What Spare Parts Should You Keep on Hand for Your Cattle Crush?

A crush rarely fails on a quiet day.

It fails when the mob is in the forcing yard, the vet is booked and the weather is turning. A worn wheel, a tired seal or a lost pin is a small part. On handling day, it becomes a big problem.

Most producers don’t think about spares until something stops working. By then, the job is already behind.

This guide covers the cattle crush spare parts worth keeping in the shed, what each one does and why having them ready saves time.

Why Spare Parts Matter More Than Most Producers Think

A crush works hard. Every handling day, it catches, holds and releases cattle again and again. Moving parts take the wear, and wear is predictable.

Wheels roll. Pins take load. Seals sit inside hydraulic rams under constant pressure. None of them last forever.

When a part fails, the crush often can’t be used safely until it’s fixed. Waiting on freight while cattle sit in the yard costs time, stresses stock and puts handlers under pressure to find a workaround. A workaround on a crush is where accidents happen.

A small stock of the right spares removes that risk.

Start With the Parts That Wear First

Not every part needs to be stocked. Focus on the ones that move, carry load or hold hydraulic pressure.

Wheels

Wheels carry the headbail and sliders along their tracks. Over time, they flatten, wear or seize, and the movement starts to feel rough or noisy.

Noise spooks cattle. A headbail that drags or catches unevenly slows every animal through the crush.

RPM supplies headbail wheels (76.5mm) and slider wheels (63.5mm). Keeping a spare set of each means a worn wheel is a quick swap, not a lost day.

Pins

Pins hold the working parts of the crush and yard together. They get knocked, bent and sometimes lost in the dirt.

A missing pin can leave a gate, panel or crush component unsecured. That is a safety issue, not just an inconvenience.

Long and short pins are both worth keeping. They cost very little, and they are easy to store.

Seal Kits

Hydraulic rams rely on seals to hold pressure. When a seal wears, the ram can leak oil, lose power or move slowly.

Early signs include oil around the ram, a headbail that doesn’t hold firm or a squeeze that feels weaker than usual.

A seal kit lets you fix the problem at the first sign, before it turns into a ram that won’t work at all. For any operation running a hydraulic crush, a spare seal kit is one of the most useful items on the shelf.

Struts: The Spares Worth Planning For

Struts do the heavy lifting in a crush. They are bigger and more expensive than wheels or pins, so they’re not something every producer stocks. But knowing which strut your crush uses means you can order quickly when it’s needed.

Headbail Strut

The headbail strut drives the head catch. RPM supplies two sizes: the old style at 1100mm long and the new style at 750mm long.

Check which one your crush uses before ordering. Measuring now saves a wrong order later.

Headlock Strut

The headlock strut suits the hydra and mugger headlocks. A matching strut is also available for the calf cradle.

If your yard relies on a headlock for daily work, know the strut model and keep the supplier details handy.

Overhead Squeeze Strut

This strut is used on parallel squeeze crushes only. It has an oil reservoir tank on the top ram.

It is specific to that crush type, so confirm your crush model before ordering.

Don’t Forget the Cam Handle

The cam handle, supplied with a striker plate, is what the operator uses to latch and release the headbail. It is handled every single time cattle go through.

Constant use means constant wear. A bent or loose cam handle makes catching less reliable and puts the handler in an awkward position.

It is simple to fit and worth having on the shelf.

Build a Simple Spare Parts Kit

You don’t need to stock everything. A practical kit for most crush owners looks like this:

• Spare headbail wheels and slider wheels

• A handful of long and short pins

• A seal kit that suits your rams

• A cam handle with striker plate
  

For operations that run heavy workloads or work a long way from town, consider adding the strut that matches your crush. The further you are from a supplier, the more a spare strut is worth.

Keep Your Crush Details Handy

Spare parts only help if they fit.

Write down your crush model, the year it was bought and the style of headbail and strut it uses. Keep that note in the shed, in the ute or on your phone.

When something fails, you can order the right part first time. RPM’s team can also help match parts to your crush if you’re unsure.

Maintenance Makes Spares Last Longer

Spare parts are a backup, not a replacement for regular care. A quick check before each handling day catches problems early.

Look for oil around the rams. Check that wheels roll freely. Make sure pins are in place and not bent. Listen for new noises as the headbail opens and closes.

Small faults found early are easy and cheap to fix. Faults left alone usually show up in the middle of the job. RPM also has a crush and ram maintenance page for more detail.

Get the Right Parts From People Who Build the Crush

RPM Livestock Equipment builds 100% Australian-made cattle crushes and supplies the spare parts to keep them working. From wheels and pins to seal kits and struts, the team can help you work out what to keep on hand for your setup.

Get in touch with RPM today to talk through your spares.