Skid Steer Used Machine Inspection and Appraisal

How to approach a used machine

Walk in with a plan, not with hope. Decide what jobs the machine must do, what hours you can accept, and a price window that only moves if the iron proves better than expected. If you plan to buy a used skid steer to run daily with attachments that stress hydraulics, you must inspect like a skeptic and test like an operator who pays the repair bills.

Quick checks that save money before a full inspection

These seven minutes decide whether you walk away or invest an hour. This is the fast lane portion of a used skid steer inspection that avoids sunk time on a bad unit.

1. VIN plate and serial stamps match paperwork; no grinder marks; no missing rivets. If the numbers feel wrong, stop.
2. Hour meter reads plausibly versus seat, pedals, and controls. A shiny seat with high hours is a mismatch.
3. Cold start test from stone cold. Ask the seller not to pre warm. Listen to cranking speed, smoke character, and idle stability.
4. Tires or tracks match claimed hours. Even wear, no cords, no missing lugs, no badly cupped blocks from bad alignment.
5. Lift arms up, set safety locks, engine off, key on. Pull and push on the quick attach and bucket to feel for scary slop.
6. Hydraulic detent holds for a minute on a light head if available. No chatter, no hose jerk, no immediate heat at couplers.
7. Drive straight at half speed and brake. No pull, no drift, no surge. Travel motors should not sing like sirens.

If the machine fails two or more of these quick checks, you likely have a rebuild on your hands or a price that must drop very far. Use your time elsewhere unless you want a project unit.

If it still looks promising, move into the full used skid steer checklist below.

Engine and fluids that tell the truth

Engines reveal themselves through fluids and repeatable tests. You do not need a lab on site, but you do need discipline. The keywords to keep in mind here are oil analysis skid steer best practices, coolant test strips, and diesel smoke diagnosis that separates fuel from compression issues.

Fluids at a glance

• Engine oil: pull the dipstick cold and warm. Look for metal flake, fuel smell, water line, or milkiness. Wipe a finger across the inside of the fill cap; sludge points to neglected intervals.
• Hydraulic oil: sight glass or dipstick should show clean fluid. Milky oil suggests water entry. Dark and varnished hints at heat history.
• Coolant: check level and condition. Use coolant test strips if possible. Rusty overflow or oily sheen suggests head or cooler issues.
• Fuel water separator: drain a sample into a clear jar. Cloudy fuel or visible water means contamination or a neglected tank.

Diesel smoke diagnosis in plain language

• White smoke cold that clears warm is usually normal in winter. Persistent white smoke warm hints at coolant entry or poor compression.
• Blue smoke warm means oil burning. Valve guides, turbo seals, or rings may be tired. Factor overhaul risk into price.
• Black smoke under light load points to air restriction or injector issues. Check filters and boost plumbing before assuming injectors.

Compression health without a teardown

• Cold start time, idle stability, and the ability to pull from idle without stalling are your quick compression proxies.
• Crank speed matters. Weak batteries hide weak engines. Bring a strong jump pack so cranking speed reflects the engine, not the battery.

Fast oil testing options

• On site spot test cards tell you if fuel is present in oil. Not perfect, but useful.
• Send a sample for lab oil analysis skid steer evaluation if the unit is a finalist. Metals and soot trends tell you the story you cannot see.

Pins, bushings, booms, and chassis

This is where structure speaks. Pins and bushings skid steer wear decides whether you buy a tight loader or a clapper that ruins edges. Boom arm inspection and a frame crack check are simple but must be done in the right order for safety.

Safe lift for inspection

1. With the machine running, raise the lift arms, install the factory lift arm support or lock bar, set the park brake, and shut down.
2. Chock the wheels or set stabilizers if equipped. Never crawl under unsupported arms.

Measuring play you can price

• Quick attach: set a pry bar under a corner and lift. Watch for visible movement between the backplate and the carriage. Excess lash means the carriage or plate is worn; replacements are not free.
• Tilt cylinder pins: pull and push the bucket back and forth by hand. A dull knock hints at oval bores or dry pins.
• Boom pivot pins: with arms locked, push the arms side to side. Movement at the main pivots or tower bushings points to boring and oversize pins in your future.

Frame and welds

• Frame crack check along lift towers, crossmembers, and around the quick attach. Clean rust or packed dirt hides cracks; scrape to see the root.
• Look for new welds without factory paint texture. Grind marks and new paint in strategic spots are clues; ask why and ask for receipts.

Chain case, final drives, and travel motors

Drive systems are expensive. Chain case inspection on wheeled units and final drive leak checks on tracked machines are the difference between a win and a rebuild six weeks after purchase. Pay attention to wheel motor noise skid steer symptoms during the drive test.

