Summer has arrived, and if you’re going to be doing a lot of construction work or other jobs that require the use of heavy equipment this summer in Lexington, OR, it’s important to make sure your equipment is up to the task. This means performing seasonal maintenance to ensure the machinery can operate safely and efficiently all year long.
Here’s a quick overview of the steps you should follow to prep your heavy equipment for the season ahead.
Get started as soon as possible
Ideally, you will have already started preparing for the summer heat. But if you haven’t, now’s the time to get started!
You don’t want to wait until it’s the hottest time of the year to get started with your prep work. Before it gets too hot, you should clean off all the equipment (especially airflow areas and the radiator), make sure it’s fully lubricated and perform any necessary maintenance work.
Ensure proper storage
Your heavy machinery should not be stored out in the sun, where it will bake all day long. Instead, you should keep it in a shaded area or in a storage facility. At the very least, do whatever you can to minimize exposure to the heat by covering machines with tarps, if you don’t have any other options. Keeping your machinery cool will help you to prolong its life and prevent potential heat damage.
Avoid using equipment during the hottest part of the day
Just as you should make sure to store the equipment away to keep it out of the hot sun, you should also do your best to avoid using heavy equipment during the hours of peak daylight (generally between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.). While you don’t necessarily need to halt all of your operations during this time, you should at least try to minimize the use of certain types of equipment during that time to prevent it from overheating. Get an early start whenever possible, or schedule evening work sessions.
Keep an eye on the batteries
You should make sure to prioritize good battery maintenance as well during the summer months. Extreme heat can result in battery malfunctions, and people often overlook standard battery maintenance. Check to make sure your unit’s battery is fully charged and that the electrolytes in the battery remain at the proper levels at all time. Otherwise, you could run the risk of potential downtime.
Check displays
When hot conditions do arise during the summer, you should keep an eye on all displays on the machines. This will help you determine if you need to give any of your equipment an opportunity to cool down to prevent overheating before you proceed with your work. Stay apprised of the equipment’s condition to keep it in good shape.
For more information about some of the steps you can take to prepare your heavy equipment for summer, or to get help with heavy equipment maintenance in Lexington, OR, reach out to the team at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today.
No matter how well-maintained your heavy equipment fleet may be, there’s always a chance of something breaking down. How do you know whether it’s a problem that requires heavy equipment repair, or if you can get away with simple maintenance in Lexington, OR? Here’s a quick guide to when you need to take your heavy equipment in for repair.
Forestry equipment
Forestry equipment, like forestry dozers and road builders, tend to be complex pieces of equipment. If you’re not familiar with their intricate mechanical components, it can be hard to tell when it’s time to take it in versus when you can get away with maintenance. Luckily, you can treat this kind of equipment like you would a regular vehicle. First, check all the fluids to ensure that they’re clean and at their appropriate levels—flush or top them off if you find issues with the fluids. Look over the wires and valves to ensure they’re functioning appropriately, too.
Next, look for rust and corrosion on the exterior and internal components. Rust can form quickly, especially in rainy places like Oregon. The faster you discover the rust, the more likely you’ll be able to continue using the vehicle. However, if the rust is widespread or damaging the structural integrity, you’ll probably want to take it in to replace the parts.
If you can’t find the source of the problem, take your vehicle in right away. There’s no shame in letting the experts handle it.
Aerial lifts
Pay special attention to your aerial lifts—any time you have employees working at great heights, you must ensure their safety. Like any equipment, aerial lifts will deteriorate with age. It probably doesn’t need to be replaced, however, unless your heavy equipment mechanic deems it DOA.
OSHA recommends that owners do periodic inspections. First, check the fluids and make sure they’re clean, topped off and not leaking. Move on to the electrical components and any valves: are they functioning properly, too? Is anything loose, unharnessed or missing?
Finally, you should go through the lift and test every function you use on a daily basis: press every button and test every alarm until you’re satisfied it’s operating properly. If there are any issues, take it in for repairs. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Hydraulic valves
Finally, hydraulic valves can fail over time. If yours is performing less reliably than normal, be aware that they sometimes seem less productive after extended use. To that end, check the fluids and filters to ensure there are no issues there.
Because hydraulics are complicated pieces of machinery, you may not be able to identify the root of the problem. If that seems to be the case, bring your machinery to Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. for an inspection.
If you’re not sure whether your heavy equipment needs maintenance or repair in Lexington, OR, the experts at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. are here to help. Get in touch with us today to learn more and set up an appointment.
If you have company-owned vehicles, you have a fleet. Whether they’re forklifts, pickup trucks, trailers or company cars, fleet maintenance is crucial in Lexington, OR. Keeping your fleet well-maintained is the key to its longevity. Unfortunately, many companies underestimate the need for regular fleet maintenance—especially the importance of hiring an outside company to do the job.
Keeping your fleet well-maintained ultimately saves a lot of time, money and manpower, especially when you work with a company like Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. Read on to find out how fleet maintenance can benefit your company:
Keep your vehicles in great condition: The most important benefit of regular fleet maintenance is that it will keep your vehicles in the best condition possible. This ensures they’ll always be operational, extends their lifespan and ensure you’ll always be ready for important jobs.
Prevent downtime and save money with regular maintenance: When your vehicles break down, it’s not only expensive to fix, but it costs you money on jobs, too. No customer wants to hear that their project has been delayed, even if it’s for a “good” reason. By maintaining your fleet appropriately, you’ll ensure you can meet all your commitments. Repairs will also be a lot cheaper when you work with a fleet maintenance company.
Keep operational costs low: The better shape your fleet is in, the less money you’ll spend on repairs—and you’ll also spend a lot less on fuel, oil and dealing with minor malfunctions. Keeping your vehicles in good shape reduces the amount of money you’ll spend to keep them on the road. Over time, that can save your company a lot of cash.
