The 1.7 tonne class sits between the general-purpose 1.5 tonne machine and the 2 tonne contractor machine, and it exists for a reason: on some sites the 1.5 tonne machine runs out of reach, while a 2 tonne machine becomes difficult to transport and to squeeze through access.
For contractors working on a mix of domestic and light commercial jobs, this in-between size often fits the work better than either neighbour.
The case for the in-between size
Reach and digging depth grow with the class, so a 1.7 tonne machine completes trenches and footings that would need repositioning with a smaller machine — fewer moves means a faster job. At the same time it remains small enough for narrow access and for transport behind a light vehicle.
Where a contractor regularly works between gardens, driveways and small commercial plots, this is frequently the most economical single machine to own.
Same platform, familiar parts
The 1.7 tonne class shares its hydraulic architecture, quick-change attachment interface and operator controls with the rest of the range, so buckets, breakers, augers and rakes are interchangeable and operators do not need retraining between machines.
Suited to
• Domestic extensions, drainage and footing work
• Light commercial groundwork and service trenches
• Landscaping projects needing extra reach
• Contractors standardising on one machine size
• Sites with narrow access and limited transport
Tell us the maximum digging depth and reach your work needs and we will confirm whether the 1.7 tonne class is the right fit.
Track choice for 1.7 ton mini excavator Rubber tracks suit paved and landscaped ground because they spread the machine weight and leave the surface intact. Steel tracks with rubber blocks are specified where the ground is rougher or the working day is longer, and the choice can be made per machine rather than accepted as a factory default. Track type changes what the machine can cross and what it leaves behind. Buyers specify rubber for lawns, driveways and municipal work, and steel with rubber blocks for sites where sharp material would cut a rubber belt in a week. Working a 1.7 ton mini excavator through the seasons Weather decides which days are productive. Rain turns some ground unusable and cold changes how this class of machine starts and warms up, so planning the wet months around maintenance is more useful than planning around output. Seasonal planning smooths the workload. Machines that are busy for a few months and idle for the rest benefit from a service slot in the quiet period, and the unit in daily use prepared in the off-season starts the busy months reliably. Hydraulic circuits on a 1.7 ton mini excavator Flow and pressure are matched to the tool, not to the machine size. Asking for the attachment list first means a machine of this size leaves the factory with circuits that suit the heaviest tool the buyer intends to run. Hydraulic specification is easier to settle at build time than to correct later. The equipment on site delivered without auxiliary lines can still dig, but every additional tool becomes a retrofit project. Municipal and public works with 1.7 ton mini excavator Municipal crews work on streets, footpaths and parks where the public is present. The machine itself is specified because it occupies little space, works inside a small exclusion zone and can be moved on a standard trailer. Drainage repair, tree planting, footway reconstruction and cemetery work are all within the range of the model in question. The jobs are small individually and continuous across the year. Export packing and shipping of 1.7 ton mini excavator Machines leave the factory prepared for container or flat rack shipment. The machine in that duty is normally shipped with the attachment set and the spare parts list agreed in advance so the container is planned once. Export documentation, decals and paint are settled before packing. Asking for them with the unit on the job order avoids a second handling session and keeps the machine on the booked vessel. Landscaping and ground care with a machine built for the work Landscape contractors use the equipment in service for planting holes, pond excavation, grading and retaining work. The machine is light enough to cross finished lawn and narrow enough to work between established trees. On soft landscape work the surface is the constraint. This class of machine on rubber tracks crosses turf without stripping it, which is why the same jobs are not given to a wheeled machine. Daily checks and maintenance on the unit in daily use Daily maintenance on a machine of this size is a short list: engine oil level, coolant, track tension, hydraulic oil level and a look at the hoses. Ten minutes at the start of the shift prevents most of the failures that stop a machine. Track tension is the item most often neglected. The equipment on site run with slack tracks wears the undercarriage and can throw a track on a turn; run too tight, the same components wear from the other direction. Trenching work with the machine itself Trench quality depends on the bucket width and the operator, not on machine size. The model in question with a narrow bucket and a swing boom cuts a clean run along a boundary without disturbing the ground either side of it. Depth control matters more on service work than speed. The machine in that duty working beside live services is chosen because it can be placed precisely and stopped instantly, which is what the job actually requires. Hiring versus owning the unit on the job The choice follows the hours. Work that fills a few weeks a year is usually better hired, while a machine built for the work that would be on site most weeks starts to justify ownership once the transport and booking time is counted. Availability is part of the