One of our readers wrote to me recently about the following concerns:

“Are there any specific considerations I should be aware of prior to replacing pumps and motors on an excavator with aftermarket units? If I order a pump from a supplier other than the OEM, how can I be certain that the pump I’m getting is precisely the same as the one I’m replacing?”

This is a good question. In fact, I devote a whole Chapter to this topic in my book Insider Secrets to Hydraulics.