How to choose an excavator size
Excavators are sized by operating weight, not by a rated load the way wheel loaders are. For the models with confirmed figures in the table below, SDLG publishes operating weight, rated engine power, maximum digging depth, digging reach and bucket capacity, and those are the numbers that decide which machine fits a job. Start from three questions: how deep do you need to dig, how wide is the narrowest point of site access, and what will you haul the machine with?
The SDLG excavators in TerraX's lineup run from the 1,950 kg ER620H mini excavator to full-size crawler excavators:
- Under 2 tonnes: ER620H. A 990 mm shipping width and a 650 mm tail swing radius for side yards, small lots and other tight-access sites. Maximum digging depth is 2,330 mm.
- About 3 to 4 tonnes: ER627H and ER636H. The everyday landscaping and residential class, with 2,860 mm and 3,110 mm of digging depth and shipping widths of 1,550 mm and 1,700 mm.
- About 6 tonnes: ER655H. 3,492 mm of digging depth, and SDLG lists a thumb and hydraulic quick coupler as standard on this model.
- About 8 tonnes: ER680H. 4,135 mm of digging depth and a 0.28 m³ bucket for utility trenching and larger site work.
- About 15 tonnes: ER6155H. A 15,200 kg crawler excavator with 5,190 mm of digging depth and a 0.55 m³ bucket.
- About 23 tonnes: E6215H. A 22,800 kg crawler excavator with 6,730 mm of digging depth, 9,940 mm of reach and a 1.0 m³ bucket for production digging and heavy construction.
- About 32 tonnes: E6305H. A 32,200 kg crawler excavator with 7,150 mm of digging depth, 10,710 mm of reach and a 1.6 m³ bucket.
SDLG excavators compared
| Model | Operating weight | Rated power | Engine | Max. digging depth | Max. digging reach | Bucket | Shipping width | Shipping height | Tail swing radius |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDLG ER620H | 1,950 kg (4,299 lb) | 11.8 kW (15.8 hp) | Kubota D902 | 2,330 mm (7′ 7.7″) | 3,945 mm (12′ 11.3″) | 0.04 m³ (0.05 yd³) | 990 mm (3′ 3″) | 2,426 mm (7′ 11.5″) | 650 mm (2′ 1.6″) |
| SDLG ER627H | 2,950 kg (6,504 lb) | 15.4 kW (20.7 hp) | Kubota D1105 | 2,860 mm (9′ 4.6″) | 4,880 mm (16′ 0.1″) | 0.06 m³ (0.08 yd³) | 1,550 mm (5′ 1″) | 2,460 mm (8′ 0.9″) | 775 mm (2′ 6.5″) |
| SDLG ER636H | 3,740 kg (8,245 lb) canopy; 3,950 kg (8,708 lb) cab | 18.2 kW (24.4 hp) | Kubota D1703 | 3,110 mm (10′ 2.4″) | 5,355 mm (17′ 6.8″) | 0.12 m³ (0.16 yd³) | 1,700 mm (5′ 6.9″) | 2,545 mm (8′ 4.2″) | 860 mm (2′ 9.9″) |
| SDLG ER655H | 5,900 kg (13,007 lb) | 35.5 kW (47.6 hp) | Yanmar 4TNV86CT | 3,492 mm (11′ 5.5″) | 6,043 mm (19′ 9.9″) | 0.18 m³ (0.24 yd³) | 1,980 mm (6′ 6″) | 2,545 mm (8′ 4.2″) | 1,090 mm (3′ 6.9″) |
| SDLG ER680H | 8,400 kg (18,519 lb) | 46.2 kW (62.0 hp) | Yanmar 4TN98C | 4,135 mm (13′ 6.8″) | 6,960 mm (22′ 10″) | 0.28 m³ (0.37 yd³) | 2,240 mm (7′ 4.2″) | 2,550 mm (8′ 4.4″) | 1,470 mm (4′ 9.9″) |
| SDLG ER6155H | 15,200 kg (33,510 lb) | 90 kW (120.7 hp) | Perkins 904J | 5,190 mm (17′ 0.3″) | 8,430 mm (27′ 7.9″) | 0.55 m³ (0.72 yd³) | 2,500 mm (8′ 2.4″) | 2,745 mm (9′ 0.1″) | 1,490 mm (4′ 10.7″) |
| SDLG E6215H | 22,800 kg (50,265 lb) | 129.4 kW (173.5 hp) | Perkins 1204J | 6,730 mm (22′ 1″) | 9,940 mm (32′ 7.3″) | 1.0 m³ (1.31 yd³) | 3,190 mm (10′ 5.6″) | 2,940 mm (9′ 7.7″) | 2,880 mm (9′ 5.4″) |
| SDLG E6305H | 32,200 kg (70,989 lb) | 225 kW (301.7 hp) | Perkins 1206J-E70TTA | 7,150 mm (23′ 5.5″) | 10,710 mm (35′ 1.7″) | 1.6 m³ (2.09 yd³) | 3,190 mm (10′ 5.6″) | 3,380 mm (11′ 1.1″) | 3,140 mm (10′ 3.6″) |
Figures are SDLG's published specifications: the product brochures, or for the ER6155H its SDLG North America model page. Where sdlgna.com and the brochure differ, the brochure figure is shown, and the model cards above use the same figures as this table. SDLG publishes the ER636H in a canopy and a cab version with different operating weights; its other figures in the table are from the canopy brochure. Ask us which version a unit is before you plan hauling. Metric values are SDLG's; imperial values are converted.
