Crushing Equipment Buyer Guide

• Used mobile crushing plants typically range from $160,000 for older high-hour units to over $850,000 for late-model, high-production machines.
• Operating weights range from roughly 60,000 lbs (27 metric tons) for compact urban machines up to 135,000+ lbs (60 metric tons) for high-tonnage quarry crushers.
• Total chassis service life spans 12,000 to 18,000 hours, with primary diesel engines typically requiring overhaul around 8,000 to 10,000 hours.
• Fuel burn averages between 8 and 22 gallons per hour depending on crusher chamber type, engine tier, and feed rock hardness.
• Chamber types dictate jobsite use: jaw crushers for primary hard rock and concrete with rebar, impactors for asphalt and recycling, and cone crushers for secondary or tertiary cubical sizing.
• Essential options include overband cross-belt magnets, independent pre-screen decks, side dirt discharge belts, and umbilical or wireless radio remote controls.
• Transport logistics require specialized heavy-haul transport (RGN trailers), with machines often exceeding 11 feet in width and 11 feet in height.

• 1Chamber liner profiles: Measure remaining tooth depth on jaw dies, cupping on cone mantles/concaves, and remaining strike face on impactor blow bars.
• 2Pitman and eccentric bearings: Check for grease contamination, excessive radial play, overheating discoloration, and pull lube samples for brass, bronze, or metal filings.
• 3Frame and chassis stress cracks: Closely inspect high-vibration zones, including the feeder pan supports, crusher box mounts, and main track chassis welds for stress fractures or plate fish-plating.
• 4Feeder pan and grizzly section: Check tray liners for excessive dish wear, check grizzly bar spacing and bolt tension, and inspect hydraulic feeder motors for internal bypass leaks.
• 5Toggle plate and safety release systems: Ensure toggle plates on jaw crushers are uncracked, seats are lubricated, and hydraulic tramp-iron release cylinders hold rated pressure.
• 6Discharge conveyor under-crusher wear: Inspect belt vulcanization splices, impact idlers directly beneath the chamber discharge, and look for rock puncture tears.
• 7Undercarriage integrity: Measure track chain stretch, bottom roller wear, and drive motor travel torque, as high-vibration plant environments accelerate track gear case seal failures.
• 8Hydraulic drive performance: Check operating temperatures, listen for cavitation in variable-displacement pumps, and inspect folding cylinders for chrome pitting and seal weeping.
• 9Electrical PLC consoles and wiring: Test closed-side setting (CSS) automatic adjustment systems, sensor loop interlocks, and scan the electronic control unit for archived fault codes.
• 10Hour meter integrity: Cross-reference engine ECU run hours against feeder vibration hours and telematics records to confirm the instrument panel has not been replaced.

Commonly-reported issues from operators and technicians. Every machine varies — always inspect before you buy.