The small size and light weight of compact machines—track loaders, excavators, and skid steers—make these vehicles ideal for work in limited spaces and sensitive areas that need to be protected from damage. They maneuver along the shores of waterways and beside busy roadways. They access wooded areas. They cross wetlands and golf courses, leaving little compaction of the soil. And, they’re easy to haul.
When these little machines are combined with the dozens of attachments that are available, they can handle virtually every erosion control task: blazing paths through underbrush, installing silt fence, land clearing, digging ditches, sculpting detention ponds, laying permeable pavers, planting vegetation, sweeping, and mowing.
Although their engines are smaller than those of standard machines, and provide less strength and horsepower, manufacturers continue to increase their pushing and lifting forces and their horsepower with engineering techniques that include direct-drive motors and hydraulic power capacities.
Compact loaders and skid steers can be connected to a wide variety of attachments for erosion control. They each have advantages in performing different operations.
Skid steers are typically shorter than compact loaders and can turn in place, a big advantage in limited spaces. They’re faster, and better for driving on hard surfaces as well as on aggregate, rocks, and debris.
Compact loaders are typically larger, heavier, and more stable than skid steers. They’re better on slopes and uneven terrain, and, because their tracks provide more flotation, on soft and wet ground.
Assessing the costs to own and operate one of these machines depends on many factors, including its purchase price, operational costs, and efficiency. It’s important to choose the machine that’s most suitable for the required erosion control operations.
Excavators come in two types: tail swing and zero-tail swing. Both provide comparable levels of performance when it comes to dig depth, reach, cutting height, and dump height.
Tail swing models have a rear counterweight that offsets the weight of the material in the bucket and stabilizes the excavator during operation. The counterweight provides more lifting capacity as well as greater bucket and arm breakout force than zero-tail-swing excavators, but because it extends 6 inches or more beyond the width of the tracks during operation, the design is less suited for work in limited areas.
Zero-tail-swing models have a counterweight that rotates within the width of the excavator’s tracks. They’re much easier to drive in limited spaces, such as along walls and other obstacles, and they need less space to operate but they have less lift capability.
Wheels are commonly used on skid steers. Because wheels need a lower amount of torque—the tendency of a force to rotate an object around an axis, fulcrum, or pivot—than tracks do, wheeled machines are more nimble and agile. They excel where the ground conditions are firm and higher travel speed is required.
Solid and pneumatic tires provide the same traction. Solid tires cost more than pneumatic ones to purchase, but they wear longer than pneumatic tires and withstand punctures and debris, so there’s less downtime for repairs. On the other hand, pneumatic tires cushion the unevenness of bumpy terrain, so the ride is smoother and the machine may be used at higher speeds.
Tracks increase the traction of compact machines on soft ground. They also increase flotation, which causes less compaction and damage to the soil, by spreading the weight of the machines more evenly and over a larger area than tires do. Flotation is especially important on grass or on wet, muddy, or sandy ground, and where good soil drainage will be important.
There are two lift paths for booms for track loaders and skid steers: a vertical lift path and a radius lift path. Their performance is virtually identical when the loader arms are not raised.
A vertical lift path follows a straight pathway in front of the machine. It keeps the load closer to the machine throughout much of the lift cycle, which increases the machine’s stability, making it better for heavy loads such as blocks or sod. A vertical lift path also provides higher lift capacity and greater overall lift height, which is better for loading dump trucks.
A radius lift path follows an arc. It has more reach at around the mid-height of the machine and is better for jobs at this working height, such as backfilling or loading and unloading flatbed trucks, because the machine doesn’t have to get as close.
Some of the more recent innovations in compact machines and attachments are detailed below.
Bobcat Track Loaders and Excavators
Bobcat’s lines of track loaders and excavators have a variety of features that improve efficiency in erosion control work, says Jason Archbold, marketing manager with the company. Select skid steers and track loaders, for example, have a two-speed option.
“When you’re on a work site, especially in a limited space, you might not be able to dump all the material you need right where you’re working,” says Archbold. “Often the rock or other material is in a pile some distance away, for example, when you’re putting riprap on the shore of a lake or a river.”
Operators with two-speed loaders can travel between the work site and the material at a top speed of 10.4 mph on some models, more than 30% faster than the loader’s working speed of 7.1 mph.
