If you don’t want to spend too much money on excavation equipment this year, you can find a used excavator shear attachment for a reasonable price and in fairly good condition. Here are some tips to aid you in your search.
Swing Radius Inspection
Start the machine and rotate the housing. It should move smoothly with no play or unusual movements or noises. None of the components, including the bucket, boom, and stick, should be loose. The slew ring is very expensive to replace, so make sure it is in excellent condition before you consider buying an excavator shear attachment.
Check Out the Body and Frame
Look for cracks or dents on the exterior. These are signs of unusual wear or abuse. Look at the hydraulic system to see if there are leaks or signs of excessive wear and tear. Check for hard or cracked hoses and belts. Make sure hydraulic pumps are not leaking. If there are leaks in the system, don’t buy unless these issues are repaired.
History
What kind of care did the machine receive? Did the owner keep good maintenance records? Was it used as a rental machine? Rental machines often receive a lot of wear and abuse, because people treat rentals harder than machines they own. The chances for abuse are higher when you have many different operators.
Hour Meter
Make sure the hour meter shows no signs of tampering. Is the meter working properly? Check the maintenance log and note the hour readings. If something doesn’t seem right, this is a red flag.
Professional Inspection
If you are not experienced with excavator machines, have a professional inspect the equipment. Better yet, go to your local excavator dealer, like Genesis Attachments, for assistance.
