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    Loader 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, loader parked on level ground, bucket flat on the ground, 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, overhead lines, muck pile face, 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 and latched
    • Housekeeping — trash, dirt and grease build-up cleared from the engine bay and frame

    Bucket, arms and linkage

    • Bucket, cutting edge, teeth and coupler — wear-through, cracks, loose or missing teeth, bolts and retainers
    • Lift arms and cross tube — cracks, weld damage, bent plates
    • Lift and tilt cylinders — leaks at seals, scored or bent rods, loose mounts
    • Tilt linkage and bellcrank — cracks, play, loose or missing hardware
    • Pins, bushings and retainers — wear, play, retainers in place, greased
    • Grease points on arms and linkage — greased per the lube chart

    Frame, articulation and driveline

    • Articulation hitch and lock link — play, greased, retainers in place, lock link stowed before start
    • Steering cylinders and lugs — leaks, scored rods, clearance, loose mounts
    • Drive shafts, U-joints, support bearing — play, missing bolts, damage, greased
    • Rear axle oscillation bearing — play, leaks, loose or damaged mounts
    • Frame welds, castings and guards — cracks in welds, damaged or missing bolts

    Axles, tires and brakes

    • Tires — inflation, cuts, cord damage, uneven wear, rocks between duals
    • Rims, lug nuts, valve stems — cracks, slippage marks, loose or missing nuts, stem caps in place
    • Axles, final drives, duo-cone seals — leaks, damage, signs of overheating
    • Brake lines, accumulators, air tank — chafe, leaks, damage, drain air tank moisture (if equipped)

    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, bucket down, engine off
    • Transmission and transfer case 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
    • Air cleaner restriction indicator — not tripped; reset or service if flagged
    • Belts and hoses — tightness, cracks, leaks, chafe
    • Radiator, coolers and fan — debris, fin blockage, leaks, blade damage
    • 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, STIC lock, park brake — implements in HOLD, direction control in NEUTRAL, lock engaged, 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 pressure build — readings normal, systems build to pressure, no active fault codes
    • Horn, backup alarm, camera — all working
    • Steering and secondary steering — responds smoothly lock to lock, secondary steering test passes
    • Service brake, park brake, ride control — hold on a grade, brake test done before loading
    • Lift, tilt and bucket functions — smooth through full range, no drift with the bucket raised
    • Leaks after pressure is up — recheck cylinders, hoses, pumps and valve bank

    Run these loader 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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