Category: Heavy Equipment Maintenance

The Value of Preventative Equipment Maintenance

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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.

What’s Your Logging Truck Maintenance Plan?

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Logging trucks are omnipresent throughout Oregon, thanks to our big timber industry. Transporting heavy logs can be dangerous, however, if your truck isn’t well maintained. Timber is a heavy and potentially lethal load, so it’s crucial that you keep up on your logging truck maintenance and repair in Lexington, OR. In addition, your fleet and drivers will be subject to random inspections while on the road—don’t risk fines, fees or delays.

Here’s an overview of logging truck maintenance. Although you can perform some of these tasks yourself, it’s smart to have a professional team like Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. perform your regular maintenance and repairs.

Engines

Have your drivers keep an eye out for warning signs like loss of power, a decrease in oil pressure or smoking. In addition to being a good indicator your vehicle may be overdue for regular maintenance, these can indicate that your engine is about to fail. Your maintenance provider can do compression checks, monitoring the engine and coolant temperature and keeping an eye on oil pressure. They’ll also check all the engine components to ensure safe operation.

Brakes

Brakes are critical to safety, so make a regular brake maintenance schedule. Replacing brake pads, fluid, drums, springs and pins are all necessary from time to time. Be sure to keep good records of when each component was last checked and replaced—it could save you from liability should an accident occur.

Body

Oregon’s rainy weather can lead to body corrosion. First, wash your truck at least once every 10 days. If you see any chips in the paint, address them immediately—that’s where rust and corrosion are most likely to begin. Keep locks and handles lubricated with WD-40 to improve function and prevent further corrosion.

Electrical systems

Modern trucks use complex electrical systems to keep each component running. Working with a professional company allows you to have these systems checked on a regular basis, by experts who know what to watch out for and how to repair any issues that arise.

Lubrication

Lubricating components like your engine, drivetrain, suspension and steering keeps your logging trucks from overheating. It’ll also prevent grinding and excessive wear and tear. Make lubricating moving parts a regular part of your maintenance plan.

Fluids and filters

Like any vehicle, checking and changing the fluids and filters regularly keeps your logging truck running smoothly, no matter how many mountains you drive up and down. Your maintenance company will be able to suggest the right frequency for your specific equipment.

Other components

Finally, have your maintenance company inspect and repair any safety equipment like belts, cords and other logging security measures. Train your drivers to note any issues during their pre- and post-trip inspections so you have a full list of what needs attention, in addition to regular maintenance.

Staying on top of your logging truck maintenance and repair is key in Lexington, OR. To work out a regular maintenance plan, get in touch with the experts at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today.

Readying Heavy Equipment for the Spring

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Now that spring is on the way, construction’s busy season is just around the corner, too. Construction equipment maintenance is key to getting your business off to a great start in Lexington, OR. The rain, snow, wind and ice can take their toll on your machinery. You’ll need to do some preparation to get it ready for your next job. Whether you take care of your equipment maintenance yourself or leave it to the experts at Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc., make sure you make it your top priority.

Here’s a guide to getting your fleet ready for the jobs on your calendar this spring.

Why you need to perform spring maintenance

Pre-season maintenance is important for a few reasons. First, you need your machines to be ready for the first jobs that come along—if they’re not well maintained, you could miss out on income. Second, failing to perform this maintenance doesn’t just mean your equipment might not be up to the task. It could also be a serious safety hazard, affecting your workers, the property and bystanders.

Cold weather, ice and snow can wreak havoc on your machinery. Seals can break, fluid freezes and metal can crack. If you winterized your equipment before the inclement weather set in, you’re less likely to have problems—but you still need to perform spring maintenance to ensure everything is operating smoothly.

Getting equipment ready

Here’s a closer look at how to get your heavy equipment prepared for springtime jobs:

Inspection tasks

After your spring maintenance is complete, perform a thorough inspection. Before you take your equipment out on the job, check of all the following components one more time. If any of them are malfunctioning, have them repaired before you need to go out on a job. (This is another reason it’s smart to take care of your spring maintenance as soon as possible—you don’t want a job to be delayed because of a malfunctioning part.)

Once your fleet has been brought up to speed and inspected, you’ll be ready for another successful construction season.

Why not let the pros take care of your spring heavy equipment maintenance in Lexington, OR? Call Bailey Heavy Equipment Repair, Inc. today to learn more and schedule service.