ASPHALT ANSWERS
BUYING A
USED PAVER
RICK SMITH
Sometimes a used paver fills the bill better for the current stage of your business
S
ometimes when a new paver is in the budget, new might
not be the best option. While a new machine has many
benefits such as warranty and depreciation, used machines
carry a high return on investment. This month we will
discuss the visual items that could help you avoid buying some-
one else’s headache.
Recently a contractor came to me and asked about buying a
used paver. He operated a small family business mostly doing
pavement maintenance. He would have a small paving job or
two every week and did not own a paver and was subbing out
that work. He wanted to get his own paver, but the cost of a new
paver was prohibitive due to the small volume of work he had.
His option was to purchase a used paver but wanted some help
picking one out. Here are some of the items we covered that are
visually accessible and can tell you a lot about the paver you are
looking at.
Let’s start with the undercarriage. Look at the drive sprocket.
Are the teeth rounded or are they sharp? Sharp sprocket teeth
are a sure sign of worn out sprocket. How about the links on the
grousers? Are they worn down from the drive sprocket? Now are
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you looking at steel grousers or poly pads on steel? What kind
of shape are the poly pads in? Are they all torn up and missing
pieces? While your inspecting the undercarriage can you see the
drive motors? Can you see any leaking seals or remnants of such?
Track rollers are also a sure sign of wear. Have they worn down
enough that they are cutting into the pins of the track chain? All
good points to consider.
Next let’s go under the hood and look at the power pack and
hydraulics. Can you see any breaks in the wiring harness? Are
there any sign of leaks on the engine pan or heads? How does the
radiator look? Is there any sign of debris in the unit? Check the
muffler for any corrosion. Look at the hydraulic pumps for signs
of leaky seals. Make sure there are no frayed hoses and no leaky
fittings.
Let’s go next to the screed. How do the screed plates look are
the tail edges sharp? This is a telltale sign that more work is need-
ed. Those plates need to be replaced. If the screed plates look
bad, check out the augers. Are the edges sharp? It is hard to tell
about the auger bearings without running the paver, but if the
grease fittings are covered with asphalt, the bearings are proba-
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