Heavy Equipment Blog

When it comes to determining which Hitachi equipment is best for your business, you have to take into account a variety of different factors. As a full service Hitachi dealer serving most of Florida, we put together some tips and best practices for choosing the right machine to fit your needs and requirements.

Where will you be working?

At Great Southern Equipment, we offer the full line of Hitachi excavators and wheel loaders. No matter which type of machine you need, there are several things you need to consider before purchasing:

• The location of your jobsite
• The size and space restrictions of your work area
• Noise ordinances

If you’re excavating or loading material in confined urban areas, for example, you will need to use Hitachi equipment that is compact, can work close to buildings, and produces lower noise levels. If you’re operating in large, open areas with no noise restrictions, then you can opt for larger machines that will help you move more material in fewer cycles.

As your Hitachi dealer, we will take into account any space or noise limitations and suggest the best equipment that fits your requirements.

What types of jobs are you completing?

In addition to ensuring your wheel loader or excavator meets the size, space, and noise restrictions of your jobsite, you also have to consider the actual tasks you are handling. We carry the complete lineup of Hitachi equipment, with wheel loader bucket capacities ranging from 0.5 yd³ – 8.2 yd³ and excavator dig depths from 7′ 2″ – 31′ 5″.

If you mostly handle small scale utility jobs, then you probably don’t need their biggest excavator that can dig down to 31′ 5″. Using that machine would likely be a waste of money and fuel. On the other hand, you won’t want to use a compact wheel loader to complete large aggregate handling operations, because you will have to make too many trips with smaller buckets.

Talk to your local Great Southern Equipment Hitachi dealer to ensure you choose a machine with the right capabilities for your projects.

Do you need attachments?

Hitachi wheel loaders and excavators are compatible with a variety of bucket and other attachment options for material handling, demolition, and more. When determining which Hitachi equipment is right for you, take into account what kinds of attachments you think you will use to make sure the machine you’re looking at is compatible. Plus, you also need to ensure the machine can handle the size of bucket or other attachment that is required for your usual projects.

Your Hitachi dealer throughout Florida

Choose from our large inventory of Hitachi equipment, and take advantage of our comprehensive service, parts, and rental support.

Contact Great Southern Equipment for more compact excavator maintenance tips

Earthmoving projects are serious operations, and you need your Hitachi excavator to be able to handle them. As a Hitachi dealer that you can rely on to help your business, we’ve put together several tips and best practices to help you get the most out of your equipment and complete the job right the first time around.

Check the ground before working

Your Hitachi excavator can take on a lot, but a large rock, stump, or other hidden obstacle could cause it to slide and disrupt your work. Always assess your work area before operating a machine, and be on the look out for debris, loose soil, holes, ditches, and other types of potentially dangerous obstacles.

Be aware of your track position

If you’re working on any incline or decline, always ensure your Hitachi’s tracks are pointing up and down the slope. They should never be parallel to the hill, as this can lead to a rollover. You want to maintain a stable center of gravity at all times while the machine is in operation.

Grease fittings according to your operator’s manual

We want you to get the most from your equipment for as long as possible. A big part of that is keeping your excavator properly lubricated. By greasing your machine regularly, you will reduce wear and improve fuel efficiency, because the power needed to perform movements is reduced and the hydraulic system doesn’t need to work as hard.

Adjust track tension on-site

It’s important to make changes to your Hitachi excavator’s track tension on the jobsite rather than in the shop. Track tension can increase if the sprocket and chain are packed with mud or other debris. If you adjust your excavator’s tracks in the shop, it may become too tight when packed with mud out in the field.

Know the signs of a mechanical problem

If you hear odd sounding noises, notice excessive black smoke, feel any stiffness in the controls, or see physical damage to your excavator, stop operating the machine. To avoid any further damage, bring your equipment into your nearest Great Southern Equipment Hitachi dealer location for an inspection and repairs.

Contact your local Hitachi dealer for more excavator tips and best practices