decision. Owning the equipment in service means it is there on the day the ground is ready; hiring means competing for the same machine at the same time as everyone else in the season. Parts, service and support for this class of machine Engine parts availability usually drives the engine choice. The unit in daily use built with an engine the local network already carries is serviced from stock rather than from an international order. Remote support is handled by video. A machine of this size fault can often be diagnosed on a walk-around call with the panel open, which is faster than waiting for a visit and avoids shipping a part that is not needed. Operator technique for the equipment on site Output on a compact machine comes from placement rather than power. An experienced operator keeps the machine itself working inside the swing arc, positions once and digs a full run instead of repositioning for every bucket. The second habit is tool discipline. Running the model in question with the right bucket width for the trench means less spoil, less reinstatement and a cleaner job than a wide bucket and a lot of trimming. OEM and fleet customisation of the machine in that duty Customisation also covers the specification sheet. A fleet buyer may want every machine built for the work delivered with the same coupler, the same engine and the same tool kit so training and parts stock stay simple. Documentation can be prepared to suit the importer. Manuals, parts books and decal sets for the unit on the job can be supplied with the buyer's own branding where the order size justifies it. Working the equipment in service in confined spaces Clearance above matters as much as around. Door heights, pipework and overhead services set the limit for this class of machine indoors, and measuring them first avoids a machine that arrives and cannot be used. Ventilation is the other indoor constraint. Running the unit in daily use inside a closed structure needs air movement, and that is a planning item rather than something to discover after the first hour. Specification data for a machine of this size Where the equipment on site is being specified for a job list, the table below gives the factory figures that matter most: what the machine weighs, how deep and how far it works, and what it measures on a trailer. Figures are factory figures and are confirmed on the build sheet for the machine itself. Where a job sits between two models, the larger machine usually takes less time than the smaller one spends on rework. Soft ground is a flotation problem, not a power problem. The model in question on wide rubber tracks crosses lawn, sand and cultivated soil that would stop a narrower machine or a wheeled unit of the same capacity. Hard and abrasive ground reverses the specification. On rock, demolition rubble or sharp gravel, steel tracks with rubber blocks on the machine in that duty survive conditions that cut a rubber belt quickly.
Reference specification — mini excavator range 12W 20-1WL 09L 25L Operating weight 1200 kg (2645.55 lb) 1900 kg (4188.78 lb) 1100 kg (2425.08 lb) 2200 kg (4850.17 lb) Transport size (L×W×H) 2200 × 930 × 2250 mm 2550 × 1100 × 2200 mm 2300 × 720 × 1870 mm 3000 × 1300 × 2700 mm Max digging depth 1630 mm (64.17 in) 1800 mm (70.87 in) 1400 mm (55.12 in) 2300 mm (90.55 in) Max digging height 2750 mm (108.27 in) 2820 mm (111.02 in) 2800 mm (110.24 in) 3100 mm (122.05 in) Max dumping height 1960 mm (77.17 in) 2050 mm (80.71 in) 1880 mm (74.02 in) 2050 mm (80.71 in) Max digging radius 2900 mm (114.17 in) 3050 mm (120.08 in) 2490 mm (98.03 in) 3900 mm (153.54 in) Max digging distance 2100 mm (82.68 in) 2300 mm (90.55 in) 2000 mm (78.74 in) 3100 mm (125.05 in) Minimum turning radius 1300 mm (51.18 in) 1450 mm (57.09 in) 1400 mm (55.12 in) 1800 mm (70.87 in) Travel speed 3 km/h (1.86 mph) 5 km/h (3.11 mph) 3 km/h (1.86 mph) 7 km/h (4.35 mph) Gradeability 30° 30° 30° 30° Fuel consumption 1-1.3 L/h (0.264—0.343 gal) 2-3 L/h (0.528—0.793 gal) 1-1.3 L/h (0.264—0.343 gal) 2-3 L/h (0.528—0.793 gal) Fuel tank capacity 10 L (2.64 gal) 16 L (4.23 gal) 8 L (2.11 gal) 16 L (4.23 gal) Hydraulic oil tank 16 L (4.23 gal) 18 L (4.76 gal) 16 L (4.23 gal) 18 L (4.76 gal) Dozer blade lift height 180 mm (7.09 in) 180 mm (7.09 in) 180 mm (7.09 in) 230 mm (9.06 in) Dozer blade drop depth 210 mm (8.27 in) 210 mm (8.27 in) 210 mm (8.27 in) 280 mm (11.02 in)
Q. What is the unit on the job used for?
A. The same spread of work as the smaller compact classes but with more stability and reach, which shows on footings, drainage and small excavation where the machine has to carry a loaded bucket further.
Q. When should I choose 1.7 ton over a smaller size?
A. When the work regularly takes the machine out of the garden and into small commercial or groundworks jobs. The extra stability is worth having where the machine is expected to hold a line and a depth rather than just clear spoil.
Q. Does the extra weight make it harder to move?
A. It still travels behind a suitable trailer, but the tow vehicle and the access need checking. Tell us the transport you have available and the narrowest point on the access and MINGYI will confirm the fit.
Handover and getting familiar with a machine built for the work
Familiarisation is not the same as reading the manual. Sitting on the equipment in service, working through the controls at low speed and learning where the machine balances takes an hour, and that hour is what keeps the first week uneventful.
Later additions and retrofits on this class of machine
Later changes are easier when they were anticipated. Asking for the extra hydraulic circuit or the heavier mounting plate on the unit in daily use at build time adds little and leaves the option open.
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