Top Tips for Maintaining Heavy Earth Moving Equipment

Heavy earthmoving equipment is indeed the backbone of industries like mining and construction.  Such heavy equipment is complex and expensive. Therefore,maintenance of earthmoving equipment must be completed religiously to avoid major problems in the long run.

The last issue to be brought into consideration is that of heavy equipment failing to function correctly because of frequent breakdowns and improper maintenance. When you hire equipment from companies like National Plant & Equipment, you must take enough care for its proper operation. 

National Plant & Equipmentwas set up by CEO, Mark Ackroyd, who built up his fleet from a single bulldozer to 250 units of heavy earth moving equipment serving the mining and construction industry in Australia.

The following tips for maintaining heavy equipment prove to be very useful:

• Regular cleaning

The simplest solution is to keep your equipment squeaky clean. Substances which the equipment can come into contact with are dust, dirt, and mud, which can clog vents and filters and damage electrical components. Such materials can cause wear and tear and rust down the line.

• Protect wires and electronics

Pay special attention to any circuits and wires in the equipment. Protect them from water, dust, snow and other elements. It is also good to keep tabs on key electrical parts of the equipment. Prevention is much better than costly repair in such cases.

• Lubrication

All working parts of a machine will fail if they are not appropriately lubricated. Without lubrication, parts will generate excess friction, which causes wear and tear of machinery. Hence all moving parts of heavy equipment must be adequately lubricated.

Also, not all lubricants are the same. Use only those which are recommended by the manufacturer, or else it will prove counterproductive.

• Check tyres regularly

A broken axle or a tyre blowout is a severe problem to deal with, which could be avoided with proper preventive care. There is need to stop problems with tyres at the stage of origin by keeping  tabs on their general condition after, before or during their use in rough conditions. Treads that are worn out are also serious problems.

• Store properly

Heavy equipment must be stored in a place which provides protection from severe cold or heat, corrosion rust and direct sunlight. Invest in proper storage and remember to stow away equipment here when not in use.

• Keeping in view the limits

The overuse of equipment can result in various problems. Do not exceed the recommended limits of weight load and avoid situations that lead to the overheating of engines. Protect the equipment from the elements to enhance its lifespan.

• Proper training

An untrained operator can severely damage the equipment as well as cause safety issues. For protecting equipment and employees, ensure that operators of machines are well trained. For example, when they have to drive the equipment up or down a steep hill, they must know the right gear to operate. Else, all will be in terrible danger.

• Maintain records

Even before facing any issues, records must be maintained as a regular part of the care routine of your equipment. There is a need to set up frequent check-ups and recording results of such check-ups in a spreadsheet. Such records will prove vital when any operational issues arise.

These are all tips for maintaining heavy earth moving equipment. At National Plant & Equipment, the CEO, Mark Ackroyd, has set up systems in place for proper care of equipment.