Excavator sell-off

Talk about a comeback! The supply shortages that dogged farm machinery manufacturers during the pandemic were also inflicted on construction equipment makers, resulting in new machine shortages that lasted into early 2023. 

But now that manufacturing is back to full steam, both industries are experiencing massive buildups of used machines coming in from trade-ins.

Just how massive? 

In the midst of 2022, inventories of used medium-duty construction equipment were 40% lower than average. Toward the end of 2023, those inventories skyrocketed, standing now at 48% higher than average, according to Sandhills Global (sandhills.com).

In 2023, inventories of medium-sized skid steers, backhoes, and excavators climbed nearly 50%, points out Mitch Helman of Sandhills Global. This is putting downward pressure on prices on dealer and auction lots, he adds. 

For farmers, this is a double windfall. Their entry into their first excavator or their upgrade to a newer or larger machine has been enriched by more machines to choose from. This also can lower bids at auction or create more wiggle room when negotiating prices.

The accompanying Price Guide looks at the most common excavator size sought by farmers — midsized tracked machines. The guide’s listings focus on 5-year-old machines. 

Excavator terminology

While shopping among excavator makes and models, spend time investigating units with similar capacities.

The first characteristic in that search will be horsepower. The models in the Price Guide range between 120 and 160 hp. However, for excavators, engine output is only part of the performance equation. 

The true capacity of an excavator is its digging depth and bucket digging force. Those criteria range greatly among models with similar horsepower. 

Following are performance terms to watch for when comparing excavator models:

• Maximum bucket force: how much force can be applied to the wrist-like motion used in excavation with the largest arm configuration available.
• Reach: how far an excavator arm can be extended.
• Maximum digging depth: how far down an excavator can dig with the boom, stick, and bucket all extended downward.

During your investigation, you will also run across a wide variety of terms unique to excavators.

• Boom: the angled arm attached to the vehicle’s “house.” A straight boom moves only up and down, while a knuckled boom can move right or left in line with the machine.
• Arm: often called the stick or dipper, which forms a joint on the boom.
• House: the cab, engine, counterweights, fuel, and hydraulic tanks.
• Undercarriage: the final drive motors, tracks, and track frame. 

All the excavators in this Price Guide run on tracks, but machines that operate on wheels are also available.

Excavators these days are sold with a wide variety of attachments — I counted 11 bucket types available for excavators — but don’t assume an excavator is always sold with a bucket; attachments are often left off on a sale.

Crucial excavator pointers and tips

Excavators, like the backhoe loader, are subjected to the most wear and tear among construction equipment. The stress placed on an excavator’s boom and arm are intense, which can lead to early deterioration of pivot point pins, bushing, and bearings.

For this reason, any moving part of an excavator demands a close inspection to determine how much deterioration has occurred to components, stresses Jim Rotlisberger of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (rbauction.com). After doing a walk-around to size up the general condition of the machine, take the time to closely “look at all joints to see if there is no excessive play [in their operation] and that they have been greased,” he says. “Inspect all pivot points, especially those between the boom and body.” 

To do this, start the excavator and rest the bucket on the ground. Put pressure on the boom, arm, and bucket, and look for play in the joints when letting up on that pressure. Some wear in these locations is expected, Rotlisberger adds. What you are looking for is excessive movement, as it relates to the age (hours of use) of the machine. For example, “Having a bit of play in the king post [where the boom connects to the body] is not an issue as this is the point on an excavator that gets a great deal of use and torque put on it,” Rotlisberger explains. “What you are trying to detect is excessive movement.”

A big pivot point that buyers may not think to examine is the swing bearing that holds the cab on the track frame. If this gearing goes out, you are facing a major repair that requires lifting the cab off the track frame to replace an expensive bearing.

A good indication that a machine was well cared for can be found at grease locations. “A lot of grease on the joints is a good thing as it indicates the owner or operation was good at greasing,” Rotlisberger says.

This care often equates to regular attention being paid to other maintenance chores such as oil and filter changes. An excavator with “caked on grease that is hard indicates that greasing was not done religiously,” he adds. 

Another key location to inspect is the track system. Look at the: 

• Track pins and bushings
• Carrier rollers
• Track pads
• Front and rear idlers
• Drive sprockets
• Bottom track rollers
• Finally, check for deflection on the turntable and ring gear. Too much stress can cause the structure to move out of alignment, according to Rotlisberger.