Operators can also use the higher speed to pick up supplies, such pallets of silt fence and landscape materials, and transport them to the job site. They can return with material such as debris from land clearing.
The company has an attachment that allows its skid steers and track loaders to use a backhoe attachment that turns the loader into an excavator for digging depths from 6 to 11 feet.
One of the company’s rubber track options excels in areas where loaders have to cross golf courses or lawns. “The tracks are smoother,” says Archbold. “They don’t have deep treads, so they don’t leave deep impressions. When the machine moves, it doesn’t tear into lawn as much.”
Bobcat has a three-dimensional laser attachment system for skid steers and track loaders that precisely grades slopes for shorelines, retention ponds, or ditches. Using an engineer’s site plan, the laser system automatically adjusts the blade as the machine drives on the site.
The company’s excavators have features that improve efficiency as well. For work in small spaces, certain Bobcat models have an in-track swing frame that allows excavators to operate while the machine is flush against fixed objects such as trees, boulders, or retaining walls.
Minimal and zero-tail-swing models are available with a retractable undercarriage that narrows the tracks and allows the machine to pass through openings, such as between houses and gates and into backyards. To improve stability, once the excavator reaches the work site, the operator extends the tracks.
Bobcat’s tilt swing attachment is especially useful on the edges of slopes, says Archbold. “You don’t want to keep repositioning the excavator. Instead, you can tilt the attachment to match the grade or slope you’re going to achieve.”
Bobcat’s standard arm gives maximum breakout force. The extendable-arm option, available for select models, extends to 30 inches, which is useful for loading and unloading trucks. It also requires less repositioning of the excavator and can dig deeper ditches, clean debris from deeper trenches, and grade higher slopes. Bobcat has long-arm option for additional reach for select compact excavators.
Bobcat also has a Pro Clamp system that grabs large, irregular objects with a wider bite. It’s a timesaver for grading trench bottoms because the grading tool creates a smooth trench bottom without the need for a second “smooth lip” bucket.
Bobcat sells its machines though dealers and offers warranty plans.
Takeuchi’s newest mini-excavator, TB210R, features a folding ROPS, a reduced turning radius, and an undercarriage that retracts and narrows the tracks for access through small openings.
Takeuchi TL12V2 Track Loader and TB210R Mini-Excavator
Takeuchi Manufacturing Company, Ltd., designed and built the world’s first mini-excavator in 1971, says Kent Cantrell, the company’s US western-region product manager. In 1986, Takeuchi designed and built the world’s first mini-track loader.
“Since day one, we’ve been geared toward earth-moving. All the machines we build are in the compact category. We offer several models depending on the application,” he says.
Takeuchi recently introduced its first vertical lift track loader, the TL12V2, and its smallest mini-excavator, the TB210R. Both offer advantages in erosion control projects.
The TL12V2 track loader supports a wide range of attachments. It features a vertical lift loader arm arrangement, oversized lift cylinders, a maximum lift height to the bucket pin of nearly 11 feet, and a 10% increase in reach. These features provide longer reaches into wooded areas, higher reaches up slopes, and lower reaches down slopes. They also allow material to be dumped into a truck more efficiently. The TL12V2 offers the best rated operating capacity in the industry.
The machine’s double reduction planetary track drives are very powerful and deliver better track durability. “The TL12V2 also offers very good traction force,” says Cantrell. “It will perform very well on sloped surfaces, where underfooting may be marginal. Also, the track has more surface over the ground and the undercarriage is larger, which distribute the weight of the machine over more area and provide excellent flotation.”
The company’s new mini-excavator, the TB210R, weighs in at just 2,370 pounds and has features that make it very versatile and well-suited to erosion control work in small spaces.
The undercarriage retracts and narrows the tracks so the machine can get through small openings, such as between trees and houses and into backyards. It expands to widen the tracks for stability at the work site.
It has rollover protection structures (ROPS) that can be folded down for easy access in areas of limited height—for example, beneath overhanging tree branches. “This allows the operator to position the machine in areas that, in the past, were very difficult to access,” notes Cantrell. The folding ROPS also allows the mini-excavator to be transported more easily.
