Difference Between Shovel & Backhoe Excavators

Excavators

• Excavators are large construction vehicles designed to lift and transport large quantities of earth, stone and other materials. You can use an excavator to load a dump truck or other receptacle with construction site debris or earth for removal, or drive the material to a dumping area in the excavator. These vehicles contain treads similar to those of a tank, on top of which the bulk of the vehicle swivels, so it can move from side to side to scoop and deposit earth. Mini excavators exist for small-scale projects, while large-scale projects generally use much larger machines.

Scooping Direction

• The primary difference between a backhoe excavator and a shovel excavator lies in their scooping directions. Shovel excavators scoop forward in an upward direction. The front shovel on these excavators moves in an arc up and away from the body of the shovel. A backhoe excavator contains shovel elements that extend from the back of the machine. These shovels move down and away from the excavator, then scoop back towards it in an upward motion.

Uses

• Shovel excavators only work on flat terrain. Because their shovel elements – which include an arm and the shovel/bucket – move up and away from the machine, they cannot reach below surface level. Backhoe excavator shovel elements, on the other hand, possess the ability to reach into hollows, pits and holes, because they move down from the excavator before scooping up. Therefore, if you need an excavator for only ground level work, use a shovel excavator. If you need to access a recess of some kind, use a backhoe excavator.

Backhoe Loaders

• A backhoe loader is a different machine than a backhoe excavator. These machines, commonly referred to simply as backhoes, contain the same backward facing, downward scooping shovel element as backhoe excavators, but they also contain a front shovel that moves upward, like a shovel excavator shovel element. Backhoes are significantly smaller than excavators, making them ideal for small projects like home construction, but ill suited for use in large construction projects or industrial applications. If you need a machine for small-project excavation, a backhoe provides the same tools as both a shovel excavator and backhoe excavator.