Adjustable Undercarriages: How the R10, R13 PRO, R15 and R18 PRO Fit Through a Metre
Hydraulically widening and narrowing tracks let one machine squeeze down a side path and then stand wide to dig. How it works, the widths across the range and the safety rule that comes with it.
The gap beside an Australian house is the single most common reason a buyer chooses one mini excavator over another. Adjustable undercarriages exist to solve it.
How it works
The track frames slide on the undercarriage, driven by a hydraulic cylinder from the operator's seat. Pulled in, the machine is narrow enough for a side path. Pushed out, the wider stance gives stability for digging and lifting. Changing takes a few seconds.
Widths across the range
| Model | Narrow | Wide |
|---|---|---|
| R06 | 747 mm (fixed) | – |
| R13 PRO | 750 mm | 990 mm |
| R15 | 890 mm | 1,190 mm |
| R10 | 912 mm | 1,212 mm |
| R18 PRO | 989 mm | 1,309 mm |
| R22 PRO | 1,300 mm (fixed) | – |
The R06 is narrow enough not to need adjustment. The R22 PRO and above use fixed, wide undercarriages for stability.
The safety rule
Narrow is for travelling. Before digging, lifting over the side or working on a slope, widen the tracks fully. A narrow-set machine has a much smaller stability footprint and tips far more easily, which is the most common way small excavators are rolled on residential sites.
Measuring your access
Measure the narrowest point (meter boxes, hot-water units, air-conditioners, fence posts), the height under eaves and pergolas, and the ground: steps and soft beds stop a machine a gate would let through. Allow 50 mm each side of the machine's narrow width.
Blade and canopy
The blade is usually the same width as the narrow track setting or slightly less; check it. Canopies fold on the R06 for doorway height; on the others, measure the height against carports and pergolas.
Fixed-track alternatives
The R22 PRO's fixed 1,300 mm undercarriage is wider than any side path but more stable for its weight, which is why it suits acreage and rock rather than suburbs. Choose adjustable for access, fixed for stability.
Which to choose
The machine finder takes your access width and scores every model; the R13 PRO page has the full specification for the narrowest adjustable machine in the range.