An excavator is a huge, diesel-powered piece of heavy construction equipment made for digging. The best place to get parts for them is at an Excavator salvage, where you can pick and pull parts and ultimately save money. Often on these construction style salvos, you can also find tractors, cranes, bulldozers, mixers, and other related heavy machines. In this article, I’ll share my experience with the Excavator salvage yards near me.
Map of Excavator Salvage Yards Near Me
For “Excavator Salvage Yards Near Me” or “Excavator Junkyards Near Me”, see the map below…
While there are limited numbers of yards dedicated exclusively to excavators, you can broaden your search for heavy duty equipment and industrial salvages. These junkyards also will have excavators and a large inventory of other construction and farming vehicles. If you are looking for a particular model of excavator you should call ahead and ask if they have the parts you need.
Why Choose Excavator Salvage Yards?
Excavator salvage yards play a crucial role in recycling and repurposing heavy construction equipment. They help reduce waste and environmental impact by salvaging usable parts and materials from old or damaged excavators. This not only lowers the cost of repairs for other machines but also promotes sustainability in the construction industry.
How the Excavator Junkyards Near Me Operate
Excavator salvos run like any local business. They have some state and federal regulations they have to adhere to as most junkyards do because of handling hazardous materials and recycling.
These yards display construction equipment in a lot for the public to pull parts from. Many of them also offer used excavator parts online and pull them for you and ship them. The excavator salvage yards near me, actually dismantle the machinery and put the parts in a warehouse for sale.
If they get a piece of equipment that is still running, they will sell it as is, like a used vehicle. This is usually done in an auction-style salvage sale.
There are generally four sources from which these junkyards get their excavators. Private owners, commercial construction businesses, rental companies, and auctions. Sometimes this equipment gets junked for reasons like interoperability, outdated technology or models, and the cost of repair. Sometimes it’s just the attachments for the machinery that gets salvaged, like the bucket.
How Excavator Salvage Yards Are Arranged
All these construction style yards don’t really follow a standard. It’s not too bad if they are laid out by size.
These are the typical ways they are organized by size:
- Standard excavators weighing between 22,046 and 200,000-plus pounds.
- Midi excavators weigh between 13,227 and 22,046 pounds.
- Mini excavators weighing less than 13,227 pounds.
Some have sections where there are rows and rows of one size and then sections for miscellaneous parts. Others are all mixed up where you get a little bobcat sitting next to an enormous excavator. Generally, the manufacturers are mixed together. You are not really going to find a Caterpillar, Volvo, Hyundai, or Case section. The more organized the yard is, the better it is for you as it’s easier to find the parts you need.
The better companies will have online inventory. You can search for your make and model and then look for the part listings you need.
You may also find parts sections. Where you can find tracks, wheels, buckets, booms, hydraulic systems, fuel tanks, sticks, the house including the cab, and separated engine parts. You can also find attachments like breakers, augers, grapples, and hydraulic hammers.
Example of Methodical Layout of Excavator Salvage Yards
Excavator salvage yards, including those specializing in John Deere equipment salvage, prioritize efficient organization. They feature a row for vehicle categories like a wheel loader, an excavator, and other heavy equipment. Parts warehouses house rebuilt parts, ensuring the highest quality for customers seeking heavy equipment parts. This meticulous arrangement simplifies searches and promotes the quick retrieval of needed components in the salvage yard.
How Does an Excavator Junkyard Manage Their Inventory
When an excavator arrives at the yard it must be processed before it can be sold or pulled apart. This is mainly due to environmental regulations that dictate how diesel and other hazardous fluids need to be handled. Some older model excavators may contain mercury or other dangerous chemicals which would be dangerous if they got into the ground water.
The battery will usually get pulled out of a wrecked excavator and resold. Same with the motor. In the case they pull the motor out, they will test it first and then sell it with a 30-day credit or exchange warranty.
Once the machinery is stripped it will enter the yard. A running machine may get sold outright or auctioned online. It’s more valuable for salvage to sell it part by part though. A piece of equipment that is all stripped down, can be sold for scrap steel to a scrap metal buyer.
Some yards though aren’t that sophisticated and the old equipment will just sit and rust in the lot.
Old excavator machinery behind fence at wrecking yard
Used Excavator Parts at Salvage Yards
Pros of Buying Used Excavator Parts
The primary driver for buying salvage parts of any type is saving money. You will spend significantly less than you would for new parts. It’s also likely that the excavator you need parts for is an older model. Sometimes the only way to replace parts on it is through the secondary used parts market.
If you are buying a motor, most places will offer a warranty. If they don’t state it out right then you should ask. A motor is one of the most expensive salvage parts and getting one that doesn’t run can be a headache.
Lastly, it’s nice knowing that the parts you are getting are manufactured factory assembled. Most of what you find are original parts. These aren’t after market parts or fabrications for retrofitting.
Cons of Buying Used Excavator Parts
Part quality is always the big question market. How many hours under duress does this machine or part have on it? Even a good visual inspection can’t always tell you about the quality of the part. Sure a bucket you can look at and examine for rust, but internal mechanical pieces are tougher to judge.
Excavator Salvage Yards Near Me Conclusion
Excavator salvages are great for finding used parts and saving money. They are sometimes your only option when looking for parts for older models. While there aren’t many exclusive excavator junkyards, you can find these pieces of machinery at other industrial vehicle yards. If you are looking for a particular model or part, call ahead first or check online, Supporting your local salvage is also supporting the environment. By purchasing used parts and salvaged excavators you are reducing the amount of energy and fuel it takes to create a new one. That’s what I have learned from the excavator salvage yards near me.
