Capital Equipment News April 2018

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP – USED EQUIPMENT

Jonnie Keys, commercial manager at Euro Auctions.

10 ‘Top Tips’ for buying a used excavator

Buying an excavator at an auction, where there is typically a multitude of models and types to choose from, can be an exciting prospect. However, how do you pick the best of the bunch? How do you find that perfect excavator? Jonnie Keys , commercial manager at Euro Auctions, provides an in-depth look at several excavator features and functions that should be carefully examined prior to purchasing a used piece.

T he following Top Tips from machinery auction specialist, Euro Auctions, will help you ensure that you carry out all your checks and end up with the real star. Tip #1 – History The first point to consider is the history of the machine, as much as the hours. If the machine has had one or two “careful” owners in its life, the hours for a five-year old machine may not seem excessive. If the excavator is three years old, but is an ex-rental machine, then it could have had a lot of different users in its life, but it has only had one owner and typically been serviced well. It’s all about who owned it and the application it has been deployed in that will tell you the likely condition. Tip #2 – Slew ring / pins and bushings Check for wear in the moving parts. Start the machine and operate it slowly, placing the bucket on the floor, and then applying pressure. It’s all about slow movements that will allow you to see any play in the machine. Pay close attention to the boom base pin and

Tip #4 – Hydraulics Crowd up the boom and stick to expose as much of the hydraulic cylinder chrome as possible. Have a look for burs and scrapes. Look for leaking hydraulic oil. Hoses are cheap to replace but metal pipes and components might be expensive. Check the hydraulic pump compartment for oil on the bottom and for signs of repairs to the pumps. A good user would repair leaks as a matter of course. Perhaps this is another tell-tale sign of how the machine has been looked after! Tip #5 – Hour meter Check the hour meter and consider if it looks to fit with the condition of the machine. In almost every instance this will be enough but if it looks wrong, investigate the filters as they may be marked with the next service hours. If you are really not sure then the manufacturer will keep a warranty record with hours. Tip #6 – Bucket and attachments What buckets does it come with? This will

the slew ring as these are the expensive bits to repair. Expect some movement in the pins in older machines and look to see if the pins and bushes have been greased. Tip #3 – Exterior condition The exterior of the machine should be checked for dents, cracks and bends. On level ground push the bucket out half way and place it on the ground. Get out and stand in front of the machine. Is it sitting flat on the ground? (Better with a ditch bucket on), this will show up any major twisting in the boom and stick. Look at the inside of the stick and boom for damage from heavy use on demolition. If the machine has lots of stone chips around the cab area this is a sure sign it was used with a breaker. Stand at the back of the machine and look down either side to see if the panels are straight. The most common place for damage on an excavator is the offside rear side panel. Lastly, look under the machine at the belly panels. If these are all dented and twisted you can be sure it has had a hard life.

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS APRIL 2018 30