From Wreck to Workhorse: The Story of a Stripped Excavator Giving Life to Dozens More (How One Retired Machine Became a Lifeline for Operators Across South Africa)
- RALPH COPE
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
It rolled into our yard at sunrise, battered and broken. The panels were dented. The cab glass was missing. Hydraulic oil had long stopped flowing, and the engine groaned its last breath somewhere in the Northern Cape.
To most people, this machine was scrap.To us at Vikfin, it was an opportunity.
This is the story of a once-proud 20-ton excavator, stripped down to its core, rebuilt part by part, and sent back into the world—not as a whole machine, but as the beating heart of dozens of others.
This is the story of how Vikfin gives life after death—one part at a time.
The Arrival: A Komatsu PC200-7 With More Rust Than Roar
We got the call from a plant hire company near Kimberley. Their Komatsu PC200-7 had finally called it quits after 15,000 hours of hard digging, hauling, and hammering.
“Too old to rebuild. Too costly to keep. You want it?”We said yes—because at Vikfin, we see the value in what others call scrap.
When it arrived on a flatbed, it looked every bit its age:
Boom cylinder was leaking
Undercarriage was finished
Engine smoked like a chimney
Final drive was making ominous clicking sounds
Cab looked like it had done three rounds with a wrecking ball
Perfect.
Step One: Assessment and Opportunity
Before we even turn a spanner, we assess:
Which parts are salvageable?
Which parts are rare or in high demand?
Can we refurbish or reuse with confidence?
Even on a tired machine, there’s gold beneath the grit. And this PC200 was hiding plenty.
The Breakdown: How We Strip for Success
In our workshop, we don’t just tear down—we strip with purpose. Every bolt, hose, and seal is catalogued, cleaned, and inspected.
Here’s what we saved:
🔧 The Engine – Komatsu SAA6D102E-2
Despite the smoke, this engine had potential.
Our mechanics performed a compression test, revealing only mild wear on two cylinders.
We flushed the cooling system, drained the oil, and removed the injectors.
After a top-end rebuild, the engine roared back to life.
Where it went:A forestry contractor in Mpumalanga, whose PC200 engine had seized mid-project. They installed ours within 48 hours and finished the job on time.
🔩 Final Drives – A Tale of Two Halves
One side was beyond saving—corroded casing and stripped splines.But the other? Nearly perfect.
Cleaned
Gear backlash adjusted
Pressure-tested for leaks
Inspected planet gears
Where it went:A Bell machine in the Free State with a compatible drive flange. It’s still in operation today.
🛢️ Hydraulic Cylinders – Boom, Dipper, Bucket
The seals were gone. The rods were pitted. But the cylinders had good bones.
All rods were re-chromed
New OEM seal kits installed
Cylinders honed and pressure-tested to 3,000 psi
Where they went:
The boom cylinder to a scrap yard in Vereeniging
The dipper cylinder to a contractor in Durban
The bucket cylinder to a hire fleet in Rustenburg
Three machines back in action. One donor.
🧱 Cab and Panels – Ugly but Functional
We stripped out the wiring harness and sold the fuse box separately.The cab frame was straightened, repainted, and re-glassed.
Where it went:A client in Soweto whose machine rolled during loading. Their insurance only covered mechanical—we saved them R60,000 on a cab replacement.
⚙️ Valve Bank – The Heart of Hydraulics
We pressure-tested every port and replaced two cracked caps.The spools were still responsive. No internal leakage. Gold.
Where it went:A pipe-laying contractor near Pretoria. Their machine had zero boom movement before installation. After our valve bank? Smooth as silk.
🔩 Miscellaneous Parts That Made a Difference
Slew ring: Went to a sugar farm excavator in KZN
Fuel tank: Replaced a cracked one on a mine site in Mpumalanga
Radiator: Repaired and reused by a local mechanic in Edenvale
Air con compressor: Fitted to a machine on rental in George
Track rollers and carrier rollers: Matched and shipped in a set to a township housing development in Polokwane
Every part mattered. Every one gave life.
Total Impact: One Machine, Dozens Resurrected
That single Komatsu PC200, once written off as scrap, helped us:
Get 27 machines running again
Supply 9 critical components to plant hire companies
Help 18 different contractors finish their jobs
Save our clients over R1.2 million compared to OEM new parts
That’s the Vikfin difference.
Why We Do What We Do
Most companies throw away the old and chase the new.At Vikfin, we believe value doesn’t die with a machine—it just needs to be uncovered, tested, and put to use again.
We take pride in:
Reducing waste
Lowering repair costs for our clients
Extending the life of hardworking machines
Helping plant hire companies stay profitable
And yes, there’s something deeply satisfying about resurrecting a part and seeing it do another 5,000 hours of work.
What This Means for You
If you’re:
A plant hire owner with aging machines
A contractor who can’t afford downtime
A mechanic tired of dodgy aftermarket parts
A business trying to control costs while staying operational
Vikfin is your ally.
We stock thousands of used OEM excavator parts—engines, cylinders, drives, motors, valve banks, cabs, undercarriages. All tested. All traceable. All ready to work.
And if we don’t have it? We’ll find it. Fast.
Final Thoughts: One Machine’s End Is Another Machine’s Beginning
The Komatsu PC200 may be gone—but its parts live on across South Africa. In dusty fields. In muddy trenches. In hard, honest work.
At Vikfin, we don’t just sell parts.We extend legacies.We build trust.We help your machine get back in the dirt—earning, lifting, moving, pushing.
That’s why more and more clients trust us not just to supply spares, but to supply solutions.
Need a Part? We Might Already Have It.
That wreck we stripped last week?It could be your final drive today.Your boom cylinder tomorrow.Your saving grace next week.
📞 Call or WhatsApp Vikfin now🛠️ Vikfin – We Don’t Just Strip Machines. We Give Them New Purpose.
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