Abstract: An indirect method was presented to measure the digging resistance of a hydraulic excavator by sensing the interaction between the bucket and stick with a special pin sensor. With detailed analysis of digging resistance, a dynamic model of bucket based on Newton-Euler Dynamic Equation was established. Then, based on the general excavation process, a synchronous acquisition test platform for measuring oil pressure, displacement and force was set up with a special pin sensor and other test devices. The simulation load performed on one bucket teeth through spring dynamometer and digging resistance could be drawn as a curve with the test data calculated by the dynamic model of bucket. Finally, the calculating result was compared with the simulation load to verify the test method. Result shows that the error of these two curves is 8.6% and this method is efficient in measuring the digging resistance.