What size excavator for common Ontario jobs
Landscaping and residential work. For hardscaping, planting, grading and backyard drainage, the deciding number is usually access width. Measure the narrowest gate or side yard and compare it with the shipping width column: the ER620H is 990 mm wide and the ER636H is 1,700 mm. Our compact excavator guide for Toronto landscapers goes deeper on this class.
Municipal, utility and pipeline work. Trench depth sets the minimum machine. Compare the depth you need, including bedding below the pipe, with the maximum digging depth column and leave a margin. SDLG also publishes depth with an 8 ft flat bottom: 3,735 mm on the ER680H against its 4,135 mm maximum.
Foundations and site preparation. Basement digs, footings and larger site preparation move more material per hour, which points toward the ER680H or a full-size crawler excavator such as the ER6155H or E6215H.
Farms and rural properties. Drainage ditches, fence lines, stone and brush clearing depend as much on the attachment as on machine size. See the attachments section below.
Snow season. If the same fleet also has to clear snow in winter, size that machine separately. Our guide to wheel loader sizes for snow removal covers it.
Before any digging. In Ontario you must contact Ontario Dig Authority to get buried cables, pipes and wires located before you dig. Sending the request is not clearance to dig; the locates question in the FAQ below covers response times and when excavation can begin.
Hauling an excavator in Ontario
Ontario requires an oversize/overweight permit when a vehicle and its load exceed the normal limits set by legislation, including a maximum width of 2.6 m and a maximum height of 4.15 m for vehicle and load. Every compact model in the table above has a shipping width under 2.6 m; the widest, the ER680H, is 2,240 mm. The ER6155H is 2,500 mm wide, while the E6215H and E6305H both have a 3,190 mm shipping width, over the 2.6 m limit, so moving either needs an oversize/overweight permit. Height is the other number to check: add the trailer deck height to the machine's shipping height and confirm the total stays within 4.15 m. Check the Ontario oversize/overweight guide before you plan a move.
Weight needs several checks. The trailer's payload capacity has to cover what goes on the deck: the machine's operating weight plus any attachments and gear loaded with it. The tow vehicle and the hitch have to be rated for the loaded trailer's gross weight, which Ontario's driver's handbook defines as the total weight of the trailer and its load, so the trailer's own weight counts too. Equipment ratings are not the legal limit: Ontario determines maximum weight allowances using axle configurations and spacings, and a permit is required if the axle and/or gross vehicle weight exceeds the legal limits. Confirm permit needs for the actual truck, trailer, load and route. Confirm the licence class for the combination before the first trip; the MTO towing guide covers hitches and licences.
Attachments for SDLG excavators
SDLG's brochures list auxiliary pipelines with 5 quick connectors on all five compact models above, so attachments can be changed quickly. The ER620H, ER627H and ER636H also come with X1/X3 pipelines for a wide range of attachments, and the ER655H has a thumb and hydraulic quick coupler as standard.
For buckets, grapples, augers and root rakes, ArcPath attachments, the attachment line TerraX also carries, are quick-attach tools for excavators and other carriers. ArcPath matches SDLG equipment through a fitment review before ordering.
Parts and service from Toronto
TerraX sells and supports SDLG excavators from 189 Milner Ave in Toronto. We use only genuine OEM replacement parts from SDLG, our technicians are factory-trained, and we come to your site: field service trucks run the GTA daily. Outside the GTA, we quote travel up front rather than after the fact. See service and parts for details.
Where Canada's excavators come from
Our excavator import data guide shows where Canada's imported excavators originate, according to Statistics Canada trade data. For brand-level overviews of SDLG and other makers, see SDLG vs Bobcat, SDLG vs Sany and SDLG vs XCMG.