When buying used machinery, here are five inspection tips during the inspection process to keep in mind. Equipment buyers frequently struggle to obtain adequately used machinery in good functioning order. If the buyer is inexperienced or does not know what to look for while examining used heavy equipment, the process becomes more complicated.
The condition of used construction equipment varies depending on its previous maintenance and work history. Therefore, no customer would risk importing used foreign equipment into Nigeria only to face significant maintenance or replacement costs due to the machine’s unknown flaws.
Consider these five inspection guidelines in this post if you intend to acquire any used heavy machinery. Then, when assessing a used machine, utilize these insights to spot any red flags and buy confidently.
1. Structure that can be seen Check
Starting a visible inspection of an item from the ground is typical. First, examine the machine’s wheels or undercarriage in the lower portions. Then inspect the machine’s frame, attachments, and other external components.
- While you’re going around checking, keep the following in mind:
- Does the machine’s structure appear to be considerably damaged or fractured?
- Are there any welding marks or fish plates on the machine’s body?
- Are there any oil leaks on the hydraulic cylinders, the engine panel, or beneath the machine?
- What is the state of the wheel or undercarriage?
- What condition is the machinery attachment in?
- Take a look at the example in the graph below. During the visible structure assessment, the arrows indicate to parts around the Caterpillar excavator equipment to spot red flags.
- Before buying and exporting secondhand construction machinery to Nigeria, verify the following regions around the machine during structural examination.
2. Interior Cabin Check
When evaluating the interior cabin area, aesthetics and beauty should be the last thing on your mind. Instead, the heavy equipment’s control, steering, and backup systems steer and maneuver it. So what should a Nigerian buyer look for while assessing a heavy machinery interior cabin area?
The following items should be on your checklist: all switches, gauges, and indicators on the equipment dashboard.
- The steering wheel, controller (joystick or fingers), and foot pedals are in good functioning order.
- The seat, seat belt, lights, mirrors, and windows are all in good working order.
- EROPS (extended rollover protective structure) or cab availability.
- Examine the heating or air-conditioning system.
3. Hours Clock Check
When looking at the logged running hours for used construction equipment, the age of the machine is crucial. For example, if a 4-year-old Wheel loader machine has 25000 hours on the hour’s meter, the high hours should provide insight into the component life cycle. After purchasing the equipment, you may need to replace some worn parts.
Finally, make sure the hour meter isn’t faulty, inaccurate, or tampered with by the seller. It may be difficult to spot any odd changes in the hour meter, notably if the customer lacks technical knowledge. You’ll need the help of a machine expert. BAS Machinery workshop engineers send hourly meter reports on used machines to equipment buyers when requested.
4. Noise Assessment
This is one area of machinery inspection where you should look for potential signs that you may have overlooked while inspecting the equipment’s outside.
When the machine is powered up and running, keep an eye out for any of the following:
- Coughing sounds from the engine could indicate a problem with the mechanism.
- When the machine performs fundamental motions, squeaking sounds could indicate loose connections, worn out parts, or missing bolts.
- Unusual noises could indicate that the heavy equipment’s connections need to be lubricated.
- Video inspection of a Caterpillar D6T XL Bulldozer by BAS Machinery.
- When driving, notice the typical engine sound with no odd noises.
5. Engine and Hydraulic Inspection
Any piece of equipment’s hydraulic system and engine are the most essential components. Look for visual indicators of fluid leaks, breaks, scratches, or dents on any hydraulic cylinders. Ascertain that all hoses have proper coupling and sealing. Also, look for visual symptoms of leaks, loose belts, and dirty filters in the engine and engine panel.
Source: BAS Machinery