What To Check in High-Hour Used Heavy Equipment?

Have you ever been stuck in the confusion of buying low-hour equipment or high-hour used heavy equipment? It is a very common problem and confusion among construction buyers. People ask a lot of time whether they should go for a low-hour or high-hour machine. The answer might be different for each of them.

Let’s suppose if a wheel loader has run 1000 hours previously, it is not necessary that it would always be better than the one with 8000 hours. The reason is the 1000-hour one might have been used in mining projects. So, the chances of wear and tear would be higher in it. Whereas, the 8000 machines might have been used in minor projects so the condition would be better than the 1000 hours machine. Another aspect is routine maintenance which has a great impact on the machine’s health. If a high-hour machine is well maintained and a lower-hour machine has not maintained well then you can understand which one is better to go for.

In this article, you will know about the things you should consider while buying a high-hour used machine.

1. Machine’s Service History

Whenever you are buying used construction machinery, ask the dealer to provide you with a service history. If service history is not available then take a serial number. Through these things, you will get to know how often the machine has been serviced and taken to maintenance. The preventive maintenance program with a certified dealer is also important to check in the high-hour machine. During the long usage of the machine, if the previous owner has regularly maintained it and taken good care of the machine then it’s pretty lucky of you to get the good piece of equipment. However, if the equipment parts have not been replaced and repaired for long then you might raise the budget money for the sudden repair.

2. Check The Tire

It is a general perspective that a high-hour machine will have more wear and tear and possibly damaged tires as well. However, if the tires are in good condition then you may get good condition parts. you should still check the condition of the tire even if it looks pretty well to you. The tires may have low pressure, leakage, and cracks in the rubber tubes. These tire issues may cause an extra burden on your account as the tire repair is quite expensive.

3. Look At the Undercarriage

The condition of the undercarriage matters a lot. It is better to have an OEM undercarriage as it is the original and most suitable for the equipment. You can check it as the name of OEM is written on the undercarriage. The specification of the undercarriage, pins, and bushing is preferred to be original than the replaced one.

4. Look Into the Cab

It is mandatory to check the cab in high-hour equipment. Every bit of detail you can check by entering the cab. See if it is clean and has no issue. The seat cover and the seat belt are in good condition. The steering wheels, brakes, and headlight are working or not? The cleanliness and maintenance of the cab show the responsible behavior of the operator. You can also prepare a checklist and make sure nothing is left.

5. Look At the Paint

If you find that the machine is freshly repainted, then you must be a little attentive. Check closely which parts have been painted and why it was painted. There might be something hidden behind the paint. Commonly, the paint can cover some major wear and tear. However, it is not true every time. The new paint may also be done after a good servicing of the equipment.

Footnote

When you are going to buy high-hour used construction machinery, make sure to not neglect to inspect the important things. The high-hour machine is not necessarily always damaged. The good care and timely maintenance will keep it in good condition to the lower-hour machine which was not maintained well lately. In this article, we have mentioned a list of things to consider while buying a high-hour used machine fleet. Read and understand them to not miss these important things in the future.