Excavator Relieves Headaches for Former TLB Owner

Dean Burchard

For 36 years, excavating contractor Dean Burchard (above) used a tractor-loader-backhoe (TLB) to dig footings and utility trenches. That includes 11 years as owner of Dean Burchard Backhoe, which provides excavating services for new home construction in Mesa, Ariz.

Early last year he traded his TLB for a new Bobcat® 341 compact excavator. The 53 hp machine gives him a 13-ft., 4-in. maximum digging depth and a maximum reach at ground level of 20-ft., 2-in.

“I needed a more maneuverable machine because building sites are getting so tight,” he explains. “These days there’s usually only about 5 ft. from the edge of a house to the property line.”

That’s where the 341’s compact size, long reach, spoil loading and placing possibilities, along with the 360-degree house rotation and independent boom swing pay off.

“My 341 is a lot more convenient to operate,” Burchard says. “I can sit in one spot and dig piers and footings without having to reposition all the time.”

Burchard also wanted to enjoy the smooth and dependable operation of the 341’s load-sensing, piston pumpsupplied hydraulic system. “The engine doesn’t overheat and there’s no loss in power,” he notes. “This machine has plenty of guts. It keeps on chugging.”

In addition to lower fuel bills compared to his TLBs, Burchard likes the
many comfort features of his Bobcat excavator, including air conditioning and a “very quiet” cab.

“I’m thrilled with my 341,” he says. “It’s a fine machine.”