Utility vehicles are a key tool in many industries and a common part of daily work activity. When you need new vehicles, there are many options to consider before purchasing a utility vehicle. What are some things to think about before you buy a utility vehicle? Ensure that the equipment you purchase fits your needs and is suitable for the industry you work in. Here are four factors to keep in mind.
1. The Environment You Work In
Utility vehicles have an assortment of uses, and depending on the nature of your work, the environment can vary. Environmental considerations can include the need for street legal driving, will you need off-road capacities, turning radius requirements, overall wear, accessory compatibility, and general use needs. You want your vehicles to be able to perform in the conditions you regularly encounter.
2. Drivetrain
Utility vehicles, like automobiles, have different drivetrain options to fit specific needs. In general, two-wheel and four-wheel drivetrains are the most common options. If your vehicles are mostly being used on smooth, even surfaces, two-wheel drive vehicles will likely suit your needs. However, if your business tasks involve off-roading, mud, bad weather, and generally hostile conditions, four-wheel-drive vehicles are more practical.
3. Fuel Type
The type of fuel your utility vehicles take is also an important consideration. Options include traditional gasoline, diesel, and electric options in some situations. Traditional gas utility vehicles run well, are quiet, tend to cost less than other options, and have good acceleration. The downside is they can require more maintenance and may offer less power than a diesel model. Diesel utility vehicles last a long time and offer high levels of performance. A downside is diesel utility vehicles can be louder and cost more upfront. Finally, electrical utility vehicles offer clean performance and less engine maintenance but are a newer technology and are not always a suitable solution.
4. Power and Performance
For utility vehicles, you have to keep your usage needs in mind. Factors to consider include towing power, cargo space, seating space, and payload capacity. Your utility vehicles need to offer the level of performance you need to do common daily business tasks. A vehicle that is too weak will result in more trips and work while an overpowered utility vehicle may be unneeded for your common tasks and a waste of resources and capital.
Final Thoughts
For every job, you need the proper tools. Your utility vehicles are as important as the tools found in your toolbox. By carefully researching your business needs, what tasks you need to perform, and vehicle specifics (fuel type and drivetrain), you can ensure your utility vehiclesare effective and cost-efficient.
For anyone interested in engineering, metalwork or building things by hand, a machine shop can be a magical place. This term does not refer to a place where machines are built but rather where machining is done. That can include making and repairing parts for machines.
One of the more fascinating aspects of this magical place is what kind of equipment is used in a machine shop.
Here’s a look at what different machines may be found in a machine shop and what they’re used for.
What kind of equipment is used in a machine shop?
There are many different types of machines that are in a machine shop. Some of the common machines include:
Lathe: A lathe is a very useful tool in a machine shop. It rotates the workpiece at very high speeds to perform a wide variety of tasks. This includes cutting, sanding, drilling, boring, turning, threading and more. These tools are one of the oldest types of machines and are found in machine shops that deal with everything from small parts to heavy duty machines.
Grinder: A grinding machine consists of a wheel with an abrasive surface that spins at high speeds. This machine can be used to sand down surfaces to smooth them out or to shape and flatten a component as needed. It can also be used to remove rust or paint from other parts for refurbishing.
Drill: A drill is one of the most useful tools in a machine shop. There are many different types of drills, but a standing drill (or drill press) is one commonly found in a machine shop. This is a large, heavy vertical drill that is controlled by a lever pulled by a technician to drill a hole on a piece that is laid flat on the drill’s work surface.
Saw: There are many different types of saws, and each has its own different uses. A band saw is a blade that runs like a belt and is used for cutting long pieces into the desired length and can do so in large quantities. A circular saw uses a round blade to cut through a variety of materials and can be found in a table-mounted or handheld style. A hacksaw uses a straight blade with many small teeth to cut through a variety of metals.
Shearer: When it comes to cutting sheet metal, a shearing machine is tough to beat. These do not leave chips or residual material, which reduces debris on the cutting floor as well as in the air in the machine shop.
This is but a small sample of the different machines that are in machine shops. When you need parts made or repaired, it’s likely that the job will require more than one of these tools. When you need professional machining done, reach out to the experts at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today. We have a full-service machine shop and an experienced team that’s ready to help complete your next project.
Proper line boring is essential in making many types of machinery run smoothly, including engines of all types. This is a precise undertaking that requires exacting specifications, specialized equipment and lots of experience to get the job done right.
How does line boring work? Read on to find out more about what all goes into line boring.
Line boring, defined
There are many different types of line boring, but simply put, line boring can be boiled down to enlarging a hole that has already been cast in a piece of metal. The reason for this is to line up two holes and make them collinear.
This is common in machines like engine blocks, turbines, presses and more. If holes are misaligned or not collinear, the resulting vibration can cause the machine to shut down or malfunction in other ways.
Line boring process
Here’s how line boring works. First, the holes are lined up to their centers. Then a boring head is drilled through the holes to make their diameters even. This must be very precise and may require a variety of specialized tools.
Line boring can take anywhere from a few hours to multiple weeks. For complex jobs, an engineer may come out to the site and inspect the equipment that needs repair. Measurements will be taken and the tools needed will be identified and readied for use.
It might be the case that custom line boring needs to be done, especially if worn-out bores need to be returned to factory specifications. In this case, repair sleeves may need to be installed to decrease the size of a bore rather than widening another bore to match a worn-out one.
In the case of large machinery repair, line boring can be done on-site. This can be a cost-effective solution when compared to buying a new machine. It can also be much more efficient, as line boring work can often be completed faster than waiting for a new machine to be delivered and installed.
