Large construction equipment is the backbone of any construction industry as they perform demanding labor and ensure optimal performance. Purchasing heavy equipment is expensive and regular maintenance is imperative to increase its lifespan and to add value to your site.
The lack of preventive maintenance can lead to costly repairs and replacements that can adversely affect your finances. A common mistake that many managers make is assuming that heavy equipment is too powerful to break down and get damaged.
Unfortunately, heavy equipment can get damaged due to wear and tear and misuse, decreasing its service life. Here are some maintenance tips you can adopt to ensure your heavy-duty equipment is functioning correctly.
1. Don’t overwork your large construction equipment
All heavy equipment comes with an operator’s manual that states its performance limitations and specifications. Ensure you never exceed these limitations as they wear out your equipment. If you want to yield the best results, and ensure effectiveness and efficiency, follow the operator’s manual.
Avoid exceeding your machine’s weight limits as well, to prevent breakdown and keep your equipment working for longer.
2. Lubricate your equipment
Occasional lubrication reduces friction on moving parts of your heavy equipment, preventing breakdown. Before applying a lubricant to your equipment, check for grease build-up and excess oil on pistons.
You can also check for leaks on oil seals. Check recommendations from your heavy equipment manufacturer on the right lubricant to purchase.
3. Train your crew
Product knowledge is vital when it comes to implementing a preventive maintenance program. You can find information about your heavy equipment on your user’s manual or go for the thorough training on the proper use of the equipment.
Take your time to understand your heavy equipment and ensure you have the right certification to operate it. This includes training your employees as well to minimize risk.
4. Cleaning
Keep your heavy equipment clean to prevent contamination and build-up of rust. Inspect your seals and filters and change them regularly to get rid of contaminants.
Ensure your construction site is also clean and store your large construction equipment under a large site with a roof over your equipment to avoid exposure to extreme weather.
Why should you keep your equipment in tip-top shape?
The first reason is that large construction equipment is expensive, so you should want to take care of it! You want it to last as long as possible.
Another reason is that you could possibly get some money back for your equipment! If you no longer have a use for it on-site, or you only needed it for one specific job, you can sell it to an auction!
At auctions, it will be sold “as is” which means that the better shape your equipment is in, the more money you will get back! Another benefit is that as a seller, you can set our own terms and conditions before the sale of the equipment.
Lyon Auction makes it easy for both buyers and sellers, making it a headache-free process. There are also online auctions for your convenience. Check out where our next on-site and virtual auctions are! Contact us for more information!