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    Checklists

    Excavator checklists: pre-trip inspection and 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 hour services

    By the Tenmil teamUpdated August 2026

    Pre-trip inspection

    Every shift

    Do this walkaround at the start of every shift, machine parked on level ground, implements lowered, engine off. Don't start the machine until it's done. Anything that affects safe operation gets tagged out and reported before the machine moves.

    Before you approach

    • Work area around the machine — people, vehicles, overhead lines, open trenches, soft or sloped ground
    • Ground under the machine — fresh oil, coolant, fuel or hydraulic puddles
    • Steps, handholds, platforms — secure, clean, free of mud, ice, snow and grease
    • Guards, covers, doors, latches — in place, undamaged, closed
    • Housekeeping — trash, dirt and grease build-up cleared from engine area and undercarriage

    Bucket, stick and boom

    • Bucket, teeth / GET, cutting edge — wear, cracks, loose or missing teeth and adapters
    • Bucket pins, retainers, quick coupler — secure, locked, retainer bolts in place, wear
    • Bucket, stick and boom cylinders — leaks at seals, scored or bent rods, hose chafe
    • Boom and stick structure — cracks, bent plates, weld damage, pin play
    • Front hydraulic hoses and fittings — chafe, weeping, bulges, damage
    • Grease points — boom, stick and bucket pins greased per the lube chart

    Undercarriage and swing

    • Track tension / sag — within spec, adjust if slack or overtight
    • Track shoes, links, pins, bushings — wear, cracks, missing or loose bolts
    • Rollers, idlers, sprockets — leaks, wear, damage
    • Final drives — leaks, cover bolts, fill and drain plugs
    • Carbody and track frames — cracks, damage, debris packed in
    • Swing bearing and swing drive — leaks, loose bolts, grease

    Engine compartment and fluids (engine off)

    • Engine oil level — level on dipstick, condition
    • Coolant level — level in expansion tank; never open a hot system
    • Hydraulic oil level — level in sight glass, machine in the checking position
    • Fuel level, fuel cap, water separator — enough fuel for the shift, cap sealed, drain water
    • DEF level — level, cap sealed, no crystal build-upIf equipped
    • Air cleaner restriction indicator — not tripped; reset or service if flagged
    • Belts and hoses — tightness, cracks, leaks, chafe
    • Radiator, oil cooler, AC condenser — debris, fin blockage, leaks
    • Batteries and disconnect switch — secure, terminals clean and tight, no corrosion
    • Leaks anywhere in the engine bay — oil, fuel, coolant, hydraulic

    Lights, safety devices and exterior

    • Work lights, beacon, travel lights — working, lenses intact and clean
    • Mirrors and cameras — intact, clean, adjusted
    • Windows and glass — cracks, clean, unobstructed view
    • Fire extinguisher — charged, mounted, inspection tag current
    • Decals and warning labels — present, legible
    • ROPS / FOPS and cab mounts — damage, cracks, loose mounting bolts

    In the cab (before start)

    • Seat and seat belt — condition, buckle latches, mounting secure, adjusted
    • Controls and hydraulic lockout — controls in neutral, lockout lever in LOCKED position
    • Cab floor and pedals — clear of tools, mud and debris
    • Wipers and washers — working, washer fluid topped up
    • Heater, defrost, AC — working (visibility in all conditions)
    • Emergency exit and hammer — present, accessible, unobstructed
    • Operator's manual and inspection log — in the cab
    • Hour meter reading — recorded on this sheetRecord

    Function check (engine running)

    • Start-up — no abnormal noise or smoke, warning lights clear after self-test
    • Gauges and monitor — readings normal, no active fault codes
    • Horn, travel alarm, back-up camera — all working
    • Boom, stick, bucket, swing — smooth, no drift, no abnormal noise
    • Travel — forward and reverse on both tracks, speed selector, machine holds on a slope
    • Swing brake / swing lock — holds
    • Leaks after pressure is up — recheck cylinders, hoses, pumps and valve bank

    Run these excavator checklists in Tenmil

    Load them as PM templates, trigger them from hour-meter readings, and execute them as work orders in the field — see it on your own fleet scenario in a one-hour walkthrough.

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