A worn excavator is often worth more in parts than as scrap, which is why the used-parts market is huge. But buying used without knowing which parts survive a second life is how repair budgets blow up. This guide separates the two with realistic price comparisons for Cat and Komatsu machines.
1. Which Excavator Parts Are Worth Buying Used?
Parts that wear slowly and fail visibly are the good used buys: steel and cast-iron components with measurable wear carry the least risk. The table shows what the trade actually buys used:
| Part Category | Used Buy? | Why | Typical Saving vs Dealer OEM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undercarriage (tracks, rollers, sprockets) | Yes — if wear is measured | Wear is visible: gauge height, bushing wear, flange thickness | 40–60% |
| Buckets & bucket pins | Yes — if checked for cracks | Thick steel; pins can be measured and re-bushed | 40–55% |
| Boom / arm / bucket cylinders | Yes — after a leak test | Reusable after re-sealing; barrel wear is measurable | 35–55% |
| Hydraulic valves & control blocks | Yes — from parted-out machines | Cast iron; can be bench-tested before fitting | 30–50% |
| Final drives (complete) | Yes — with hours and leak history | Slow-wearing gear sets when oil has been changed | 35–50% |
Inspection matters more than the price. A used track chain from a scrapped machine is a bargain only if the gauge and bushing wear are within limits — see the track wear guide for the numbers. The same logic applies to a whole machine: run the used machinery inspection checklist before any purchase.
2. Which Excavator Parts Should Always Be New?
Anything that fails without visible warning — or contaminates the hydraulic system when it fails — belongs on the new list. Cheap items (filters, seals, hoses) are false savings: a used filter can fail in the first week and cost you a pump. Expensive items (pumps, motors) can destroy everything downstream when they let go. Always buy new:
- Filters (hydraulic, engine oil, fuel, air) — consumables with no second life; the fake filter guide shows how much damage a bad filter does.
- Seals, gaskets, O-rings and seal kits — rubber ages even in storage; a $40 seal kit protects a $1,500 cylinder.
- Hydraulic hoses and fittings — a burst hose on site means downtime plus cleanup costs.
- Main and swing pumps, hydraulic motors — unknown hours means unknown internal wear; a failed pump sends metal through the whole hydraulic circuit.
- Sensors, wiring and electrical parts — intermittent failures are the hardest faults to chase on site.
If a used part costs more than half the price of new aftermarket, it stops making sense — which is where the price table leads.
3. Used vs New Aftermarket: The Price Reality
The key number most buyers miss: new aftermarket parts are priced close to used parts, not to OEM parts. On 20-ton class machines the gap is small enough that new aftermarket usually wins. Realistic ranges for Cat 320D / Komatsu PC200-class parts:
| Part | Used / Rebuilt | New Aftermarket | Dealer OEM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic filter set (full service) | Never buy used — $0 | $30–60 | $90–160 |
| Boom cylinder seal kit | Never buy used — $0 | $25–60 | $80–150 |
| Bucket teeth (per set, 5 pcs) | $20–40 (heavily worn) | $30–60 | $75–150 |
| Boom cylinder assembly | $600–1,200 | $900–1,500 | $1,800–3,000 |
| Main hydraulic pump (rebuilt vs new) | $1,200–2,500 (rebuilt) | $1,800–3,200 | $4,000–7,000 |
| Track chain & shoes (full set) | $3,000–5,000 (40–60% worn) | $6,000–9,000 | $11,000–15,000 |
For wear items the aftermarket price is roughly equal to the used price, so buying used saves nothing and adds risk. For big assemblies used wins only when you can verify the condition — and rebuild costs often close the gap. Our OEM vs aftermarket guide reaches the same conclusion: verify the supplier, then buy new aftermarket.
Five checks before ordering used: confirm the OEM part number on the part, ask for hours and removal photos, measure wear on steel parts, pressure-test cylinders and valves, and price the new aftermarket alternative first. When the numbers are close, buy new. We supply new aftermarket filters, bucket teeth, seal kits, hydraulic pumps and undercarriage for Cat, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, Doosan and Hyundai machines — and we source used machines and attachments when used makes sense. Send the model, serial or part number via the parts catalog for a quote.
FAQ
Q: Is it safe to buy used excavator parts?
A: Yes, for structural and mechanical parts — undercarriage, buckets, pins, boom cylinders and valves — when inspected and the part number is confirmed. Never buy used filters, seals, gaskets, hoses or pumps with unknown history.
Q: How much cheaper are used excavator parts than new ones?
A: Used OEM parts typically sell 30–60% below dealer OEM. But new aftermarket parts often cost about the same as used — a Cat 320D track chain is $6,000–9,000 new aftermarket versus $3,000–5,000 used — with a full service life.
Q: Which used excavator parts should I never buy?
A: Filters, seals, gaskets, rubber hoses, sensors and wiring — cheap new, and they fail without warning when old. High-pressure pumps with unknown hours are high-risk because a failure sends debris through the whole system.
Q: Does CN Machinery sell used excavator parts?
A: We supply new aftermarket excavator parts at prices close to used-part levels and source used excavators and attachments on request. Send your machine model, serial or OEM part number for a quote.
Need Excavator Parts? Compare New Aftermarket Prices First
Send us your machine model, serial number or the OEM part number from the old part — we will quote a new aftermarket part with photos confirmed before shipping, so you can compare it against any used deal.
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