Excavator daily inspection checklist
Undercarriage to cab, in about two minutes
Excavators fail in predictable places: hydraulics, the undercarriage and the attachment. This walk-around follows the machine from the ground up so nothing gets skipped. Use it with your operator manual, because every model has its own grease points and service intervals.
Undercarriage
- Track tension and condition. Look for loose or over-tight tracks, cracked or missing shoes, loose bolts, and rock or debris packed around the sprockets.
- Rollers, idlers and sprockets. Leaking seals show as oil streaks. A roller that does not turn, or a sprocket with hooked teeth, is worn.
- Swing bearing and travel motors. Check for leaks, loose guards and fresh grease around the swing ring.
Boom, stick and bucket
- Welds and structure. Hairline cracks start near pin bosses and at the base of the boom. Look for fresh rust lines or paint cracking along a weld.
- Pins and bushings. Retaining bolts and keepers in place, grease visible at each pin, no excess play when the bucket is moved by hand.
- Bucket, teeth and cutting edge. Teeth present and pinned, edge not worn through, quick coupler locked and the safety pin or lock in place.
- Cylinders and hoses. Wet rods, bulging or rubbing hoses and loose fittings. Never check for a leak with your hand: use cardboard.
Engine bay
- Engine oil, coolant and hydraulic oil. Check on level ground with the machine cold and the boom in the position the manual shows.
- Fuel and water separator. Enough fuel for the shift. Drain the separator if the bowl shows water.
- Belts, hoses and radiator. Belts tight and not glazed, no coolant seep, radiator fins clear of leaves and debris.
- Battery and cables. Clean, tight terminals and no corrosion.
- Fire hazards. Chaff, grass and oily rags packed near the engine or exhaust. Clean it out before it becomes a fire.
Cab
- Seat belt and ROPS or cab structure. Belt latches and is not frayed. No cracks or modifications to the cab frame.
- Controls, pedals and travel levers. Return to neutral, no sticking, and the pilot or lockout lever works.
- Glass, mirrors and camera. Clean and intact. A cracked window or a dead rear camera takes away your view.
- Lights, horn and travel alarm. Test each. A silent travel alarm is a reason to park it.
- Gauges and warning lights. Nothing lit after start-up that should not be. Fuel, temperature and hydraulic readings normal.
- Fire extinguisher. Present, charged and mounted within reach.
After start-up
- Work the controls. Cycle boom, stick, bucket and swing slowly through their range. Listen for knocks, groans and hydraulic whine.
- Travel and brake test. Move a few feet each way and confirm the parking brake or travel brake holds.
When to take it out of service
Park it and tell the owner if you find a cracked weld, a leaking cylinder or hose at pressure, a missing or unlocked bucket pin, a failed seat belt, a travel alarm that does not work, or a brake or swing lock that does not hold. Minor wear, a cracked mirror or a dirty cab gets written up and scheduled.
Keep a record you can show
On RigCheck, an excavator gets this list on a QR sticker. The operator scans it, taps Pass or Fail, and a failed safety item emails you right away. The first 14 days are free, with no card.
See also: daily equipment inspection checklist · all guides. RigCheck is a record-keeping tool and does not replace any inspection your regulator requires.