How to Tell If Your Excavator Part Can Be Repaired or Needs Replacing

Subtitle: Don’t Waste Time—or Money. Know When to Fix It, and When to Ditch It.

There’s a moment in every machine operator’s life where you’re standing over a busted part, covered in grease, asking the question we all dread:

“Can I fix this, or is it completely f*ed?”**

Excavators are brutal machines, and so are the environments they work in. Over time, wear and tear is inevitable. But when a key part goes down—be it a hydraulic pump, final drive, travel motor, or swing gearbox—you’re facing a tough decision:

Do you repair the part, or do you replace it entirely?

It’s a choice that could mean the difference between saving thousands—or burning through even more.

At Vikfin, we’ve seen every type of failure imaginable. Cracked housings, chewed-up gears, leaking seals, and pumps that sound like an old man choking on gravel. This guide will walk you through exactly how to make the right call—with zero fluff and 100% brutal honesty.

🛠️ PART 1: The Golden Rule — Know What You’re Dealing With

Let’s start with the basics: not all parts are created equal.

Some are built to be serviceable. Others? Not so much.

Here’s how to quickly assess the situation:

🔍 Step 1: What Part Failed?

Each part has different failure thresholds and different economic logic for repair vs replace:

Part	Usually Repairable?	Often Replaced?	Comments
Hydraulic Pumps	✅ Yes (if housing is intact)	✅ If scoring or seized	Repairs depend on internal damage
Final Drives	✅ Sometimes	✅ Commonly replaced	Gear damage = usually replace
Travel Motors	✅ Rebuildable	✅ If severely worn	Internal scoring = red flag
Swing Motors / Gearboxes	✅ Usually	🚫 Only if housing intact	Housing cracks = bin it
Cylinders	✅ Easy repairs	🚫 Rarely replaced	Rod pitting can be fixed
Control Valves	✅ Seals serviceable	✅ Severe cracking = replace	Depends on leakage source
Electrical Components	🚫 No	✅ Always replace	Electronics = not worth fixing

🔍 Step 2: What’s the Symptom?

Understanding the failure mode helps you figure out what’s happening inside:

Symptom	Likely Issue	Repairable?
No power / weak digging	Final drive failure, pump wear	Depends
Jerky swing / slow rotation	Swing motor issue	Maybe
Leaking oil	Seal failure, cylinder wear	Often yes
Loud grinding / screeching	Gear wear or bearing collapse	Often no
Oil contamination	Internal damage	Replace or full rebuild
Overheating hydraulic system	Pump issues, internal friction	Depends

If you’re not sure, take photos, record symptoms, and send them to someone who knows what they’re looking at. (Yes, we do that for free at Vikfin.)

🧩 PART 2: 5 Signs It’s Better to REPAIR the Part

Sometimes a part looks bad—but it’s not terminal. Here’s when it’s smart to fix it.

✅ 1. The Housing is Intact

If there’s no cracking, warping, or structural damage, you’ve got something to work with. Gearboxes, pumps, and motors can often be rebuilt around a solid core.

✅ 2. It’s Just a Seal or Bearing

A leaking shaft seal or noisy bearing is common and cheap to fix. Don’t throw away a whole final drive just because a seal gave up.

✅ 3. There’s No Metal Debris in the Oil

If your oil looks clean—no shiny metal flakes—you’re probably dealing with wear, not failure. That’s good news.

✅ 4. It Failed Gradually, Not Suddenly

Sudden failures (e.g. gear explodes, oil gushes everywhere) often mean catastrophic damage. But slow power loss usually means wear-and-tear that can be addressed with a rebuild.

✅ 5. You Can Get Genuine Rebuild Kits

OEM kits for pumps and motors often include:

• Seals

• Bearings

• Rings

• Gaskets

If parts are available, a quality shop can breathe new life into it—often for 40–60% less than replacement.

🧨 PART 3: 7 Signs It’s Time to REPLACE the Part

Let’s get real: some parts just aren’t worth saving. Here’s when to cut your losses.

❌ 1. Cracked Housing or Case

Game over.

Whether it’s a final drive, swing motor, or control valve—a cracked body means scrap metal. No amount of seal kits can save it.

❌ 2. Chewed or Broken Gears

You open the case and see gear teeth looking like they’ve been through a warzone. Deep scoring, broken teeth, or metal chips = time for a new unit.

❌ 3. Excessive Shaft Play

If the input shaft or motor shaft wobbles or moves too freely, the internal bearings may be shot and have damaged the bore.

