(1) The Smaller the Rock Crusher the Smaller the Shovel

Small rock crushers are best fed with an excavator. Using a front-end loader is only recommended for rock crushers with a bigger feed hopper and small consistent feed material such as sand & gravel, shot rock, and asphalt millings.

For instance, a Leites 90GO! Compact Crusher features a 34″ wide x 25″ high inlet opening and is best fed with an excavator that has a 36″ wide or 40″ wide bucket. If the bucket is much wider than the inlet opening you risk throwing in pieces that are too big. A narrower bucket limits the top size material that goes in and enables you to reach into the hopper to realign material if needed.

(2) Feed in the Rear and Let the Feeder Drag Out the Material

Consistency is the aim of the game and slow and steady will win the race. If you dump material right in front of the inlet the entire load comes to crusher at once and your pre-screen – in case your small rock crusher has one – is losing its effectiveness. The feeder will drag out the material over its entire length. Many small rock crushers feature one or two steps where the material tumbles down which improves the pre-screen effectiveness and drag out the material.