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    Checklists

    Grader 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, grader parked on level ground, blade and ripper down, park brake set, engine off. Don't start the machine until it's done. Anything affecting safe operation gets tagged out and reported before it moves.

    Before you approach

    • Work area around the machine — people, vehicles, traffic, overhead lines, soft shoulders, ditch edges
    • 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 the engine bay and frame

    Blade, circle and drawbar

    • Blade, cutting edge and end bits — wear, cracks, loose or missing mounting bolts
    • Moldboard and side shift wear strips — wear, cracks, adjustment, rocks and debris in the slides
    • Circle, circle teeth and wear strips — damaged teeth, wear, loose bolts, play, greased
    • Drawbar ball and socket — loose or missing bolts, adjustment, greased
    • Blade linkage, lift and shift cylinders — leaks at seals, scored or bent rods, loose or missing bolts
    • Ripper or scarifier — wear, cracks, leaks, missing teeth and pinsIf equipped

    Frame, articulation and wheels

    • Articulation area and hitch bearings — cracks, play, packed dirt, greased
    • Tandem housings and final drives — leaks, debris build-up, loose bolts
    • Front spindle bearings and kingpins — leaks, play, lubrication
    • Wheel lean and steering cylinders — leaks, scored rods, loose mounts, linkage play
    • Tires — inflation, cuts, cord damage, uneven wear, stones in the tread
    • Rims, lug nuts, valve stems — cracks, loose or missing nuts, stem caps in place

    Air system, brakes and accumulators

    • Air reservoir — drain water and sediment, no leaks at fittings
    • Air dryer — secure, purging, no leaks
    • Brake accumulators — damage, leaks, secure mounting
    • Brake lines, hoses and park brake — chafe, leaks, damage, linkage secure

    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 the sight glass, implements down, no leaks at the tank
    • Transmission and differential oil — level, condition, no leaks underneath
    • Fuel level, fuel cap, water separator — enough fuel for the shift, cap sealed, drain water
    • DEF level — level, cap sealed, no crystal build-up or debrisIf equipped
    • Precleaner and air restriction indicator — dirt build-up cleared, indicator not tripped
    • Belts and hoses — tightness, cracks, leaks, chafe
    • Radiator, coolers and condenser — debris, fin blockage, leaks
    • Batteries and disconnect switch — secure, terminals clean and tight, no corrosion

    Lights, safety devices and exterior

    • Head, tail, brake, work and beacon lights — working, lenses intact and clean
    • Mirrors and cameras — intact, clean, adjusted
    • Windows, glass and doors — cracks, clean, unobstructed view, doors latch
    • Fire extinguisher — charged, mounted, inspection tag current
    • ROPS / FOPS, cab mounts and decals — damage, cracks, loose bolts, labels present and legible

    In the cab (before start)

    • Seat and seat belt — condition, buckle latches, mounting secure, pedals reach
    • Controls, frame lock pin, park brake — implements in HOLD, transmission in NEUTRAL, lock pin stowed, park brake set
    • 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
    • Manual, inspection log, hour meter — 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, monitor and air pressure build — readings normal, air builds to pressure, no active fault codes
    • Horn, backup alarm, camera — all working
    • Blade, circle and drawbar functions — smooth through full range, no drift, no abnormal noise
    • Steering, articulation and wheel lean — responds smoothly through full range, returns to centre
    • Service brake and park brake — hold on a grade, brake test done before moving off
    • Leaks after pressure is up — recheck cylinders, hoses, pumps and valve bank

    Run these grader 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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