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In addition, the highway-speed Gradalls have the capability to be street legal. "The Gradall is licensable for highway use," Gorski points out. "It is a regular on-highway truck chassis with the excavator mounted on top."

Cost comparisons
Cost could be one reason wheel excavators haven't gained more ground in the U.S. They can carry an initial purchase price premium of 10% to 15% over track models, Cremeens points out.

"The components included in the rubber-tire undercarriage increase the initial cost and the maintenance costs of the machine," says Bill Thomas, vice president of marketing and sales, Gradall Industries Inc. Yet, these costs can be offset by the versatility and speed the undercarriage offers. "The flexibility of attachment design and the rubber-tire carrier allow the machine to maneuver around the job better than a crawler."

"The advantage of a [wheel excavator] is that it can eliminate wasted idle time and the cost associated with truck transportation," Cremeens states. "But once on the job is when you see the real value. Jobsite mobility is key to the wheel excavator's success and where you see the advantages it offers over tracks."

Cremeens likens the debate between tracks and wheels to that between computer formats. "The desktop [computer] costs a little less than a laptop, but it is hard to carry around," he comments. "I can take a laptop from place to place and be productive. The laptop provides great mobility and versatility."