A telehandler is a lifting machine as well as a vehicle, so a used one needs checking in two ways: the mechanical condition of a hard-working boom, chassis and engine, and the safety equipment and paperwork that allow it to be used legally. This checklist covers what to check before buying a used telehandler, whether it is a fixed-frame machine or a rotating one.
Before you view
- Capacity and reach. The maximum capacity, often 3 to 4 tonnes, applies only with the boom close in and low. The load chart shows what the machine can lift at each height and reach, so check the figures for the jobs you have in mind, not the number in the advert.
- Hours and age. Compare the hour meter with the general wear on the seat, pedals, steering wheel and controls. Telehandlers that have worked in hire or on farms often have high hours, so the service history matters as much as the figure.
- Fixed or rotating. Fixed-frame machines are simpler and cheaper to maintain. Rotating machines reach further but have a slew ring, outriggers and more hydraulics to check.
- Attachments. Ask what is included, such as pallet forks, a bucket or a muck grab, and check that the carriage or quick hitch type matches the attachments you already own.
- Paperwork. Ask for the latest LOLER thorough examination report, the service history and the serial number.
Load chart and overload protection
- A legible load chart for the machine, and for any attachment, should be fixed where the operator can see it. A missing or replaced chart is a warning sign.
- Most modern machines have a load moment indicator, sometimes called a working load indicator, that warns the operator and then cuts out the hydraulic functions that would make the load worse. Check that the warning lights and alarm work, and ask the seller to demonstrate it.
- Do not buy a machine where the load indicator has been disabled or bypassed. Overloading is a major cause of telehandler overturns.
Boom and carriage
- Extend and retract the boom through its full range. It should move smoothly, with no jerking, and the sections should not twist or knock.
- Check the wear pads and the boom chains if fitted, and look for cracks, bends and weld repairs on the boom, especially near the head and the pivot.
- Check the pins and bushes at the boom pivot, the carriage and the tilt ram for play.
- Raise the boom and hold it for a few minutes. If the boom or the carriage tilt slowly creeps down, a ram or valve is leaking internally.
- Look at the rams for oil weeping and scored chrome, and at the hoses for chafing and damage.
- Check that the quick hitch locks positively and that the forks are straight, with no cracks at the heel and the same height at the tips.
Chassis, axles and tyres
- Look underneath for cracks and weld repairs around the boom pivot and the axle mounts, and at the underside for damage from rough ground.
- Check the axles and wheel hubs for oil leaks, and turn the steering from lock to lock. It should not be stiff or vague.
- Check the tyres for cuts, sidewall damage and uneven wear, which can point to an axle or steering problem. Large agricultural-pattern tyres are expensive to replace.
- On rotating machines, extend and retract each outrigger, and check the pads, rams and hoses.
Engine, transmission and brakes
- Start the engine from cold if possible. Look for heavy smoke, oil leaks, coolant in the oil, and noisy bearings or belts.
- Drive the machine in each gear and in reverse. The transmission should engage cleanly and without slipping.
- Test the service brake and the parking brake, preferably on a slope.
Cab and safety equipment
- The operator should have a seat belt or other restraint that works, and the cab frame should be undamaged.
- Check the lights, horn, reversing alarm and beacon, and the visibility from the seat. Cracked windows and missing mirrors are common.
- If the machine will be used with a working platform to lift people, the platform needs edge protection, secure fixing and the correct controls, and it changes how often the machine must be examined.
The law: LOLER, operators and road use
A telehandler that lifts loads is lifting equipment. HSE guidance is that it needs a thorough examination by a competent person at least every 12 months, or every 6 months if it is used to lift people, or under an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person. The report should show the date of the examination and the date the next one is due. Records should be available when the machine is sold on. Read our guide to LOLER thorough examinations for used lifting equipment for more.
Operators must be trained. This is a requirement of PUWER, and a certificate from a recognised course helps to show that it has been met. Read the guide to PUWER and second-hand machinery for what buyers and sellers must know.
Whether a telehandler can be driven on a public road, and what tax and speed limits apply, depends on how it is registered and what it is used for, so check the registration with the DVLA before you drive it on the road.
Paperwork and payment
- Check that the serial number on the machine matches the invoice and any registration document.
- Get proof of ownership and written confirmation that no finance is outstanding.
- Pay by bank transfer to an account in the seller’s or business’s name, once you have seen the machine. Be wary of prices well below the market, or sellers who will not let you see the machine at their premises.
- Plan how the machine will be collected. Read the guide to transporting used machinery.
Summary: buying a used telehandler
Check the load chart and the overload protection first, then the boom, the carriage and the rams, the chassis and tyres, the engine and brakes, and the paperwork, including the latest thorough examination report. Then browse used telehandlers for sale, or read the general guide to what to check when buying used machinery.
Used telehandlers for sale
Nothing listed right now. More used machinery will be listed as sellers join.