Fitment is confirmed by matching the part number to the machine's serial number range, not by matching the model designation alone. Machines are updated during production without a change of name, so a part that fits one build of a model will not fit another. Model, serial number and part number together are the minimum, and a photograph of the plate and of the old part removes most of the remaining doubt.
What each piece of information settles
| What you send | What it settles |
|---|---|
| Model designation | The broad family. On its own this is not enough to order from. |
| Serial number | Which build of that model you have, and therefore which side of a production break you sit on. |
| Part number from the component | Which part you believe you need, and whether a supersession applies. |
| Photograph of the machine plate | Confirms the model and serial number as recorded, rather than as they were transcribed. |
| Photograph of the old part | Confirms the physical form — port positions, mounting, connector type — that the number alone may not fully describe. |
| Position the part occupies | Removes ambiguity where the same functional part appears in more than one place on the machine. |
How to confirm it
- Match the model first
This narrows the catalog to a family and eliminates parts from unrelated machines. It is the beginning of the check, not the end of it.
- Place the serial number on the production timeline
The serial number determines which build of the model you have, and therefore which parts list applies. This single step prevents the majority of wrong-fit orders on machines built over several years.
- Cross-check the part number against that list
If the number you quoted appears for your build, the order is straightforward. If it does not, either the number belongs to a different build or a supersession applies, and both are worth resolving before payment.
- Compare the physical form where the number is uncertain
A photograph of the old part settles questions the number cannot: the angle of a port, the number of mounting holes, the connector, the shaft spline. On assemblies these details are the difference between fitting and not.
- Ask explicitly about supersessions and interchange
If the number you sent has been superseded, ask what replaced it and whether the replacement is backward-compatible. This is normally stated, and if it is not stated, it has not been checked.
- Confirm the grade and the quantity in writing
Which grade each line is, and how many. Fitment and grade are separate questions and both need an answer before the order is placed.
What to do about it
If a supplier confirms fitment from a model number alone, treat the confirmation as provisional. It may well be right, but it has not been checked against the one field that determines whether it is right.
On machines that have been through major repairs, the fitted part may not be the original specification. Comparing the old part against the catalog entry as well as the number catches substitutions made by a previous owner.
Where an assembly is involved — a pump, a final drive, a swing gearbox — confirm at assembly level and at component level. An assembly can fit while the internal parts differ from what you expect.
Record the confirmed numbers against the machine. The next order is then a repeat rather than a re-investigation.
Need the parts this covers?
Send the machine model, serial number and the part numbers you need. We confirm fitment before payment and state the grade of every line — genuine, OEM-quality or aftermarket.
Request a quoteFrequently asked
Why is the model number not enough to confirm fitment?
Because manufacturers update machines during production without renaming them. Two machines with the same model designation can use different pumps, injectors, final drives or control units. Only the serial number places your machine on the correct side of that change.
What if my machine is a gray import or has an unclear history?
Send what you have: model, serial number, photographs of the plate and of the old part. Gray and mixed-history machines are common in this trade, and a supplier who handles them regularly can usually work from the physical evidence even when the paperwork is incomplete.
Can fitment be confirmed without the serial number?
Sometimes, on parts that were never revised during production. On anything that was revised it cannot be confirmed with certainty, only guessed at. It is worth finding the plate.
What happens if a part does not fit?
That is the situation the confirmation process exists to prevent. Where it does happen, the practical questions are the return terms, the freight direction and the lead time for the correct part, all of which should be known before you order rather than afterward.