Wheeled machines

• Chain case oil: drain a small sample from the bottom plug. Milky oil equals water entry. Glitter equals metal. Low oil equals leaks and heat history.
• Drive chains: with tires off the ground, rotate and listen. A tight spot or grind means sprockets or chains are unevenly worn.
• Wheel hub play: grab tire top and bottom and rock. Excess play suggests bearings or hub issues.

Tracked machines

• Final drive leak checks: inspect around the sprocket hub and motor flange. Any oil sling or damp dust paste is a leak. Seal and bearing jobs are not tiny.
• Track tension and wear: measure sag by the book. Look for cracked or missing lugs, cupped blocks, and idlers with flat spots.
• Travel motors: after a five minute run, compare hub temperatures side to side with an infrared thermometer. One hot side hints at internal bypass.

Hydraulics, hoses, cylinders, and cooler

Hydraulics decide whether your attachments make you money. A hydraulic leak skid steer issue is not always a big deal, but patterns matter. Flat face coupler leak checks and cooler fin cleaning talk to uptime and oil temperature.

Hoses and routing

• Look for rub points where hoses cross the quick attach or lift arms. Spiral wrap is cheap insurance; missing wrap on a chafe point is a future failure.
• Check crimp dates on major hoses if visible. A tangle of mixed age hoses suggests reactionary maintenance.

Cylinders

• Inspect rods for pitting and chrome loss. Any rust line in the stroke path will ruin seals quickly.
• Hold boom and tilt under light load for one minute. Drift hints at internal leakage.

Couplers and flow

• Flat face coupler leak checks start clean. Wipe, connect a hose, run detent for a minute, and recheck. Damp threads are normal; weeps at the face are not.
• Size matters. Small couplers heat oil and starve heads. If the machine has a history of planers, mulchers, or blowers, confirm correct coupler size and case drain when applicable.

Cooler and airflow

• Cooler fin cleaning is a weekly job on dusty sites. Shine a light through the core. If you cannot see light, the machine ran hot. Bent fins and caked fluff shorten oil life.
• Confirm reversing fan function if equipped. Set to reverse and feel airflow change.

Cab, electronics, and safety systems

Safety systems keep people whole and lawsuits away. Interlocks skid steer checks and a backup alarm test take minutes and reveal how the previous owner treated the machine. Lap bar sensor and seat switch skid steer tests are easy; do them in the same order every time.

Operator presence and interlocks

• Seat switch: with the engine running and lap bar up, confirm lift and tilt are disabled. Sit down, lower the bar, and confirm functions return.
• Lap bar sensor: lift the bar while trying to move. The system should lock out immediately.
• Travel interlock: attempt to drive with the bar up or seat empty. No movement should occur.

Lighting, alarms, and cameras

• Backup alarm test in the yard. Loud enough to warn, not so loud the operator disables it.
• Work lights, turn signals if applicable, and rear camera if equipped. Water inside cheap LED pods is a clue about storage and sealing habits.

Cab condition tells the story

• Door hinges and latches close solidly. Bent frames and sloppy latches lead to wind noise and water leaks.
• Heater and defrost work. Fog that never clears suggests a plugged cabin filter or a weak blower.
• Controls and display screens operate without flicker. Loose connectors show up under vibration; tap gently and watch for resets.

Operational tests and road feel

Your test drive is not a joyride. It is a stress test that compresses a week of work into ten minutes. Follow the same path so you can compare machines fairly.

Drive and steer

• Straight line at low and high speed. No drift, no hunting. If it drifts, confirm tire sizes and pressures or track tension match side to side.
• Figure eights both directions. Listen for wheel motor noise, chain slap, or relief chatter.
• Brake test on a safe flat lot. The machine should stop straight and predictably.

Lift and tilt

• Cycle from ground to full height several times. Smooth, even speed, no binding, no squeal.
• Hold at height, engine at idle. Watch for cylinder drift.
• Return to dig or auto level if equipped. Feature should repeat without hunting.

Auxiliary functions

• Run detent for one minute. Hoses should not jump. Pump noise should not rise quickly.
• Check auxiliary reverse function for clearing jams on motor heads.

Buckets, forks, and auxiliary gear

Attachments sell the machine on paper and make money on site. Inspect them like they matter because they do.

Bucket and cutting edges

• Bucket bottom: look for waves and patch plates. Thin bottoms curl and ruin grading.
• Cutting edge: check bolt heads and edge life. A new edge with worn bolts hints at a quick flip.

Forks

• Fork shanks are straight with visible capacity tags. Bent shanks and missing tags are price cuts.
• Backrest welds are clean without cracks at cross tubes.

