A massive percentage of the vibrating earth tamping rammers in the world are owned by rental yards. Because these machines are rented out to homeowners and inexperienced contractors, they suffer levels of abuse that border on criminal. If you are an independent contractor looking to buy a used machine off a rental fleet, you need to know exactly how to inspect it, or you will buy a money pit.
When I evaluate a used rammer, the engine is actually my secondary concern; commercial engines are relatively cheap to swap. I look directly at the structural integrity of the lower unit. First, I inspect the corrugated bellows with a flashlight. If I see dry-rot cracking or a tear that has been patched with silicone, I walk away. That means dirt has entered the oil bath, and the internal springs and piston are likely scored and dying. Next, I check the mounting hardware connecting the engine to the lower housing. Rental users constantly drop these machines; if the isolation mounts are torn or the bolts are sheared, the machine will vibrate itself to pieces. Finally, I tip the machine back and look at the shoe. If the steel plating is worn paper-thin or the wood core is exposed and rotting, it tells me the machine has thousands of hours of pavement-pounding abuse. Buying used iron requires a cynical eye and a deep understanding of how the machine fails.