The excavator’s three-cylinder engine is 21% more powerful than that of the previous Takeuchi Micro. The bucket breakout force and the strength of the lift arm have increased by 10%.
It has a reduced turning radius and nearly no tail swing, so it requires little space to maneuver. In addition, it doesn’t have to be repositioned as often because it has a 110-degree independent boom swing, which gives it a wider working area.
The TB210R has planetary final drives, which provide improved traction on difficult ground because they spread the weight of the machine over several gears. It also has a rubber track to reduce ground disturbance.
Takeuchi sells to small and large dealers, as well as to rental companies. It provides warranties on its products. Service is by dealers and distributors.
Caterpillar’s two-in-one mini
excavator has a skid steer
loader interface and uses
compact loader tools.
Caterpillar 304.5E2 XTC Two-In-One
Most customers look for versatility first in a compact machine, says Gregory Worley, a senior project engineer at Caterpillar Inc. The company’s newest compact machine, the 304.5E2 XTC (for Xtra Tool Carrier), provides just that.
The XTC is a two-in-one mini-excavator with a skid steer loader coupler interface. It eliminates the need for a second machine in some cases, which saves in the cost of purchasing and transporting an additional machine. It also saves time and is a significant advantage in limited spaces.
“The XTC gives customers everything they require in the smallest machine possible,” says Worley. “They can get more done more efficiently. It’s very win-win.”
The coupler replaces the standard blade on the front of the machine. The coupler operation is controlled through a switch in the operator station.
Because the XTC is an excavator that uses compact loader tools—including buckets, pallet forks, blades, brooms, rakes, and trenchers—it’s ideal for erosion control, he says. It can be used from the beginning to the end of a project.
A thumb-ready stick is standard. A mechanical or hydraulic quick coupler is available for tools such as augers and hydraulic hammers.
For example, in undeveloped areas, an excavator usually clears a road through trees, brush, and rocks, and a skid steer installs the silt fence. The front linkage of the XTC can clear rocks, stumps, and trees, and the coupler of the XTC can carry a silt fence installer.
In cases where the base of the silt fence has to be buried, the XTC can cut a 6-inch-deep trench using a trencher, install the fence, cover up the trench, and compact the soil, all with little disturbance of the ground.
The XTC is also useful during construction in subdivisions where the contractor is required to keep the roads clean, says Worley. “The operator can do his work and then use a broom to clean the roads at the end of the day.”
In addition, the XTC can perform routine maintenance on erosion control projects, such as mowing on slopes and keeping ditches clear of debris. Caterpillar sells, finances, leases, and offers insurance plans.
Helac’s PowerTilt allows an unlimited number of attachments on excavators and backhoes to tilt up to 180 degrees.
Helac PowerTilt
The PowerTilt, by Helac Corporation, allows an unlimited number of attachments on excavators and backhoes to tilt up to 180 degrees, which extends their range of motion significantly. This extended range of motion has a wide range of benefits for erosion control applications. Any attachment can be connected to the PowerTilt.
“It’s like a wrist and a hand for excavators and backhoes,” says Mark Lunsford, national attachment manager for Helac.
Helac has a pin grab coupler that can change up to four attachments without the operator having to get out of the machine. “It’s a major time saver,” he says.
Because attachments can be repositioned, there’s less need to reposition the machine, which can cut production time up to 50%, he says. It’s also an advantage in limited spaces, both developed and undeveloped.
Another benefit of the ability to reposition attachments is that when a machine is on uneven ground, the operator can level the attachment to adjust to the contours of the ground. This is useful for clearing land that hasn’t yet been graded. Attachments such as buckets and grapples can be positioned to best grab and remove trees, brush, and rocks.
The ability to angle attachments is also a benefit on slopes. “Contouring slopes is a big part of what the PowerTilt is used for,” says Lunsford. The PowerTilt is commonly used for digging trenches, culverts, swales, and retention ponds. It’s ideal for mowing these slopes as well as those adjacent to highways.
When the machine is on level land, the operator can angle the attachments enough to allow attachments to reach under pipes in the ground.
It’s especially useful in areas that require fine work. For example, the hammer attachment cuts precision corners of concrete. In addition, the extended range of motion provides flexibility on the job site.
