Benford 3ton dumper questions

[DeliDude]

My bro's about to pull the trigger on a really cheap, old dumper, which is a Benford 3ton dumper. That's pretty much all he knows about it.
It's got a couple of issues here, like there's a leaking steering ram, and the gearstick is super loose. I told him not to buy something broken, but he kept insisting bcs it's cheap and easy to fix.

He's been told it sometimes even pops out, and he has to lift the lid to pop it back in. He can only find two forward gears and reverse, but it does move okay.
He's hoping he can get the seals for the steering ram refurbished somewhere

And is that gearbox likely to be a pain to fix, or expensive to get reconditioned?
Also, he's trying to figure out what this thing actually is, since all the identification plates are painted over. Does anyone recognize this beast?
Any advice would be appreciated

 

[sm1th.op]

Those are classic signs of wear in the gear linkage or potentially the gearbox mounts, especially on an older model.
It's not necessarily a deal-breaker if the box itself is sound!
And the steering ram seals can definitely be refurbished!
Most hydraulic shops can sort that out with new seals.
As for the gearbox, if it's just the linkage causing the popping out, that's often a relatively straightforward fix.
If the internal gears are worn, then reconditioning will be more involved and potentially expensive.
But usually, a loose gearstick and popping out points to linkage issues first.
Finding someone to recondition it might be tricky depending on your location, but it's not impossible.
Try checking heavy equipment repair shops or industrial machinery repair specialists in your area!

 

[Silman.pp]

Perhaps if you scrape off the paint and look for an ID plate near the engine or chassis, it could be an old Benford with a perkins and turner box, something that can be saved maybe

 

[Shadow1]

Why is he so set on buying it without knowing the exact model or checking if parts are still available? That gearbox alone could be a costly gamble if it's too far gone