Heavy machinery, whether that be a Komatsu, Cummins, or Cat, requires constant maintenance. Not only is heavy equipment likely the most expensive asset you own, but it could also be the most expensive to repair or replace. No business wants unprecedented and costly downtime that some simple planned maintenance measures could have avoided, being proactive with this is an extremely effective way to avoid more serious issues and contribute to better long-term performance.

So, here are Jaytrac’s top heavy equipment maintenance solutions:

Identify Symptoms of Heavy Machinery Breakdown

A huge part of heavy machinery maintenance is being able to identify symptoms of potential breakdown. This may be in the form of sudden, intermittent, or gradual failure of your machinery, but checking for general wear and tear is an effective way to pick up early such symptoms. Taking the extra time to check your machine’s vital components is the ideal way to see issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. Whilst the aging of your machinery is unavoidable, fixing small issues like loose and missing bolts and damaged electrical components will benefit you in the long run. Learn to understand your electrical monitoring system and what the fault codes mean. Don’t ignore faulty sensors, they are the eyes and ears of your machine! 

Clean Your Machinery Thoroughly

Working on-site means all manner of dust, dirt, and debris find its way onto (and into) your heavy machinery; this can cause clogging to the most important components of your equipment, increasing the risk of overall performance being impacted, and even safety concerns.

Setting aside time to properly clean your machinery plays a key role in heavy equipment maintenance. It can be done relatively easily by simply using a power wash to forcefully remove the grime, but more stubborn areas may need specialised cleaning methods, such as high pressure or chemical treatment.  

Regularly Replace Your Lubricant

Your heavy machinery’s health relies strongly on the use of lubricants. Lubricant is needed to reduce friction created by the moving parts of your equipment, decreasing wear and tear over time and the risk of overheating. Frequently checking your lubricant levels has a pivotal role in heavy machinery maintenance. 

It’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right type and amount of lubricant for your machine, however. Not enough lubricant can cause the above issues, but too much can create other issues impacting performance. Your owner’s manual should have this information, ensuring you find that perfect balance, so please follow the service intervals!

Have a Schedule and Keep Good Records

As you might have already gathered, the key to maintaining your heavy equipment is being consistent with your checks; this includes checking your fluids, tyres, electrics, and all other components in-between. Keeping a log detailing the maintenance that you’ve completed is an incredibly useful tool for not only keeping track of what you’ve done, but also acting as a reminder to complete the relevant checks on your equipment.

Train Your Employees

Improper use of your heavy equipment can be one of the prime causes of damage, premature failure, and even injuries on-site. Being proactive and making training on equipment usage a priority within your business could save you a lot of potential costs down the line.

Training isn’t a one-time thing. Putting time aside to properly train your employees through refresher courses, training on new or updated equipment or clearly laying out emergency action plans and safety precautions is an important on-going task. This process doesn’t have to be lengthy or complicated, but clearly communicating with your employees and making the smallest changes can substantially increase your equipment’s life.  

Heavy machinery maintenance can always help reduce the need to replace or repair  but sometimes this simply can’t be avoided. Here at Jaytrac, we supply a range of quality replacement parts for Caterpillar, Cummins and Komatsu equipment, for the occasions when you need to service and repair your engine and machines.   For more information, contact us today.