Red Flags to Watch for Before Buying A Used Skid Steer

When it comes to buying a used skid steer (versus a new one) there are many more concerns that must be addressed and the buyer must be wary of any red flags uncovered. First and foremost, its important to examine the hours on the clock and how “beat up” the machine is. Ensure that you look for scratches and dents on the belly pan and loader boom. Secondly, examine the hinge bushings for tightness. Be sure to also test the grease zerks by attempting to pump grease in them (make sure to bring a grease pump gun); if the zerks do not take any additional grease it’s a good sign that the zerks were not properly maintained and that grease has not been added often enough. Another  red flag may be if the unit was repainted but still contain scrapes showing through to the underlying steel. This is often a sign that the unit is quite old, but has been repainted to look new.

Another item on the checklist is the determination of weak compression. This can be done by doing a  quick removal of the oil cap while the diesel engine is running. If smoke is rising out of the hole it can be a sign of weak compression or “blow by”.  The potential buyer should perform a compression test by pulling out the injectors and testing them. A typical acceptable compression would be in the range of 350 to 420 lbs; each cylinder should be equal to the next in terms of compression so be sure to test each individually and compare. If a large enough difference arises between compression of individual cylinders this would be another “red flag”. They should be fairly close, if not all the same.

Other items to examine include the gauges to make sure they are functioning properly as well as the safety switches on the unit. The buyer may also want to consider having an oil test performed which could indicate any other problem areas that were overlooked. Lastly, tire wear should be examined. Typically, a set of skid steer tires should last approximately 400 to 600 hours of operation. If the tires have only 200 or 300 hours, and they need replacement then it’s often a sign the skid steer has experienced “hard use”.

Additionally, make sure to test drive the skid steer for awhile before purchasing. This can not be overstated enough. Many problems may not be uncovered until the machine is actually in use.