Running an excavator means using two joysticks to control the boom, arm, bucket, and cab rotation, two foot pedals or hand levers to drive the tracks, and a throttle to set engine speed. You dig by lowering the boom, curling the bucket toward you, and lifting in one smooth motion. You drive with the same levers or pedals that steer the tracks. Nothing about it is complicated once your hands learn the pattern. The hard part is doing it smoothly, safely, and without damaging the machine or the ground.
What Do the Controls on an Excavator Actually Do?
Almost every excavator has the same basic control layout. The left joystick runs the arm and the cab rotation. The right joystick runs the boom and the bucket. Two travel levers or two foot pedals move the tracks.
On the left joystick, pushing forward swings the cab to the right. Pulling back swings it left. Pushing the stick left extends the arm away from you. Pulling it right brings the arm back toward you. On the right joystick, pulling back lifts the boom. Pushing forward lowers it. Pushing the stick left curls the bucket in. Pushing right opens it.
That is the standard pattern. It is not universal. Some machines ship with different joystick configurations, and the pattern can often be switched. Before you touch anything, confirm which pattern the machine is set to. Operating an unfamiliar pattern by muscle memory is one of the most common ways beginners cause damage.
The travel controls are usually two levers in front of the seat, or two foot pedals. Push both forward and the machine tracks forward. Pull both back and it reverses. Push one and not the other and it turns. Push one forward and the other back and it spins in place.
How Do You Dig With an Excavator?
Digging is a four-part motion done at the same time, not in steps. A clean dig is one continuous sweep where the boom, arm, and bucket all move together.
Start with the bucket teeth just above the ground, arm extended, bucket open. Then:
- Lower the boom slightly as you pull the arm in.
- Curl the bucket as it enters the ground so it fills from the front.
- Keep the bucket flat as it loads, not angled down like a shovel.
- Lift the boom once the bucket is full, then swing to where you want to dump.
The most common beginner mistake is digging with the bucket angled down. That digs a narrow trench and stalls the machine. A flat, level bucket cuts a wide, even load and puts far less strain on the hydraulics.
Another mistake is using the bucket to pry. Excavator buckets are built to scoop, not to lever rock or concrete out of the ground. Prying loads the teeth and pins in a direction they were not designed for and can crack the bucket or bend the linkage.
How To Run An Excavator Controls Driving Digging: Smooth Input Is Everything
The difference between a good operator and a rough one is rarely speed. It is smoothness. Hydraulic controls respond to how far and how fast you move the lever, and jerky inputs transfer straight into the machine as shock and bounce.
Move the joysticks with your fingertips, not your whole arm. Small movements go a long way. If the machine is bouncing, you are usually moving too fast, not too slow.
Two habits separate clean operators from rough ones:
- Anticipate the stop. Ease off the lever before the bucket reaches its target, not after.
- Keep the load low when swinging. A raised, full bucket swings the machine’s weight around and makes the whole unit unstable.
On a slope, do not swing a loaded bucket uphill if you can avoid it. Swing downhill or level, where the machine is more stable.
How Do You Drive an Excavator?
Driving an excavator is not like driving a car. There is no steering wheel. You steer by changing the speed of the two tracks independently.
Push both travel levers forward and the machine moves straight ahead. Pull both back and it reverses. To turn left, slow or stop the left track while the right track keeps moving. To spin in place, push one track forward and the other backward.
One detail that trips up almost every beginner: the travel controls are usually reversed relative to the cab. When the cab is facing forward, pushing the levers forward drives the machine forward. But if you have swung the cab 180 degrees, the same lever motion now drives the machine in the opposite direction from where you are looking. Operators learn to flip their thinking to match the cab’s orientation.
Track orientation also matters. The tracks should run parallel to the direction you are digging, with the idler (the wheel at the front) facing the work. Digging over the side of the tracks, rather than over the front or back, puts uneven load on the undercarriage and is less stable.
What Are the Biggest Safety Rules for Excavator Operation?
Excavators kill people every year, and the causes are almost always predictable. Most serious incidents involve the swing radius, unstable ground, or someone working underneath a raised load.
The swing radius is the area the cab and bucket sweep through when you rotate. Anyone inside that arc can be struck. Keep all ground workers outside it, and never let anyone stand behind the machine where the counterweight swings.
Other rules that matter:
- Never lift a load over a person. Ever.
- Keep the bucket low when traveling. A raised bucket makes the machine top-heavy.
- Check the ground before you drive on it. Soft or sloped ground can tip the machine.
- Never exit the cab with the engine running and the controls live.
- Stay clear of overhead power lines. Contact with a live line can be fatal.
If you are new to the machine, the single most useful thing you can do is get hands-on training from a qualified operator before working near people or structures. Reading about controls is not the same as running them. No article, including this one, replaces supervised practice on a real machine.
Do You Need a License to Operate an Excavator?
Requirements vary by country and by worksite. In the United States, there is no single national excavator license. Some employers and job sites require formal certification, and some states or municipalities have their own rules. Many commercial and government projects require operators to hold a recognized certification.
For personal use on your own property, the rules are usually far lighter than on a commercial site. But lighter rules do not mean lower risk. An excavator can seriously injure or kill the operator or a bystander regardless of whether a license was required.
If you are operating commercially, check the specific requirements for your state and the project before you start. Do not assume a general rule applies everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which joystick controls which function on an excavator?
The left joystick controls the arm and the cab rotation, and the right joystick controls the boom and the bucket. This is the standard pattern, but some machines can be switched, so confirm the setting before you operate.
How do you drive an excavator forward and backward?
Push both travel levers or foot pedals forward to move forward and pull both back to reverse. Steering is done by moving the two tracks at different speeds.
What is the most common mistake when digging with an excavator?
Digging with the bucket angled down instead of flat. A flat, level bucket cuts an even load and puts much less strain on the machine.
Can you operate an excavator without a license?
On private property for personal use, licensing is often not required. On commercial job sites, certification is frequently required, and rules vary by state and project.
