The Takeuchi TB257FR hydraulic excavator is a 5.7-metric-ton, 54-horsepower machine.
A long boom and a 9-foot stick combine to give operators a dig depth of just over 12 feet 9 inches.
Its most noticeable feature is its patented side-to-side, or STS, offset boom. The combination of the STS boom and a tight tail swing enables the excavator to fully rotate with very little overhang.
That aims the TB257FR squarely at urban work, road and bridge construction, and other close-in applications.
Read a more detailed analysis of the excavator at Professionals Evaluate Takeuchi TB257FR Excavator
It can dig offset over each track without having to be repositioned, and a low center of gravity and optimized counterweight is meant to create a stable platform with lifting capabilities comparable to a conventional unit, according to Takeuchi.
See what the independent operator/instructors from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 thought of the unit.
About the Author
Frank RaczonFrank Raczon
Frank Raczon has covered and influenced the equipment industry for 35 years, including 15 years as senior editor of Construction Equipment, and marketing, advertising, and public relations work with the industry's top manufacturers. In addition to authoring "Caterpillar: Modern Earthmoving Marvels" (Motorbooks, 2015), he has won numerous awards in his career, highlighted by nods from the Construction Writers Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the Business Marketing Association, and BtoB magazine. Raczon has also won a number of awards from publishing peer groups such as ASBPE and TABPI.