Sourcing excavator grapples from China

Duty on excavator hydraulic grapples

Heading 8431 covers parts suitable solely or principally for the machinery named in the heading. Excavator hydraulic grapples fit the grabs and grips description under 8431 41 00 90, subject to confirmation for the actual product. The table shows grapple variants sharing that tariff line. See excavator buckets for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for that line. This is the grapple rate, rather than the range for unrelated machinery parts elsewhere in the heading.

Give your customs broker the mounting drawing, photographs, operating description and intended carrier machine to confirm the commodity code. Keep the complete grapple distinct from separately supplied replacement components.

Specify the carrier, jaws and hydraulic circuit

State the excavator model, coupler type, pin diameter, pin centres and mounting width. Specify grapple mass, jaw opening, intended materials and whether rotation is hydraulic or mechanical. Ask for a drawing showing clearance through the working range, including the hoses and rotator.

Agree operating pressure, oil flow, return arrangement, connections and the circuits needed for opening and rotation. Specify jaw steel, wear surfaces, bushes, grease points and replacement seals. Ask the supplier to explain the machinery conformity assessment for the supplied configuration. The responsible person must ensure the relevant assessment procedure is carried out; CE marking remains recognised in Great Britain.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 10 excavator hydraulic grapples, illustrative order under 8431 41 00 90, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £3,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £23,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £23,200, so it is £4,640. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Mounting: measure the pin and coupler interfaces against the approved drawing, then check clearance on the intended carrier.

Structure: check jaw alignment, welds, material certificates and wear surfaces before paint conceals defects. Record bush fit and lubrication access.

Hydraulics: run opening, closing and rotation with the agreed hydraulic supply. Check leaks, hose rubbing, cylinder movement and unintended jaw or rotator drift under a controlled test.

Documents: match the model and configuration to the supplied declaration and markings. Request English installation, operating and maintenance instructions, plus a parts list. Arrange inspection against the agreed drawings and test plan.

What goes wrong

A grapple described only by excavator size can arrive with the wrong mounting width or pin spacing. A rotating model may need hydraulic connections the carrier lacks. Poor hose routing causes rubbing, while misaligned jaws, loose bushes and leaking seals undermine gripping performance.

A test video from another model leaves the delivered configuration unproven. Record the grapple identity, hydraulic settings and test results, and repeat fit and function checks on arrival before releasing it for work.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.