When designing, the excavator drive is calculated for maximum loads without taking into account the possible conditions of machine use and the forces that arise. As a result, the drive power often does not match the bucket capacity, which leads to incomplete use of the machine. The purpose of the author's research was to study the static lifting force during digging under various excavator operating conditions. When designing excavators, it is necessary to construct diagrams for all possible operating modes, on the basis of which a choice can be made of the optimal drive modes, its power and regulation. The proposed calculation method is simple and clear. It is of particular importance for the design of high-power excavators intended for specific conditions with previously known geological data.