Equipment

The Busy Season: Time to Refresh Earthmoving Equipment Maintenance

Contractors can help keep equipment running at peak performance by conducting regular inspections and scheduling preventative maintenance.
By Bret Kasubke
June 8, 2021
Topics
Equipment

This summer, contractors can help keep equipment running at peak performance by conducting regular inspections and scheduling preventative maintenance. Simple steps like doing a visual inspection and regularly cleaning the machines can significantly impact equipment performance. Layer in professional maintenance on a trackable schedule, and you’ll have your earthmoving all-stars in the game all season.

Key Maintenance Steps

Make a schedule for the lubrication of moving parts. Regular lubrication helps machines work more efficiently by reducing friction and torque, which can cause premature wear and tear or even equipment failure. Make sure to visually inspect equipment daily, ideally at the beginning of the day or right before use.

Remove leftover soil and other debris from moving parts or exposed shafts at the end of each workday—schedule lubrication for all equipment weekly for machines that pass daily visual inspection.

Focus on cleaning machines after each use. Making sure equipment is clean of caked-on dirt and debris will improve efficiency, prolong the machine’s life and increase safety. Enforce a pre-use visual inspection so any identified issues can be resolved before the following workday.

Schedule routine mechanical inspections so wear-and-tear issues can be mitigated before repairs are needed. Be sure to check seals and ensure moving parts are functioning.

Educate employees on proper equipment care. Fostering a worksite culture that prioritizes the care of tools and equipment is an excellent way to reduce maintenance needs and prevent equipment failures.

Companies don’t even need a mechanic to perform simple maintenance tasks, such as regularly cleaning off debris. And by making these tasks a team effort, contractors can increase efficiency and prolong equipment life.

Assign operators to monitor equipment they know best, and they will know when something changes about the way that machine operates. If possible, assign operators to specific pieces of equipment and check-in frequently about the status of their machines.

Create a role for an individual who can bridge the gap between operators and maintenance mechanics by scheduling tasks, troubleshooting easy repairs and sorting out maintenance priorities.

Tap Experts for Managing Fleet

Owned equipment on a worksite needs to be in top operating condition. Maintaining a large fleet is not easy. Going beyond daily checks, contractors should consider turning to a fleet service provider.

Outsourcing to an equipment maintenance solutions team can protect a contractor’s investment. These services can safeguard employees by helping ensure equipment is expertly inspected, maintained and repaired. They can aid contractors in addressing ANSI, OSHA and CSA requirements.

With substantial capital investment in equipment, fleet management is vital to companies. However, for most contractors, this is not a core competency. Comprehensive fleet data, including utilization and performance metrics, can pinpoint optimization opportunities in a contractor’s fleet and help to create an effective fleet strategy. This approach can make lifecycle planning of equipment and vehicles simpler and buy-versus-rent decisions more straightforward.

Make Maintenance a Priority

Earthmoving season is a hectic time, and machines will experience a lot of wear. Executing a sound maintenance plan can help contractors maximize utilization, prevent breakdowns and keep worksites on schedule. 

by Bret Kasubke
Bret Kasubke is Director, Customer Equipment Solutions at United Rentals. He has 20+ years of demonstrated excellence in driving performance improvement. The Customer Fleet Solutions team collaborates with large equipment owners in developing solutions to optimize their owned fleets while lowering their total cost of equipment operations.

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