Tag: maintenance: Page 8

Business

Low-viscosity oils are only the beginning; new EPA diesel fuel economy rules will significantly impact your future

Earlier in June, Shell Lubricants went into great detail telling journalists about how the soon-to-come, low-viscosity diesel lube oil category will help heavy duty trucks improve fuel economy by roughly one percent. And while a one percent improvement in fuel economy may not get those of you in the heavy construction business too excited, another […]

June 24, 2015

Construction Equipment

Are you ready for Tier 5 emissions regulations?

Is Tier 5 on its way to the United States? That’s up to the EPA, but if Europe is any indication it won’t be a big deal. One thing that clearly stood out at the Intermat trade show this spring is that the diesel engine emissions saga isn’t over yet. The good news is the next […]

June 5, 2015

Technology

REVIEW: Can Lemur’s $100 BlueDriver device and app match up to a $3,000 OBD-II scan tool?

Turn your smartphone or tablet into a $3,000 scan tool for $100? Sounds a bit far-fetched. Is the Lemur BlueDriver more gimmick than genuine? That’s the question we wanted to find out. Scan tools are as important in today’s service tech’s toolbox as any wrench, screwdriver or socket. Maybe more so. They gather data from all the vehicle’s microprocessors and […]

April 23, 2015

Construction Equipment

Shell debuts Rotella ELC-NF, a nitrite-free, multi-vehicle coolant

Modern diesel engines run hotter, no getting around it. To help these emissions-compliant engines keep cool, Shell Lubricants has introduced a new nitrite free coolant, Rotella ELC-NF. The “ELC” in the product name stands for extended life coolant and the formula is designed to last for 600,000 on-highway miles or 12,000 hours in commercial applications. […]

February 19, 2015

Oils & lubricants

New heavy-duty diesel oil standard: What you need to know

There’s a new heavy-duty diesel oil standard in the works. It will not be available until late next year or early 2017, but the performance requirements for it tell you a lot about where the diesel engine industry is headed. The industry periodically updates standards to address performance and emissions requirements from OEMs, says Sam […]

February 10, 2015

Pickups

Dead Batteries: Winter Kill

When it’s time for a new battery, shoot for something bigger and better suited for heavy-duty use By Allan Tarvid It’s almost as cold in the shop as it is outside. A crew is waiting at the jobsite and you have a million things to get done before quitting time. But when you turn the […]

December 18, 2014

Workforce

How a “Circle of Retention” can bring better hires to construction companies

The biggest challenge facing the heavy equipment industry is the lack of qualified workers in any skill area. The problem is not impossible to solve but as with football or any other sport, winning requires preparation, planning, goal setting, training and mentoring. This is more work than many contractors and fleet managers anticipate and certainly […]

October 1, 2014

Construction Equipment

Cut operation costs by keeping lubricating oils and hydraulic fluids free of contaminants

In July, we showed the importance of keeping our weapon (grease gun) in good condition and using the proper gun. Now we’ll look at keeping the ammo (lubricant) clean and free of contaminants.  Machine owners are seeking ways to make their businesses more profitable. But you may be failing to recognize one of the most […]

October 1, 2014

Construction Equipment

9 things you must know to get a handle on DEF

“Why does it have to be this way? Why are we having to do one more thing?” Those are typically the first questions customers ask Heath Watton, regional manager for Southeastern Equipment, Cambridge, Ohio, when they’re told about Tier 4 Final engines and the diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) they need to operate. The frustration is […]

September 1, 2014

Construction Equipment

4 rules for managing production dozer Owning & Operating costs

Of all the machines in the earthmoving world bulldozers, particularly large ones, may have the greatest variation when it comes to owning and operating costs. While the initial purchase price of a big dozer is a relatively fixed quantity, everything else from there can vary greatly. A backhoe owner often charges by the hour, but […]

July 14, 2014

Maintenance

How 3 diesel-electric and hybrid construction machines are waging war on wasted energy

For the past decade the drive to reduce diesel exhaust emissions has dominated the headlines. But with the last EPA mandated deadline of 2014 for Tier 4 Final engines here, the war is over and a new front has opened in the drive for cleaner, greener equipment. The new technology trend for heavy equipment is […]

June 1, 2014

Dealers

Caterpillar pushes dealers missing out on billions in sales each year to increase use of telematics data

Contractors aren’t the only ones not using telematics. Dealers of the largest heavy equipment manufacturer in the world are also being urged to up their use of the valuable data the technology creates. Caterpillar says its dealers are failing to capture somewhere in the range of $9 billion and $18 billion in revenue each year, […]

May 21, 2014