“If you don’t want to block two lanes of traffic, a machine can work on two lanes from just one lane,” he notes. On golf courses, the machine can remain in one place and work on an entire bunker. Its reach improves efficiency in plantings and installations of rock and hardscapes.
Helac sells the PowerTilt to dealers and rental companies. Service is done through dealers.
EDGE’s silt fence installer, which attaches to a skid steer or a track loader, has a 40-degree pivot and holds 36-inch, 42-inch, and 48-inch fabric rolls.
EDGE Attachments
EDGE Attachments has attachments for every step in the erosion control process. The attachments connect with all brands and models of compact front loaders, excavators, and skid steers by two methods: the universal All-Tach manual mounting system, and the optional Power-A-Tach hydraulic system.
The company’s track attachments for skid steers, by Grouser Products Inc., include crossbar tracks that are ideal for muddy conditions and hard pads for sandy soils. The soft pads are for skid steers that travel on hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt, to reach sites where more traction is needed.
EDGE also sells flat-proof tires, heavy-duty tires, and tires that have more than 1 inch of tread and an enhanced rubber compound for severe applications such as demolition.
“Our pallet fork is one of our most user-friendly attachments,” says Ron Peters, EDGE product manager. It has a walk-through frame that makes getting into and out of the cab easy. Mounted on a skid steer, it can move pallets of materials such as rocks, pavers, and blocks for retaining walls that weigh up to approximately 5,000 pounds.
EDGE’s silt fence installer, which attaches to a skid steer or a track loader, has a 40-degree pivot and holds 36-, 42-, and 48-inch fabric rolls.
“It makes a job very easy,” says Peters. “One person can install approximately 50 feet in one minute, depending on the ground conditions.”
EDGE’s heavy-duty brush cutter, rotary brush mower, and mulcher attachments grind up and shred brush and small trees. The ripper rips through frozen ground and tough soil. It is also an excellent tool option for removing stumps, roots, and rebar.
The breaker attachments break materials such as asphalt, concrete, and rock. The backhoes break up hard surfaces, dig trenches and holes, and remove dirt and put it in a pile or onto a truck.
EDGE has grapple buckets to pick up brush and logs, as well as one that picks up rocks and stones from the ground and allows the dirt to fall through.
The company has a bucket to lift and carry away pavement, a bucket that tilts, and a 4-in-1 combination bucket for grading, scraping, grappling, dozing dirt, removing brush, spreading material, and more. EDGE also has a hydraulic dual-line thumb attachment to hold onto rocks.
The boom lift extends to approximately 5 feet, and can be used for loading and unloading attachments or construction materials from hard-to-reach areas, moving and transporting trees, and placing and removing concrete forms.
EDGE has blades for scraping, grading, and moving dirt, gravel, and sand. It has land levelers without scarifiers for fast and efficient grading, and others with scarifiers to sift dirt and remove large chunks and rocks.
The company’s rock wheel can dig trenches for utility lines up to approximately 4 inches wide and 18 inches deep and can cover the trenches back up.
A trencher is available in 24- and 48-inch digging depths and 6- to 12-inch trench widths. The trench filler pulls the dirt back into the trench.
EDGE has an auto rake to rake stones and other material; a power rake to pulverize and smooth dirt; a scarifier rake to loosen hard soil, remove scrub and small vegetation, and prepare the soil for planting; and a grader rake to scarify, smooth, and level hard-packed soil. The roto-tiller is ideal for breaking up clumps and mixing compost and other materials into existing soil.
A vibratory drum roller attaches to skid steers and track loaders, and compacts sand, gravel, asphalt, and backfill on the ground. A compaction wheel attaches to an excavator and compacts material in a trench as the trench is being filled.
The compaction plate is designed for use in trenches 12 inches wide. It also can be used on slopes, or to set posts or drive steel sheeting for retaining walls. It has rubber shock absorbers that protect the boom by isolating it from vibrations.
The sod and bale mover attachments load and unload sod and rolled erosion control materials, and the unrollers lay them down.
EDGE’s spreader scoops up seed, fertilizer, and any free-flowing granular materials, and spreads them across an area from 29 inches to 28 feet. Augers dig holes for planting trees and shrubs.
EDGE sells to equipment dealers and rental companies, which service the attachments.