Why you may need line boring work
There are many reasons why line boring may be necessary for your equipment. Sometimes bore issues are the result of hydraulic pressure loss or just heavy use of the equipment over time. Other times, the bushings or bearings may have seized up, leading to bore damage.
Line boring can help restore worn-out or otherwise damaged or out-of-round bores. It can also help restore the correct bore alignment (this is often known as align boring). Line boring can also help change or correct bore centers or alignment.
The process of line boring is highly specialized and should always be performed by an experienced professional. When you need line boring or if you want to know more about what all goes into line boring before deciding if you need it done, get in touch with the team at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today. We are ready to handle all your line boring needs in our shop or on-site for heavy machinery and equipment.
Even though they’re bigger, utility vehicles like tow trucks, snowplows or any vehicle used for heavy hauling are designed to handle extreme loads and work in adverse conditions. However, they’re still susceptible to a variety of problems. Keep reading to learn the top issues that come with utility vehicles and how they can be avoided:
Poor fuel economy: Unlike passenger cars, a utility vehicle’s miles per gallon isn’t always considered during manufacturing. This leads to higher fuel costs, which is particularly problematic with higher diesel costs these days.
Brake wear: Some of the most common problems with utility vehicles are related to the truck’s braking system. Since they’re heavier, utility vehicles take a longer time to slow down, and the brakes have to work overtime to bring the truck to a stop. Crew members must be aware of the added braking time when they’re driving utility vehicles.
Uneven tire wear: Any car, SUV or pickup truck can have trouble with uneven tire wear, but this problem is more pronounced with heavy-duty utility vehicles. Uneven tread wear on individual tires or slight pulling indicates that the tires aren’t up to par and should be replaced.
Rollovers: Since they’re often top-heavy, utility vehicles can roll over when making sharp turns. While this is an issue on any roadway, the chance of a rollover gets even higher while driving on winding roads or in winter weather conditions.
Reduced visibility: Another safety problem that often comes with utility vehicles is reduced visibility. Blind spots behind the truck or having trouble seeing what’s in front of the vehicle can lead to collisions or a variety of workplace injuries.
How can these issues be avoided?
Thankfully, you can typically avoid the most common problems with utility vehicles. Follow these tips to keep every truck in your fleet in tip-top shape:
Schedule routine maintenance: The top way to prevent breakdowns with utility vehicles is to bring them in for routine maintenance. Along with preventing disasters, a regular tune-up can also help improve fuel economy. Consider bringing your entire fleet in for maintenance at once to ensure every utility vehicle performs its best.
Make repairs as soon as possible: It’s easy to ignore a slight problem with a utility vehicle or even a blinking dashboard light. However, turning a blind eye to issues leads to more expensive repairs in the future. Even though it means some added downtime, it’s best to bring your utility vehicle in for repairs when something’s amiss.
Use highly trained drivers: You can avoid issues like rollovers or accidents caused by reduced visibility by hiring properly trained and experienced drivers. It’s also a good idea to schedule routine training sessions, so drivers are always up to speed on the latest safety regulations.
Whether you’ve experienced any of the top issues that come with utility vehicles firsthand or you’d like to avoid them altogether, talk to the experts at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. We offer mobile utility vehicle repair within a 200-mile radius, and we’re available 24/7 to make emergency repairs.
Hauling heavy equipment from point A to B is a big job, possibly requiring dozens of hours of work and a full crew of trained professionals. Even if it’s just up the road, failing to prepare for the trip or not following proper safety procedures can result in equipment damage or injuries.
Luckily, completing the hauling project without harming team members or damaging any equipment doesn’t have to feel like rocket science. These are our best tips for safely hauling heavy equipment that you should always follow.
Select the right vehicle and trailer
The first step is choosing an adequate trailer and vehicle to haul your heavy equipment. Obviously, using a truck that’s not rated to pull a heavy load or a trailer that can’t support your equipment simply won’t work. A few of the trailers you can choose from include flatbeds, lowboys, drop decks or gooseneck trailers.
Inspect and secure the load
Improper loading is one of the most common causes of accidents with heavy equipment hauling. So, one of our best tips for safely hauling heavy equipment is to secure everything before you take off. Along with making sure the load is distributed evenly across the trailer and the equipment is locked in place, you’ll likely need to use tie-downs or wedges and checks to keep everything secure.
Only hire trained and experienced drivers
Securing the load and using the right truck and trailer won’t do much good if you have an inexperienced driver behind the wheel. Make sure everyone on the crew has experience with heavy hauling and is capable of safely performing the job.
Know the local road laws and regulatory requirements
Every state has different regulations for heavy hauling—especially when driving down state highways—and those laws can even vary from one town or county to the next. Make sure you understand all of these requirements and have obtained any necessary permits for each town or state you’ll be driving through.
Plan your route ahead of time
Getting behind the wheel and relying on your GPS to get you to your destination might work if you’re driving a passenger car, but that’s not the case with heavy hauling. Our next tip on how to haul heavy equipment safely is to plan your route in advance. Try avoiding roads that are under construction, have toll booths or low-hanging wires. Additionally, plan the trip outside of rush hour, when there are fewer vehicles on the road.
Double-check everything before leaving
You can never be too cautious when it comes to heavy hauling. Before you leave, take a few minutes to perform another inspection of the vehicle, trailer and cargo. It’s not a bad idea to have a few crew members take on this task instead of relying on one person.
We’re the only team you need
At Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc., we specialize in lowboy hauling to transport heavy machinery, as well as providing utility vehicle repairs. Contact us today to learn more about how to haul heavy equipment safely or to get a quote for hauling or repairing your vehicles.
