Large Excavators are used for digging, loading, and transporting loose material. They can be used on a wide range of jobsites. Two of the most common types of excavators are skid steer loaders and larger track-type units often referred as backhoes. In this article, we will compare two popular excavators from these types – Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349.
Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349 |Dipper
The Komatsu PC490 Excavator is a medium sized tracked machine with a boom arm on the front of the machine. It is a versatile machine that can be fitted with various attachments to suit the job.
The Cat 349 Excavator has a longer boom arm than the Komatsu PC490 Excavator, this allows for higher reach. The Cat 349 Excavator is a heavy duty work horse, designed for heavy duty jobs in all conditions!
The Komatsu PC490 Excavator has an optional bucket that can be fitted to the end of the boom arm. This bucket allows you to scoop up materials like gravel or dirt and move it around easily.
The Cat 349 Excavator has an optional hammer attachment that can be fitted to the end of the boom arm. This hammer attachment allows you to break up concrete and other hard materials with ease!
| Komatsu PC490 | Cat 349 | |
| Dipper Length – Minimumft/in | 9 ft 6 in | 8 ft 2 in |
| Dipper Length – Maximumft/in | 15 ft 9 in | 14 ft 1 in |
Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349|Driveline
Here is a quick video comparison of the Komatsu PC490LC-11 and the Caterpillar 349F L. I’m going to drive them both back to back and let you guys decide which one has more driveline power.
The Cat’s engine is rated at 385 horsepower and the Komatsu at 350 horsepower. Ian is our operator for this side by side comparison.
The first thing we’re going to do is dig out a big rock that’s buried in the ground. The rock is about 22 inches in diameter.
As you can see, the Cat has quite a bit more torque than the Komatsu does. If we put it in low-low, I think we would have similar results from both machines, but we’re running these machines on their highest gear lever setting, so that accounts for some of the difference in speed between these two machines.
Next, we’re going to clean up this pile of dirt and then head over to our loading area. We’ll compare how fast they are able to load this truck with dirt using our 8 yard bucket. As you can see, both machines are able to keep up with a 3 axle dump truck, although the Cat is a little bit.
| Komatsu PC490 | Cat 349 | |
| Emission Rating | Tier 4 | |
| Engine Manufacturer | Komatsu | Cat |
| Number Of Cylinders | 6 | |
| Displacement Inches³ | 674 | 763 |
| Engine Output – Net hp | 359 | 424 |
| Track Shoe Width inches | 35.5 | 24 |
Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349|Dimensions
The Komatsu PC490LC-11 has an operating weight of 104,832 pounds and a ground clearance of 1.35 feet. The Komatsu PC490LC-11 uses a Cummins QSK19-C450 Tier 4 Final diesel engine that has a net power output of 340 horsepower and a gross power output of 355 horsepower. This engine has an air cleaner type of dry element with dust ejector, dual element with precleaner and cyclonic dust ejector, or dual element with dust ejector.
The Cat 349EL-VG has an operating weight of 100,682 pounds and a ground clearance of 1.39 feet. The Caterpillar 349EL-VG uses a Cat C13 ACERT diesel engine that has a net power output of 336 horsepower and a gross power output of 370 horsepower.
| Komatsu PC490 | Cat 349 | |
| Transport Height – Maximum ft/in | 14 ft 7 in | 12 ft |
| Transport Height – Over Boom ft/in | 11 ft 11 in | |
| Overall Undercarriage Length ft/in | 17 ft 8 in | 17 ft 7 in |
| Zero Tailswing | NO | NO |
| Dozer Blade | ||
| Width over fixed tracks | 11 ft 11 in | 11 ft 6 in |
| Track Gauge ft/in | 9 ft | 8 ft 11 in |
| Dig depth-2.24m/8ft flat bottom ft/in | 25 ft | 24ft 8 in |
| Front Slew Radius – Mono Boom ft/in | 15 ft 6 in |
Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349|Capacities
The Komatsu PC490 crawler excavator is a medium-duty machine, which means it’s small enough to get onto public roads, but large enough to handle heavy loads. The PC490 weighs in at 225 tons and can reach up to 10 meters per minute on the fore and rear wheels.
The Cat 349 cat crawler is slightly smaller at 204 tons, but it can also use a front-drum drive system for pushing large loads. The Cat 349 goes up to 8 meters per minute and can be equipped with an optional hydraulic boom for handling even heavier loads.
Capacities:The Komatsu PC490 can carry a load of up to 90 metric tons (180,000 lbs) and its maximum working height is 9.8 meters (32 feet). That makes it ideal for construction sites and other heavy-lifting jobs.
The Cat 349 is shorter at 6.3 meters (21 feet) with a maximum load of 60 metric tons (136,000 lbs), but its greater ground clearance allows it to work in areas that aren’t suitable for the larger and heavier Komatsu machines.
| Komatsu PC490 | Cat 349 | |
| Fuel Tank gallons (US) | 172 | 188.9 |
| Hydraulic Tank gallons (US) | 65.5 | 57.3 |
Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349 | Performance
If you’re working in a quarry or a mine, you’ll likely be using a crawler excavator. However, deciding which one to go for is not always easy. You’ll need to look at your specific requirements and the features of different models to find the best one for your business.
The Komatsu PC490 and the Cat 349 are two popular options for those who work in quarries and mines. They both offer high performance, but there are some significant differences between them. By looking at the specs and comparing their individual capabilities, we’ve put together this guide to help you decide which machine is right for you.
| Komatsu PC490 | Cat 349 | |
| Ground Bearing Pressure PSI | 8.2 | 12.9 |
| Swing Speed rpm | 9 | 8.44 |
| Tractive Force lbf | 73880 | 75086 |
| Dipper Tearout lbf | 48060 | 44740 |
| Bucket Breakout lbf | 61730 | 60250 |
| Lift – Quoted With Bucket? | NO | |
| Total Flow gallons (US) / min | 206 | 206 |
Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349|Weights
The Komatsu PC490LC-11 excavator is equipped with a Tier 4 Final engine and weighs 130,967 pounds. It has an operating weight of 148,667 pounds and a shovel capacity of 21 cubic yards. The Cat 349E hydraulic excavator has an operating weight ranging between 119,854 and 144,564 pounds and a bucket capacity of 2 cubic yards.
| Komatsu PC490 | Cat 349 | |
| Operating Weight | 107850 | 105200 |
| Counterweight | 21105 | 19842 |
You Choose Komatsu PC490 vs Cat 349 Large excavator
We will be comparing the Cat 349 and Komatsu PC490 to see which excavator is best for you. There are many factors when choosing what excavator is right for you.
When looking at the Cat 349 vs Komatsu PC490, we are looking at two of the largest excavators on the market. The Cat 349 has a max weight of 101,500 pounds while the Komatsu PC490 has a max weight of 105,430 pounds. Both excavators have similar dig depths, but the PC490 has a larger boom arm and bucket, which makes it slightly more powerful than the Cat 349.
However, if you’re looking for an excavator with a large cab, then you should look into getting a Cat 349. Both excavators have articulating cabs that allow for greater maneuverability and visibility. However, the Cat 349’s cab is more spacious than the Komatsu PC490’s cab.
The Cat 349 and Komatsu PC490 also have similar price ranges. When compared to other excavators in their class, both are good options as they can handle most heavy-duty tasks, such as mining or construction work.
Both companies offer rental or leasing options that may be more cost-effective depending on your needs and budget.