Excavator attachments allow heavy equipment like excavators to perform a wide variety of tasks beyond basic excavation and demolition. Attachments expand the capabilities of excavators, making them suitable for many applications in construction, landscaping, mining, waste management and more.

Buckets

The standard bucket is the basic Excavator Attachments. It allows operators to scoop, carry and dump loads of dirt, debris, rubble and other materials. Buckets come in various sizes depending on the size of the machine and the type and amount of material being handled. Tooth configuration and material also vary to suit different applications. Heavy-duty buckets made of wear-resistant steel are best for abrasive loads like crushed rock, while smooth steel or alloy buckets hold up better for soil and debris.

A multi-purpose bucket has teeth around the lip and a smooth interior, making it ideal for tasks like excavating, grading and material handling. Thumb attachments can be added to buckets to aid in precision tasks like demolition or moving pieces of debris. Grading buckets smooth surfaces and have special curved or angled designs for fine grading and landscaping work.

Augers

Augers are rotating shaft attachments with helical blades that twist or screw into the ground. They come in various diameters depending on the size of the machine and intended use. Concrete augers bore holes and mix concrete for tasks like installing poles or footings. Soil augers are suitable for tasks like installing fencing posts or small trees by hand digging holes. Rock augers can be used to drill blast holes in quarries and mines. Post hole diggers are specialized soil augers designed for quickly digging holes of predetermined depth for posts.

Breakers

Breakers, also known as demolition hammers or rams, are heavy duty attachments that use large steel or alloy striking surfaces to deliver powerful repetitive impacts. They allow excavators to break up concrete, asphalt, rocks and other hard materials. This makes them useful for demolition of structures like buildings, roads and foundations as well as quarrying, mining, and other heavy-duty jobs. Half and full coupler breakers in various weights are available to fit different size excavators. Options like flat or pointed striking surfaces enable different break-up modes.

Grapples

Grapple buckets function like giant mechanical hands, using steel fingers or tines to grasp, lift and reposition loads. They are highly useful for tasks like clearing debris, sorting scrap, handling logs, and loading or unloading trucks. Hydraulically operated grapples come in 1-3 tine configurations in a range of capacities. Some advanced grapples feature rotating or tilting tines for improved versatility. Grapples mount to the quick coupler on an excavator arm, allowing fast attachment changes between different tools.

Compactors

Vibratory plate compactors attach to excavators to smoothly compact soils, sand, crushed stone and asphalt at worksites. Plates with gasoline or hydraulic motors deliver high-frequency vibrations that settle and densify materials for foundations, roadbeds and other applications. Operators can easily access confined job sites with excavator-mounted compactors. Options include vibration frequencies and plate sizes to match different job requirements. Percussive rammers are also available for tasks demanding deeper compaction like utility trenches.

Shears

Hydraulic shears equipped on excavators function like giant bolt or pipe cutters. They allow quick, accurate cuts through metal, wood and other materials. Shears enable tasks like dismantling structures, cutting scrap, trimming trees and branches. Multi-tool attachments combine shearing ability with other functions. For example, grapple shears grasp and cut simultaneously. Size and material options are available to match different excavators and cutting needs. Shear cylinders add significant cutting force.

Auger-Shear-Breaker Combo Attachments

All-in-one attachments combining the functions of augers, shears and breakers open even more possibilities. A rotary head has interchangeable components to alternately act as an auger for drilling, shear for cutting or breaker for demolition. This versatility streamlines tool changes and expands the range of jobs a single machine can handle. Advanced hydraulics and electronics allow operating each component independently or together for maximum productivity.


With the right excavator attachment for the job, heavy equipment becomes a multi-tool workhorse capable of a huge variety of tasks beyond basic excavating. The versatility delivered through high-quality buckets, augers, breakers, grapples, compactors, shears and combo tools transforms excavators into proficient machines for construction, landscaping, demolition, material handling and more industries. Their interchangeability through quick couplers adds further flexibility. Proper attachment selection empowers excavators to efficiently accomplish complex projects.

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