Make sure your fleet complies with environmental regulations: There are plenty of environmental regulations that apply to your vehicles, which are designed to reduce the volume of emissions your fleet produces. Not only do emissions cause global warming, but they can also increase chances of contracting neurological disorders. As company owners, you have an obligation to keep the community as clean and safe as possible. Good maintenance helps guarantee that.
Stay ready for testing and inspections: State and federal regulatory authorities can mandate tests and inspections, like smog tests and more. The better you maintain your vehicles, the more likely they’ll be ready for testing and inspections on a moment’s notice. Plus, when you work with a fleet maintenance management company, you won’t have to worry about when it’s going to get done and who’s going to do it.
Keep your resale value high: Finally, keeping your fleet in good shape will increase your vehicles’ resale value. Like your personal vehicle, the cleaner and better functioning your fleet vehicle are, the easier it will be to resell or trade them in later.
When you need fleet maintenance or utility vehicle repair in Lexington, OR, the team at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. can help. Call us today to learn more about our services and schedule your own fleet maintenance management plan. We look forward to working with you!
Preventative maintenance is crucial for all forms of equipment, whether it’s moving vehicles, construction equipment or equipment in machine shops. Staying on top of preventative maintenance allows you to keep your machinery in great operational condition long into the future, which is important for getting the most out of your investment.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the primary advantages of preventative heavy equipment maintenance in Lexington, OR for you to consider:
Less downtime: If you stay on top of your preventative maintenance, you’ll be able to avoid breakdowns that could result in equipment downtime. Equipment downtime means loss of productivity, as well as loss of dollars—you can’t make money if you can’t use your equipment. By avoiding downtime with preventative maintenance, you keep your operation moving and save a lot of money in the long run.
Longer equipment lifespan: Equipment needs to be properly maintained if you’re going to maximize its useful life. Over time, the small issues that pop up could quickly turn into larger ones if you do not take the appropriate steps to correct and repair them. The larger the issue, the more difficult and expensive it is to repair and the more likely it is to lead to a complete breakdown of the equipment. It will cost you far less to stay on top of your heavy equipment maintenance in Lexington, OR than it will to replace the equipment entirely.
Improved safety: Properly maintained equipment is safe equipment. A lack of maintenance doesn’t just increase the risk of poor-quality performance—it also results in more prevalent safety risks. Maintaining your equipment keeps you and your workers safe, and also helps you stay in compliance with all OSHA regulations so you can avoid fines and other liability issues.
Improved efficiency: Not only will your results be better when your equipment is well maintained, but you’ll also be able to achieve those high-quality results in a much more efficient manner. Equipment that runs efficiently costs less money to operate and produces higher quality results in the end. Stay on top of your maintenance and you will be able to ensure ongoing efficiency.
Fewer interruptions: In addition to less downtime, well-maintained equipment will provide fewer interruptions in general to the work you’re doing. You won’t have to worry about hiccups in operation caused by inefficient operation of the equipment, or by other small issues you’d have to work around.
While ongoing preventative maintenance does require you to be proactive and invest some labor and time into caring for your equipment, it also helps you avoid problems associated with deferred maintenance that could quickly become expensive to address. It’s better to over-maintain your equipment than to under-maintain it.
For more information about how to properly maintain your equipment and why it’s important to prioritize preventative maintenance, we encourage you to contact Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. with any questions you have. The team at our heavy equipment repair shop in Lexington, OR looks forward to working with you soon.
There are certain types of products and services you should never, ever cheap out on, and welding and fabrication certainly qualify. As you look for a provider of welding and fabrication services to help your business, you should make sure you’re partnering with a company that cares about the quality of its work and is capable of delivering the outstanding results you need over and over again.
Here are just a few of the ways in which top-notch fabrication and welding services can benefit your Lexington, OR company:
Durability: Products that have been made with high-quality welds and fabrication will last much longer than products made by welders or fabricators with lower quality standards. Find parts and producers known for their quality so your investment will pay off for many years to come.
Costs: Because high-quality welding and fabrication results in more durable products, this will also mean your costs will be lower over time. You might pay a little bit more initially to cover the upfront costs of the product, but you’ll save money over time by avoiding the need for early replacement.
Reputation: If you always work with high-quality products, your company’s reputation will be bolstered as a result. You don’t want to be known as a company that doesn’t care about quality—delivering quality products is the best way to make a strong impression on buyers.
Quality products are a result of excellent quality control. Machine shops in Lexington, OR should have rigorous quality control measures in place to ensure their quality standards get implemented with every single job they perform.
Visual welding and fabrication inspections are one key step to ensuring this consistent, repeatable quality. During such an inspection, companies inspect materials before they start the weld to make sure they meet quality standards. Then they will frequently test the quality of the weld and materials during the welding process, and inspect the final result upon completion of the weld. If the final product has any issues, they will take the appropriate measures to fix them.
The visual inspection that occurs during the welding process will feature checking for craters that must be filled (to avoid porosity), inspecting weld passes and checking for any types of other faults that could increase the potential for cracks to form in the product later in its life.
It is also important to regularly inspect the equipment used in welding and fabrication. Inspections will include checking for damaged cables, making sure arc voltage is correct and checking all amperage meters. High-quality equipment is crucial for producing high-quality products. At some points, it may become necessary to replace that equipment if the company is to reliably achieve the same levels of quality.
If you’re interested in learning more about what goes into creating high quality in welding and fabrication, we encourage you to get in touch with the team at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. The experts at our machine shop in Lexington, OR would be pleased to answer any questions you have!
