation.
Scrapers can cut, collect and move materials. They use a scraper bowl which strips and levels vegetation, and they can also collect materials as the scraper moves. Scrapers are available in medium and small sizes.
Graders use a moulded blade which, if placed horizontally, can level the earth, which is needed when forming roads. If the blade is positioned vertically, it can be used to cut and shape embankments.
Loaders use a front bucket which picks up materials, and then they deposit the material in another plant, such as a dumper for transportation.
Excavator Hire
Excavators are plants that are used primarily in the excavation of materials. They include face shovels, dredging excavators, hydraulic clamshells, draglines, trenching machines and multi-purpose excavators.
Face shovels use a bucket arm which moves upwards from the front. Face shovels can be used to excavate any kind of soil, as well as blasted rock.
Dredging excavators feature a bucket arm that dips downwards. They are useful for excavating basements and foundations.
Draglines use a crane to swing a bucket out to excavation areas. The bucket is then hauled or dragged back towards the machine. They can be used to excavate loose soil where the ground conditions are waterlogged.