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Inspection

We check the machine, not just the photo

For a wheeled excavator, the travel system matters as much as the hydraulics. Here is what we look at — and what we send you before the balance payment.

Grade A / B / C
Evidence photos · video · plate · meter
Third-party available
Why the travel system

Tracks hide; axles show.

A crawler machine hides its undercarriage conditions in the tracks. A wheeled excavator wears its heart in the open — travel motors, axles, differential, brakes and tyres. It is the first thing a serious buyer inspects, and the first thing we document.

  • Drive the machine and listen to axle, transmission and differential noise
  • Check for leaks at the drive motors, hubs and axle seals
  • Test steering lock-to-lock, service brake and parking brake
  • Read tyre wear patterns — uneven wear points to alignment or axle issues
Inspecting a used excavator in China

How a unit is graded

An honest grade, stated up front — not a marketing label.

Grade A

Low hours, no repairs

Clean, low-hour machine with no major repairs. Paint and stickers mostly original. Ready to work with routine servicing.

Grade B

Working, with history

Solid working machine with visible use. Some components replaced or repaired; documented in the evidence pack. The best value for most buyers.

Grade C

Project machine

Higher hours or known repairs needed — priced accordingly. Suits buyers who can do their own work or want a parts basis.

Grades are our assessment, stated honestly, with the photos and video to back them. You are free to arrange a third-party inspection before payment.

What we check

Travel system
Travel motors, axles, differential, two-speed travel and any diff-lock.
Tyres & brakes
Tread depth and wear pattern, service brake and parking brake, steering response.
Stabilisers
Outriggers or dozer blade, legs and locking — condition and function.
Engine
Cold and hot start, smoke, blow-by, leaks and the engine hour meter.
Hydraulics
Pump, cylinders, hoses and slew ring — noise, leaks and cycle times.
Structure
Boom, arm, bucket linkage, cab, turret and any welding or straightening.
Identity
Serial plate, model-year and meter reading — photographed for the file.
Paperwork
Service records where available, plus the documents needed for export.
Inspecting the engine bay of a used excavator
Checked by hand

The same hands, the same checklist.

Every unit is gone over by our own team before it is quoted — on the exact machine, not a stock photo.

Red flags we walk away from

We would rather pass on a machine than pass a problem on to you.

Cracks or fresh welding
On the boom, arm, frame or turret — even under a tidy coat of paint.
A tampered plate
A serial plate that is removed, re-stamped or unreadable.
Leaks that come back
Travel-motor, axle or hub leaks that return after a clean-up.
A meter that does not match
A low hour reading that does not fit the wear on the machine.
Straightened structure
Bent or heat-straightened sections hidden under fresh paint.
Paperwork that disagrees
A unit whose documents differ on model-year or variant.

Loading & inspection, in pictures

Real records from the yard.

Machine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before exportMachine inspection and preparation before export

The evidence pack for your unit

Sent before the balance payment — so you confirm the machine, not a catalogue.

01

Photos

Exterior, cab, engine bay, undercarriage and tyres of the exact unit.

02

Running video

Cold start, travel, swing and digging — the machine working.

03

Serial plate

A close-up of the plate and the year it confirms.

04

Hour meter

A photo of the meter reading at the time of inspection.

Third-party inspection can also be arranged at your request. What we do not offer: a manufacturer's warranty or an OEM-certified refurbishment.

Before you commit

Can I request a specific check?
Yes. Tell us what matters for your job — travel system, brake test, hydraulic cycle times — and we cover it in the evidence pack.
Do you allow a third-party inspector?
Yes. You can appoint an inspector of your choice; we coordinate access to the machine at the yard before payment.
What if the machine differs from the description?
That is exactly why the evidence pack exists — you confirm the unit before the balance payment, not after.
Can you test the machine under load?
Yes. The running video shows travel, swing and digging, and we can run a brake and steering test at your request.
What do the grades A, B and C mean?
A is a clean, low-hour machine with no major repairs; B is a solid working machine with some documented history; C is a project machine with known repairs, priced accordingly.
Do you inspect machines you do not own?
We inspect units in our own yard and units we can reach through our sourcing network. Either way the evidence pack is for the exact unit you are quoted.

Want to see a machine?

Pick a model, and ask for the evidence pack for the exact unit.

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Related answers

How do you inspect a used wheeled excavator?How do you check the travel system of a wheeled excavator?How do you verify a used machinery supplier in China?
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