Hydraulic excavators are enormous machines that are used to break up and dig through heavy-duty materials like dirt, rock and concrete. They are so powerful that without them, it would be nearly impossible for people to build roads, tunnels and other important structures on earth. The largest hydraulic excavators are more than 30 feet tall and weigh more than 1,000 tons – just imagine what that much weight could do!
The machines on this list can be used to move mountains, but they are more commonly used to mine resources and prepare construction sites. Let's find out which one is the largest!
Here's a list of the largest excavators in the world.
1. Caterpillar 6090 FS Excavator (1,000 tonnes)
2. Bucyrus RH 400 Excavator (980 tonnes)
3. Hitachi EX8000-6 Excavator (837 tonnes)
4. Liebherr R9800 Excavator (810 tonnes)
5. Komatsu PC8000-11 Excavator (773 tonnes)
1Caterpillar 6090 FS Excavator
1,000 tonnes
Featuring an operating weight of 1,000 tonnes, the Caterpillar 6090 FS is one of the largest excavators in the world thanks to its unique size and large Cummins QSK60 engines that grants the machine a rating of 3360 kW / 4500 HP, making it a powerful excavator as well. In simple words, it is easy to notice how efficient and outstanding this excavator is since it can fill the largest Caterpillar dump truck in only four passes, meaning that its size is not only for showcases but also for a notorious boost efficiency in mining and building activities.
Also, thanks to its unique and effective hydraulic system, it is simple to maneuver, control, and arrange for future activities. With a fuel tank capacity of 4330 gals, the 6090 FS is one of the most notorious machines in the world.
2Bucyrus RH 400 Excavator
980 tonnes
Another excavator that is extremely popular for its size is the Bucyrus RH 400. However, old-timers might know this machine as the Terex RH 400, and they are the same thing, just with a different name due to the purchase of the Terex mining division by the hands of Bucyrus back in 2010. Featuring a unique operating weight of 980 tonnes and with a similar engine characteristic to the Caterpillar 6090 RS, this excavator is serious business as it is estimated that at least 6 car batteries are required to just start the engine.
With a little bit of pressure and enough handling, this excavator is capable of moving up to 9,900 tonnes of materials in a single hour, and this is only possible thanks to the unique components and technical features of its design. Previously considered one of the biggest excavators in the whole world, this machine was designed for efficiency and hard work.
3Hitachi EX8000-6 Excavator
837 tonnes
Undoubtedly, the largest excavator under Hitachi engineering is the EX8000-6 which features great versatility thanks to featuring a 43.3 m3 backhoe bucket and an operating weight of up to 837 tonnes, making it one of the largest in the world. It has twin Cummins engines that provide a capacity of 2900 kW / 3888 HP which proves to be more than enough for all mining and building activities that require the usage of such a monstrous machine.
Just for a quick reference, this excavator can fill the largest Hitachi dump truck in just five passes, making it an efficient, reliable, and practical machine that can easily boost productivity by reducing the workload of the mining activities in which it is going to be used. Currently, it holds the 3rd position in the list of the biggest excavators in the world, so it is not surprising to see how popular this machine is among workers and excavator operators.
4Liebherr R9800 Excavator
810 tonnes
Featuring a more "humble" operating weight of 810 tonnes, the Liebherr R9800 excavator is one of those machines that can not be ignored whenever someone talks about the biggest excavators in the world. Also, thanks to its unique design, it is possible to choose between an MTU or Cummins diesel engine with an electric drive version as well.
It is recommended to use it with some Liebherr dump trucks as the capacity of these manages to synchronize with the loading capacity of this wonderful excavator, making mining and building activities more straightforward and productive, boosting efficiency and reducing working hours.
5Komatsu PC8000-11 Excavator
773 tonnes
Capable of operating with 773 tonnes, this is simply one of the largest excavators in the world and one of the most notorious in Japanese manufacturing. The Komatsu PC8000-11 features a twin diesel engine that manages to provide 3000 kW / 4020 HP to the lucky individuals who get to control it during mining or building activities. Thanks to its unique capacities and effective design, it is one of the most used large excavators in the Australian/New Zealand market, but other Komatsu excavators feature the same components but with a smaller form factor.
For this beast, it is recommended to integrate dump trucks that count with operating capacities of 240 to 400 tonnes. In this way, every dump made with this excavator will be efficient and capable of reducing the working hours and efforts needed to operate.
The Bottom Line
It can be hard to wrap your head around the size of these machines and just how massive they are without seeing them in person. Thankfully, this list was put together to help guide you through the largest excavators in the world, ranked by their weight and height.