Hydraulic heads

• Brush cutters, planers, and blowers need case drain checks, free spinning motors, and zero play at spindle bearings.
• Quick attach functions from the cab without sticking. Manual locks should seat freely.

Price negotiation and service records

Paperwork turns stories into facts. Service records skid steer history and parts invoices prove care. Hours too high or a missing record trail do not kill the deal by themselves, but they change the number you offer and the reserve you set for repairs. You aim to put a fair price used skid steer value on the machine that reflects what you see and what you cannot see.

Records worth real money

• Oil and filter intervals logged by date and hour. Long gaps are warning signs.
• Major repairs with parts and labor listed. New glass and lights are nice; new pumps and motors are better.
• Ownership chain and lien releases. Clean titles make resale easy later.

Negotiation sequence

1. Share your checklist with the seller and walk through the items you found. Keep it professional and specific.
2. Price the repairs you can prove and the risks you suspect. Use written estimates or common parts pricing.
3. Offer a number with the list attached. If the seller fixes items before sale, adjust up. If not, adjust down or walk.

Appraisal math you can defend

Set value the same way each time. Start with a clean retail comp, then subtract for hours above baseline, required repairs, and cosmetic hits. Add back for fresh tracks or tires, popular options, and documented service.

Baseline and adjustments

Example worksheet

• Clean comp retail for year and model: $X
• Hour adjustment: minus $A
• Tire or track life: plus or minus $B
• Known repairs from your list: minus $C
• Options and fresh service: plus $D
• Offer range: $X − A − C ± B + D

If the seller balks at condition adjustments, invite a joint inspection at a dealer or independent shop. A neutral bay and a written report calm negotiations and set a fair number.

FAQ

What is the fastest way to screen a machine before driving across town?

Ask for cold start video, hour meter photo, serial plate photo, and closeups of quick attach, couplers, and tires or tracks. If the seller refuses or the video shows warm start only, assume surprises and price that risk.

How many hours are too many for a buy a used skid steer decision?

Hours alone do not kill a deal. Condition and maintenance history matter more. A tight 3,000 hour machine with service records can beat a loose 1,200 hour machine with mystery oil. Price higher hours at a discount and budget components accordingly.

Should I always do oil analysis skid steer testing before purchase?

Run a lab sample if the unit is a finalist and the purchase price is meaningful. Oil trends reveal coolant leaks, fuel dilution, and metal that you will not see on a dipstick. For small purchases, on site checks plus a post purchase sample can be enough if the price reflects risk.

What does persistent white smoke on a warm engine tell me?

Coolant entry or poor compression is likely. Perform a pressure test and check for coolant loss and milky oil. Walk or cut price to cover a head or injector job if confirmed.

Is a final drive leak an automatic walk away?

A leak at the hub or motor flange is serious but not always fatal. Price the seal and bearing job using your shop or a dealer quote, then subtract with margin. If heat and noise also show up, plan on a deeper rebuild and consider walking.

Why do I hear wheel motor noise skid steer whine only during figure eights?

Turning loads drive pumps and motors harder. A rising whine or heat on one side hints at internal bypass or low charge pressure. Compare temperatures and case drain flow side to side and price a motor if numbers disagree.

How strict should I be about interlocks skid steer tests?

Very strict. Seat switch, lap bar sensor, and travel lock protect operators and bystanders. Nonfunctional systems are immediate repair items or price deductions. Do not put a machine in service with safety systems bypassed.

Do coolant test strips really help during inspection?

They provide a quick look at coolant condition and additive balance. Bad results suggest poor maintenance or mixed coolants. Not definitive, but useful combined with visual checks and a pressure test.

What is a fair price used skid steer adjustment for worn pins and bushings?

Get a quote for boring and oversize pins at the main pivots plus bushings at tilt. Numbers vary by region, but the labor is real. Subtract that quote plus downtime cost from your offer, or ask the seller to fix before sale.

When are hours too high for an operating lease to make sense on a used unit?

If hours are already near major component intervals, lease risk shifts to you fast. Buying with a lower price and budgeting repairs is often smarter than leasing a high hour machine with limited warranty.

How much value do I add for new tracks or tires?

Pro rate from new cost. If tracks are eighty percent and a new set costs four thousand dollars, add roughly three thousand two hundred dollars to the value compared to bald tracks. Adjust for brand and market demand.

Should I insist on cooler fin cleaning before test drive?

Yes. A clean cooler lets you judge true temperature behavior. A clogged core makes good machines look bad and bad machines hide until the first hot day. If the seller refuses to clean, assume heat history and price it in.