If you're buying a used LeeBoy motor grader, the most expensive mistake is not the machine. It's the LeeBoy parts support that comes after it. One skipped parts check on a grader cost our crew $4,700 and 11 days. That's why my advice is simple: run the parts check before you run the engine, not after.
Five minutes of verification beats five days of correction.
The mistake that made me build a checklist
I'm a field service coordinator. I've been handling LeeBoy parts and service orders for seven years. I've personally made and documented 11 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $26,000 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team's checklist so I don't repeat them.
In my first year (2018), I bought a used 635 grader without checking the hydraulic hose situation. The machine ran. The hoses were old. One blew on day two. The replacement had to come from a dealer two states away. Ten days, one idled crew, and a lot of phone calls later, the repair cost more than the part.
Everyone warned me about parts availability. I didn't listen. I only believed that warning after ignoring it and eating that mistake.
The pre-buy checklist I use on every LeeBoy motor grader
Here's the thing: a construction machine is not an asset. It's a liability with a useful attachment. The only way to control it is to have a maintenance and parts plan before you finalize the deal.
I don't skip these five steps. If a seller won't cooperate, that's the answer. The checklist: serial number, parts availability, service history, run test, logistics. In that order.
1. Get the serial number before you get excited
'LeeBoy motor grader' is not a model. The 635, 685, 785, and 8500 have different hydraulic blocks, moldboard linkages, and brake components. A small LeeBoy grader like the 635 is not a cheaper 785; it's a different machine. Ask for the serial number and the year first. Then ask for the model-specific parts manual. If the seller can't produce a serial number, move on.
I once ordered a filter kit for a 'LeeBoy grader' without a serial number. It didn't fit. The seller got a refund request. I got a lesson.
2. Call the dealer about LeeBoy parts before you call the bank
Before making an offer, call a LeeBoy dealer and ask: Are cutting edges and hydraulic filters in stock for this model? How long for a moldboard cylinder seal? What does a water pump cost? The answers tell you more than the hour meter.
When I compared two used 685 graders in Q1 2024—same year, similar hours—one had a local dealer with stocked parts, and the other required overnight shipping for everything. The second one was $3,500 cheaper to buy. It cost more to own. The overnight freight and downtime on three separate failures ate the difference before the end of the season.
3. Make service claims prove themselves
Ask for receipts, not stories. If the seller says 'recently rebuilt' or 'ready to work,' ask how that claim is supported. Per FTC advertising guidelines (ftc.gov), claims should be truthful and substantiated. On a used machine, a rebuild claim without paperwork is a story, not a spec.
I still remember the 785 that looked perfect in photos. The owner said the hydraulic system had been 'gone through.' There was no receipt. We found a badly worn pump after the test drive that should have been caught. Looking back, I should have made paperwork a condition of the test drive, not a request after the offer.
4. Run a job-site test with your actual support equipment
A 15-minute test drive isn't enough. Connect the machine to the same trailer, hoses, and power source you'll use on site. Check for leaks at operating temperature. Cycle the moldboard under load. Test the lights, the backup alarm, and the safety switches. That test caught a steering cylinder leak that a parking-lot demo missed.
This is also where the support gear lessons show up. I once brought a Predator generator to power lights and tools on a job. It started fine. It bogged down every time the compressor kicked on. The real problem wasn't the generator; it was a 200-foot cord with undersized wire. The generator worked after we shortened the cord and used a 10-gauge extension. The lesson: test support gear with the load it will actually carry.
5. Confirm the logistics before you confirm the price
Ask who can get LeeBoy parts to your site within 48 hours. If the dealer can't stock a cutting edge but can get one in three days, that's manageable. If the answer is 'two weeks,' price that into the offer. Dealer network matters as much as the machine's condition.
Support gear: same logic, smaller dollars
I group the small stuff with the big stuff because they all follow the same pattern. I've got a graveyard of support gear that seemed necessary at the time: a Predator generator, a Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2, and a Yeti can crusher. None of them fixed the real problem.
The Predator generator taught me to check surge ratings and wire size before buying power. The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 taught me that active noise cancellation is not hearing protection. It cancels constant droning, but it doesn't protect against impact noise. For the jobsite, I use rated earmuffs. The ANC headphones stay in the office for admin days.
I mounted a Yeti can crusher—yes, a can crusher Yeti—because I was tired of crushed cans everywhere. It looked useful. But the real issue was that the recycling bin was too far from the door. Moving the bin cost nothing and solved more than the new gadget. The can crusher is still there, but now I know what it is: a convenience, not a fix.
Even after I finally bought the current 685 in September 2024, I kept second-guessing. What if the 785 was the better long-term call? I didn't relax until the dealer confirmed the specific parts order and the delivery date. That's how I know the checklist works: it replaces anxiety with logistics.
Where this checklist doesn't apply
This checklist is not a guarantee. It assumes you're buying a machine you plan to run and support through dealer or OEM parts. If you have a full shop and already stock most common wear items, you can skip some steps. If you're buying a non-running machine for salvage, the parts check matters for resale value, not uptime. And if the seller has a maintenance agreement, the focus moves to transferability and terms rather than the machine's current condition.
Look, I'm not saying every used machine is a trap. Most are honest pieces of iron. But the ones that hurt are the ones we didn't prepare for. The LeeBoy motor grader sitting on the yard is not the risk. The LeeBoy parts question you didn't answer is.
