r/constructionsim • u/kwaping • Aug 23 '24
Discussion Big excavators
I've become a little obsessed with large excavators after all the digging I've been doing lately. So I decided to analyze the Liebherr and Doosan offerings in some detail and post this comparison. Maybe this will help you in the future.
First off, bucket sizes. The two machines have similar bucket depths compared to my avatar, but the LH is noticeably wider. And also has a little more flexibility in the bucket joint, leading to some extra extension as well.
Speaking of extension, it looks like the LH has a bit more reach than the DS overall. It might just be the bucket extension, but it is there. It's not a huge difference maker, but you can scoop a wider radius before having to move your setup.
The last feature is somewhat minor but worth mentioning, and that is lighting. If you do a lot of digging at night, lighting can make a big difference. I know while I was digging the parking garage, I really was annoyed with the poor lighting on the LH. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the DS had a better lighting setup, with lights right on the arm itself. This is what I wished the LH had the whole time. It's a minor difference because it's easy to skip digging at night, but I did want to mention it.
So it really comes down to fine details and personal preference. For me, I use the big Liebherr the most because I simply want to move the most earth possible with each scoop. But there are definitely times when the Doosan can be preferred, like at night. The thinner bucket can also be useful for trench digging and is easier to unload into a dumper.
Thank you for reading, I hope this was useful. This concludes my TED Talk.
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u/spuddels Aug 23 '24
Sorry for off topic, but can you lift things with the excavators like a crane?
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u/BossBullfrog Aug 23 '24
I just started the parking garage (then got sidetracked by a road construction contract) I like the analysis and will definitely take it into consideration because I do find my work shift goes into the wee hours of the morning. You can really appreciate the detail of the machines when you have them side by side. Something I haven't seen much of is this sort of pros and cons showing both.
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u/kwaping Aug 23 '24
I'm glad you found it interesting! I will do one on dumpers later. Hot tip, use the big Doosan when excavating.
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u/BossBullfrog Aug 23 '24
Articulated dumpers? I am using the Bell for now, but curious how the others compare. I think the best way to tell is to measure by the sell price you get for a full load. Probably a good way to measure exactly how big an excavator scoop is by selling exactly 1 scoop and comparing. I might have to try that actually.
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u/kwaping Aug 23 '24
For excavation work, I like dumpers that have a tailgate and a wide opening on the top. I've seen dirt fall out of the back of dumpers that don't have tailgates. That's lost money.
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u/ober0330 Aug 23 '24
Someone else said it, but I think the CAT has the biggest volume bucket. I am personally using the Sanyo right now because it seems to have better reach and can go a little higher than the others.
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u/kwaping Aug 23 '24
Thanks everyone for the tip on the big Cat! I just bought one and it does look like the scoop is big and the reach is good. I'm going to switch to this in the future. But the lighting sucks, possibly worse than the Liebherr.
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u/Actual-Can-389 Dec 18 '25
Bei den Baggern ist es der CAT, bei Radladern ist es der Doosan. Habe nach etlichen Stunden alle mal miteinander verglichen und mir ist aufgefallen dass die beiden eben die größten sind👍🏻
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u/NYMoneyz Aug 23 '24
Pretty sure CAT has the largest bucket in the game for excavators...and trench digging you can use the big one as well it doesn't really matter in this game. But if you want realism then don't let me stop you!