Tag: maintenance: Page 9

Construction Equipment

Mounting tires with an ether explosion looks smart but is extremely dumb

Editor’s Note: Despite abundant evidence of this crazy trick working, the process involves causing a very dangerous explosion on purpose and therefore we urge you, DO NOT try this at home. If you ignore this advice, the extremely likely injury you’ll incur is on you. You’ve been warned. Despite the Internet’s vast, collective knowledge, there’s […]

May 13, 2014

Workforce

North Dakota diesel tech program grows 25%, adds Komatsu program

A long-standing diesel tech program in the southeast corner of North Dakota gained an additional industry partner this week. Komatsu America has joined John Deere, Caterpillar and Case in establishing a brand-specific two-year degree at the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, aimed at channeling techs into dealer shops. In the past two […]

May 9, 2014

Business

How to save money and protect equipment by creating an anti-idling policy at your construction company

In construction bids, nobody likes to leave money on the table. Yet the biggest controllable expense—fuel cost—is rarely scrutinized for savings. That’s unfortunate, given that the average idle time for heavy equipment is 40 percent, says Komatsu’s Ken Calvert. Komatsu started putting telematics on its machines in 2006. When they looked at the aggregate data […]

April 1, 2014

Roadbuilding

What your agency needs to know about how this year’s cold and snow might affect spring weather

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for spring weather. Sure, I love winter sports and playing in the snow with my kids, but this winter has been particularly rough with extreme winter weather. It has certainly done a number on our roads, too. Related: Michigan DOT, local agencies could receive $100 million for highway […]

March 10, 2014

Construction Equipment

Heavy equipment technicians should avoid “mechanical logic” when diagnosing electrical problems

Even the best mechanics and technicians tend to get brain freeze when faced with an electrical problem. Fleet managers and shop supervisors who get impatient with the lack of progress only make things worse. Why? Because mechanical work and electrical work are two different animals. “If you try to apply mechanical logic and thinking to […]

February 28, 2014

Construction Equipment

Mack Trucks intros air disc brake option for work trucks; here’s how easy it is to change brake pads

Mack Trucks introduced an air disc brake option for it’s vocational trucks today at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas. Air brakes offer superior stopping power, better resistance to fade and less maintenance than than conventional S-cam designs. Mack’s design uses two pistons to drive the pad against the rotor, which provide more balanced […]

January 20, 2014

Business

EPA offering rebates for construction equipment DPF retrofits, engine replacements until Jan. 15

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a rebate program that will help construction equipment owners with the cost of reducing their fleet’s emissions. In 2010, a provision was added to the EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act that allows the agency to give rebates to fleet owners taking action to reduce emissions. The 2013 Construction Equipment […]

November 21, 2013

Home

Rule 1: Skid steer O&O costs

Based on a Case 430/440 model, 1700 to 2200 pound operating load, 2007 model, 4 year ownership/depreciation, 750 hours of use per year.   Do the math Unit costs are a great analytical tool. Take your machine O&O costs per hour, apply that to how many hours it takes to move X amount of dirt, […]

November 18, 2013

Business

3 rules for calculating and managing skid steer Owning & Operating costs

People who work with big equipment have a saying: “You can be going broke in this business and not know it for six months.” And the one cost that can be very hard to gauge, if you’re a small contractor or new to this business, is the owning and operating cost of your equipment. To […]

November 18, 2013

Home

Rule 2: Skid steer O&O costs

Managing operating costs Your operator is always going to be your biggest expense. With that in mind, here are a few ways to lessen that expense. Invest in training for productivity improvements Enclosed cabs, newer equipment help retain quality employees and keep them productive. Match the machine capabilities to the job. You don’t want an […]

November 18, 2013

Home

Rule 3: Skid steer O&O costs

Money never sleeps. If it isn’t making you money, it’s costing you money. If you buy stock in a company and after a few years it quits growing or paying dividends, you get rid of it. Right? The same is true of equipment. Letting equipment sit idle is like stashing money under a mattress. That’s […]

November 18, 2013

Maintenance

How to switch to extended life coolants in your equipment and trucks

When it comes to extended life coolants (ELCs), the news is all good. They’re more expensive than conventional coolants, but last for 500,000 miles or better in trucks and 6,000 hours or more in off-road equipment. And ELCs don’t plate out a mineral coating on the inside of your cooling system, so the heat exchange process […]

November 1, 2013