How can excavators spin?

[Tractor_Fixer333]

Hey everyone,

I’m new here and just getting into learning about heavy equipment. I was wondering about how do excavators spin 360 degrees? Is it a specific part of the machine that allows this movement, or does it work differently than I’m thinking? Would love a simple explanation!

 

[Victor Johnsen]

Hey, it’s all thanks to the swing drive and bearing! They have big rotating gears under the cab that lets them spin 360 degrees. Hydraulic motors power the movement, so you can swivel without moving the tracks. Pretty cool system!

 

[_jkasExcavator001]

Yeah, it’s wild how smooth that motion is for something so massive! Do different types or sizes of excavators use different swing systems, or is it mostly the same setup across the board? Curious if mini-excavators work the same way.