Where to find it
- Full-size excavators: on older machines the plate is under the door on the side of the machine. On 2013 and newer machines it is on the right side exterior of the cab, below the window, the same location as Caterpillar and John Deere.
- Mini excavators: on older machines a thin riveted plate is on the left (highway) side below the cab. On 2010 and newer machines the plate is on the front of the machine near the boom arm.
If the riveted plate is missing, the serial number is often stamped on the turntable base plate, between the two boom-hoist cylinders.
Reading the serial and the year
Kobelco serial numbers commonly run about seven characters (letters followed by numbers, for example YCU-1218) or nine characters (for example LA07-03062). They do not encode the model year in a fixed position, so read the year from the plate or confirm it with a Kobelco dealer using the full serial.
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Frequently asked
Where is the serial number on a Kobelco excavator?
On newer full-size machines, the right side of the cab exterior below the window. On older machines, under the side door. On mini excavators, the left side below the cab or the front near the boom.
What if the Kobelco serial plate is missing?
The serial number is often stamped on the turntable base plate, between the two boom-hoist cylinders. Treat a re-stamped or altered number as a warning sign.
Can you tell the year from a Kobelco serial number?
Not from a fixed position. Kobelco serials run about seven or nine characters and do not encode the year, so read it from the plate or confirm with a dealer.