This means machining + new parts = more money than it’s worth.

❌ 4. Burnt or Discoloured Metal

Overheated components show dark spots, blueing, or warping. That’s not cosmetic—it’s fatigue and potential failure waiting to happen.

❌ 5. It Failed Shortly After a Previous Repair

If you just fixed it and it failed again... something bigger is going on.

Stop trying to revive a zombie. Replace it.

❌ 6. It’s Been Run Dry

If a component lost all its oil and kept running, it likely suffered irreversible internal scoring. You can’t polish your way out of that.

❌ 7. You Can’t Get Replacement Parts

Some brands or models (especially older ones) just don’t have kits available.

If you can’t rebuild it properly—don’t try. Replace the unit with a used OEM component that’s been tested.

🧠 PART 4: Repair vs Replace — A Cost-Based Formula

Here’s a rough cheat code we use at Vikfin:

If the repair cost is more than 60–70% of the replacement cost — REPLACE.

Here’s why:

• Repairs aren’t guaranteed.

• Replacement parts often come with warranties (ours do).

• You reduce downtime by eliminating guesswork.

💸 Real-World Example

Komatsu PC200 Final Drive:

• New OEM: R120,000

• Repair Estimate: R70,000 (incl. machining and parts)

• Used OEM Final Drive from Vikfin: R48,000 (tested, 3-month warranty)

→ The customer replaced the whole unit. Back on site in 2 days. Saved R72,000 over new, R22,000 over repair.

🔧 PART 5: How We Handle Part Diagnosis at Vikfin

We don’t just flog random spares.

Here’s how our process works:

1. You Send Us:

• Machine model (e.g. Volvo EC210B)

• Part name (e.g. swing motor)

• Symptoms

• Photos or video (if possible)

2. We Diagnose

Our team reviews:

• Failure patterns

• Common weak points on that model

• Whether the part type is better to repair or replace

3. We Give You the Truth

We’ll tell you honestly if a rebuild is viable, or if you’re wasting time. If we have the part in stock, we’ll quote you immediately—with delivery times and condition photos.

If you insist on repairing a part we know is toast—we’ll warn you. But we’ll still help.

⚙️ PART 6: Why Used OEM Parts Are Often Better Than a Rebuild

If your first instinct is to rebuild, pause and ask yourself:

“Is this really going to be cheaper, faster, or more reliable?”

Because in most cases, a used OEM component:

• Costs less than a full rebuild

• Is already tested and proven

• Comes with some kind of warranty

• Gets you back to work faster

At Vikfin, we stock stripped and tested parts from:

• Volvo

• Doosan

• Hyundai

• Komatsu

• Hitachi

• Kobelco

Our components come off real machines, not from Chinese knockoff factories. We don’t touch untraceable junk.

🧠 BONUS: Top 5 Parts You Should NEVER Try to Rebuild on Your Own

Unless you're a specialist with hydraulic test benches and OEM training, stay away from these DIY rebuilds:

1. Hydraulic Pumps

   • Critical tolerances, need proper pressure testing.

2. Final Drives

   • Complex planetary gear sets. One wrong fit = grenades.

3. Swing Motors

   • Easy to botch. Gear backlash matters.

4. Travel Motors

   • Misalignment causes shaft wear and leaks.

5. Electronic Control Valves

   • Once it’s fried, it’s finished.

Leave these to professionals or replace with verified used OEM parts.

🚀 PART 7: Make the Right Call — Every Time

If you’re still unsure, here’s your battle-tested checklist:

Question	Answer	Action
Is the housing cracked?	Yes	Replace
Are gears damaged?	Yes	Replace
Only seals or bearings failed?	Yes	Repair
Is it noisy, but still functioning?	Yes	Diagnose, possibly repair
Is there metal in the oil?	Yes	Replace
Has it failed multiple times?	Yes	Replace
Can I get a used OEM part fast?	Yes	Replace

💬 Final Word: You Don’t Need to Guess

Running heavy equipment is already stressful. The last thing you need is a dodgy rebuild, unreliable parts, or suppliers who ghost you when things go wrong.

At Vikfin, we live and breathe this stuff.

We’ll help you make the call.

• Need advice? Call us.

• Want a quote? WhatsApp us a photo.

• Stuck between fixing and replacing? We'll guide you—honestly.

📲 Contact Us Now

• Phone / WhatsApp: 071 351 9750

• Email: admin@vikfin.co.za

• Website: www.vikfin.co.za

• Location: South Africa-wide shipping

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