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    Checklists

    Skid Steer 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, work tool flat on the ground, engine off, key out. 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 and clearances, soft or sloped ground
    • Ground under the machine — fresh oil, coolant, fuel or hydraulic puddles
    • Grab irons, steps, handholds — 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 undercarriage

    Loader arms, work tool and coupler

    • Lift arms and cross member — cracks, weld damage, packed debris
    • Lift and tilt cylinders — leaks at seals, scored or bent rods, loose pins
    • Pins, bushings and retainers — wear, play, retainers in place, greased
    • Lift arm support device — present, undamaged, pin accessible and stowed
    • Quick coupler — levers fully down and locked, pins engaged, no debris in the plate
    • Work tool (bucket, forks, attachment) — wear, cracks, cutting edge, teeth, bent or missing parts
    • Auxiliary hydraulic couplers and hoses — leaks, caps in place, chafe, fittings tight
    • Grease points on arms and linkage — greased per the lube chart

    Undercarriage, tracks and tires

    • Rubber or steel tracks — cuts, abrasions, embedded debris, tension, missing lugsIf equipped
    • Track rollers, idlers and bogies — leaks, wear, damage, mounting bolts
    • Sprockets, rings and sleeves — wear, cracks, retaining nuts tight
    • Undercarriage and frame — packed mud and debris, cracks, damage
    • Tires — inflation, cuts, cord damage, uneven wearIf equipped
    • Rims, wheel nuts, valve stems — cracks, loose or missing nuts, stem caps in place
    • Final drives and drive motors — leaks, damage, debris wrapped around the drive

    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, work tool down, engine off
    • Chain case oil — level, condition, no leaks at the caseIf equipped
    • 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 and dust valve — restriction indicator not tripped, dust valve clear
    • Belts and hoses — tightness, cracks, leaks, chafe
    • Radiator and cooler cores — debris, fin blockage, leaks, fan damage
    • Batteries and disconnect switch — secure, terminals clean and tight, no corrosion

    Lights, safety devices and exterior

    • Work lights and beacon — working, lenses intact and clean
    • Windows, glass and door — cracks, clean, unobstructed view, door latches
    • Mirrors and camera — intact, clean, adjusted
    • Fire extinguisher — charged, mounted, inspection tag currentIf equipped
    • ROPS / FOPS, side screens and decals — damage, cracks, loose bolts, labels present and legible

    In the cab (before start)

    • Seat, seat belt and seat bar — condition, buckle latches, bar lowers and locks, mounting secure
    • Controls and armrests — joysticks and pedals in NEUTRAL, controls undamaged and clean
    • Cab floor and pedals — clear of tools, mud and debris
    • Wipers and washers — working, washer fluid topped upIf equipped
    • 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 warning lights — readings normal, no active fault codes
    • Horn, backup alarm, camera — all working
    • Operator presence and interlock — drive and hydraulics disabled with the bar raised or belt unbuckled
    • Lift and tilt functions — smooth through full range, no drift with the tool raised
    • Travel and steering, both directions — tracks or wheels respond evenly, machine tracks straight
    • Parking brake and stopping — holds on a grade, machine stops when controls return to neutral
    • Leaks after pressure is up — recheck cylinders, hoses, couplers and drive motors

    Run these skid steer 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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